Tag Archive: ‘Pink Slime


The Unsavory Truth of the McRib and Other Fake Foods, and Why Russia Banned US-Raised Meat

Filed under: Health And Wellness Report, Nutrition, Poisons in Our Foods — 3 Comments
January 17, 2013

By Dr. Mercola

Over the past couple of years, we’ve learned the unsavory truth about “pink slime,” reconstituted meat, and how the use of meat glue cheats you out of your hard-earned money at the grocery store and threatens your health.

We’ve also learned that fast food fare such as McDonald’s hamburgers contain so many chemicals and so few real food ingredients that a burger fails to show signs of decomposition after more than a decade…

The famous McDonald’s McRib also came under closer scrutiny, and turned out to be something less than mouthwatering. The McRib sandwich is a non-standard item on the fast food restaurant’s menu;1 its annual return is always advertised with great fanfare — last year it even made the headlines on ABC News.2

The pork sandwich is described as a tasty fan favorite slathered in tangy barbecue sauce, slivered onions and tart pickles, served on a hoagie style bun. Sounds perfectly normal, but what’s it made of, really? In a November 2011 article, CBS Chicago news3 spilled the beans on this seasonal favorite:

“More than 70 ingredients make up the McRib and, yes, one of them is pork. But as CBS 2’s Vince Gerasole reports, there’s also an ingredient that can be found in shoes… [Registered dietician Cassie] Vanderwall gave the McRib a closer look and found the McRib has azodicarbonamide, which is used to bleach the flour in bread. It has other uses. ‘It could be on your yoga mat, in your gym shoes, in your anything that’s rubbery,’ Vanderwall said…

Then there’s the pork – which is really restructured meat product. In other words, it’s made from all the less expensive innards and castoffs from the pig… Vanderwall said the McRib ingredient list ‘reminds me of a chemistry lab.’”

To see pictures of a ‘deconstructed’ McRib sandwich, check out foodfacts.info’s McRib page.4 It sure doesn’t look so appetizing anymore once the sauce is washed off and the meat sliced in half. In fact, it can barely pass meat, which was the point CBS news tried to make in the first place.

What is “Food” Anyway?

Two years ago, the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine singled out McDonald’s in their advertisement against obesity-related deaths. As the ad claimed, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and heart attacks are hallmark diseases associated with a fast food diet – a clear indication that it does not provide the appropriate nutrition for your body.

So, is McDonald’s fare really food?

When you consider the fact that a large number of the ingredients in a fast food meal exist nowhere in nature, but are rather concocted in a lab, the answer would have to be ‘no.’ Unfortunately, and to our severe detriment, ever since the advent of the so-called TV dinner back in the 1950′s, the concept of “food” has expanded from meat, vegetables, raw dairy products, fruit and other such natural items to include the highly processed, preserved, artificially flavored and often brightly colored chemical concoctions. But man simply was NOT designed to thrive on man-made chemicals.

Sadly, store-bought foods you might not recognize as processed, such as ground beef, are oftentimes no better. As reported last year, approximately 70 percent of the ground beef sold in U.S. supermarkets contains “pink slime” added in as a cheap filler.

The Pepto-Bismol-colored concoction consists of beef scraps and cow connective tissues, which has been treated with ammonium hydroxide (basically a solution of ammonia in water). It can legally make up 15 percent of any given beef product, which shaves about three cents off the cost for a pound of ground beef. The trimmings used come from parts of the cow that are most likely to be contaminated with dangerous bacteria like E. coli — which is why it must be treated with ammonia to kill off the pathogens in the first place. It’s really industrial food practices like this that pose very real threats to your health, not raw unpasteurized dairy products and other non-processed whole foods…

Russia Throws Poisonous Meat Back to U.S.

In related “questionable food” news, Russia has recently banned U.S. meat supplies after discovering it contains ractopamine — a beta agonist drug that increases protein synthesis, thereby making the animal more muscular. This reduces the fat content of the meat. As reported by Pravda,5 Russia is the fourth largest importer of US meats, purchasing about $500 million-worth of beef and pork annually.

The drug is banned for use in 160 countries, including China and Russia, but allowed in 24 countries, including Canada and the United States. According to the New York Times,6 the ban took effect as of December 7, 2012, and Russian health regulators stated that while they will initially conduct their own testing, foreign countries will soon be required to certify their meat as ractopamine-free if they want to export it to Russia. While the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers ractopamine safe and doesn’t test for it, Russia’s chief health inspector, Gennady Onishchenko, claims there are “serious questions” about the safety of the drug. He told the New York Times:

“For instance, use of ractopamine is accompanied by a reduction in body mass, suppression of reproductive function, increase of mastitis in dairy herds, which leads to a steep decline in the quality and safety of milk.”

