80 percent of chicken contaminated at Seattle grocery stores

E Coli, Hot Topics, Listeria, Salmonella

A recent test conducted on packages of poultry for sale at Seattle grocery stores found that 80 percent carried some form of food-borne bacteria .

According to The Seattle Times, 100 chickens were sampled from grocery stores around the city. Among the samples, 10 percent tested positive for the antibiotic-resistant strain of Staphylococcus bacteria (MRSA) currently being fought at hospitals across the U.S.

The study found that 65 percent of samples contained Campylobacter, 42 percent tested positive for Staph bacteria and another 19 percent had Salmonella bacteria. Listeria and E. coli bacteria were found in one sample taken.

The law firm collected samples from the following stores: Albertson’s, Costco, Fred Meyer, Ken’s Market, PCC, QFC, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Thriftway and Whole Foods.

Organic chicken was found to be just as likely to be carrying these food-borne bacteria as those sold as non-organic.

This represents the latest evidence showing food at grocery stores is contaminated. And the contamination is not limited to the food product, but also the packaging holding the food, specifically meat and poultry.