To guard against E. coli contamination the USDA FSIS and the CDC recommend that consumers take a number of precautionary measures including: 1) Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry; 2) Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water; 3) Immediately clean spills; 4) Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked; 5) Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, egg products, and cooked foods; 6) Only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to an internal temperature of 160° F, whether prepared from fresh or frozen raw meat products; 7) Do not use color as an indicator of a beef patty being cooked --- use a meat thermometer; 8) Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F; 9) Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.