Ractopamine is also known to affect the human cardiovascular system, and may cause food poisoning, according to Pravda.7 It’s also thought to be responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown, and increased death and disability in livestock. While other drugs require a clearance period of around two weeks to help ensure the compounds are flushed from the meat prior to slaughter (and therefore reduce residues leftover for human consumption), there is no clearance period for ractopamine. In fact, livestock growers intentionally use the drug in the last days before slaughter in order to increase its effectiveness.

According to veterinarian Michael W. Fox, as much as 20 percent of ractopamine remains in the meat you buy from the supermarket. Despite potential health risks, the drug is used in 45 percent of U.S. pigs, 30 percent of ration-fed cattle, and an unknown percentage of turkeys.

Mexico and Brazil have announced that they will comply with Russia’s demand for ractopamine-free meats.8 The US has shown no sign of coming to an agreement, however. Instead the US has accused Russia of violating World Trade Organization (WTO) rules — an accusation Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich has dismissed as being part of business as usual, since “all WTO members break these rules.”

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ABC News, individual ABC journalists, two former USDA scientists, and a former BPI employee are being sued by BPI (the makers of “PinkSlime”)

Filed under: Freedom of Information, Legislation, Poisons in Our Foods, Politics, Legislation and Economy News — Leave a comment
September 23, 2012

Politics, Legislation and Economy News

Legislation :  Freedom of Information – Poisons in Our Foods

“Pink Slime” Company Brings Defamation Suit Against Media, Scientists and Whistleblowers

BPI’s business has tanked since the public learned about the nasty stuff secretly added to burgers. Now it’s attacking First Amendment rights.
 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

BPI, the corporation that sold the “pink slime” that was secretly added to our hamburgers, has now brought a $1.2+ billion tort suit against ABC News, individual ABC journalists, two former USDA scientists, and a former BPI employee.  BPI claims that the defendants defamed it by, for example, calling its meat product, which it describes “lean finely textured beef” (LFTB), “pink slime.”

It’s not clear from BPI’s complaint why the ABC defendants wanted to harm BPI. The only claim that even begins to suggest a motive for malice is that the ABC defendants wanted higher ratings – which is presumably true of all media at all times.  The complaint suggests no reason why the USDA scientists would bear any malice against BPI.  Indeed, because BPI denies that the USDA scientists are whistleblowers, it refutes the usual theory that the government official blames the firm for the retaliation he suffered when he blew the whistle on the firm.  The failure to present a basis for any malice on the part of the scientists is a serious weakness in BPI’s case because the ABC defendants relied on the USDA scientists’ expertise and if the plaintiffs cannot identify any basis for the scientists bearing malice against BPI then the ABC defendants had no reason to suspect them of malice.  One of the USDA scientists appears to have dubbed BPI’s product “pink slime.”

BPI suffered a catastrophic loss of sales once the public learned from the media a series of facts about its product that BPI and the U.S. government had deliberately kept from the public.  For the sake of neutrality let us call BPI’s product “X.”  Unbeknownst to the consumer, X was made from meat scraps processed with a spritz of ammonia gas – and then secretly added to our hamburgers.  The media reports were extremely critical of X.  BPI mounted a massive PR response to the criticisms.  The net result was that the public generally refused to eat hamburgers to which X was added.

The central irony is that BPI is reeling because its business plan for X violated, and continues to violate, its own corporate slogan:  “ communicate and cooperate .”

Prior to the media disclosures about X, BPI sought to prevent consumers from learning key facts about X – including its undisclosed addition to our hamburgers.  After the media disclosures about X, BPI did not cooperate.  It “went to the mattresses.”  It pulled in its political allies and its lawyers and it brought a lawsuit that, were it to succeed, would cause a terrible loss of first amendment rights.  It used its lawyers and economic power to try to destroy two scientists who cannot possibly afford to defend themselves against the BPI legal juggernaut.  BPI makes no credible claim that the scientists bore any actual malice against it.  Instead, it appears that the scientists were sincerely concerned for the consumers of X and the failure to inform the consumers about X.

The Roth family, which owns BPI, is immensely wealthy and politically connected. The Roth family has suffered a serious loss of wealth and reputation due to the media disclosures to the public about X.  On a human level it is understandable that they would seek to use their wealth and power to crush their media and scientific critics.  But the use of great power requires great restraint if our first amendment rights are to remain real.  If the Roths’ lawsuit prevails they will deal a body blow to the nation they say they love.  It is precisely when the industry and the government agency agree to withhold information from the public that we most need to protect from this type of chilling lawsuit those few individuals willing to warn the public that the regulators have been captured by the industry.

The Roths went desperately wrong when they shaped their business strategy for selling X on the goal of keeping facts from the consumers that Mr. Roth thought were unimportant, but which most consumers showed that they considered decisive once they began to learn about X.  BPI has a second slogan:  “we know how to do things because we do things.”  Because BPI’s strategy was that it and its purchasers not do certain things (disclose certain facts of X to the consumer, including its addition to our hamburgers) they did not know how to do the disclosures that consumers wanted once they began to learn that X was being added to their hamburgers without disclosure.

