From ChildrensHealthDefense.org…
Story-at-a-glance:
- A new investigation by CBC News Marketplace found potentially harmful antibiotic-resistant bacteria in imported shrimp sold in various supermarkets in Canada
- Investigative reporters purchased 51 packages of shrimp imported from Vietnam, Thailand, China, India and Ecuador
- Investigators found 17% or 2 out of every 10 packages were contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as superbugs; of that 17%, 89% showed resistance to multiple antibiotics
- Superbugs, one of the greatest threats to human health, may kill more people than cancer by 2050
- The overuse of antibiotics in factory farm animals and the heavy spraying of pesticides on food crops is the number one driver of deadly superbugs
Shrimp is a tasty dish that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It pairs well with a variety of foods including eggs, pasta, sushi and steak. But is shrimp safe to eat? Well, that depends on where it comes from and how it is raised.
An investigation by CBC News Marketplace found potentially harmful antibiotic-resistant bacteria on imported shrimp sold in various supermarkets in Canada. While the use of antibiotics on shrimp is banned in Canada, the majority of shrimp is imported, largely from Asia.
Investigative reporters with CBC News purchased 51 packages of shrimp sold in grocery stores in a variety of Canadian cities including Montreal, Saskatoon, Calgary and Toronto.
Canada imports shrimp from a number of countries including Vietnam, Thailand, China and India. Investigators purchased imported shrimp labeled “organic” as well as some with the “Best Aquaculture Practices” certification, which maintains that farmers only use antibiotics minimally.
They packaged up the shrimp and sent it to a special lab at the University of Saskatchewan to be tested for dangerous bacteria.
