Contaminated meat was linked to 1 in 5 UTIs, according to a study out of Southern California

"There's been a long-standing belief that urinary tract infections are largely caused by poor personal hygiene. New research, however, suggests that many cases may actually be caused by infections of E. coli bacteria from contaminated meat purchased in grocery stores. UTIs are common - globally there are 400 million cases a year - and can occur when bacteria enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

"Between 2017 and 2021, researchers from George Washington University and Kaiser Permanente Southern California collected more than 5,700 urine samples that tested positive for E. coli from U.S. patients with UTIs who resided in Southern California, from Bakersfield to San Diego. The researchers also took samples from meats (including turkey, chicken, pork and beef) being sold at retail locations in the neighborhoods where those patients lived."

"By comparing the those two sets of samples, the researchers determined that approximately one in five of those infections could be tied to exposure to E. coli from contaminated meat that was purchased in the U.S. "Urinary tract infections have long been considered a personal health issue, but our findings suggest that they are also a food safety problem," said Lance Price, senior author of the study and professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University."

Between 2017 and 2021, more than 5,700 urine samples testing positive for E. coli were collected from U.S. patients with UTIs in Southern California, from Bakersfield to San Diego. Meat samples including turkey, chicken, pork and beef were collected from retail locations in the same neighborhoods. Comparisons between clinical and meat isolates linked approximately one in five infections to exposure to contaminated retail meat. E. coli contamination among meat samples was highest in chicken (38%) and turkey. UTIs affect about 400 million people globally each year and can occur when bacteria enter the urethra. These findings indicate urinary tract infections are also a food safety concern.

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