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This site is a member of WebRing. To browse visit here. Tuesday, February 21, 2006 Nice fresh red meat. Or is it? Just what we needed, carbon monoxide in our meat. Isn't the food industry wonderful?CHICAGO - There's something new in the meat sections of grocery stores nationwide-- sparking a debate about the color of fresh meat. You may see red, but is it something less? When it comes to buying meat, consumers often shop with their eyes: the color of meat is directly equated to its freshness in the minds of many. But a different way of treating meat could change that, as it changes the way some meat looks. In the red of a steak, the pink of ground pork and the color of fresh tuna, there is something new in the air, literally. It's a way of packaging meat consumers haven't been told about, with an ingredient not usually associated with food: carbon monoxide. [..]The color of fresh meat is universally known: bright red. After a few days, the telltale brown color signals to consumers that the meat is getting old. But carbon monoxide may change that. When exposed to case-ready meat, the kind packaged before it gets to the store, the gas reacts with the meat's pigment to create a new, more stable color. Critics are concerned that the treated meat may stay red longer than it stays fresh. Dr. Don Berdahl speaks for a Michigan food company, Kalsec, which says the Food and Drug Administration broke its own rules when it allowed the meat treatment. "The consumer, who's always used color as a test for freshness or wholesomeness, can no longer use this test or indicator," Berdahl said. "There are statutes that forbid this. The FDA did not follow the processes that are needed to approve what is, in fact, a color additive." Kalsec admitted it has competitive motives -- the food company could lose business to the carbon monoxide packaging. But photos from an independent lab study show there are also safety reasons to fight the additive, NBC5's Lisa Parker reported. When carbon monoxide is added to the atmosphere inside packages of ground beef, the meat at day one looks just like the meat at day 12. A study found that all the carbon-monoxide samples remained bright red in color throughout the 12-day test, even in the meat stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While no one has suggested the carbon monoxide in and of itself is dangerous here -- the amounts are very small -- the concern is the meat will look safe and fresh, when in fact, it no longer is, Parker reported. "You could potentially have this bright red meat picked up by consumers, thinking that it's fresh, when actually it contains bacteria that are going to be very injurious to their health," Rosenbaum said. U.S. food safety agencies have long condemned any procedure that could mislead consumers. In 2004, two agencies, the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, first expressed concern that the use of carbon monoxide with fresh meat may cause the meat to retain its fresh color longer than meat not so treated, thereby misleading the consumer and increasing the potential for masking spoilage. The agencies later reversed those concerns after deciding carbon monoxide is not a food additive in this case. "Government scientists at the FDA have reviewed this technology not once, but on four occasions, and each time have arrived at the same conclusion -- that the process is appropriate and safe," Huffman said. I'd sure like to know why the FDA changed its initial ruling. Sorry, "Government scientists . . . have review this technology" just doesn't do it for me. Time for some whistle-blowers to come out of the woodwork.The meat industry says the benefits of the packaging technology far outweigh any possible downside. "This petition that has been filed against this technology is really about money, not food safety," Huffman said. But money is also key for the meat industry, Parker reported. It's estimated at least $1 billion of meat sales are lost every year due to meat discoloration. By prolonging the amount of time it stays red, sales can only go up, Parker reported. [..]The treatment affects only case-ready meat -- the pre-packaged stuff, not the meat handled and wrapped by a butcher in the store. Parker reported that the FDA did no independent testing of the carbon monoxide additive -- they relied on the companies using the technology for information. The FDA did no independent testing. Because they trust the food industry to tell the truth? Or because their funding has been cut to such an extent that there wasn't money for it? Somebody needs to look into this. posted by Liz @ 10:14 PM | The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section RSS Feed PERSONAL Send email toliz at life-as-a-spectator-sport.com Home I'm a mother, grandmother, a computer professional, Democrat, Christian. I welcome politely worded comments and email, my spam filter throws the rest away, so don't bother to flame me WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT' "If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart. THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3 KNITTING BLOGS Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits FINISHED PROJECTS -------FINISHED IN 2006------- Peruvian Cap Tutti-Frutti Socks Shelley's Socks Carol's Socks -------FINISHED IN 2007------- Chain Link Socks Baby Surprise Jacket Valerie & Friend Baby Bonnet Rainbow Baby Socks Girls Pixie Hood Mitred Square Heart Red & White Socks Coffee Cup Pot Holder Nubbins Dishcloth Garterlac Dishcloth Suede Booties Kate's Socks Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap Half Thumbless Mittens Red Mittens for Akkol -------FINISHED IN 2008------- SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE -- Blogs and websites -- Causubon's Book Club Orlov Food Storage Made Easy From the Wilderness In the Wake Listening to Katrina Survival Topics The Modern Homestead The Oil Drum Notes from a Hillside Farm -- Mailing Lists -- 12vdc Power Living on the Land Rainwater Refrigeration Alternatives Old Ways of Living POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES The political sites have moved BOOKS I'M READING How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising ARCHIVES February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 Feedjit Live Blog Stats
Just what we needed, carbon monoxide in our meat. Isn't the food industry wonderful?CHICAGO - There's something new in the meat sections of grocery stores nationwide-- sparking a debate about the color of fresh meat. You may see red, but is it something less? When it comes to buying meat, consumers often shop with their eyes: the color of meat is directly equated to its freshness in the minds of many. But a different way of treating meat could change that, as it changes the way some meat looks. In the red of a steak, the pink of ground pork and the color of fresh tuna, there is something new in the air, literally. It's a way of packaging meat consumers haven't been told about, with an ingredient not usually associated with food: carbon monoxide. [..]The color of fresh meat is universally known: bright red. After a few days, the telltale brown color signals to consumers that the meat is getting old. But carbon monoxide may change that. When exposed to case-ready meat, the kind packaged before it gets to the store, the gas reacts with the meat's pigment to create a new, more stable color. Critics are concerned that the treated meat may stay red longer than it stays fresh. Dr. Don Berdahl speaks for a Michigan food company, Kalsec, which says the Food and Drug Administration broke its own rules when it allowed the meat treatment. "The consumer, who's always used color as a test for freshness or wholesomeness, can no longer use this test or indicator," Berdahl said. "There are statutes that forbid this. The FDA did not follow the processes that are needed to approve what is, in fact, a color additive." Kalsec admitted it has competitive motives -- the food company could lose business to the carbon monoxide packaging. But photos from an independent lab study show there are also safety reasons to fight the additive, NBC5's Lisa Parker reported. When carbon monoxide is added to the atmosphere inside packages of ground beef, the meat at day one looks just like the meat at day 12. A study found that all the carbon-monoxide samples remained bright red in color throughout the 12-day test, even in the meat stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While no one has suggested the carbon monoxide in and of itself is dangerous here -- the amounts are very small -- the concern is the meat will look safe and fresh, when in fact, it no longer is, Parker reported. "You could potentially have this bright red meat picked up by consumers, thinking that it's fresh, when actually it contains bacteria that are going to be very injurious to their health," Rosenbaum said. U.S. food safety agencies have long condemned any procedure that could mislead consumers. In 2004, two agencies, the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, first expressed concern that the use of carbon monoxide with fresh meat may cause the meat to retain its fresh color longer than meat not so treated, thereby misleading the consumer and increasing the potential for masking spoilage. The agencies later reversed those concerns after deciding carbon monoxide is not a food additive in this case. "Government scientists at the FDA have reviewed this technology not once, but on four occasions, and each time have arrived at the same conclusion -- that the process is appropriate and safe," Huffman said. I'd sure like to know why the FDA changed its initial ruling. Sorry, "Government scientists . . . have review this technology" just doesn't do it for me. Time for some whistle-blowers to come out of the woodwork.The meat industry says the benefits of the packaging technology far outweigh any possible downside. "This petition that has been filed against this technology is really about money, not food safety," Huffman said. But money is also key for the meat industry, Parker reported. It's estimated at least $1 billion of meat sales are lost every year due to meat discoloration. By prolonging the amount of time it stays red, sales can only go up, Parker reported. [..]The treatment affects only case-ready meat -- the pre-packaged stuff, not the meat handled and wrapped by a butcher in the store. Parker reported that the FDA did no independent testing of the carbon monoxide additive -- they relied on the companies using the technology for information. The FDA did no independent testing. Because they trust the food industry to tell the truth? Or because their funding has been cut to such an extent that there wasn't money for it? Somebody needs to look into this.