Bill Black is the author of ‘The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One’ and an associate professor of economics and law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He spent years working on regulatory policy and fraud prevention as Executive Director of the Institute for Fraud Prevention, Litigation Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and Deputy Director of the National Commission on Financial Institution Reform, Recovery and Enforcement, among other positions.
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Food Safety Report – Wednesday May 23rd, 2012

Filed under: Allergen Alerts, Food Borne Illness, Food Recalls, Food Safety — Leave a comment
May 23, 2012

Food Safety

Mad Cow: No Problems Found in Feed Records

Investigators found no irregularities in the feed records at the California dairy where a 10-year-old cow last month was confirmed to have had bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease), the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated in a follow-up report this week.
The May 15 report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) also said units of all the feed suppliers to the dairy showed they were in compliance with regulations.

Salmonella Paratyphi B Outbreak Grows

The Salmonella Paratyphi B case-count associated with contaminated starter culture used in raw tempeh products sold by Smiling Hara, an Asheville, NC-based company, continued to grow last week, with the number of Salmonella Paratyphi B cases reaching 83 on Friday.tempeh-paratyphi-outbreak320x175.jpgAccording to the Asheville Citzen-Times, 62 of the cases were counted among residents of Bruncombe County, NC.Smiling Hara purchased the contaminated spore culture from Tempeh Online, a Maryland-based Company that has since taken down its web page and deleted all but one of its Twitter posts

ABC Finds Illegal Antibiotics in Imported Shrimp

Traces of illegal antibiotics are lurking in America’s favorite seafood, according to a new report by ABC World News. The news outlet tested 30 imported shrimp samples from grocery stores across the country and found three were positive for antibiotics that are banned in the United States.Though the sample size was small, the fact that 10 percent were found to contain illegal drugs is significant considering Americans annually eat 1 billion pounds of shrimp, 90 percent of which is imported from halfway across the world — mostly from Thailand, Indonesia, Ecuador, and China.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration physically inspects less than two percent of imported seafood shipments and even smaller percentage are sampled for drug residue testing. In fiscal year 2009, for example, the FDA tested .1 percent of all imported seafood products for residues, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

ABC, which has ramped up its coverage of food issues, sent the shrimp samples to the Institute of Environmental and Human Health food lab at Texas Tech University for testing. In the three positive samples, lab technicians found banned antibiotics enrofloxacin, chloramphenicol, and nitrofuranzone, which is a known carcinogen.

imported-shrimp406.jpg“About 10 percent of them showed evidence of pharmaceutical residue in the muscle tissue alone, which people eat,” Dr. Ronald Kendall, the director of the Institute told ABC. Kendall said two samples from New York averaged 28 and 29 parts per billion (ppb) of nitrofurazone. If FDA were to find 1 ppb of the drug in seafood, the product would not be allowed on the market.

Sampling Report Praises Beef Industry & USDA

To steal a phrase from former President George W. Bush, USDA’s meat inspectors are “doing a heck of a job” knocking down E. coli at big beef plants.
With a little constructive criticism around that edges, that pretty much sums up the findings of the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG’s) report into testing beef for E. coli O157:H7.
The latest 51-page report from the OIG is the second and final part of an investigation into USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS’s) N-60 sampling procedure.   Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-CT, who was then chair of the House Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee, requested the investigation in 2009.
beeftrimtests-406.jpgDeLauro continues to serve on that powerful subcommittee, which is now chaired by Rep. Jack Kingston, R-GA.  He did not comment on the OIG report, she did.
“This report further questions the integrity of the N60 sampling program. Even a well-designed sampling program is only useful in protecting consumer health if it is performed accurately,” DeLauro said.  ”Yet, the Inspector General’s report indicates this sampling program may be both inadequately and improperly performed. Critically, it also highlights other weaknesses in our food safety system that need attention, such as meat inspections performed by states and the clear need for an improved response to ‘high event.’”

USDA Takes Meat and Poultry Labeling to the Web

A new web-based label approval system that will streamline the agency’s review process for meat, poultry and egg product labels was introduced Monday by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Called the Label Submission Approval System (LSAS), the new approval system will make it possible for food manufacturers to submit label applications electronically, will flag application submission errors that could delay the approval process, and will allow users to track the progress of their submission.

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”This new system will expedite and simplify the review process for meat, poultry and egg product labels,” said Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, under secretary for food safety. “Reducing the review times for labels will enhance the agency’s ability to ensure that accurate information is applied to product labels and reaches consumers quickly.”
The “Leaders Conference” of the National Meat Association was briefed on the new web-based labeling system last week in Washington D.C. by Phil Derfler, FSIS deputy administration.
“Based on what we heard,” says Jeremy Russell, NMA’s director of communications and government, “I’d say we’re cautiously optimistic that it will streamline the process and increase efficiency.”
FSIS reviews labels on the products it regulates to ensure they are truthful and not misleading.
The LSAS is suppose to reduce the time and costs incurred by both the industry and the agency. Until the launch of LSAS, companies mailed or hand delivered paper applications to FSIS, and FSIS reviewed and corrected them before returning them in hard copy.

