It took me a while to figure out that the burger from 2007 didn't cause her symptoms in 2009. I was imagining that they stay dormant in the body for 2 years.

Eeesh. And I work with meat every day. Ammonia? OMG. Glad I don't eat frozen burgers; also glad I buy the stuff we grind - I get to see what goes into it, as opposed to pre-packaged ground beef.

Oh, god. My dad sent me that this morning and I've been scrubbing the kitchen down nonstop. I already get my meat from a "local" guy about three hours away.

*shivers*

90% of hamburger is from the worst 10% of beef.

Ditto redvixen. Buy steak; grind it yourself. Grind in fresh garlic, onion, mushroom, spices, etc.

The 14+ year old pasture cow, teeth falling out of its mouth, not having anymore calves, hip bones possibly poking through the hide... Hamburgered.

Hm. You might want to see the movie Food., Inc. Even though I track a lot of food-systems issues, I was unaware of the ammonia additive in industrially produced hamburger until I saw the film. Vile!

But at least since I read Fast Food Nation in the early oughts, I've realized that eating hamburger is definitely playing Russian roulette. The stuff is not fit for consumption and it's a risk to eat. Whole cuts are somewhat safer, but not completely; the problem is that in the industrial system it's really not hard for animal manure to be carried by a saw blade or grinder from the animal hides (which are covered in it) to the meat surfaces.

Local, local, local. Stay away from meat-processor company beef.