Salmonella leads to more hospitalizations and deaths than
any other foodborne illness, sickening more than a million people each year. In
fact, the salmonella infection rate in people has risen 44 percent in just the
last decade.
Healthline
reports a recall of more than half a million pounds of pork suspected to harbor
a drug-resistant strain of salmonella. The pork, produced by Kapowsin Meats in
Washington, has sickened more than 150 people so far.
The article explains that it’s not just chicken that’s loaded
with this deadly bacteria: “Salmonella, which is often associated with
undercooked chicken or eggs, is now being discovered more frequently in other
types of meat.
The strain of salmonella in this case has become more
prevalent in recent years, and due to antibiotic overuse and misuse on factory
farms, has developed resistance to many antibiotics. Astoundingly, a whopping
80 percent of antibiotics produced in the U.S. are given to farmed animals.
The threat of antibiotic-resistant infections has never been
greater. Earlier this year, a study
found that by 2050, about 10 million people will die each year as a result
of such infections.
Breeding grounds for dangerous
bacteria, factory farms are a threat to public health. As if that weren’t bad
enough, they also subject billions of animals to cruelty few of us can even
imagine.
You can do your part to help stop
this madness by leaving meat and other animal products off your plate. For
delicious vegan recipes and tips on making the transition, check out ChooseVeg.com.