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Recalls

Salmonella Concern Prompts Papaya Recall

by News Desk | May 20, 2012
Caribe Produce LTD Co. of McAllen, TX, is recalling 286 cases of Papaya Maradol, Caribeña Brand papayas because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

papaya-label-274.jpg

Routine testing by the company revealed the presence of Salmonella in the papayas, according to the recall notice.
The company says no illnesses have been reported.

Burgers Recalled for Undeclared Allergens

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Saturday that J&B Group of Pipestone, Minnesota, was recalling approximately 456 pounds of steakhouse burgers for misbranding and undeclared allergens.According to a press release issued by FSIS, the steakhouse burgers contain a seasoning mix with hydrolyzed soy and wheat proteins that are not declared on the label.steakhouse-burger-recalled-allergen.jpg

J&B Group recalled the following products:

Flours, Legumes, Spices Recalled for Allergens

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Santos Agency, Inc. announced Friday that Santos Agency was voluntarily recalling Santos Brands Products for undeclared peanuts and wheat in California.bulgur-wheat406x250.jpgConsumers who are allergic to peanut or wheat allergens may run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume any of the products, which are affixed with a label on the front side, packed in clear, plastic bags and there are no UPC codes, lot codes, or expiration dates on the products. The labels consist of a design of a house bordered by two columns with the word “SANTOS” on the roof of the house.The following Santos Brands Products (packed in USA) were shipped to retail stores throughout California only between May 2011 and May 2012.

Diced Red Onions Recalled in Canada

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) warned consumers Friday not to consume Gills Onions brand Fresh Diced Red Onions because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.No reported cases of Listeria have been reported in connection with the consumption of the diced onions, which were distributed in Ontario and may have also been distributed throughout Canada.Gills-Red-Onions.jpgThe products being recalled include 198 g packages of Gills Onions brand Fresh Diced Red Onions, Product of U.S.A., bearing UPC 6 43550 00045 0, Best Before date 05/17/12, and lot code 51RDA1A2119.  CFIA is working with Canadian importers, distributors, retailers and Gills Onions to withdraw the product from points of purchase.

River Ranch Expands Bagged Salad Recall

River Ranch Fresh Foods of Salinas, CA is expanding its earlier recall of retail and foodservice bagged salads because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The company says there have been no reported illnesses associated with this recall, according to the recall alert.
Retail salad products under this recall were distributed throughout the United States and Canada under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch, Farm Stand, Hy-Vee, Shurfresh, and The Farmer’s Market.
Foodservice salad products under this recall were distributed throughout the United States and Canada under various sizes and packaged under the brand names of River Ranch and Sysco.

Diamond Pet Foods Recalls More Dry Dog Food

Diamond Pet Foods has again recalled batches of dry dog food that may be contaminated with Salmonella, this time to include its Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula dry dog food manufactured on Aug. 26, 2011.
The earlier Diamond Pet Foods recalls involved various formulas manufactured after Dec. 9, 2011 at its production facility in Gaston, SC. This recall involves pet food produced in Meta, MO.
The company says no illnesses have been reported in connection with this latest recall, which presumably means no human or animal illnesses.

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However, as of May 11, 15 people in nine states and one person in Canada have been reported sickened with an outbreak strain of Salmonella Infantis from contact with contaminated dog food or infected animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  As of May 16, the Food and Drug Administration had confirmed two dog illnesses related to the outbreak.

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Articles of Interest

Letter From The Editor: China

Opinion
China was the United States’ largest supplier of goods imports in 2010 and was our 3rd largest supplier of agricultural imports at $3.4 billion.
Leading categories include: processed fruit and vegetables ($811 million), fruit and vegetable juices ($386 million), snack foods (including chocolate) ($190 million), and fresh vegetables ($132 million).
USAChinamain.jpgChina’s food safety record is a mixed bag.  Yes, China can move with swiftness and severity against those endangering food safety.  Yet, the same government also jailed Zhao Lianhai, who worked for the Food Quality and Safety Authority of China.
Zhao’s “crime” was organizing parents of children like his own son, who became ill from drinking contaminated milk.  Zhao was arrested November 2009, and sentenced a year later to 30 months in prison for inciting social disorder.
He went on a hunger strike, and subsequently was released last year on medical parole.   He is kept essentially under house arrest in Daxing, and gets harassed by police and state security officials whenever he takes his children out or tries to go to a restaurant.
When China first started beating up one of its own food safety workers for the crime of becoming too much of an advocate for injured children, some suggested it might mark larger events to come.
The treatment of Zhao sounds familiar because it follows the playbook China was using on the blind activist Chen Guangcheng until he escaped his illegal house arrest and made it to the U.S. Embassy.
Chen, who dissents on China’s one child policy, arrived on U.S. soil  this weekend with his family thanks in part to skillful handling by the U.S. Ambassador to China.  (More on that below.)
Also earlier this month, China expelled journalist Melissa Chan of Walnut, CA, the first accredited foreign correspondent to be kicked out of China in 14 years.  She worked for Al Jazeera English.
It is not known for certain what got Chan expelled, but had written about “black jails” for violators of the one-child policy and her press credentials were revoked just as the Chen story was breaking.
Chen was expelled for breaking unspecified “relevant laws,” according to a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry.  Chan insists she broke no laws.
But these are really nothing more than incidents in a country of 1.3 billion.
The big story in China is the one that reads like the opening chapters in a Tom Clancy novel. It’s included murder, mystery and political intrigue and we know not how its going to come out.
We now know about this provincial Communist Party chief named Bo Xilai, who had ties to People’s Army and was running a sophisticated surveillance operations on top government officials.   Bo was slated for the ruling circle, but now has been purged.
Will others in his network have to go too?   It’s the greatest “internal crisis” for China since the 1989 Tienanmen Square massacre. It is an “internal crisis” that is also being fought out in China’s upper echelons.
As for China’s growing middle class, they are said to be unhappy with certain basic government services including food safety.   China might want to think about making the next Zhao a hero, not a criminal.

