January 4, 2012

The Food and Drug Administration says it will limit the presence of one type of antibiotics in meat, saying they could increase human resistance to the drugs.

The agency said Wednesday it will restrict the use of
cephalosporin antibiotics, which are often given to cattle, swine,
chickens and turkeys before slaughter. The drugs are used to treat
pneumonia, skin infections and other diseases in humans.

Public health groups called the move a good first step. The
groups have pressed the government for years to force livestock
producers to use fewer antibiotics, saying the high prevalence of
drugs in meat increases human antibiotic resistance. Their main
concern is the use of antibiotics in healthy animals to spur growth
or to keep them well in unsanitary feedlot conditions.