This is not another push for you to buy meats organically grown, or is it? You be the judge.
Ranchers inject chickens, pigs, cows, turkeys and other food source animals on a regular basis. The injections of antibiotics and other drugs to make them healthy should make you join the parade.
Those are the same antibiotics our doctors give us to fight infections. When we eat them in our food, we introduce unprescribed antibiotics to our system. We develop a tolerance to them and the antibiotics become useless to us over time. Read on – jughandle
Bacteria-Infused Meat Found in Grocery Stores
I’m sorry for this image, but I need to get your attention
BY LEAH ZERBE
Antibiotic Resistant Staph Infection Found in Grocery Stores
Handle with care: A study found that supermarket meat can house bacteria that could infect your skin.
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Previous studies detected nasty, food-poisoning bacteria in supermarket meat. A study published Friday in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases sends the queasiness factor to a whole new level: Half of the U.S. supermarket meat sampled contained staph infection bacteria, including the hard-to-kill and potentially lethal MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection.
Researchers tested 136 total samples. 80 different brands. Included in the tests was ground beef, also, Chicken breasts and thighs, as well as, ground Pork and chops, along with ground turkey and turkey cutlets.
These test samples were purchased from 26 retail grocery stores in five U.S. cities: Chicago; Washington, DC; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Los Angeles; and Flagstaff, Arizona.
Previous studies have found a strong link between antibiotic-resistant germs and factory farms. This study traces the dangerous bacteria into the food chain.
Close to 80 percent of the turkey products sampled contained staph bacteria. 42 percent of the pork harbored staph bacteria. 41 percent of the chicken and 37 percent of the beef also contained staph contamination.
Nearly all of the contaminated meat harbored staph bacteria RESISTANT to at least one human antibiotic.
WHAT IT MEANS:
At the end of 2010, the Food and Drug Administration released a first-of-its-kind agency report, finding that factory farms use an unbelievable 30 million pounds of antibiotics each year.
Even before the release of that report, scientists and doctors had been waving red flags.
The overuse of antibiotics in farming is threatening human health.
In 2009, Prevention magazine published a special report, “The Superbug in Your Supermarket,” which found similar problems with your standard supermarket-bought meat.
While MRSA was previously linked to hospital-acquired infections, a new source emerged in 2008, linking back to huge hog farms.
The good news is that cooking meat kills MRSA,(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.)
The bad news is just handling the raw meat can give you a serious skin infection, particularly if you have a cut on your hand. And nose pickers, take heed. Wash your hands well after handling meat because MRSA loves to hang in your nasal passages.
Find out more about how to protect yourself from superbugs in food.
• Steer clear of CAFO meats. CAFO stands for concentrated animal-feeding operation, a nicer word for factory farm.
These industrial facilities often use antibiotics to speed growth and prevent disease in their crammed conditions. Scientists say overcrowding accelerates the rise of superbugs.
The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that industrial farms account for 70 percent of the antibiotics used in this country. That heavy use is making vitally important antibiotics work less well on humans.
To find safer forms of meat, check out:
Organic meat is more expensive, but it is also more nutritious. If you are strapped for cash, pastured eggs from hens that ate organic feed is a great option to get started
Practice nontoxic, commonsense food safety
No matter where your food comes from, it’s always in your family’s best interest to practice good food-safety advice.
However, do not turn to toxic antibacterial soaps and sprays to disinfect.
They are also linked to the rise in superbugs.