Antibiotics in imported food creating super bugs

Mark

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Antibiotics used in food production has concerned me for years now and the discussion pops up occasionally in the media every few months.

I saw it again raised on the news tonight showing examples of how the overuse of antibiotics in humans can lead to bugs becoming immune and developing into super bugs which are really hard to kill with current medications (antibiotics).

At the moment, we have a last line of antibiotics which can still be effective against most super bugs; however, scientists believe it's a matter of only several years before the bugs become immune to them and unless we find something else many people are going to suffer in the near future.

Most alarmingly is how despite western rules and regulations regarding the use of antibiotics other countries are using them liberally on people and also in food such as farmed sea food, domestic animals, fruit, and vegetables. This misuse of antibiotics is creating super bugs in these countries which are destined to hit our shores via people or imported products.

Due to the drop in standards right across the board in most government departments (for various reasons) testing imported food is pathetically limited and now days unreliable - I mean, can you trust govt departments anymore to do their job? I don't.

Therefore, over the past decade (since I have been aware of this) I have been very wary of buying and eating any imported food for me and my family especially from Asian countries or third world.

Luckily for us we grow most of our own fruit and veg and the stuff we do buy is scrutinized - it has to be if you are serious about your health these days.

Human greed has led to an overuse of antibiotics to fast grow food without disease but if the world doesn't get a handle on this issue soon no amount of antibiotics is going to help anyone...
 

Steve

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Yep, a very good point you make here Mark.
I was always concerned in the Army that we were pumped too readily with antibiotics every time we got a sniffle.
There were even times that I went against the doctors orders and just let the sickness run its course. I seemed to survive, somehow.:chuffed:
(not to mention the overabundance of inoculations we had, but we can save that for another thread)

But i have never put much thought into my food containing antibiotics.:dunno: I always think of pesticides but that's where it stopped.
My wife is always on about eating organic and we try as much as we can to follow that line. I suppose if the food is deemed 'organic' then we should be safe. True?

It's all a bit worrying but it's just one more reason to get into self-sufficiency and know you're safe.
There will always be some risk if you shop anywhere other than your backyard but with the right knowledge I think i am ahead of the average consumer who honestly wouldn't think twice about what goes into their shopping trolley.
 

Mark

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Totally on the same wave length as you (and your wife) Steve.

I think we do need to trust organic certified goods and retailers as there are far more trustworthy, well-meaning organic farmers and small goods markers than there are dishonest ones. Prices for some organic goods have also have been coming down I feel over the last few years but more then ever I am thinking if I have to pay more for safer food then I'll do it!

Of course, if you know the grower and how the produce is made being "certified organic" isn't necessarily a must for me. Just as long as I'm pretty sure the producer is using organic practices that's usually enough to make me feel safe - open weekend markets is a good example where sometimes I just trust the stall owner when they say "nah mate, we don't use chemicals on our food".

There are many people like us who are concerned about what is being done to and put in our food - awareness is growing and this is making more producers change farming practices away from heavy chemicals and tasteless hybrid products, which have a good shelf life but taste like crap. :)
 
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