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July 13 2007
Are There Antibiotics in Your Lettuce?

The routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock has released yet another thorn into the proverbial side of your food supply. Those antibiotics are being transferred, via manure, into the U.S. food supply.

University of Minnesota researchers, in a study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, evaluated whether food crops accumulate antibiotics from soil covered with antibiotic-containing manure.

In a greenhouse setting, corn, lettuce and potatoes were grown on soil that contained hog manure with a commonly used veterinary antibiotic added.

The antibiotics were uptaken by all three crops, into both their leaves and tissue. Meanwhile, the antibiotics also transferred to the potato tubers, suggesting that root crops like carrots, radishes and potatoes may be particularly at risk of antibiotic accumulation.

Though the researchers said the effects of consuming plants that contain antibiotics are “largely unknown,” it’s thought that the contamination could cause allergic reactions or the development of antimicrobial resistance (which renders antibiotics ineffective).

The findings also have implications for organic farmers, who often use manure as their main source of fertilizer.

Journal of Environmental Quality July/August 2007, 36:1224-1230

Science Blog July 11, 2007



Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:
The fact that crops uptake antibiotics from the soil is disheartening, though not surprising.

When a food supply subsists on counterintuitive, artificial means -- like feeding livestock antibiotics as a matter of course to prevent illness, instead of providing quality food and a decent environment to keep the animals healthy naturally -- there is no end to the havoc that can ensue.

The end result is the “frankenfood” you see in most supermarkets that’s:
This time, however, eating organic is not the answer. Organic crops, which cannot be fertilized with synthetic fertilizers, are the ones most often fertilized with manure. As it stands, manure that contains antibiotics is still allowed under the organic label.

How can you ensure that the food you feed to yourself and your family is pure and healthy? Apart from growing it yourself, your best option is to get to know a local farmer near you -- one who uses non-toxic farming methods. If you live in an urban area, there are increasing numbers of community-supported agriculture programs available that give you access to healthy, locally grown foods even if you live in the heart of the city.


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Community Comments ( 48 )
Comment on this Article
  
  
ozy_ness
[ Joined on 04/07 ] [ Posted on July 12, 2007 ]
17 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
This post was deleted because it violated our Terms Of Use :
Submit stories or comments linking to affiliate programs, multi-level marketing schemes, or off-topic content or any other system that will result in your personal financial or commercial gain.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Cacao
[ Joined on 03/07 ]  [ Posted on July 13, 2007]
6 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Wouldn't it be nice if everyone could have a minimum of two acres of land with access to pure and clean water?
Mercola
  
neroli moonstone
[ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on July 16, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Theres a new catch phrase, " Chemical calories" which are suspected of contributing to metabolic resistence in weight loss plans for those who are eating these chemically laden lettuces thinking they are eating rabbit food, with no calories etc. I didn't know they are rinsing the lettuce in chemicals too! yucko.
Mercola
  
Laserman
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Cacao, wouldn't it be nice if everyone had their proportional share of the world's wealth; $12,000,000, give or take a million?

Alas, without the poor, there would be no rich people.
  
  
Arizona
[ Joined on 06/07 ] [ Posted on July 12, 2007 ]
10 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
This is a depressing article. It's a sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in . I don't think I can take much more !!!
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Pwyll
[ Joined on 02/07 ]  [ Posted on July 12, 2007]
5 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Ditto. This is a new wrinkle I hadn't fully considered--and i--who have many wrinkles already. I have copied this blog and will hand it out to local growers at our Farmer's market.
     Scary--it shows that if one is going to go organic-the fertilizer has to be organic too...that is, hormone and anti-biotic free. Whew.
Mercola
  
Laserman
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on July 13, 2007]
-2 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola


Ditto ditto. The thought had never occurred to me that when I put composted manure on my small garden, I could be adding more than just nutrients to the soil. I'll have to stick with my own compost, I guess.
Mercola
  
grammylaura59
[ Joined on 01/07 ]  [ Posted on August 2, 2007]
5 Points        
   
This user is BELOW novice level and all their comments need to be reviewed with great caution.
  Mercola

Maybe its time we say "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any longer!" This is an issue Congress needs to address or at least the State governments - these antibiotics need to be banned! Can we start a grass roots movement to get these horrible practices stopped?

