Which food has the highest acceptable plate count of E. coli?

Uncooked ground beef is known to have a higher acceptable plate count for E. coli due to the nature of how it is processed and handled. Ground meat, especially beef, can be more susceptible to contamination during the grinding process, where bacteria that are present on the surface of the meat may be mixed in throughout the product.

Regulatory standards typically allow for certain levels of E. coli in raw meats, as long as they are handled correctly. These acceptable levels are different compared to fresh produce, cooked chicken, and raw fish, all of which have stricter regulations concerning E. coli presence. For fresh produce, even a small presence of E. coli can indicate contamination due to the potential for foodborne illness, and cooked chicken is expected to be free of E. coli altogether after proper cooking to eliminate pathogens. Raw fish, too, is handled under strict guidelines to minimize microbial risks.

Thus, while all foods must adhere to safety standards, uncooked ground beef has a relatively higher acceptable plate count compared to the other options, which aligns with food safety norms and practices regarding raw meat.