Utah Healthy Swimming Campaign Seems to Have Worked

In the wake of a 2007 Cryptosporidium outbreak linked to recreational swimming waters in Utah, a statewide educational push seems to have increased residents’ knowledge about healthy swimming practices.

boys-pool-350.jpg

In the spring of 2008, state and local public health agencies launched the educational campaign in an effort to prevent a repeat of the previous summer’s outbreak, which had sickened approximately 5,700 people. Officials also instituted new protocols for fecal incident responses and installed secondary disinfection systems at pools and water parks.
The safe swimming initiative included a website, two TV advertisements, public service radio announcements and poolside posters. One such sign warned consumers that “A Swimming Pool is Like a Community Bathtub.”
According to a Utah Department of Health survey conducted from July through September of 2008, a full 96.1 percent of respondents knew that “it is not OK to swim if you have diarrhea.”
A separate national survey taken in 2009 revealed that 100 percent of respondents in Utah and only 78.4 percent of residents of other states knew that staying out of the pool when sick with diarrhea prevents others from getting sick.

Pink slime, meat glue and more: Public reactions force Big Food to make changes

By J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) Did you know a kid in junior high that, on a dare, would eat just about anything you dared him to eat, as long as you gave him your dessert? I did; the guy ate just about everything – bugs, earthworms, snails. He even ate a cockroach one time, no fooling. But he sure liked the school’s chocolate pudding. With that in mind, consider some of the things people are finding in food these days – not on a dare, but as byproducts of food preparation. Things like pink slime, food coloring…

Amnesty International Not Sure About Status of Chinese Food Safety Advocate

Amnesty International (AI) has lost track of Chinese food safety advocate Zhao Lianhai.
AI’s Alex Edwards told Food Safety News the last solid information about Zhao, 40, was in January 2011, more than a year ago.

chinafather-featured.jpg

Whether Zhao has “gone missing” as some media outlets have reported, is just lying low or is under house arrest isn’t known for certain.
In 2008, powdered milk tainted with the chemical melamine eventually killed six children and sickened at least 300,000 others in China. The tragedy put Zhao in the spotlight — he was both an official for China’s Food Quality and Safety Authority and the parent of an injured infant.
Zhao began speaking out to media and through a website helped organize other parents whose children had been poisoned.  The most seriously injured infants suffered from kidney stones, raising questions of compensation for their health problems.
Zhao was arrested in Beijing on Nov. 13, 2009. Amnesty International says he was convicted on Nov. 10, 2010 by Daxing District People’s Court in Beijing for “provoking an incident” (Criminal Law article 293).  He was sentenced to two and half years in prison.

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Politics, Legislation and Economy News – Tuesday April 24th, 2012

Filed under: Banking, Blow back, Corruption, Economic News, Financial, Fiscal Irresponsibility, Foreclosure, Global Economy, Healthcare, Legislation, Mortgage crisis, Politics, War on terror, Wars and Rumors of War — Leave a comment
April 24, 2012

Politics and Legislation

Discord over West Bank outpost threatening Netanyahu coalition

Visiting Beit El’s Ulpana neighborhood, Likud minister Yisrael Katz says Barak has ‘taken the Defense Ministry and made it a political tool at the expense of the settlers.’

By Yossi Verter

The future of the little Ulpana neighborhood of the West Bank settlement of Beit El, whose legality is in doubt, seems to be driving the government to distraction. Aides to Defense Minister Ehud Barak Saturday released a statement accusing two of their boss’s cabinet colleagues, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz and Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya’alon of adopting the rhetoric of the extreme right.

Katz visited Ulpana on Friday and said Barak had “taken the Defense Ministry and made it a political tool at the expense of the settlers.”

The Ulpana neighborhood in the West Bank settlement of Beit El . The Ulpana neighborhood in the West Bank settlement of Beit El.
Photo by: Emil Salman

On Saturday, Ya’alon half warned, half threatened that the government could fall if Ulpana’s residents were forced to leave. In response aides to Barak, who is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidant, said Katz and Ya’alon had been struck with “a serious case of Feiglinism,” referring to the extreme right-wing Likudnik Moshe Feiglin.

These are not trivial matters. When Ya’alon, speaking at a cultural event in Be’er Sheva Saturday, suggested the government was in danger of collapse he seemed resigned to the prospect. His statements probably added fuel to the fire of the settlers.

Read Full Article  Here

 

 

 The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) will be stepping into the breach the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) left this week when it disbanded its voter suppression arm. Because having as many people vote as possible is very dangerous to Republicans, who aren’t so popular, the Right has to make sure that someone is in charge of returning the nation to Jim Crow days, and now the NCPPR is it.

It’s forming a “Voter Identification Task Force,” according to a press release obtained by PR Watch.

NCPPR’s press release scolds the 11 corporations, as of yesterday, that have recently announced they had dropped out of ALEC, which has come under intense scrutiny as a result of the Center for Media and Democracy’s ALEC Exposed investigation and along with the efforts CMD, Color of Change, Common Cause, People of the American Way, Progress Now!, and other groups plus Daily Kos bloggers as well as concerned citizens speaking up across the country.

NCPPR even set up an email for corporations to reach out to them if they “regret” their decision to cut ties with ALEC under the theme “we are not yellow.” NCPPR asserts that corporations have succumbed to the “left-wing” which is supposedly using a “trotskyite strategy of making relentless demand-after-demand.”

Don’t know much about the NCPPR? PR Watch has the details about this “think tank,” including the assistance the group gave to Jack Abramoff in essentially laundering millions of dollars and the fundraising tactic of “bombarding senior citizens with ‘fright mail.’” They use that money to do things like help Exxon Mobil fight against efforts to address climate change.

In other words, they’re another cog in the extreme right-wing agenda-making machine propping up the Republican Party. They’re not going to let voter suppression efforts stop.

By Joan McCarter | Sourced from Daily Kos

Trustees say Medicare, Social Security funds running out quickly

By Sam Baker – 04/23/12 05:03 PM ET

Medicare and Social Security are on a fast track to deep fiscal problems, trustees for the two programs warned Monday.

The Medicare trust fund will be “exhausted” — meaning it won’t have enough money on hand to cover the benefits it’s supposed to provide — by 2024, the trustees said, the same time frame anticipated in a report last year. Social Security will reach that tipping point in 2033, three years earlier than predicted last year.

“Under current law, both of these vitally important programs are on unsustainable paths,” Trustee Robert Reischauer said Monday.

Both parties looked to score political points on the news, with Obama administration officials saying Medicare’s woes would be far more severe without the 2010 healthcare law, while Republicans used the new estimates to argue that President Obama isn’t serious about entitlement reform.

The trustees called on Congress to repair the entitlements quickly, saying a prompt approach would leave more options on the table and allow lawmakers to make changes gradually.

But even at the trustees’ press conference, the deep political divisions over Medicare were on full display.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner took a pre-emptive shot at Republican-led proposals to partially privatize Medicare.

 

Read Full Article Here

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Economy

J K Galbraith: Inequality and Instability Part 1 – Part 2, 3 and 4 pls see links in intro

Published on Apr 18, 2012 by

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qX8sLB4ZNw&feature=plcp&context=C4a97… Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=605lUlAJGj8&context=C4a063a4ADvjVQa1PpcFMG… Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyguJPYjDBc&context=C4d2c0faADvjVQa1PpcFNC…
Further informations about topics addressed are available in favourites, play lists on my channel and complementary video responses. Mirrored: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheRealNews “James K. Galbraith presents his study of the world economy just before the great crisis.”

 

Canada, U.S. refuse to give IMF cash for crisis

By Bradley Bouzane, Postmedia News

Canada was among the countries Friday that declined to contribute additional emergency resources for the International Monetary Fund to assist the economic crisis gripping some European nations, insisting more emphasis should be placed on the eurozone to help relieve its own issues.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told a news conference in Washington that Canada, along with the United States, were not supportive of providing further funds for Europe and said that region should be able to assist itself in a greater capacity.

“A number of countries have agreed to provide the fund with additional resources now,” Flaherty said Friday evening in Washington. “With respect to the Canadian position, Canada has always supported the IMF. At the current juncture, however, we believe the fund has adequate resources to deal with imminent needs. This is particularly true, given the capacity of Europe to deal with its sovereign debt crisis.”

Flaherty, in Washington for meetings of the IMF and G20 finance ministers, said officials have noted the progress Europe has made in terms of some fiscal structure reforms, specifically in Italy and Spain, but said “we encourage our European partners to implement these reforms and make use of financial resources in Europe to stabilize the situation.”

