Outbreak of misinformation on salmonella

The recent outbreak of food-borne illnesses from Salmonella Heidelberg linked to three California Foster Farms chicken processing facilities has created a rash of misinformation from some media and activists, creating misperception by the public. The fact that so many were sickened, and an increased number hospitalized, speaks to the virulence of the strains found in the outbreak, not to antibiotic resistance. In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released its annual meat report on the prevalence and trends of antimicrobial resistance in food-borne bacteria. Samples from grocery stores of chicken, ground turkey, ground beef and pork chops had been collected in 2011 in 11 states. Read More