This paper is of interest because it compares chickens raised by conventional, organic, raised without antibiotics, and kosher chickens for the prevalence of antibiotic resistant E. coli.

The finding that organic and conventionally raised chickens were statically indistinguishable while chickens raised without antibiotics tended to be slightly lower once again raises the question of the tangible and potential health advantages to the consumer of eating organically raised/raised without antibiotic vs. conventionally raised poultry. Why kosher products had higher prevalence of antibiotic resistant E. coli and E. coli which were multi-resistant is a new finding and certainly needs further study.

Whether statistical differences in the raised without antibiotic animals would have been found if larger numbers were tested is not clear. However this study continues to fuel the debate on whether the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in poultry production leads to selection of antibiotic resistant and multi-resistant bacteria; which ultimately may have consequences for treatment of diseases in both man and animals. This issue has been settled in the EU which has banned the practice, but is of major discussion currently in the US Congress where “The Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance (STAAR)” (which would take important steps to strengthen the US federal response to the public health crisis of antimicrobial resistance) is currently being considered.

I have read this submission. I believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard. Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. - See more at: http://f1000research.com/articles/2-155/v1#sthash.mXQOc6CM.dpuf