A new report aims to refute claims that antibiotics in food production are unsafe for humans.

The Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists says a European ban on using antibiotics to promote growth in livestock had some unintended consequences. The study says that led to more disease among the animals and more of some strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

Michael Doyle, with the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, headed the panel of food scientists and microbiologists. Doyle says, “We’ve got to be prudent in how we go about identifying how antibiotics are going to be used, not only in human medicine, but also in food production. Eliminating the use of antibiotics and antimicrobials in food production is not an option.”

Doyle says the group recognizes that antibiotic resistance is a major health issue for humans and animals.

The study calls on officials to consider antibiotics on a case-by-case basis.

The institute is a non-profit society of people working in the food science and food technology industries.