Survey Shows Americans
Don't Realize Poultry and Meat
Are Often Contaminated with Feces

FINDINGS

A new study shows that 84 percent of adults have no idea that the originating source of salmonella, campylobacter, E, coli, and other foodborne pathogens found on poultry and meat is animal feces. The survey of 1,000 men and women was completed during the period of July 26-29, 2001, by Opinion Research Corporation International on behalf of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Foodborne illnesses are at epidemic levels in the United States; the Centers for Disease Control estimate there are at least 76 million cases each year, usually related to consumption of animal products.

SURVEY QUESTION

Survey respondents answered the following question: "When salmonella and other disease-causing bacteria are found on meat and poultry, which of the following do you think BEST describes where these bacteria originally came from?"

RESPONSES

The vast majority of survey respondents—84 percent—did not correctly identify animal feces as the primary originating source of foodborne pathogens. Below is a list of the suggested answers and the percentage of respondents who chose each:

• They [foodborne pathogens] came from animal blood.   10 percent

• They came from dirty hands.
  19 percent

• They are naturally present in the meat.
  17 percent

• They are naturally present in the animal’s skin.
  9 percent

• They came from animal feces.
  16 percent

• They came from dirty air in a slaughter house.
  15 percent

• Didn’t think any of these were the right answer or didn’t know.
  13 percent

Statistically, respondents with college degrees, a household income equal to or greater than $50,000, or residence in a metropolitan area were more likely to know that feces are the originating source of disease-causing bacteria.

PCRM commissioned the survey to discover if Americans know how often feces taint the poultry and meat products they buy. Specifically, PCRM wanted to know if people realize that animal feces are often the primary source of the foodborne pathogens that sicken so many each year. PCRM postulated that there is "disconnect" in the public consciousness between the epidemic of foodborne pathogens and the source of that problem—animal feces. The survey proved that this is the case.

The survey's release coincides with PCRM's filing of a petition calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to protect consumers against feces-contaminated meat and poultry. PCRM's petition asks the government to declare feces an adulterant—an action that would greatly strengthen federal meat safety regulations. PCRM also proposes that, until the government can guarantee Americans feces-free food, all meat and poultry products should carry a biohazard label.

Related Materials

• PCRM's Press Release
  Doctors Petition Feds to Protect Public from Feces on Poultry and Meat (08/27/01)
• PCRM's Press Release
  Survey Shows Most Adults Don't Realize Poultry and Meat Are Often Contaminated with Feces (08/29/01)
• PCRM's Petition to the USDA (downloadable PDF)
  Citizen Petition Requesting Administrative Action to Prevent and Warn Consumers about Fecal Contamination of Meat and Poultry

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