In testing and analysis of pork chop and ground-pork samples from six U.S. cities, Consumer Reports found high rates of Yersinia enterocolitica, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning, especially in children. The majority of the yersinia and as well as a substantial portion of several other bacteria detected were resistant to medically important antibiotics Consumer Reports tested.
"Antibiotics are routinely fed to healthy animals at low levels. This practice promotes the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria which are a major public health concern," said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, director of safety and sustainability at Consumer Reports. "Infections caused by resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat and can lead to increased suffering and costs."