Uruguay health minister urges proper cooking of minced meat after poisoning case

Uruguay's Minister of Public Health, Cristina Lustemberg, has advised citizens to ensure minced meat products are "adequately cooked" after a 29-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition in Paysandú. The woman's illness is consistent with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), potentially caused by contaminated hamburgers.

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I do not want to generate any alarm for the citizens, luckily that citizen is stable from a health point of view.

Lustemberg sought to reassure the public, stating the patient is stable and that health authorities are following standard procedures for food contamination cases. "The product is withdrawn and surveillance is carried out. That is what we are doing at this moment," she explained.

The incident involved hamburgers of the brand La Dolfina, purchased from a local store. The establishment voluntarily surrendered affected batches, which showed bacterial contamination possibly linked to Escherichia Coli. The woman reportedly cooked the hamburgers in an air fryer, prompting local authorities to reiterate the importance of fully cooking minced meat products, whether baked, pan-fried, or grilled.

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The product is withdrawn and surveillance is carried out. That is what we are doing at this moment.

While the exact strain of bacteria and its toxin-producing capability are still under investigation by the Public Health Laboratory, the case also involves technicians from the local Intendancy, the Technological University (UTEC), and the commune's inspection unit. The diagnosis of HUS, a condition that can damage blood vessels and cause acute kidney failure, highlights the risks associated with improperly prepared food.

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adequate cooking, just in case