Guest guest Posted May 7, 2000 Report Share Posted May 7, 2000 By Will Barbeau Friday, March 17, 2000 Before you dive into that bucket of chicken, there's something you should know: You might also be eating antibiotics. That means the next time you get strep throat, the penicillin might not help. Fortunately, there are a couple of alternatives. According to Mark Cook, scientist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, fierce competition in the poultry industry has led farmers to minimize the amount of food and space provided to the animals and maximize the weight of the poultry. The result: squalid conditions. Such crammed quarters make chickens susceptible to bacterial infections. Their immune response causes them to lose their appetite and stop growing — not exactly what a poultry farmer wants. So the industry has resorted to antibiotics to combat bacteria. While using antibiotics to raise chickens for human consumption means more poultry in the supermarket, does it also breed danger for consumers? In the 50 years since their discovery, antibiotics have proven invaluable in combating human disease, from bronchitis to pneumonia. But bacteria adapt well to new drugs, developing resistance to the medicine. Scientists and medial authorities worry about the overconsumption of antibiotics. Can eating chicken make a person vulnerable to antibiotic-resistant bacteria? " Yes, " says Patricia Lieberman of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. More: http://www.enn.com/features/2000/03/03172000/antibiotics_10299.asp ENN recommended books: http://www.enn.com/store/store.asp?StoryId=10299#1 Diet for a New America : How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness and the Future of Life on Earth Prisoned Chickens Poisoned Eggs : An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry Slaughterhouse : The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry -- _____________ Free email services provided by http://www.goodkarmamail.com powered by OutBlaze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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