New Video Challenges Myths About ‘Superbugs’ on Meat and Poultry Products
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Washington D.C.—The term
“superbug” has
become a popular way to describe any antibiotic
resistant bacteria, but a new Meat MythCrusher
video challenges
the claim that so called “superbugs” are
commonly found on meat and poultry
products.
The
video features an interview with Mindy
Brashears, Ph.D. professor of
microbiology and food safety at Texas Tech
University. Dr. Brashears challenges
claims by activists that “superbugs” are on
the rise in meat and poultry
products, noting that that USDA data suggests
otherwise.
“Overall
USDA testing shows that all bacteria are
decreasing in meat and poultry
products, not increasing,” Brashears says.
“The number one goal of any meat and
poultry processor is to reduce or eliminate all
the pathogens in the product
before they are consumed.”
She
adds that while some claim that “superbugs”
are commonly found on the surface
of meat and poultry products, a true
“superbug” is actually a bacterium that
can cause a foodborne illness and is resistant
to all antibiotics, and this is
a very rare occurrence.
“In
reality, by nature most bacteria do have some
amount of resistance, but that
does not make them a ‘superbug.’ Even the
FDA says that the term is used too
inappropriately and most antibiotic resistant
bacteria aren’t a threat to human
health,” Brashears says.
The
video also highlights the importance of
properly cooking meat and poultry
products to kill all bacteria, resistant or
not, and addresses concerns about
antibiotic residues in meat. Brashears notes
that antibiotics are fed to
animals with strict withdrawal times before an
animal is processed. Meat and
poultry products are tested for residues, and
removed from the market if an
illegal residue is found.
The
Meat MythCrusher video series is produced by
the American Meat Institute (AMI),
in conjunction with the American Meat Science
Association (AMSA), and seeks to
bust some of the most common myths surrounding
meat and poultry production and
processing.
The series is now in its fourth year and
includes more than 25 videos which
have been viewed more than 50,000 times. Other
video topics include myths
surrounding Meatless Monday, hormone use in
animals, ammonia in ground beef,
grass-fed beef and more.
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