Last year spinach contaminated with E. coli was in the news. This
year it’s salmonella.
According to the USDA:
“Salmonella lives in the intestinal track of humans and other
animals, including birds. Salmonella is usually transmitted to humans
by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.”
The last E. coli contamination of spinach was traced to cattle feces
from adjoining farms. This time it is fairly obvious that the spinach
was also contaminated by animal feces.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has this to say about
salmonella:
“Salmonella bacteria cause much of the food poisoning in the world,
including an estimated four million cases of salmonellosis in the
United States each year. In Illinois about 1,500 to 2,500 cases of
this foodborne illness are reported each year.”
“Since early 1950, farmers have administered low doses of
penicillin and tetracycline to cows, chickens and pigs to prevent
infection and promote growth. As a result, the bacteria in these
animals develop a resistance to the drugs. When these drugs are used
to treat infections in humans who have eaten meat from treated
animals, the drugs are not as effective as they might be. The U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between 20
percent and 30 percent of all salmonella cases involve bacteria
resistant to antibiotics.”
These are more good reasons why going vegan is the best solution.
