We know that chickens and other factory farmed animals are fed a steady stream of antibiotics to foster faster growth and to mitigate the spread of disease caused by keeping thousands of animals in cramped, filthy conditions. But did you know that on top of all this, after chickens are slaughtered, their carcasses may be dosed in a powerful bath of chemicals?
While the goal of the chemicals is to reduce pathogens in the meat, little or no research has been done on whether these toxins linger in or on the meat and harm public health or the health of production line workers.
The scariest part about the chemicals? In the past few decades, the concentration and amount of chemicals has increased dramatically “from an average of two distinct chemicals per kill line a decade ago to four today, and from dilution rates of 20 to 30 parts per million of active ingredient in the 1980s to as much as 8,000 parts per million now,” according to Mother Jones. And, a new USDA plan would have consumer safety relying more on these chemicals and less on plant inspectors.
A recent Washington Post story also reports that the USDA is reviewing whether these strong chemicals may actually be covering up salmonella and other pathogens due to the way in which samples are prepared and sent to the lab. To test for pathogens, a carcass is pulled from the production line, placed in a bag filled with a solution, and then the bird is removed from the bag while the bag and solution go to the lab. If, in this process, the chemicals on the bird that are meant to kill the pathogens are not neutralized in the solution fast enough, they continue to kill pathogens in the solution on the way to the lab.
Over the past few years, salmonella rates (as tested in labs from these samples) have been cut in half. However, the amount of people getting sick from salmonella in poultry has not improved. The USDA review follows an independent study that suggested the USDA testing method is flawed.
Why take the risk? You don’t have to — you can protect your health and animals simply by choosing to leave chickens (and all animals) off your plate. Visit TryVeg.com today for a free Vegetarian Starter Guide.
Kuku na wanyama wengine wa kilimo cha kiwanda wanalishwa dawa za kuua viini ili kuimarisha ukuaji wa haraka na kupunguza kuenea kwa magonjwa yanayotokana na kuweka maelfu ya wanyama katika hali ya uchafu. Lakini unajua kwamba baada ya kuku kuchinjwa, mifupa yao hutiwa kemikali nyingi? Ingawa lengo la kemikali hizo ni kupunguza vimelea katika nyama, utafiti mdogo au hakuna uliofanywa juu ya kama sumu hizi zinasalia ndani au juu ya nyama na kuharibu afya ya umma au afya ya wafanyakazi wa mstari wa uzalishaji. Sehemu ya kutisha zaidi kuhusu kemikali? Katika miongo michache iliyopita, mkusanyiko na kiasi cha kemikali imeongezeka kwa kasi - kutoka wastani wa kemikali mbili tofauti kwa kila mstari wa kuua miaka kumi iliyopita hadi nne leo, na kutoka viwango vya kuyeyushwa vya sehemu 20 hadi 30 kwa kila milioni ya viungo hai katika miaka ya 1980 hadi sehemu 8,000 kwa kila milioni sasa, "alisema Mama Jones. Kwa mujibu wa mpango mpya wa Wizara ya Kilimo ya Marekani, usalama wa watumiaji unategemea zaidi kemikali hizi na chini ya wakaguzi wa mimea. Washington Post pia iliripoti kwamba Wizara ya Kilimo ya Marekani (USDA) inazingatia ikiwa kemikali hizo zenye nguvu zinaweza kuficha salmonella na vimelea vingine kwa sababu ya njia ambayo sampuli huandaliwa na kutumwa kwa maabara. Kwa ajili ya uchunguzi wa virusi, mnyama huondolewa kwenye mstari wa uzalishaji, huwekwa ndani ya mfuko uliojaa suluhisho, kisha ndege huondolewa kwenye mfuko huo huku mfuko na suluhisho zikienda kwenye maabara. Kama kemikali kwenye ndege ambazo zinapaswa kuua vimelea hazijasafishwa haraka vya kutosha, zinaendelea kuua vimelea katika suluhisho hilo. Katika miaka michache iliyopita, viwango vya salmonella (kama vilivyojaribiwa katika maabara kutoka kwa sampuli hizi) vimepunguzwa kwa nusu. Hata hivyo, idadi ya watu wanaogonjwa kutokana na salmonella katika kuku haijaboreshwa. Uchunguzi wa USDA unafuata utafiti huru ambao ulidokeza njia ya upimaji ya USDA ni mbaya. Kwa nini uhatarishe? Huna haja ya <unk> unaweza kulinda afya yako na wanyama kwa kuchagua kuondoka kuku (na wanyama wote) nje ya sahani yako. Tembelea tovuti ya TryVeg.com leo kwa Mwongozo wa Mwanzoni wa Mboga ya bure.