CHICAGO - There's something new in the meat sections of grocery stores nationwide-- sparking a debate about the color of fresh meat. You may see red, but is it something less? When it comes to buying meat, consumers often shop with their eyes: the color of meat is directly equated to its freshness in the minds of many. But a different way of treating meat could change that, as it changes the way some meat looks. In the red of a steak, the pink of ground pork and the color of fresh tuna, there is something new in the air, literally. It's a way of packaging meat consumers haven't been told about, with an ingredient not usually associated with food: carbon monoxide. [..]The color of fresh meat is universally known: bright red. After a few days, the telltale brown color signals to consumers that the meat is getting old. But carbon monoxide may change that. When exposed to case-ready meat, the kind packaged before it gets to the store, the gas reacts with the meat's pigment to create a new, more stable color. Critics are concerned that the treated meat may stay red longer than it stays fresh. Dr. Don Berdahl speaks for a Michigan food company, Kalsec, which says the Food and Drug Administration broke its own rules when it allowed the meat treatment. "The consumer, who's always used color as a test for freshness or wholesomeness, can no longer use this test or indicator," Berdahl said. "There are statutes that forbid this. The FDA did not follow the processes that are needed to approve what is, in fact, a color additive." Kalsec admitted it has competitive motives -- the food company could lose business to the carbon monoxide packaging. But photos from an independent lab study show there are also safety reasons to fight the additive, NBC5's Lisa Parker reported. When carbon monoxide is added to the atmosphere inside packages of ground beef, the meat at day one looks just like the meat at day 12. A study found that all the carbon-monoxide samples remained bright red in color throughout the 12-day test, even in the meat stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While no one has suggested the carbon monoxide in and of itself is dangerous here -- the amounts are very small -- the concern is the meat will look safe and fresh, when in fact, it no longer is, Parker reported. "You could potentially have this bright red meat picked up by consumers, thinking that it's fresh, when actually it contains bacteria that are going to be very injurious to their health," Rosenbaum said. U.S. food safety agencies have long condemned any procedure that could mislead consumers. In 2004, two agencies, the FDA and the Department of Agriculture, first expressed concern that the use of carbon monoxide with fresh meat may cause the meat to retain its fresh color longer than meat not so treated, thereby misleading the consumer and increasing the potential for masking spoilage. The agencies later reversed those concerns after deciding carbon monoxide is not a food additive in this case. "Government scientists at the FDA have reviewed this technology not once, but on four occasions, and each time have arrived at the same conclusion -- that the process is appropriate and safe," Huffman said.
The meat industry says the benefits of the packaging technology far outweigh any possible downside. "This petition that has been filed against this technology is really about money, not food safety," Huffman said. But money is also key for the meat industry, Parker reported. It's estimated at least $1 billion of meat sales are lost every year due to meat discoloration. By prolonging the amount of time it stays red, sales can only go up, Parker reported. [..]The treatment affects only case-ready meat -- the pre-packaged stuff, not the meat handled and wrapped by a butcher in the store. Parker reported that the FDA did no independent testing of the carbon monoxide additive -- they relied on the companies using the technology for information.
The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section
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PERSONAL
WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT'
"If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart.
THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME
Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3
KNITTING BLOGS
Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits
FINISHED PROJECTS
SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE
POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES
BOOKS I'M READING
How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising
ARCHIVES
February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002
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