Since the routine use of antibiotics can give rise to resistant bacteria capable of surviving antibiotic environments, the presence of resistant bacteria in people could be due to the human use of prescription antibiotics. Some scientists, however, believe that most resistant bacteria in people derive from human consumption of bacterially infected meat.

Which of the following statements, if true, would most significantly strengthen the hypothesis of thescientists?

• AAntibiotics are routinely included in livestock feed so that livestock producers can increase the rate of growth of their animals.  
• BMost people who develop food poisoning from bacterially infected meat are treated with prescription antibiotics.  
• CThe incidence of resistant bacteria in people has tended to be much higher in urban areas than in rural areas where meat is of comparable quality.  
• DPeople who have never taken prescription antibiotics are those least likely to develop resistant bacteria.  
• ELivestock producers claim that resistant bacteria in animals cannot be transmitted to people through infected meat.