They keep emphasizing, "especially ground beef". The studies they reference are all talking about ground beef made into jerky and then it appears they (the USDA) make the leap to all jerky on their own. At least that is the way I interpreted their references to the studies. The more I read it, the more I get the impression that it is more necessary with ground beef made into jerky, where the pathogens are throughout the meat, as opposed to just on the surface. The way I look at it, the strips I make into jerky are really thin strips of steak, and it is much less likely for the pathogens to get to the middle of the strips I cut. They are on the surfaces, and for the most part if I get the surface to 160, I feel I am good. This won't really change my method much either, mainly because I do not use ground meat to make jerky.