The World Health Organization and, more recently, the United States Federal Health Agency are increasing the number of warnings against inappropriate use of antibiotics. Yet a test carried out by theUFC-What to Choose revealed the presence of drug-resistant Escherichia coli bacteria in one in four gallinacea.
The consumers’ association analyzed 100 samples taken from supermarkets, markets and butcher shops: 26 of them were contaminated with bacteria. Among these samples, “no less than 61% were carriers of bacteria resistant to one or more families of antibiotics, including 23% to critical antibiotics.” The only good news: organic poultry seem to be less affected.
An easily circumvented plan
Farmers are increasingly turning to antibiotics to limit the impact of disease and the spread of germs in intensive poultry farming. But “these antibiotics must absolutely be reserved for human medicine to prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to them,” said Europe1.fr Olivier Andrault, food officer at UFC – Que Choisir.
On the basis of these results, the association “urges the government to strengthen the regulatory framework”. The Econantibio 2012-2017 plan put in place by the ministry in charge of agriculture, which provides for a 25% reduction in the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine in 5 years, would be easily circumvented.
