Rare Steak

[sundaesundae]

How seriously do people take the advice about not eating rare steak? I love rare steak and just had well done for dinner and it was disgusting. I know there is a theoretical risk of toxoplasmosis, but is this just one of those rules they will switch again in a year or so?

Thoughts?

I eat it a bit pink I like meduim rare myself, avoided it in 1st pregnancy but then I realised it was all a bit silly and ott. We have so many rules in this country that mean safe farming practices that as long as its british and fresh I don't see the problem. As long as you are aware of the risks you can make your own informed decision I guess.

Given they sell steak tartare in restaurants I wouldnt worry about it!!!!

I compromise with medium. It's highly unlikely that the inside of a steak will be infected so the inportant thing is to ensure the outside is well cooked to ensure any germs there are killed. That's why i ger my burgers cooked well done as the mincing of the meat mixes the outside and inside of the piece of meat used so more importan t to cook thoroughly.

Goes without saying that i only eat it in reputable restaurants and ensure good food hygiene at home (although I still let my steak get up to room temp before cooking).

While they sell steak tartare in restaurants one of my friends and her Mum are currently hospitalised, on IV fluids and pretty ill after eating it. Neither are pregnant and both are normally very healthy. While a lot of effort is put into maintaining food hygiene from farm to fork and the standards are generally very high in the UK you can't get away from the fact the meat comes from an animal and some degree of contamination of the carcass during the slaughter process in inevitable as the hide is cut away from the muscle. So even if not pregnant I would not eat raw meat or a steak that has not been seared carefully.

I have my steak blue so I did completely avoid it during my first pg as I dont see the point in ordering and paying for a meal I won't enjoy as not cooked how I like it. I'm 36 wks with dc2 now and this time have had the occasional steak baguette as I prefer it rare rather than blue in a baguette anyway and I guess I've just been a tiny bit more relaxed. Still wouldn't have it very often though.

I agree it's confusing when advice seems to change every 6 months.

I would definitely avoid it. They take it very seriously in Belgium where I live and where steak tartare is as common as a cheese sandwich. I had a blood test for toxoplasmosis monthly during my pregnancy - again, standard here. I met someone who contracted it during pregnancy. Daughter was born severely handicapped. Not worth the risk. Same goes for salads. Don't eat anything you can't peel, or wash yourself.

Ps I think the risk is not that theoretical - many people are exposed to toxoplasmosis at one time or another but probably don't realise it as the symptoms in a healthy adult are nothing dramatic. But the risk to the foetus is very serious.

Yika is spot on that the risk is not theoretical - a large percentage of people have a positive toxo titre hving been exposed already. Having said that, despite having spent a lot of time lambing sheep and working with animals as well as eating meat (though usually well done) my titre was negative so contracting it could have a serious effect on the foetus. Even beef from cows that I'd seen raised, slaughtered on farm and butchered by a good butcher gets cooked carefully by me.

Google about toxoplasmosis in UK beef and make up your own mind. From the research I could find toxi never traced to beef in this country and even if it was infected toxi is pretty much killed by freezing. So I freeze my steak for at least 24 hrs and then cook it medium rare. I then get paranoid about it and google for the rest of the night. I think the risk is minimal. Be more worried about pork or lamb. get all the facts and decide for yourself. I find the paranoia after the event takes the joy out of the yummy bloody steak though.

Midgetm that made me laugh because it reminds me so much if myself. i spend ages deliberating about whether I should eat something (I also hate steak if it's even medium), do loads of research and convince myself its ok. eat it and then do loads more research and decide I shouldn't have, feel guilty and the evening is ruined... It kind of takes the pleasure out if eating it but I never learn. I too read that toxi is killed by freezing - I used that fact to justify eating sushi.

I'm still having steak pretty rare. I did ask for it medium rare when I ordered it last week, but as often the case came more cooked than I expected so will go back to ordering it rare.

The nhs guidance used to be so long as whole pieces of beef and lamb were properly cooked on the outside it was fine to be rare on the inside. One of the nhs pages on this states the advice has changed now only as a precautionary measure while the food standards agency looks into this further. It doesn't say why this is, so I take this as meaning there is no new evidence or reason for thinking the old advice was wrong but they can't say so 100%.

I thought the guidance had changed to say pink in the middle is fine for beef or lamb but pork must be thoroughly cooked?

Like everything that is advised, you have to weigh up the risks and make up your own mind. I say yes to pink meat, runny eggs, prawns at home where I have cooked them and also the odd glass of wine but no to mouldy cheese and goats cheese.

I'm very naughty when it comes to steak, I agree with you it's just ruined any other way, Ive had my blood checked and have immunity for toxo, I requested it with my routine bloods at 10 weeks as I work with animals, most people have immunity but you can't be sure without checking