The old advice about hygiene is still valid, but the nature of the
problem has shifted. Newer strains of salmonella are appearing
which are more difficult to deal with. Some are transmitted by
unknown means (birds are suspected) and they have managed to find
new ways of surviving. Eggs are no longer safe to eat without
cooking, and things like Eggnog and Ceaser salad should not be
made with raw eggs. It was not always like this. At one time
the salmonella entered eggs from the outside, but now it is
inside.
If we stopped asking questions at this point and tried to deal
with salmonella, it would be very frustrating. Soon it would
become apparent that the real problems are elsewhere. For
example, we would find that many of the drugs to fight salmonella
are no longer effective. They have been used extensively on animals
and the salmonella has developed resistance. Too make matters even
worse many animals are kept in concentrated feed lots which makes
it easy for salmonella to spread and breed resistance. Why do we
use our precious drugs to solve a problem with animal husbandry?
The answer to this becomes clearer if we look at the USDA trace
back proposal. The idea is simple, trace infected eggs back to
the source and take corrective action. This idea was killed in
congress by the egg lobby. It seems economics and the quest for
profit is more important than health issues.
This brings up a very fundamental question. Is economics running
the world or should we place people and ecology first? From here it
looks like bad economics is behind the salmonella problem and most
of our problems in agriculture, health, ecology, etc.
----------
Jeff Owens (kowens@teleport.com) Zone 6-7 Permaculture
Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV
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