Mercola
  
WellnessMom
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on August 2, 2007]
1 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

I'm with GrammyLaura...we need to do something before we all starve to death or go broke trying to by better fooods for ourselves and our families.

Mercola
  
grammylaura59
[ Joined on 01/07 ]  [ Posted on August 4, 2007]
-20 Points        
   
This user is BELOW novice level and all their comments need to be reviewed with great caution.
  Mercola

Please disregard above comment.  As it turns out (according to some who claim to know), there is no reason to panic over this.  It seems that antibiotics that have been metabolized by animals are a different substance than unmetabolized antibiotics added to manure, as was done in this questionable study. I am surprised Dr. Mercola missed this point and did not comment on it.  We have more important things to be "mad as hell" about.  ha ha

  
  
chazzone
[ Joined on 08/07 ] [ Posted on August 2, 2007 ]
8 Points        
   
 
This user is BELOW novice level and all their comments need to be reviewed with great caution.

There is a huge flaw in the reported methodology of this study.  Anti-biotics that pass through the system of an animal are metabolized and the resulting chemicals are different from adding anti-biotics to manure.  

It is studies like this that misinform and create a sense of hysteria among already hysterical people.

The end result is that money is spent for nothing, since we gain no useful knowledge from the process.  

I came here at the suggestion of a good friend and physician, but if I don't find some real science being done, I'm afraid I'm going to have to write this off as just another bogus pseudo-science site.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
mmc88121
[ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on July 12, 2007 ]
7 Points        
   
 
Moderator User
If plants receive their nutrients through the soil, why not antibiotics also.  Just goes to show you need to know who you are dealing with so by local and talk to the person you are obtaining your foods from.

Mary
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Sheila C
[ Joined on 12/06 ]  [ Posted on July 17, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
One thing you have to remember is that there is not a farmer in this world who will let their animals die, instead of giving them antibiotics.  So it is not just the feedlots, it is all farmers, although most regular farmers will not give the antibiotics before the outbreak of disease.  When I asked the organic farm where I purchase my meat, what they did with the calves who ended up getting antibiotics, they said they put them off to the side and sold them through regular means.  They do not enter their organic food chain.
  
  
dempoolguy
[ Joined on 03/07 ] [ Posted on August 2, 2007 ]
4 Points        
   
 
Novice User

Antibiotics? Oh well.  They just sprayed a chemical over my house to kill mosquitos carrying West Nile.  I've been on a rampage a few days because of that.  All it did was get my stress levels to an unhealthy level.  Just gotta try your best I guess and enjoy our farmers markets, whatever is available, in season, local, and hope for the best...  Trying not to stress out over perfection of my kitchen table and enjoy the summer harvest of bountiful produce from my locals.  Oh well...

Just saw that video about the french fries from McDonalds.  Now I'm thankful I have some education and can take of myself the best I know, always learning, always reading up on things, yeah, I'm thankful, and not stressing anymore.  

Taking it a little easy these days is healing.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
labrat
[ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on July 15, 2007 ]
4 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Lettice is so easy to grow. Plant your own. I supply me and all my friends all summer long with a 3x5 raised bed.
 [ Reply ]
  
  
helpingheart
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on July 13, 2007 ]
4 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
This news is depressing, but you can do something about the accumulative toxins in your body.

Maybe some of you are already familiar with digestive/intestinal system cleanses.  I've mentioned this to a couple of other V.V. readers and they were glad I did.  Anyway, I've personally used drnatura, and used both the colonix and toxinout for 90 days, and I can't say enough of how my health has improved.  For some of us who have recently "came-to" on the natural health scene and are looking to clean-out.  Using the drnatura system has given me a new lease on life, feel lighter, digest better, etc, etc.  Now, I'm just sharing, because there is SOMETHING we can do about the toxins that we come into contact with, do your own personal research and then do a complete cleanse, your will thank yourself!
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Coeli
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on August 2, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola