by Lynn Greene
News hard to digest for meat-eaters
Recall spotlights holes in system
Warning: This column is not good for your digestion, at
least not for digesting beef.
Here’s the problem: On Feb. 17, the United States Department
of Agriculture issued a recall for approximately “143,383,823
pounds of raw and frozen beef products that FSIS (Food
Safety and Inspection Service) has determined to be unfit
for human food because the cattle did not receive complete
and proper inspection. Through evidence obtained by FSIS,
the establishment did not consistently contact the FSIS
public health veterinarian in situations in which cattle
became nonambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection.
...”
The Hallmark Meat Packing Co., a Chino Calif., slaughterhouse,
is voluntarily recalling products labeled under the Westland
Meat Co., King Meat Co. Hallmark Meat Packing and Regal
brand names. For a complete list of products, see FSIS-RC-005-2008
at the USDA recall Web site (www.fsis.usda.gov).
The USDA has labeled this a Class II voluntary recall,
which means the health risk is low.
It’s hard not to be cynical about this recall. Let me
count the ways.
First, this is the largest recall in history. By far.
The health risk may be considered low because the meat
in question has been on the market since February 2006
— and so far, no reported problems.
The evidence
In addition, the evidence obtained by FSIS refers to video
taken by a worker for the Humane Society. The video shows
slaughterhouse personnel using forklifts, high-pressure
water hoses and electric cattle prods to get downed cattle
up on their feet so they can pass USDA inspection and
be processed into America’s food supply. It’s horrifying
to anyone who believes that animals should be treated
humanely through the moment of slaughter.
The nonambulatory reference? That means cattle that cannot
get to their feet or stay on their feet, which is the minimum
requirement for judging it safe for human consumption.
Referred to as “downed” animals or “downers,” these cattle
could be presenting symptoms of BSE (bovine spongiform
encephalopathy), more commonly known as mad cow disease.
The other problem with downers being dragged to the slaughter
station is that they end up being covered in manure, which
may contain E. coli bacteria that can infect meat.
Downers are supposed to be tagged and separated. After
slaughter, they go through an additional inspection to
see if there is evidence of disease, injury or other signs
of abnormalities. Downer cattle have been prohibited from
entering the human food supply (but not necessarily the
pet food supply) since 2002.
According to the recall notice, this “noncompliant activity
occurred occasionally over the past two years, and therefore,
all beef product produced during the period of time ...
has been determined by FSIS to be unfit for human consumption.”
That means the recall includes products produced from
Feb. 1, 2006 to Feb. 2, 2008. Hallmark Meat Packing sells
meat to Westland Meat Co. which is a major supplier of
school lunch programs. State and local food-program operators
will need to work closely with their suppliers to identify
products derived from Westland coarse ground beef. Westland’s
federal establishment number (EST 336) will be on the shipping
containers.
Weighing in
In light of this recall, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer
issued a news release on Jan. 30 that said, in part,
“While we are conducting our investigation, today, USDA
has indefinitely suspended Westland Meat Company as a
supplier to Federal food and nutrition programs. Westland
Meat Company will not be permitted to produce or deliver
any products currently under contract. Under the suspension,
no further contracts will be awarded to Westland Meat
Company.
“The suspension will remain in effect until all investigations
are complete and appropriate action is taken by the Department.
An administrative hold has been placed on all Westland
Meat Products that are in, or destined for Federal food
and nutrition programs.”
The secretary also admonished the Humane Society for not
revealing the video earlier.
And here’s another problem: The USDA has a meat inspector
at the Westland plant twice a day. If the inspector didn’t
see what was going on at the slaughterhouse, they should
be fired. If they did see what was going on and allowed
it to happen, they should be charged with a felony for
neglecting and endangering public health.
Not good enough
But that probably won’t happen, because in reality, there
aren’t enough inspectors. There are 7,800 inspection
personnel who cover more than 6,200 federally inspected
establishments. The USDA and the FSIS are responsible
for assuring that the nation's commercial supply of meat,
poultry and egg products are wholesome and safe. (The
FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of most other
foods.)
In 2007, FSIS suspended 66 federally inspected establishments,
12 for egregious humane-handling violations.
Of the 6,200 federally inspected establishments, approximately
900 slaughter livestock, and are, therefore, subject to
the 2002 Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.
If you’d like to find out more about this act, good luck;
it’s 400 pages long. One provision of the act would have
made it unlawful to transfer or market nonambulatory or
downed livestock unless humanely euthanized. This provision
was not adopted.
Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Stateline News. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com. |
