ORGANIC MEATS-HOW SAFE ARE THEY?

There appears to be a mistaken belief that all organic foods are safe and they can be eaten under any conditions. This is now being challenged by new findings which go to show that organic foods, especially meat and poultry products are more vulnerable to a unique infection carried through the animals from the free ranging farms without being checked adequately. No doubt organic foods do protect consumers from undesirable chemical contaminants which can enter the production area through fertilizers, growth promoters and pesticides as it happens under conventional production system and safe processing helps destruction of harmful vectors like bacteria. But the new realization that the existing organic production practices fail to pre-empt the contamination from Toxoplasma gondi is a shocker many people may find it difficult to believe. As compared to industrial farming, organic food farms allow animals to graze freely exposing them to this ptotozoa which survives the slaughtering operations and gain entry into the food chain. Here is an insight into this new development which is of some significance to consumers. 

"Organic meat may carry a dangerous parasite which can transmit to people eating the products, if not cooked properly, a new study has warned. Researchers in the US found that a food-borne illness called toxoplasmosis, which is not as well known as salmonella or E. coli outbreaks, is caused by the toxoplasma parasite mostly found in organic meats. "The new trend in the production of free-range, organically raised meat could increase the risk of Toxoplasma gondii contamination of meat," the authors said. The researchers point out that eating undercooked meat whether organic or conventionally raised especially pork, lamb and wild game such as venison, is one of the main ways people become infected with the toxoplasma parasite. People can also contract the infection by not washing raw fruits and vegetables, which may have come in contact with soil contaminated by cat feces, they said. Cats, they said, can spread toxoplasmosis after eating other infected animals and then passing the parasite along in their feces".

No doubt almost half the world population carry Toxoplasma infection without any major consequences because of the effectiveness of their immune system. Even in a country like the US more than 30% of the population is reported to be carrying this infection without any significant consequences. Generally only pregnant women and immuno compromised individuals are vulnerable to the serious dangers arising out of infection with this parasitic protozoa. What is, how ever, confusing about the above report concerns the conclusion drawn by the study authors that industrial meats are safer than organic foods because of stricter and more stringent production standards. But what is ignored is that almost all food poisoning episodes during the last two decades originated from industrial meat production system with practically no organic foods involved in such cases. Besides the above report should not unduly alarm people consuming organic foods regularly unless they eat them without proper cooking. When normal cooking is practiced there need not be any apprehension about the risk involved in buying organic foods.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
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