Raw meat Raw meat Raw meat generally refers to any type of uncooked muscle tissue of an animal used for food. In the meat production industry, the term ‘meat’ refers specifically to mammalian flesh, while the words ‘poultry’ and ‘seafood’ are used to differentiate between the tissue of birds and aquatic creatures. While the majority of meat is cooked before eating, some traditional dishes such as crudos, steak tartare, sushi, sashimi, raw oysters, or other delicacies call for uncooked meat. The risk of disease from ingesting pathogens found in raw meat is significantly higher than cooked meat, although both can be contaminated.
Raw meat that many consumers do not re-cook them, believing them to be safe. "E." coli, "Salmonella" and "Shigella" have all been found in RTE products. A study of working practices in shops selling raw meats (including butcher’s shops, supermarkets and general stores) published in the "Journal of Hygiene", found pathogens on slicing machines, wiping cloths, worker’s hands, towels, and nail brushes. This facilitated the contamination of already cooked meats. This example shows the need of a method of detection. The traditional method is based on using cultures examined under a microscope, which is time-consuming. A method tested in 2005 in a