DATCP: Break it to the cook gently — Tiger meat and raw eggnog are off the menu

Contact: Donna Gilson 608-224-5130

MADISON – This year, it’s time to abandon some holiday traditions.

Like tiger meat, steak tartare, cannibal sandwiches – all raw beef dishes with ethnic appeal – and old-fashioned eggnog like Grandma used to make with raw eggs. These are holiday treats that can turn nasty.

“Most people have gotten the message that raw meat can make them sick and could even be deadly, but there are still some who won’t give up a tradition,” says Jim Larson, director of meat safety and inspection in the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

And there are those who believe that eggnog’s just not the same without raw eggs, says Tom Leitzke, director of food safety and inspection for the department.

Amid the annual barrage of consumer warnings about holiday hazards, this is one alert that no one can afford to ignore, the two say. Salmonella, listeria, and E. coli bacteria lurk in these traditional specialties. Holiday gatherings bring together big groups with lots of small children and elderly family members – both particularly vulnerable groups – so risky foods served now could mean larger and more serious outbreaks of food-borne illness than at other times of the year. If pregnant women, transplant recipients, or HIV patients are on the guest list, the risk is even greater.

An outbreak of salmonella poisoning in Wisconsin in 1994 was traced to the ground beef served in traditional holiday dishes. It sickened nearly 160 people ranging in age from 2 to 90 years old and is the largest food-borne illness outbreak on record in Wisconsin. While diarrhea is the predominant symptom of salmonella infection, E. coli 0157:H7 infection can be more severe, sometimes resulting in kidney failure and lifelong health problems.

“There is no safe way to consume raw meat, no matter what precautions you take with sanitation and refrigeration,” Larson says. “Having said that, we acknowledge that some people are determined to keep the tradition alive. So if you insist on serving these dishes, here are some things that might reduce the risk – but remember, you can’t safely serve them by any public health standard.”

* Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw meats.

* Use only freshly ground cuts of meat – whole pieces ground in a sanitized meat grinder.

* Mix ingredients with clean utensils, never with your hands.

* Never add raw eggs to the recipe.

* Keep meat at 40 degrees F. or lower until serving.

* Serve with dish holding meat set on ice.

* Bring out small portions and refill with refrigerated product as needed.

“And maybe try garnishing with four-leaf clovers, because you’ll need all the luck you can get,” Larson says.

Eggnog, on the other hand, can be prepared safely using pasteurized eggs. They are available in both liquid form and as shell eggs, although finding pasteurized eggs in the shell may be somewhat difficult. Pasteurized egg whites are also available in products such as Egg Beaters®. You can also use a recipe that calls for cooking the eggs. To find some safe recipes, visit the newsroom on the DATCP website: http://www.datcp.state.wi.us.

Or really break with tradition and buy pasteurized eggnog from the dairy case at the grocery store.