USC Target takes precautions in the wake of an E.coli outbreak

USC retailers pulled beef from their shelves in a reaction to an E.coli outbreak on 132,000 pounds of ground beef. Cargill Meat Solutions specifically identified Target stores in California as a possible source of contamination in a press release.

One person died and there are 17 reported infections nationally so far.

E.coli is a bacteria that normally lives in the intestines of healthy individuals. According to the Mayo Clinic, certain strands can cause serious abdominal pain, vomiting and in severe cases death.

The Food Safety Inspection Service announced that in addition to Target stores in California, other affected stores across the United States include Meijer, Safeway and Sam's Club.

The USC Village Target is taking precautions and following procedure to keep contaminated beef off their shelves.

"We take [contaminated food] off the shelves as soon as possible, and put it in a recall box, we go through the process of recalling them, and then we send them back to the company that gave them to us. We don't throw them out ourselves, we just send it back to the company, "  said Brenda Plitt, an employee in the fresh produce department at the USC Village Target.

Jiangnan Jessica Si, a freshman at USC, expressed concern about how it could affect her, but lives off campus and mainly uses the microwave to cook. She said she believes that USC does a good job protecting students.

Alensander Lee, a junior at USC, says that he does not trust USC to protect students from food contamination.

"Given the recent events with EVK [Everybody's Kitchen dining hall] and the whole Norovirus outbreak, not really. At least with this dining hall," Lee said.

In fall 2016, students contracted the Norovirus at the EVK dining hall.

Retailers also try to protect customers by keeping them informed of the situation.

"When guests do ask if there's a product we don't have on the shelves, why we don't have them, we usually answer why," Plitt explains.

Even though on-campus retailers are taking steps to ensure student safety, students should still take precautions when selecting and preparing their food.

The Center for Disease Control recommends four steps for food safety to protect individuals from food-borne bacteria and germs:

1. Wash surfaces and your hands frequently.
2. Separate raw meat, seafood and poultry. They can contaminate other food.
3. Cook food at the right temperature. Food is safe to eat when the internal temperature is high enough to kill germs and bacteria.
4. Refrigerate promptly to avoid letting food sit at room temperature

USC Engemann Health Center runs a Be Well Health Blog where students can find other tips on how to stay healthy and what to do if you find yourself sick.