To the Editor,
Re: Nanaimo E. coli case connected to Alberta tainted beef scare, Oct. 11.
Having suffered from a horrible case of salmonella poisoning after eating a meaty sub when I was younger, I sympathize with all the people who were sickened by tainted meat from XL Foods, and I’m flabbergasted that the government’s food safety programs have been so ineffective.
Officials could better protect people by promoting healthy vegan foods, which don’t naturally harbour harmful pathogens.
E. coli, salmonella, and other dangerous bacteria live in the intestinal tracts and feces of warm-blooded animals. Fruits and vegetables only become contaminated when manure is used to fertilize crops or when it seeps into our waterways. Cross-contamination can also occur when produce is placed on the same surface as meat, or when someone doesn’t practice proper hygiene.
If we stop raising animals for food, we’ll have fewer food-poisoning outbreaks.
We’ll also reduce our risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other diet-related diseases by eating nutritious plant-based meals.
Emily Lavender
People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals
Victoria