The key lies in a common chemical that appears to make harmful bacteria self-destruct in cows and pigs, according to a report in the current issue of Agricultural Research .
People can become ill from eating the eggs or meat of contaminated animals.
An estimated 1.4 million people a year are treated for salmonella poisoning in the United States, and 73,000 people are treated for diarrhea caused by E. coli . Health experts have known about salmonella for decades, but E. coli was discovered in the 1980s. To combat the bacteria, scientists at the government's Agricultural Research Service decided to test the germ-fighting powers of sodium chlorate, which normally is used in products that bleach things, like toothpaste. By contrast, helpful bacteria that live in the gut don't need to be so adaptable, he says. But the E. coli and salmonella bacteria get confused when confronted with sodium chlorate, Anderson says.