As of Saturday, MSU had pulled all foods containing ground beef from campus cafeterias. The move came at the request of J & B, Gore said.

J & B decided to test its product after a recent E. coli outbreak occurred that is suspected to be linked to ground beef from Topps Meat Company LLC, Gore said.

According to a Friday report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 32 cases of foodborne illnesses under investigation in eight states that could be linked to the contaminated meat. No cases were under investigation in Michigan.

Al Booren, an MSU Food Science and Human Nutrition professor, said beef usually becomes contaminated with E. coli during the processing stage.

This occurs when the meat comes into contact with a cow’s fecal matter or equipment that touches the infectious bacteria, Booren said.

“The goal is to keep things separated so you don’t contaminate the food,” Booren said. “The biggest issue is to keep everything as clean as possible.”

According to Thomas Whittam, a professor at the National Food Safety & Toxicology Center, E. coli contamination is most common in ground beef, though it also has been found in leafy vegetables. Earlier this year there was a massive recall of spinach due to an outbreak of E. coli.

Mike Rice, director of Auxiliary Services, said no beef shipped to MSU has tested positive for E. coli bacteria and no illnesses have been reported.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines E. coli as “a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration.”

Until MSU gets an OK from its supplier to begin serving beef, it will substitute ground beef dishes with chicken and other alternatives, Gore said.

“We would rather be safe than sorry,” he said.