Ground turkey is frequently contaminated with bacteria that could make us sick. That’s the conclusion from a Consumer Reports investigation of ground turkey purchased in grocery stores nationwide. Of 257 packages analyzed, 90 percent tested positive for bacteria. Over half the samples contained fecal bacteria such as E. coli.
Other disease-causing germs such as Salmonella and Staph aureus also showed up in many samples. Many of the bacteria were resistant to antibiotics usually used to treat such infections. Organic turkeys raised without antibiotics were actually less likely to be contaminated with resistant bacteria.
The Consumer Reports investigation points up the vulnerability of our food supply. FDA Commissioner Hamburg has suggested that sequestration may make it even worse. Fewer funds will seriously limit the FDA’s already strained resources for food inspections.
