Source: MEATINGPLACE, 12/19/13

Consumer Reports said about half of the raw chicken it tested contained at least one “superbug” bacteria resistant to three or more classes of antibiotics and said FDA’s action last week giving voluntary guidance to drug companies to end labeling of antibiotics for growth promotion doesn’t go far enough.

Bacteria were more resistant to antibiotics used in chicken production for growth promotion and disease prevention, according to the report published Thursday.

 
The influential product-testing magazine said this was the first time it looked at contamination rates for six different bacteria: enterococcus (79.8 percent), E. coli (65.2 percent), campylobacter (43 percent), klebsiella pneumonia (13.6 percent), salmonella (10.8 percent) and staphylococcus aureus (9.2 percent).
Responding to the report, the National Chicken Council said 99.99 percent of chicken servings are consumed safely every day, and all bacteria, antibiotic resistant or not, is killed by proper cooking.

"No legislation or regulation can keep bacteria from existing," NCC President Mike Brown said. "The only way to ensure our food is safe 100 percent of the time is by following science-based procedures when raising/growing, handling and cooking it.  Right now, we're at 99.9% but we're going to keep working to reach 100.”

Consumer Reports conducted tests on 316 raw chicken breast samples purchased at retail stores nationwide.

Salmonella rates have remained between 11 and 16 percent in its tests since 1998, Consumer Reports noted, even though other countries have reduced their rates.  In 2010, for example, 22 countries met the European target for less than or equal to 1 percent contamination of two types of salmonella in their broiler flocks, it said.

It also found half of respondents in a survey incorrectly thought that chicken labeled “natural” did not receive antibiotics or genetically modified feed and one-third thought “natural” was equal to “organic.”

What it wants done
Consumer Reports urged the federal government to:
•      Give USDA authority to mandate recalls of meat and poultry products.
•      Prohibit antibiotic use in food animals except for treating sick ones.
•      Classify strains of salmonella bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics and known to have caused disease as “adulterants,” so that inspectors look for those strains routinely and when found, the products cannot be sold.
•      Move quickly to set strict levels for allowable salmonella and campylobacter in chicken parts. A proposal for setting salmonella levels is expected for public review this year.
•      Publish a list of meat products like chicken parts for which it has no performance standards and indicate a timetable for establishing them.
•      Drop the proposed USDA rule to increase maximum line speeds and reduce the number of USDA inspectors at slaughter plants.
•      Eliminate a loophole in the National Organic Program allowing use of antibiotics in chicken eggs up until the first day of life in organic chicken broilers.
•      Ban use of the “natural” claim and require claims on meat to be certified and inspected.

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To read the report, click here.