Personal Injury Law

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in Canadian supermarket chicken - What about the U.S.?

By Bill Marler, Esq.

According to CBC Television, about 67 percent of (presumably Canadian) chicken has harmful bacteria. 'Marketplace' researchers tested grocery store chicken for harmful, drug-resistant bacteria and bought 100 samples of poultry from supermarket chains in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The samples included some of the 'most familiar names in the poultry business,' says CBC News.

Lab analysis of the chicken found that two-thirds, or 67 percent, had bacteria. But the surprise wasn't just the E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria found in the chicken. Rather it was that all of the bacteria were resistant to at least one antibiotic.

Even more frightening, the researchers found some of the bacteria had resistance to 'six, seven, or even eight different types of antibiotics.'

In interviews with 'Marketplace,' doctors and scientists said that the problem could be the result of chicken farmers giving too many antibiotics to their chickens, to make them stay healthy and speed up the growth process.

One wonders what a similar test would find in U.S. chickens? Sounds like I have might have a new project for 2011?

Full post as published by Marler Blog on February 15, 2011 (boomark / email).