The IMF is seeking $400 billion in commitments for world financial leaders to help backstop eurozone nations in the event of a debt emergency, a drive made urgent by rising borrowing costs in Italy and Spain.

Read Full Article Here

 

 

Wells Fargo Insiders Detail Foreclosure Fraud Practices: ‘It’s Exactly Like An Assembly Line’

That Wells Fargo has fraudulently processed mortgage documents using a process called robo-signing has been evident for nearly two years, since scandal enveloped the mortgage industry in 2010. That it kept doing it even after the scandal broke has been known for months. The practice, at Wells Fargo and other Wall Street banks, has led to waves of improper foreclosures and a $25 billion settlement with the federal government and state attorneys general.

A new report from MSNBC, however, provided an inside account of how Wells Fargo’s robo-signing department works. Unqualified employees with salaries ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 are given titles like “vice president of loan documentation” so they can sign foreclosure documents. Actual supervisors institute quotas on employees, forcing them to sign a certain number of foreclosure files each day — sometimes telling them they can’t eat breakfast or take lunch until they’re done. Documents required for homeowners to avoid foreclosure were ignored, left sitting on an unattended fax machine……

 

Read Full Article Here

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Wars and Rumors of War

‘Israel strike on Iran ill-advised, given our nuclear intel’

Iran should ‘play by rules’ over nuclear issue

Iran should play by the rules if it wants to have legitimate access to peaceful nuclear energy, stressed General James L. Jones, former national security advisor to US President Barack Obama, in an exclusive interview with RT.

­RT: There are IAEA experts who say the nuclear threat of Iran is not what it used to be, and if they abide by the law, Iran should have a peaceful nuclear program. How can we move forward without encouraging double standards?

General James L. Jones: We always said that Iran should have access to peaceful nuclear power if it wishes. We offered to replace fuel in medical reactors in Tehran. It is not an issue of peaceful nuclear power.

Iran has declared rather openly what it would do [to its neighbors] if it became a nuclear power.

If Iran seriously wants to play according to the game rules, we all play and sign documents that guarantee certain behavior, there is no reason why Iran should not have nuclear power for peaceful use.

The pressure and responsibility is not upon Russia or the US to make Iran do anything that it does not want to do. It is up to Iran to say: we do not want to be like North Korea ten years from now, living in a world of isolation.

That is a great civilization and great people. We happen to know that the Iranian people want more freedom. They look upon the west and countries outside their borders as inspiration, they see the freedom of our societies and they want to live like that.

They are going to figure out how they can get that a little bit more, but as far as the nuclear question goes, both Russia and the US have sent signals to Iran that there is a perfectly reasonable pathway that preserves their dignity and their respect to get to peaceful use of nuclear power. So it is really up to them.

Read Full Article Here

 

 

US military fights negative perception of “pain ray”

Published on Apr 22, 2012 by

In order to gain stronger public perception of new crowd control technology, the US miltary has been showcasing a new weapon dubbed the “pain ray”.
The system cost more than $120m developing the technology and was deployed in Afghanistan two years ago

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Articles of Interest

 

Egypt ends natural-gas agreement with Israel

The 2005 Egypt-Israel gas deal has come under strident criticism from leaders of the popular uprising that began early last year in Egypt.

By Avi Bar-Eli

Egypt has canceled its natural gas contract with Israel, claiming “violations of contractual agreements,” with Israeli officials calling the move a blatant violation of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty.

The 2005 Egypt-Israel gas deal has come under strident criticism from leaders of the popular uprising that began early last year in Egypt. Critics charge that Israel was getting a bargain price for the gas, while cronies of former President Hosni Mubarak allegedly skimmed millions of dollars off the proceeds.

A Bedouin tribesman inspecting the section of the Egypt-Israel gas pipeline that was hit by an RPG. A Bedouin tribesman inspecting the section of the Egypt-Israel gas pipeline that was hit by an RPG in the northern Sinai last month.
Photo by: Reuters

Nevertheless, Egyptian officials had been saying that they planned to honor the agreement.

The pipelines carrying natural gas to Israel in Jordan have been sabotaged 14 times since the uprising began, resulting in the suspension of the gas supply for about 70 percent of the time since February 5, 2011.

Israel called the Egyptian decision “unlawful and in bad faith” and said Egypt has failed to meet its supply obligations.

Egypt, meanwhile, says Israel hasn’t paid for its gas for four months, a charge Israel denies.

Read Full Article Here

 

Billions in Fines Don’t Matter — Here’s How BP Should Be Punished for the Gulf Disaster

What is missing is a criminal prosecution that holds responsible the individuals who gambled with the lives of BP’s contractors and the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico.
 

This story was published as an op-ed in The New York Times.

Two years after a series of gambles and ill-advised decisions on a BP drilling project led to the largest accidental oil spill in United States history and the death of 11 workers on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, no one has been held accountable.

