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Consumer Reports turkey study sparks spirited responses
Story Date: 5/1/2013
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Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 4/30/13
A new study by Consumer Reports magazine linking bacterial resistance to antibiotics on turkeys raised with antibiotics is prompting varied reactions from related trade organizations.
The magazine’s researchers tested 257 samples of raw ground turkey meat and patties bought in stores across the country for the presence of five bacteria strains, including E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter. The tests found that 90 percent of the samples contained one or more of the targeted bacteria. A majority of the samples — 60 percent or more — contained bacteria related to fecal contamination, and two-thirds of the 5 percent of the samples that tested positive for salmonella were multi-drug resistant, according to Consumer Reports.
Bacteria on ground turkey labeled “no antibiotics,” “organic,” or “raised without antibiotics” were resistant to fewer antibiotics overall than bacteria found on products that did not contain similar labels. The findings “strongly suggest” that there is a direct correlation between the routine use of antibiotics in animal production and the increased resistance to antibiotics in bacteria found on ground turkey, said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, the director of the Food Safety and Sustainability Group at Consumer Reports.
However
The National Turkey Federation “strongly disputes” the results of the study, calling many of the results "misleading" and "sensationalized." The organization noted that two of the pathogens on the tested list — including generic E. coli — are not considered sources of foodborne illnesses. One of the antibiotics for which the organization tested (ciprofloxacin) has not been used in poultry production for nearly eight years.
The group noted in a release that the turkey industry uses antibiotics under guidelines set by federal laws to control the spread of disease.
'Encouraging'
Meanwhile, the American Meat Institute found the Consumer Reports testing “extremely encouraging” in that none of the turkey samples tested positive for campylobacter and only 5 percent were positive for salmonella — one-tenth of the regulatory limit of 49 percent.
The organization said in its own news release that FDA officials just last week noted that it’s an oversimplification to conclude that resistance to bacteria is problematic for human health, as some bacteria are resistant to many drugs.
Meanwhile, AMI officials also expressed support for efforts to phase out the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in animals used for food, adding that there is simply no way to destroy all bacteria on all raw products.
For more stories, go to http://www.meatingplace.com/.
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