Consumer reports article on salmonella in store bought birds

[cassie]

EVERYTHING you put in your mouth might be contaminated. Including the stuff you raise yourself. That is why you cook it and wash it. I know how Consumer Report works. They are great. But the info on possible food contamination is not exactly new news. There have been articles and bulletins and reports on it for years and years and years. It seems like there is another scare story on the subject every few months. Just use basic common sense and hygiene and you will be fine.

 

[Buster52]

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Well, the reliability of Honda and Toyota cars over American made isn't exactly new news, either, but that doesn't stop CR from reporting it year after year after year after...

I also think you give the American consumer way too much credit. I'm not sure most people do realize that premium USDA inspected factory farmed meat you find in the grocery store is as susceptible to contamination out of the package as it apparently is. Most people assume inspected meat is completely safe. It obviously isn't. For that, CR is providing a valuable service.

For me, it merely confirms what I already knew. Food from the industrial agricultural system is prone to contamination. It underscores the wisdom of the lifestyle I have chosen and the huge mistake our nation has made in pursuing the food culture that it has.

In addition, it demonstrates the meaningless of the myriad of regulations put in place that favor Big Food and penalizes the small local producer. There is a great deal evidence that small scale farming is safer than factory farming, but still we persist in following policies that act as if the reverse were true.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Well, the reliability of Honda and Toyota cars over American made isn't exactly new news, either, but that doesn't stop CR from reporting it year after year after year after...

I also think you give the American consumer way too much credit. I'm not sure most people do realize that premium USDA inspected factory farmed meat you find in the grocery store is as susceptible to contamination out of the package as it apparently is. Most people assume inspected meat is completely safe. It obviously isn't. For that, CR is providing a valuable service.

For me, it merely confirms what I already knew. Food from the industrial agricultural system is prone to contamination. It underscores the wisdom of the lifestyle I have chosen and the huge mistake our nation has made in pursuing the food culture that it has.

In addition, it demonstrates the meaningless of the myriad of regulations put in place that favor Big Food and penalizes the small local producer. There is a great deal evidence that small scale farming is safer than factory farming, but still we persist in following policies that act as if the reverse were true.

I agree 100% with this whole post!

 

[dichotomymom]

I second that. For the mother earth news crowd, the consumer reports article is not new news but for the general public who trust anything you can buy, it's a valuable service.

 

[AHappychick]

in addition My sister was asking me if I worried about salmonella and those such things with my birds. My response (and please correct me if I am wrong) but many of these dangerous bacteria actual effect the chicken while living so being that I raise my own and don't give antibiotics sick birds would never reach the dinner plate (luckily no sick chooks at all but you know what I mean) The reason these are so infested with contamination in my opinion is that they are doped up on meds their whole short lives to keep them alive that long. From what I have read and seen they get meds in their water (and it changes to maintain strength) through out their whole lives. I am glad they made this report shows folks where the good stuff still can be found and that's with real farmers not huge factories. I would like to point out that the organic companies did the best too

 

[cassie]

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Foster Farms does not give their meat chickens hormones or medications to keep them alive. I would imagine other commercial producers don't either. The FDA frowns on antibiotic residues in meat, and that is something they do check for. I give my meat chickens a vitamin/electrolyte supplement in their water. I do not know if the commercial raisers do. The supplement does not contain any antibiotics but the extra vitamins seem to help prevent a lot of the ills the fast growing meat birds are heir to. For the record, unless you test, you have no way of knowing whether your home grown chickens are contaminated with salmonella or camphlobactor (sp) or not. I am not saying they are. Just that you have no way of knowing one way or the other.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

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What testing do the Backyard Producer do to determine what contamination may be on their birds?

What are the SOP's that a Backyard Producer uses to ensure there is no fecal contamination on the birds?

What HAACP methodology do the Backyard Producer use to determine where contamination may take place?

What chemical interventions do the Backyard Producer use to limit contamination of the carcasses?



Putting the backyard producer on a pedestal based on this Consumer Reports article is inappropriate, lets see what the numbers are from randomly sampled chicken carcasses from backyard producers throughout the USA. Then we can compare which system is safer and cleaner.

Jim

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

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Sorry but your impression is incorrect. Providing antibiotics to the birds (or other livestock) everyday not only reduces the effectiveness of the products, but it is too expensive.

 

[AHappychick]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

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Sorry but your impression is incorrect. Providing antibiotics to the birds (or other livestock) everyday not only reduces the effectiveness of the products, but it is too expensive.

Well I nam not sure about broilers but but there is certainly antibiotics given as now many practices have stopped and actually say on the bird no growth hormones, and some say antibiotic free. To me that means that some are or why would the others have to write it. If you watch Mike Row's Dirty Job show when he went to the egg farm the owner said on the show that they get antibiotics in their water, now that is egg production not meat but still....

Anyway I know botcholism effects living birds so I figured the other stuff would as well but I guess I am wrong???

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

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There are absolutely, without a doubt NO hormones used in either chicken, egg, or swine feeding programs. Fact, end of story.

The use of antibiotics in laying production is for treatment of specific disease, not an all day, every day event.

While Dirty Jobs is a wonderful show, using a sound bite from one of the episodes doesn't hold water.

Jim