Re: Need to get antibiotics out of the food chain

[Guest guest]

Interesting that the concerns about overuse in food

production lists Africa as having a problem with over use of

antibiotics in poultry. The overuse of antibiotics and

steroids in the United States is out of control in all meat

production and now fish farm production. There are studies

that show worrisome results of the steroid use in developing

children. Vegetarian or vegan used to be an option. I guess

now we convert our lawns into food gardens, something that

is becoming popular in some areas of California, so we know

if the food we eat is somewhat safe. In addition to the

hormones and steroids we have to worry about the pesticides

used, especially on food from outside the US. I don't know

what control measures are taken in other countries. The ones

here are not sufficient and the farmers are constantly

fighting them. Organic only means so much, as well. And we

wonder why people are dealing with so many cancers.

Pat

wrote:

/message/15699

[Guest guest]

We do have more stringent regulation this side of the pond,

especially around steroid use in meat production. Water

contamination has reared it's head quite recently in food

production within Europe itself with ecoli outbreaks

relating to some vegetable crops. Perhaps this is something

that has always happened as animal faeces has been an

important part of cultivation for centuries. The problem is

not perhaps the frequency or location of the outbreaks but

the virulence and durability of the new strains. As these

migrate from their sources of origin. We must remain

vigilant with our food hygiene.

Home crop cultivation has always been a part of life here,

perhaps the glamour housing boom, stopped people using their

gardens for there intended function for a while. As food

prices have risen sharply and awareness of contamination

risk has increased, residents allotment facilities are full,

home owners are now forced to consider growing their own at

home.. I went down this route this year and am pleased that

a £20 investment in seed, a lot of healthy exercise and

sunlight has not only produced all our favourites but helped

me manage my CLL symptoms.

As my own resistance to infection reduces, I will increase

precaution against garden and soil pathogens and accept that

some time in the future this may no longer be possible. In

the meantime what can be better than the fruits of your own

labour? As in the recent dental thread, you need to asses

your own immunity before undertaking such a venture and be

sensible around natural fertilizers.

Nick (UK)

[Guest guest]

Mod's note from :

Ron gets the last word on this off-topic thread.

No follow-ups to the group. Thanks for your cooperation.

_____________________

Just a quick note of defense for my beloved Africa. As a

Peace Corps volunteer in Togo W. Africa (1984-1987) we were

told to avoid the turkey butts mostly imported from the USA

as the fatty tissue in this small triangular area is what

contained most of the antibiotics and additives used to make

turkeys grow. They did not want to sell them in the USA but

had no problem sending them to Africa. They were everywhere

as you can see by this article from the web:

Whenever you are in the super market and you see the 400

different types of Turkey products do you ever wonder what

they do with the Turkeys butt? I always thought it went

into turkey sausage but I was wrong .. What happens is that

they box up those turkey butts and send them to Africa where

they are fried in Palm oil and sold on the side of the roads

like hotdogs. That's right Ghana's answer to the hotdog is

a deep fried turkey butt. Doesn't make a hotdog look so bad

now does it !

I find it hard to accuse Africa now after 30 years that

rather than us stopping the usage of antibiotics for the

purpose or increasing the size of our livestock that she is

now following suit and is being blamed for the spread of

resistant salmonella.

Ron