Grass-Fed Cattle and E. coli O157:H7
Researchers have busted the food safety myth that grass-fed beef has less risk of E. coli O157:h7 than grain-fed beef. The study, to be published in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, tested bacterial contamination rates in 50 beef products labled as “grass-fed” and 50 conventionally raised beef products. The percentages of Escherichia coli positive samples did not differ between the two groups (44% vs. 44%).
The researchers conclusion:
Taken together, these data indicate that there are no clear food safety advantages to grass-fed beef products over conventional beef products.
Source: Jiayi Zhang, Samantha K. Wall, Li Xu, Paul D. Ebner, “Contamination Rates and Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria Isolated from “Grass-Fed” Labeled Beef Products,” Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. -Not available-, ahead of print. doi:10.1089/fpd.2010.0562.
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