Health Law

Organics Vrs. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Study At Kansas State University Finds No Difference In E. coli Prevalence In Beef Cattle

By Marler Clark LLP

 We must be pass the time when all the stories seemed to be about how organics would make you able to jump tall buildings in a single bound.

At Kansas State University, researchers have found that "cattle production systems" do not affect E. coli prevalence in beef.  The study looked at organic and "natural production systems" and apparently found that antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 was unchanged.

We think a better way to communicate what KSU researchers are talking about would be to think of "natural" as standard operating procedure.   The standard method cattle ranchers use to employ some antibiotics and hormones, and use non-organic feeds that are regulated only by the owner of the brand name.

The organic method uses only organic feeds as regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture and do not use antibiotics, hormones or other veterinary products.

"The prevalences of E. coli 0157:H7 that we observed in organically and naturally (SOP) raised cattle were similar in the previously reported prevalence in conventionally raised cattle," the researchers said. "No major differences in antibiotic susceptibility patterns among the isolates were observed."

There more on the KSU study in Foodstuffs, the weekly newspaper of agribusiness.

Full post as published by e.Coli Blog on August 24, 2009 (boomark / email).