Stiftung Warentest germs in chicken meat

Stiftung Warentest warns against germs in chicken thighs

09/26/2013

The Stiftung Warentest has found in a recent study in almost every second tested chicken thighs a high germ burden. It was also particularly critical that many of the tested products had germs that developed resistance to antibiotics. Although chicken meat is never completely free of germs, they should „Do not exceed critical levels and do not get sick“, emphasizes the Stiftung Warentest.

Due to the massive use of antibiotics in livestock and poultry farming in recent years increasingly resistant germs have formed, which now reach with the chicken thighs and Co. in the refrigerated shelves of supermarkets and finally in the refrigerators of consumers. An extremely critical development, because immunocompromised persons could become infected with the germs and a treatment would then be massively complicated by the resistances. That now from the Stiftung Warentest „resistant bacteria in 12 of the 20 products tested“ have been proven confirms a development that experts have been warning about for years.

Distribution of resistant pathogens via the food supply
Initially, the spread of resistant germs was primarily associated with the hospital sector, but now it has become common knowledge that animal and poultry farms in particular also play an inglorious role here. For years, experts have been calling for a reduction in the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. For example, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) represents the position that „the antibiotic use be limited to the necessarily therapeutically necessary extent“ must and „Efforts to keep the animals healthy, so that no treatment is required, are in the foreground“ should. A demand that so far but unfortunately usually no hearing.

Corruption and disease germs in chicken thighs
The Stiftung Warentest claims to have the chicken thighs „on spoilage and disease germs as well as antibiotic resistant bacteria“ regrettably, it was very often found. So have nine of the 20 products tested „just before or on the use-by date, microbiologically sufficient or deficient“ cut off, reports the Stiftung Warentest. In two products („Organic poultry“ and „Le Marensin“) more listeria have been detected than the EU allows. In other bacteria such as pseudomonads or Enterobakterien often the Richt- or warning values ​​of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology have been exceeded. According to a report from Stiftung Warentest, the testers also detected Campylobacter in eight products, a pathogen that can trigger diarrhea and is a typical germ of chicken farm residents. Overall, only five of the 20 tested products had done well, „including the chicken thighs of three major retail chains“, reports the Stiftung Warentest.

Organic products multiply with germs, but less often with resistant pathogens
None of the tested organic products could reach a good rating, according to the testers. The organic chicken thighs would all contain conspicuously many spoilage and disease germs, which is why „none of the tested products better than satisfactory“ section, reports Stiftung Warentest. However, the significantly lower burden on organic products with antibiotic-resistant pathogens was pleasing. Resistant germs were detected only in one of the five tested organic chicken thighs. Stiftung Warentest attributes the good result of organic chicken meat to the significantly lower use of antibiotics during rearing. For example, probably „Organic broilers receive the medication only once in their short life.“ Comparable strict rules do not exist in conventional agriculture. Here, as a precautionary measure, the entire stock is often treated with antibiotics if individual animals are ailing, according to Stiftung Warentest. A North Rhine-Westphalian official report from 2011 showed, „that 92 percent of broiler chickens in approved farms received antibiotics.“

Health risk due to resistant pathogens
Due to the frivolous, massive use of antibiotics, the bacteria become increasingly immune to the antibacterial drugs. One of the pathogens with extensive antibiotic resistance is MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus). The Stiftung Warentest has proven it in five chicken thighs. In eleven products, the testers discovered intestinal germs, „which destroy whole antibiotic groups by a special enzyme.“ Although the resistant germs would normally not harm healthy people, „but in immunodeficiency, such as age, disease or immunodeficiency drugs, they can multiply excessively or penetrate into blood vessels and organs“, warns the Stiftung Warentest. In clinics, the antibiotic-resistant pathogens are a particular problem because they penetrate through open wounds, catheters and cannulas in the body and can cause serious infections.

Shortening of the consumption period?
In view of the bacterial load of numerous samples, Stiftung Warentest recommends that manufacturers shorten the period of use or the expiry dates in order to ensure that there is no risk of consumption. After the expiry of the period of use „If one should throw away poultry - then germs have multiplied so much despite the refrigerator shelf and refrigerator that the food can ill or even make ill“, emphasizes the Stiftung Warentest. Consumers need to be aware of the fact that, in principle, there are no sterile chicken thighs and hygiene is therefore all the more important. „So that the germs do not get out of hand, bought clubs are immediately in the fridge“, report the testers. Also, if they are cooked through or roast before consumption, the bacteria are killed - even harmful and resistant. If in doubt, therefore, the meat should rather cook a minute longer in the pan than too short. (Fp)