Piquant Experiment Hopes to Find Antibiotic Substitutes

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Monday, 26 January 2004

Farm animals which usually end up on plates sprinkled with herbs and spices are to get an unexpected taste of garnish for themselves.

Biologists at Leeds University are to investigate the potential of thyme, garlic, cinnamon and other natural products as replacements for the antibiotics and steroids the European Union is banning in two years' time.

Fortunate herds of pigs on the university's Yorkshire test farms will be treated to swill enhanced with aniseed and garlic will be tried in cattlecake to see if they have the same digestion-assisting effects as current drugs.

Source: Martin Wainwright The Guardian. For full story visit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1130946,00.html