The Problems With Canada's Food Safety Are Not New.
Hey people, the problems with Canada's food safety are not new, existing long before 2009, free trade or the global market. Instead of the situation improving, we are regressing-going backwards.
Do you have any idea, at all, of what you are talking about- you know, those things that you grew up knowing, those things everybody knows ALL ABOUT; or a least likes to BELIEVE they do?
Economic growth-when and where there is such a thing that is not simply very dangerous inflation-does not; or, should not; mean reducing standards; nor should it be based on greed. Many of us, including myself, object strongly to government interference where it doesn't belong; but it's high time the government quits the political lying and starts to do at least some small part of the job they were put in power for and are expected to do-which is not to go on a six month long, tax funded, holiday; every six months-but to look after the health,welfare, and well being of the State; the STATE being all Canadians.
Do you have any idea, at all, of what you are talking about- you know, those things that you grew up knowing, those things everybody knows ALL ABOUT; or a least likes to BELIEVE they do?
Economic growth-when and where there is such a thing that is not simply very dangerous inflation-does not; or, should not; mean reducing standards; nor should it be based on greed. Many of us, including myself, object strongly to government interference where it doesn't belong; but it's high time the government quits the political lying and starts to do at least some small part of the job they were put in power for and are expected to do-which is not to go on a six month long, tax funded, holiday; every six months-but to look after the health,welfare, and well being of the State; the STATE being all Canadians.
Federal recall now affecting 210 beef products produced in Alberta
CBC News
Posted: Sep 24, 2012 9:00 PM ET
Last Updated: Sep 24, 2012 8:55 PM ET
"The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has again expanded its recall of made-in-Alberta beef, bringing 210 products under a newly widened health alert issued over fears of E. coli contamination.
The federal recall affects meat produced at X-L Foods in Brooks. The agency's latest update is the sixth such recall expansion on the range of ground beef products since the original notice was issued eight days ago.
Over the weekend, the health alert was broadened to include medium ground beef sold at Alberta Wal-Mart stores".
I'm sure you have read, or at least seen, this official 2012, news release before; now, read my next two older posts; did you even see any of these others?
It would be very difficult indeed to "ROAST" the above meat cut; but, just possibly, if you were to exhibit enough perseverance and did not add any additional water; you might be able to, eventually, braise most of the"CRAP" out of it.
Typically, until now, hamburger has been the source of E coli contamination in Canada, but cases in which people are getting sick from steaks or roasting cuts should serve as your wakeup call.
E coli is now being pushed into your meat.
Pushing pathogens into meat makes it harder to kill the bacteria through cooking, harder to test for it on the meat packing floor and easier for the bacteria to multiply, by creating more perfect conditions.
If you are planning on eating any type of mass market produced beef, poultry, pork lamb, mutton, or veal, make sure it is cooked-at the very minimum-to well done-preferably charred to a cinder- and then –to be perfectly safe-instead of eating, throw it in the garbage.
E coli is now being pushed into your meat.
Pushing pathogens into meat makes it harder to kill the bacteria through cooking, harder to test for it on the meat packing floor and easier for the bacteria to multiply, by creating more perfect conditions.
If you are planning on eating any type of mass market produced beef, poultry, pork lamb, mutton, or veal, make sure it is cooked-at the very minimum-to well done-preferably charred to a cinder- and then –to be perfectly safe-instead of eating, throw it in the garbage.
Rick Holley, a food scientist and microbiologist at the University of Manitoba, found that through the process of "mechanical tenderization" 10 percent of bacteria and other contaminants from the surface was forced into the centre of the meat.
One may think of this process as producing a chunk of near hamburger; out of what you bought believing-and what was marked, merchandised, and sold as a solid roasting cut of meat (perhaps you bought one of those taken from any where near the ribs of some kind of cow; "Prime Rib" roasts).
By the process of "mechanical tenderization"; pathogens on the surface of the meat do not only contaminate the meat-it is also spread to the needles or blades on a tenderizing machine. "It can be almost impossible to properly clean the machines, which can then spread E coli to other pieces of meat that are processed and tenderized.
Bottom line: no more medium rare, no more rare, no Steak Tartar or Steak American, and certainly no more Porterhouse, T-bone, Sirloin, Standing Rib, Rump, Round, or even Cross Rib, or Chuck cuts or joints. "Mechanical tenderization" is a form of processing (changing the content, flavour, nutrition, texture through manipulation or by adding foreign ingredients that now renders all meat cuts basically the same "garbage".
You should not be worrying that your five pounds of meat now weighs less than two; if your concerned about the likelihood of food poisoning; just buy a larger cut; and continue cooking the @#%t out of it.
That’s basically the extent of concern shown; and the advice given; by Health Canada in a release entitled Information for Canadians on cooking mechanically tenderized/flavoured meat.
