Grass-Fed Fallacy Debunked

Slate concludes grass-fed beef carries the same E. coli risks as factory-farmed meat.


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This week, Slate examined the health consequences of eating grass-fed beef, and concluded that this method of farming presents an equal risk for deadly bacteria contamination. Scientific studies suggest that one strain of fatal E. coli bacteria can inhabit cows fed only grass at almost the same rate as cows fed grain on factory farms. In recent years, grass-fed proponents have claimed that E. coli contamination and its resulting meat recalls have been due to unhealthy factory-farming practices, and that grass-fed cows are less likely to harbor harmful bacteria.