Organic meat half as likely to be contaminated with antibiotic resistant bacteria, study suggests
New research suggests organic-certified meat is less likely to be contaminated with bacteria that can cause human illnesses, including multidrug-resistant organisms, than conventional meat.
The study – published in Environmental Health Perspectives - highlights the risk for consumers to contract foodborne illness through contaminated animal products as well as the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms that, when they lead to illness, can complicate treatment, researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health claimed.
The study revealed that USDA certified organic products were 56% less likely to be contaminated with multidrug-resistant bacteria compared to conventionally processed meats. The research was based on nationwide testing of meats from 2012 to 2017 as part of the US National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS).