Tokyo Food Safety Information Center » Tokyo Metropolitan Government food safety FAQ » I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat raw beef; is it safe, then, to eat steak rare?
I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat raw beef; is it safe, then, to eat steak rare?
I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat raw beef; is it safe, then, to eat steak rare?
As bacteria which cause food poisoning are mainly found on the surface of beef, as long as the outer surfaces and sides are cooked properly, eating your steak rare (red in the center) is generally safe.
However, as food poisoning-inducing bacteria can penetrate into the interior of the meat over time, it is important to thoroughly cook beef all the way to its center when it will be served to children, senior citizens, or people who otherwise have weakened immune systems.
Among the cuts of beef commercially available, there are those which look like a single steak but are in fact conjoined pieces of meat made from multiple cuts of beef and fat (restructured steak). There are also cuts which have been mechanically tenderized or soaked in a seasoning liquid (tumbling) to make them less tough.
Restructured steak and beef which has been mechanically tenderized or tumbled can have bacteria which cause food poisoning deep inside the meat. Accordingly, it is important to thoroughly cook such meat all the way to the center.
Meat which has been processed in this way will carry a label such as “processed beef” or “processed meat (XX beef).” In addition, such labels will also state the necessity to cook the meat thoroughly before eating, so be sure to check the labels on any beef you buy.