In February, researchers came up with an answer to the scary question: Do antibiotics in livestock feed create superbugs that put human health at risk? Unsurprisingly, the answer is a definitive yes.
Good news though, the USDA is looking for a solution to find an alternative for factory farms’ reliance on drugs that breed superbugs. What they’ve come up with thus far as a solution is to feed livestock sodium chlorate. Seriously? This is absolutely outrageous. They think they’re going to fix the problem of feeding animals chemicals by feeding them more chemicals? I’m no scientist or anything, but this is ridiculous and it makes absolutely no sense.
According to wikipedia, “Due to its oxidative nature, sodium chlorate can be very toxic if ingested. The oxidative effect on hemoglobin leads to methaemoglobin formation, which is followed by denaturation of the globin protein and a cross-linking of erythrocyte membrane proteins with resultant damage to the membrane enzymes. This leads to increased permeability of the membrane, and severe hemolysis. The denaturation of hemoglobin overwhelms the capacity of the G6PD metabolic pathway. In addition, this enzyme is directly denatured by chlorate reducing its activity. Acute severe hemolysis results, with multi-organ failure, including DIC and renal failure. In addition there is a direct toxicity to the proximal renal tubule”
Wow, I may not know exactly what all that means, but it most definitely does NOT sound like it’s a good idea to put that into my body. This is most definitely not a solution to the superbug dilemma, can’t the FDA and USDA do better than this?