One may think of this process as producing a chunk of near hamburger; out of what you bought believing-and what was marked, merchandised, and sold as a solid roasting cut of meat (perhaps you bought one of those taken from any where near the ribs of some kind of cow; "Prime Rib" roasts).
By the process of "mechanical tenderization"; pathogens on the surface of the meat do not only contaminate the meat-it is also spread to the needles or blades on a tenderizing machine. "It can be almost impossible to properly clean the machines, which can then spread E coli to other pieces of meat that are processed and tenderized.
Bottom line: no more medium rare, no more rare, no Steak Tartar or Steak American, and certainly no more Porterhouse, T-bone, Sirloin, Standing Rib, Rump, Round, or even Cross Rib, or Chuck cuts or joints. "Mechanical tenderization" is a form of processing (changing the content, flavour, nutrition, texture through manipulation or by adding foreign ingredients that now renders all meat cuts basically the same "garbage".
You should not be worrying that your five pounds of meat now weighs less than two; if your concerned about the likelihood of food poisoning; just buy a larger cut; and continue cooking the @#%t out of it.
That’s basically the extent of concern shown; and the advice given; by Health Canada in a release entitled Information for Canadians on cooking mechanically tenderized/flavoured meat.
Oct 28 2012, the latest instance of E. coli contamination in Canadian produced meat products has sickened 16 people but, very luckily and thankfully, there have, so far, been no linked deaths. Obviously, when compared with say asbestos contamination, this chronic, long term, threat to public health and safety is not the most lethal we have ever faced-at least not yet-but give the governments, marketers, politicians and producers the same time as was allowed for asbestos and tobacco and that can still change (these people now want to legalize marijuana). So far the “official” response to tainted meats and other foods has been that kind of stupid buffoonery “doesn’t worry, be happy, we're making good money”. We have a federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Business repeatedly expressing his concern for XL Foods, the cattle industry, and the economy of Brooks Alberta. But he has been all but silent on those who have been sickened an on the safety of consumers.
Our political leaders-federal and provincial can't seem to associate, or visualize a connection between sickness, possibly even death caused by contamination and rising cost of Health Care. They seem to believe that food safety is solely the responsibility of individual Canadians, and it is very troubling that they are using public agencies to deliver this wrong-headed- possibly criminal- message.
A press release from Health Canada is a prime example. I published my first article on this subject in 2009; yet this is the first acknowledgement-however backhanded it is-that the SOURCE of the problem at XL Foods and other facilities can be found in government action, policy or lack thereof.
XL Foods was using mechanical meat tenderizers (somewhat similar to the machines used to produce commercial “Minute Steaks” but with longer steel blades and needles). These machines not only pound the crap (fibre and connective tissue) out of meat to make it tenderer but also inject water, pink slime and other ”real crap” in. Alberta Health Services had previously “suggested” that tenderization of steaks and roasting cuts at Costco stores in Alberta may have factored in the E. coli illnesses. Management of the meat plant in Brooks Alberta has since been taken over by JBS USA a subsidiary of a Brazilian company. The company has not yet decided if it will exercise its option to buy the plant.
Normally, pathogens such as E coli would remain on the meats outer surface (one reason that Steak Tartar and so called Steak American were formerly quite safe to consume)and be killed by cooking, even if you like your steak rare-as I do-partly because “over cooking” destroys many of the natural nutritional benefits.Consumers should not have to cook their meat to death to kill E coli any more than they should be responsible for pasteurizing their own dairy products or boiling their tap water before drinking. Of course, it’s almost impossible to distinguish, just by looking, which meat products have been tenderized or flavoured; because after the meat has been treated the tiny holes seal up and disappear. However, Health f Canada says the process of mechanically tenderising meat is a “very common practice” “could be 50 percent of all meat produced and is used by suppliers, retailers, and restaurants “to improve the tenderness flavour and nutrition of cooked beef.
MORE RELATED TO THIS STORY:
http://al-alex-alexander-d-girvan.blogspot.ca/2011/08/what-is-beef.html
When It Comes To Meat, And Other Food, Safety For Canadians, Why Does Ottawa And The Provincial Governments Let Us Fend For Ourselves?
Why do Canadians continue to allow these-so called- governments and the elected politicians there in, to to collect highly inflated salaries, in compensation carrying out and performing in a timely fashion; functions they are are not capable of or because of a conflict of career and/or financial interest, refuse to do?
When It Comes To Meat, And Other Food, Safety For Canadians, Why Does Ottawa And The Provincial Governments Let Us Fend For Ourselves?
Why do Canadians continue to allow these-so called- governments and the elected politicians there in, to to collect highly inflated salaries, in compensation carrying out and performing in a timely fashion; functions they are are not capable of or because of a conflict of career and/or financial interest, refuse to do?
©Al (Alex, Alexander) D. Girvan, 2012- All rights reserved
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