There's something not quite kosher about the Times coverage of a scientific study comparing "the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli bacteria on four types of chickens: those raised conventionally; organically; without antibiotics, and those slaughtered under kosher rules."
First, the Times quotes the study's lead author saying: "Every other week for 10 weeks, I would go and spend the entire Saturday buying chicken." Kosher butchers tend to be closed on Saturdays, which is the Jewish sabbath, which raises some unanswered questions about the study's methodology.
Second, the Times article includes a comment from "an organic farming consultant who reviewed the study at The New York Times' request." But the Times article includes no comment from any kosher chicken producer, retailer, or "consultant." Why give the organic chicken folks a chance to defend their product but not the kosher chicken folks? Could it possibly be because the Times newsroom personnel love organic chicken but, with few exceptions, don't care much about eating kosher?
Third, in respect of the kosher issue, the Times article includes this passage:
Almost twice as many of the kosher chicken samples tested positive for antibiotic-resistant E. coli as did the those from conventionally raised birds. And even the samples from organically raised chickens and those raised without antibiotics did not significantly differ from the conventional ones.
"I was pretty sure that blessings wouldn't protect chicken from antibiotic resistance," said Lance B. Price, a professor at George Washington University and an expert on antibiotic resistance who worked with Mr. Millman on the study.
The idea that it is "blessings" that make the difference between a kosher chicken a non-kosher chicken is a misconception. Here is a summary from the Web site of one kosher certifier:
Misconceptions about Kosher
Before we begin explaining in detail what "kosher" is, let's first clarify what it is not:
"I thought "kosher" means that a Rabbi blessed the food" – False! There are blessings that observant Jews recite before partaking of food, but that has nothing to do with making the food kosher. A food is kosher only if it conforms to the Jewish dietary laws.
The Times here propagates the misconception by repeating it.
All in all, a disappointing performance.