Egg Recall Reveals Dangers of Eating Animal Products

In Defense of Animals warns against eating sick birds or their eggs

San Rafael, Calif. (August 20, 2010) – In Defense of Animals (IDA) said today that the salmonella outbreak requiring the recall of close to 400 million eggs is not an isolated incident, and demonstrates the danger of consuming animal products produced in factory farms. Since January, there have been dozens of recalls by the USDA of animal products, including such varied items as beef stew and chicken pot pie.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen a four-fold increase in reported cases of Salmonella Enteritidis in the past three months, amounting to more than 800 cases of this potentially deadly disease every month. These figures don’t include an unknown number of sickened individuals who failed to report their illness.

Hens in intensive agriculture are forced to live a miserable, frustrated existence crammed into tiny battery cages, where they are unable to walk or spread their wings. They live covered in feces, often forced to share cages with the bodies of deceased neighbors. These unnatural conditions produce sick birds, which increases the likelihood of infected eggs. The birds are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics in an unsuccessful attempt to stave off constant sickness. With tens of thousands of birds stacked in cages on top of one another, dropping waste into the cages below, contamination is common.

“If the suffering of billions of animals each year isn’t enough to make people rethink their diet, maybe this alarming outbreak will sway people to stop consuming animal products,” said Scotlund Haisley, President of IDA.

“The workers in egg factories wear hazmat-like suits complete with respirators and thick rubber gloves. Who wants to eat anything that comes from a place where you have to wear full body armor just to walk through the door,” said Hope Bohanec, IDA’s Grassroots Campaigns Director.

The 400 million eggs involved in the current recall were sold under 13 different brands across the United States, including some with names that imply they were “humanely” produced. The recall can be traced to one producer, Wright County Egg, of Galt, Iowa, They have been the target of government regulators for environmental violations, unsafe working conditions, and the harassment of workers, according to the New York Times.

For more information, please visit:  www.indefenseofanimals.org.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hope Bohanec, 415-448-0058, 707-540-1760, hope@idausa.org

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization located in San Rafael, Calif. dedicated to protecting animals' rights, welfare, and habitat through education, outreach, and our hands-on rescue facilities in Mumbai, India, Cameroon, Africa, and rural Mississippi. _________________________________________________________________________________

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS • 3010 KERNER BLVD. • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • 415-448-0048

4 Comments on “Egg Recall Reveals Dangers of Eating Animal Products”

  • serena wrote on 26 August, 2010, 14:53

    “The workers in egg factories wear hazmat-like suits complete with respirators and thick rubber gloves. Who wants to eat anything that comes from a place where you have to wear full body armor just to walk through the door,”

    Great point!

  • Pamela. wrote on 26 August, 2010, 20:28

    The problem is that the uniformed masses would rather buy cheap eggs than concern themselves about the suffering they’re contributing to for their selfish actions. They need to be told that saving a couple of dollars is a whole lot less important than preventing much suffering. If they’re still concerned about the extra $2.00 or so for free-range organic eggs and chickens, then don’t buy eggs at all and save even more.

  • Monica Reynolds wrote on 27 August, 2010, 9:03

    This will happen time and time again for as long as these poor animals and birds are kept in these disgusting conditions, my husband and I are now vegetarian and people ask me every day “what do you eat”? for heaven’s sake……………….there is so much to eat, you do not have to have a slab of meat on your plate………………we made a conscious decision to have a healthier lifestyle and it was the best decision we could have made………………..my husband is off meds of blood pressure and he is now down to 133/79 from 195/92……….we both have lost weight with no diet involved…..just good, healthy eating……….and with no crulety involved………..we embraced and love it!!

  • Tricia Hamilton wrote on 26 September, 2010, 15:47

    How can you expect to just doing mass producing with the fact that humans are slobs and they throw away more food than they eat. STOP MASS PRODUCING!! You cannot control the care of food.

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