How you can assure that your raw and cooked meats are safe to eat. E. coli is the bacteria you have been hearing about. It is dangerous and must be controlled. Bacteria are, perhaps, the most successful life form on earth. They are everywhere, grow quickly and sometimes can be very dangerous.
Bacteria live for food, especially if the food is within a certain temperature range.
If harmful bacteria enter the food supply because of poor handling, contamination may result which can cause food poisoning and in some cases death. Measures must be taken to control the harmful bacteria. The good news is that bacteria are relatively easy to control and to kill. Commercially, food must be prepared and stored under certain controlled conditions to make it safe. In the home, this is an easy task as well, if you understand the temperatures and conditions in which bacteria grow in.