Washington Watch

Before you fire up the grill this summer, here's one more reason to make sure those burgers are well done. A new report from two consumer groups finds flaws in the government's meat-testing program. Put in place after the E. coli bacteria scares of the 1990s, the program was designed to bring modern science to meat inspection. But is it making the grade?

What's at stake: In "Hamburger Hell: The Flip Side of USDA's Salmonella Testing Program," Public Citizen and the Government Accountability Project analyzed the Department of Agriculture's own testing records for salmonella bacteria at ground-beef-processing plants. The report found that 77 plants in 26 states failed at least one batch of tests. Though many large plants repeatedly flunked, they continued to ship USDA-approved beef to stores. USDA disputes the report's conclusions, saying salmonella rates have decreased and that it shuts unsafe plants.

What's next: Congress is weighing increased penalties. Consumer groups would like to see testing for a broader range of bacteria (including E. coli) and public disclosure of plants that flunk.

What you can do: Check out the full report, including the list of failing plants, at citizen.org. And remember to cook ground beef to 160 degrees F.

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