US Beef Recall

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

The largest recall of meat in the USA's history:

BBC

US orders massive recall of beef

Workers at the plant are also accused of animal cruelty

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has ordered the recall of 143m lb (64.9m kg) of beef - the largest meat recall in the country's history.

The recalled products come from a California meat plant, which officials say broke rules on cattle inspections.

However, the department says the health hazard is minimal. Much of the meat was purchased for school lunch and other federal nutrition programmes.

The plant is also being investigated over alleged animal cruelty.

Caution

The USDA recalled frozen beef products from the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co, dating back to 1 February 2006.
We don't think there is a health hazard, but we do have to take this action
Dick Raymond
USDA

The move surpasses a 1999 recall of 35m lbs of ready-to-eat meats, officials said.

Some of the beef was destined for federal welfare assistance programmes, as well as some major fast-food chains.

But officials said most of the recalled meat has probably already been eaten.

The USDA described the recall as Class 2 - meaning there is a remote probability that the product could harm health if consumed.

"We don't know how much product is out there right now. We don't think there is a health hazard, but we do have to take this action," Dick Raymond, USDA undersecretary for food safety, told AP news agency.

Downer

The recall was ordered after department officials said the plant did not consistently order inspections of cattle which lost the ability to walk prior to slaughter.

Such "downer" cattle are at greater risk of contamination by E. coli, salmonella or contracting mad cow disease, as they have weaker immune systems and greater contact with faeces than walking cattle.

They should either be removed from the food supply, or receive a more thorough inspection following slaughter, officials say.

Operations at the plant had already been suspended after an undercover video shot by the Humane Society of America came to light.

The video appeared to show crippled and ill animals being prodded with the blades of a forklift truck, kicked, given electric shocks and sprayed with high-pressure water hoses by staff.

Two former employees were charged with animal cruelty on Friday, and the investigation continues.

The company says it has now taken action to ensure all employees handle animals humanely.

[CountArach]

Good on the Government for buying meat from places that hadn't conformed to inspections! Way to look out for the citizenry. I suppose the youth don't really matter anyway - its not like they vote.

[Marshal Murat]

I've got no beef wit' dat.

[Fragony]

A very strong statement. Cows are there to eat but that doesn't mean you should treat them badly, any stress should be put to a minimum, also better for the meat, much softer. And if you treat animals badly they are much more prone to disease, especially meatcattle needs thorough inspection the risk is just too high.

[Lemur]

There's no practical reason why animals can't be killed quickly and painlessly. Anything else is laziness, greed or sadism. Not to mention bad business, as this slaughterhouse is discovering.

As WaPo noted:

One reason that regulations call for keeping downers -- cows that cannot stand up -- out of the food supply is that they may harbor bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. It is caused by a virus-like infectious particle that can cause a fatal brain disease in people.

Another is because such animals have, in many cases, been wallowing in feces, posing added risks of E. coli and salmonella contamination.

The Humane Society and other groups have for years urged Congress to pass legislation that would tighten oversight at slaughterhouses.

If you think it's all okey-dokey, I recommend you view the following video, although I warn you, it may make you a little sick:

Humane society video

[HoreTore]

Horrible.

[Fragony]

If you think it's all okey-dokey, I recommend you view the following video, although I warn you, it may make you a little sick:

Not going to watch it but I have been in many a slaughterhouse because of my work and that is one horrible exception. I take it is a horrible video at least. I can guarantee you that, at least here, everything is done to make the animal as relaxed as possible, and it wasn't just because I was there because I had many friends working there. It's still horrible to watch for an animal-lover such as myselve but it's the best a necesary evil ever could be. Now if only they could improve transporting because there is a lot of room for improvement there.

[Xiahou]

As far as the meat itself, it's probably ok- you're supposed to cook meat enough to kill e.coli anyhow and mad cow is still pretty unheard of in the US.

As to the cruelty and disregard for the law exhibited by the slaughterhouse, they deserve any legal or PR beatdown that this causes.

[Tribesman]

As far as the meat itself, it's probably ok

Thats almost a Selwyn-Gummer , though of course he said the meat was perfectly OK . Then again you can see why he said it , as when another minister talked honestly about problems in food safety they lost their job .

mad cow is still pretty unheard of in the US.

Is that because of insufficient testing ?
The slaughterhouse in question is in trouble (in part)for not doing the "correct" testing , the "correct" testing is a reason why 65 countries put restrictions on US beef , because the "correct" testing isn't correct enough .

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

There haven't been many cases in the US though, right?

[Fragony]

As far as the meat itself, it's probably ok- you're supposed to cook meat enough.

Don't know about you but this is what a steak should look like.

[Beirut]

Don't know about you but this is what a steak should look like.

Indeed. But if you ever cooked any of that horrid mass-produced hamburger meat that rare, the last twelve hours of your life would be spent in fetal excrutiation on the floor as your insides forced themselves outside through every orifice in your body.

Uber-Gah!

[Xiahou]

Indeed. But if you ever cooked any of that horrid mass-produced hamburger meat that rare, the last twelve hours of your life would be spent in fetal excrutiation on the floor as your insides forced themselves outside through every orifice in your body.

Uber-Gah!

The idea is, iirc, that e.coli grows on the outside of a steak- so if you cook the surface to an adequate temperature, it should kill the bacteria while allowing you to still keep it nice and bloody inside. However, on ground beef.... where's the outside?

That's why irradiated ground beef is the way to go if you don't like your burgers well done. Atomic hamburgers ftw.

[Vladimir]

The idea is, iirc, that e.coli grows on the outside of a steak- so if you cook the surface to an adequate temperature, it should kill the bacteria while allowing you to still keep it nice and bloody inside. However, on ground beef.... where's the outside?

That's why irradiated ground beef is the way to go if you don't like your burgers well done. Atomic hamburgers ftw.

Exactly. That's why you need to clean your meat throughly before you beat it. I'm not too keen on radiation though.

[SwordsMaster]

That's definitely NOT what they'll get in "government sponsored food programmes". Adieu beef jerky.

[Strike For The South]

As someone who has spent there entire life around farms ranches and grocery stores I cant tell you it pretty much all comes out in a wash. What you think is horribble for probably isnt that bad and what you think is great for you probably isnt all that special.