There is a growing preference for organic, antibiotic- and preservative-free, and locally-sourced food in the developed world, according to a new US report.

There is a growing preference for organic, antibiotic- and preservative-free, and locally-sourced food in the developed world, according to a new US report. The report, Food Safety: In a State of Transformation, published in July this yeae examines the food safety practices of some 60 US companies throughout the food supply chain, as well as 30 companies that offer food safety solutions. The report noted that some customers have asked to have additives in processed meat removed even though those additives inhibit the growth of Listeria, a type of bacterium that infects humans and other warm-blooded animals through contaminated food. The further noted that demand for raw/unpasteurized milk has grown despite the fact that raw milk products are 150 times more likely to cause health issues than their pasteurized counterparts. “Organic, antibiotic- and preservative-free, and locally sourced products do not inherently entail increased food safety risks,” said the report.