CDC posted on its website recently – Ground Beef Handling Practices Study

Objective: To evaluate ground beef handling practices and the use of irradiated ground beef in restaurants.

Study Results: Interviews and observations in restaurants that handle raw ground beef revealed that risky ground beef handling practices were pervasive in restaurants. Sixty-four percent of restaurants reported they never took the temperature of fresh ground beef upon delivery, and 50% reported they never took the final cook temperature of hamburgers. Observations indicated that in 49% of restaurants, hands were not washed after handling raw ground beef, and in 60% of restaurants, hands were wiped on wiping cloths or aprons after handling raw ground beef. Only 1% of restaurants reported always or sometimes purchasing irradiated ground beef, and 29% reported that they had never heard of irradiated ground beef. These results indicate the need for food worker educational campaigns that focus on hand hygiene, avoiding cross-contamination, and verification of the final cook temperatures of ground beef.