Consumerist
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recalls
Cow Abuse Meatpacking Boss Reluctantly Admits To Tainting The Food Supply
The president of a slaughterhouse at the heart of the largest meat recall denied under oath on Wednesday, but then changed his mind, that his company introduced sick cows into the food supply, says the NYT. More » -
The Humane Society of America has sued the USDA in an attempt to close a loophole that allows downer cows who aren't otherwise ill into the food supply. They claim the loophole increases the risk of introducing mad cow disease to humans, and leads to abuse against the cattle—like with, oh, say, a forklift. [Wall Street Journal]
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pricing
Get Out Your $#%@# Checkbook! Here Comes "Food Inflation"
Think you're paying too much for food now? You're going to pay more in 2008 according to Reuters. More » -
Time has an interesting article about the unmarked cloned beef that will be washing up at your grocery store sometime soon. Are you grossed out? Not? [Time]
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recalls
USDA Recalls 143 Million Pounds Of Beef
The U.S. Department of Agriculture initiated the largest meat recall in U.S. history today, recalling 143 million pounds of beef from a macabre California slaughterhouse that chopped up downer cows—a rich source of mad cow disease—and sold them to school districts across the nation. The massive recall affects all beef produced by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company after February 1, 2006. More » -
taking it seriously
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Takes Hitting Sick Cows With Forklifts Seriously
WHO: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer More » -
food safety
USDA Stops Production At Meatpacking Facility After Undercover Video Showed Sick Cows Being Abused
So-called "downer" cows that are too ill to walk are not allowed into the food supply due to a higher instance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( mad cow disease)—which is why an undercover video taken by animal rights activists is causing a stir at the USDA. More » -
food
The Truth About Kobe Beef
Real Kobe beef can only come from one region of Japan—and since the U.S. has banned Japanese beef imports due to mad cow fears, the best you can hope for now in an American restaurant is Kobe-style beef, writes Debonair Magazine. They explain what to look for if you're shopping for this premium beef in the U.S., and the best way to prepare it. More » -
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grocery
"Injected Pork Water" Is Completely Out Of Control At Kroger
"At our local supermarket chain (Kroger), it is now impossible to buy any fresh pork product (except sausage and bacon, but what's in them is a whole other story) that has not been "enhanced" by the injection of "up to 15%" of some kind of saltwater solution. Pork chops, pork loin, everything. And now chicken is getting this way, too - it is getting harder and harder to find any fresh chicken that has not been injected with "up to 15% chicken broth." Even bone-in legs and thighs, now. When did this happen?" More » -
food safety
Meat Industry Discovers Consumers' Trust Has Eroded
The meat and poultry industries have learned that if you poison your customers enough times, they'll eventually start losing trust in you—although, oddly, they won't change their purchasing habits. That's the takeaway from a study carried out by Meatingplace.com (snicker) and "its sister publication POULTRY" (ha ha WHERE'S CHRIS HANSON). However, no description of the study is provided other than that Zoomerang.com was used, so we're not sure if the results are at all meaningful. We're just glad the meat industry is starting to notice something's wrong. More » -
your health
Most Recalled Meat Is Eaten, Never Recovered
Most recalled meat is eaten before it can be returned to the factory, according to a nauseating analysis by USA Today. Well-publicized and timely recalls catch slightly less than of all affected meat, a stunning accomplishment when compared to the recovery rates for tainted meat that sickens people. More » -
recalls
Meat Sold In Bulk To Retailers And Distributors Recalled For e. Coli
Meat processed by American Foods Group of Green Bay, WI has been recalled following an investigation by the Illinois Department of Health. The meat was sold in bulk quantities to retailers and distributors and may not be easily identifiable to consumers, says the USDA:The products subject to recall were distributed for further processing and repackaging and will not bear the recalling firm's establishment number on the package. As the use-by date for products subject to this recall may have expired, consumers can contact their retailers to ask if they received any of these products and if so, consumers are urged to look in their freezers for these products and return or discard them if found.
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food
E.Coli Meat Just Gets A "Cook-Only" Label Slapped On
It's legal for meat companies to sell meat with food-poisoning bacterium E. coli on it, as long it's labeled "cook-only." The result, say anonymous USDA inspectors speaking with the Chicago Tribune, is higher levels of E. coli are tolerated in the plants. More » -
food safety
Carbon Monoxide-Treated Meat Is Here To Stay, For Now
In hearings today, the meat producers Hormel Foods Corp and Cargill Inc testified that the practice of treating meat with carbon monoxide to preserve its red color is safe and should be allowed. As a compromise, they suggested a label on all CO-treated meat and fish that reminded consumers to refer to the date on the package to determine its freshness. According to Reuters, "officials at the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Agriculture Department said they stand by the safety of the carbon monoxide practice and would revisit the process if new data becomes available." More » -
recalls
Cargill Recalls 1 Million Pounds Of Tainted Beef
Agribusiness monster Cargill is recalling 1 million pounds of beef that may be contaminated with E. coli. The potentially tainted meat was butchered between October 8 and October 11 at the "Cargill Meat Solutions" slaughterhouse in Wyalusing, PA. According to Cargill, there have been no reports of illness. After the jump, the long list of recalled products. More » -
recalls
USDA Recalls Totino's, Jeno's Delicious E. Coli Flavored Pizzas
Yesterday the USDA recalled several types of both Totino's and Jeno's meat pizzas because they are tainted with e. coli. E. coli bacteria is not destroyed by freezing, so you'll want to avoid eating these pizzas. The USDA considers this a Class I recall, which is defined as "a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." More » -
artificial
Fake Red Meat: Meatpackers Warn Consumers To "Use The Sell By Date"
As we've already mentioned, packing meat in carbon dioxide keeps it from turning brown, but doesn't keep it from spoiling—making it more likely that consumers will buy, and eat, nasty spoiled meat. More »
meat
New York, 1:54 PM
Sun Nov 22
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