Georgia Ranks Dead Last For Safe Meat in New Study

Another day, another health-related failure in Georgia.

New research from Trace One shows that Georgia shoppers face the highest risk of buying contaminated meat at grocery stores compared to other states. Nearly 30% of chicken samples in Georgia tested positive for dangerous bacteria that can make you sick.

🔬 What’s Happening: A new study analyzed meat contamination data from 22 states using federal monitoring systems. Georgia scored worst with a contamination risk index of 69.05.
• Chicken showed the highest contamination rate at nearly 30%
• Ground turkey contamination hit 13% of samples tested

⚠️ Between the Lines: The bacteria found in Georgia meat samples include Salmonella and Campylobacter. These pathogens cause the majority of foodborne illnesses that send people to hospitals.
• About 48 million Americans get sick from contaminated food each year
• Nearly 23% of bacteria found in retail meat resists multiple antibiotics

🥩 Why It Matters: With federal food safety agencies facing budget cuts, contaminated meat poses a growing threat to families across the state. These bacteria can cause serious illness and hospitalization.

🍗 The Bigger Picture: Poultry products carry the highest contamination risk nationwide. Bacteria can spread to meat during slaughter, handling, or packaging when sanitation procedures fail.

The problem gets worse when livestock receive routine antibiotics, creating drug-resistant bacteria that are harder to treat. Georgia’s high contamination rates put the state’s residents at greater risk just as federal oversight faces potential cuts.

🧰 Take Action: Change only comes when Georgians demand better from their elected officials and the companies that supply their food. Georgia is a “business-friendly” state, which often means profits come before people and residents have to tell their elected officials about problems they see. You can contact your representatives to push for stronger food safety oversight. You can also choose to buy from local farms and processors that follow stricter safety standards. Your voice and your wallet both have power to create the change Georgia families need.