A FSnet reader provided a link to the French Ministere de l’Agriculture and we’re going to start trying to translate the significant microbial warnings and outbreaks.
Amy, the French professor partner took a crack at this one:
"On March 25, 2008 the press conference held by DGS, DGAL, InVS and AFSSA made precisions on the available information on the contamination of hamburger by the bacteria E. coli O157:H7 on which the shelf life has expired.
This outbreak was revealed by analyses that were undertaken at the producer’s initiative, conforming to communal and national hygiene rules.
It remained to be clarified the levels of contamination of these products because the first analyses were conducted without a microbial count. The official count analyses performed on the same hamburgers confirmed an important contamination on two samples and a weaker one on two others.
Since beginning informing consumers on March 21, 2008, there have been no human cases confirmed tied to this outbreak. In specific, no hemolytic uremic syndrome cases have been found.
Recommendations for consumers:
You are reminded that if you bought or are storing in your freezer the lots of hamburgers in question (fresh ground steak or ground meat, 5-15% fat, Monoprix or Carrefour brands, expiration date March 17 or 18, 2008, sanitary check number FR 50.147.02), you are formally recommended to not consume them and to bring them back to the store where you bought them.
In case digestive problems arise within a maximum of 10 days after consumption of the hamburgers from the incriminated lots, you are recommended to consult your physician and indicate your consumption to him."
And in what I’ve learned to love about the French, the press release says,
If you have not consumed any of the hamburgers from the incriminated lots or i
f you have no symptoms, it is useless to worry or to consult anyone.
The release also says to cook hamburger to the center. Whatever that means. What is French for piping hot?
Generally, it is advisable to remember that cooking the hamburgers through to the center prevents the consequences of such an outbreak, as the bacteria are destroyed by a temperature of 65°C.