What is missing is the accountability that comes from real consequences: a criminal prosecution that holds responsible the individuals who gambled with the lives of BP’s contractors and the ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico. Only such an outcome can rebuild trust in an oil industry that asks for the public’s faith so that it can drill more along the nation’s coastlines. And perhaps only such an outcome can keep BP in line and can keep an accident like the Deepwater Horizon disaster from happening again.

BP has already tested the effectiveness of lesser consequences, and its track record proves that the most severe punishments the courts and the United States government have been willing to mete out amount to a slap on the wrist.

Read Full Article Here

 

Bill Maher’s New Rules segment last night hit on a key aspect of today’s GOP: they’re pro-anything the Democrats (particularly president Obama) are against, even if it’s as disgusting as “Pink Slime.” There should at least be bipartisan agreement on that, said Maher. They’ve come out against children eating their vegetables because Michelle Obama is for it, after all.

If the Democrats came out against arsenic, would the GOP introduce a friendly arsenic mascot?

http://www.hbo.com/bin/hboPlayerV2u.swf?vid=1251784

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Food Safety Report – Saturday April 21st, 2012

Filed under: Allergen Alerts, Food Borne Illness, Food Recalls, Food Safety, Uncategorized — Leave a comment
April 21, 2012

Food Safety

 

Stop the giveaway to Big Ag. Support local foods in the Farm Bill!

Every five years, the federal farm bill sets our nation’s food policies — it’s the single biggest factor in determining what ends up on your plate.

But right now Congress is only providing minimal support for healthy, local and organic foods while expanding wasteful subsidies and giveaways that support the wealthiest agribusinesses — at the expense of family farmers.

Next week, the Senate Agriculture Committee will start writing its version of the 2012 Farm Bill. It’s incredibly important that Congress get this right — so CREDO Action is teaming up with Environmental Working Group to stop the giveaway to Big Ag and support food and farm policies that protect our environment and expand access to healthy food.

Tell the Senate: Stop the giveaway to Big Ag. Pass a Farm Bill that supports local, healthy and organic food.

Read Full Article Here

 

 

Oregon Teen in Critical Condition from E. Coli Linked to Raw Milk

A 13-year-old, one of four children hospitalized in an outbreak E. coli infection linked to raw milk, is in critical condition, according to a spokesman from Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, OR.

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As of Thursday, the potentially fatal foodborne pathogen had sickened as many as 18 people in Oregon. Five of the cases patients have lab-confirmed cases of E. coli infection and the others have symptoms, with test results pending. All of those ill in the outbreak reported drinking unpasteurized milk form Foundation Farm near Wilsonville.
The hospitalized children, who range in age from 1 to 13, developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure; information about the conditions of the other three children was not immediately available.

Salmonella Again Tops Reportable Food Registry Hazards

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday released its second annual review of the Reportable Food Registry, the program that requires domestic and foreign food makers to report potentially hazardous foods that have entered U.S. commerce.

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The program’s second year of operation, from Sept. 8, 2010 to Sept. 7 2011, included 882 reports of hazardous human and animal foods, including 225 “primary reports” on particular food items. That compares with the 2,240 reports entered in the first year, of which 229 were primary reports. (The FDA attributed the difference to three food items that received a huge number of secondary reports the first year.)
Despite the drop in secondary reports, the FDA saw the number of “amended reports” — reports that correct or add to primary reports – increase from 139 to 174 (25 percent) this year. The increase suggests more facilities are investigating problems and following up on their causes with the FDA.
Salmonella contamination prompted 38.2 percent of this year’s reports, while undeclared allergens accounted for 33.3 percent and Listeria accounted for 17.8 percent. That compares similarly with the first year, when Salmonella made 37.6 percent, undeclared allergens 30.1 percent and Listeria 14.4 percent.
E. coli O157:H7 accounted for 0.4 percent of contaminants reported this year and 2.6 percent the year before.

30 Lawmakers Ask USDA to ‘Correct the Public Record’ on LFTB

Thirty lawmakers wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday asking what the U.S. Department of Agriculture has done and can do in the future to help stop “the campaign of the misinformation” about Lean Finely Textured Beef, now widely known to American consumers as “pink slime.”

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Calling the media coverage and subsequent consumer revolt against LFTB “a campaign of misinformation,” members of Congress, many of them from beef states, asked USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to outline what steps it had taken to “correct the public record and educate consumers about the safety of LFTB.”

“Although we believe the USDA is in a unique position to help bring to light the facts about LFTB, we understand that Congress, too, can play a role,” reads the letter. “We will continue to do our part to educate the public about this important issue and the significant role that BPI has played in advancing food safety in America, but we also believe that we must work in concert with the USDA.”

Felony Indictment Charges Four in Tainted Cheese Conspiracy

A federal grand jury in Chicago has returned a six-count indictment against four individuals, alleging they were involved in a 2007 scheme to ship more than 110,000 pounds of contaminated Mexican-style cheese.

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The indictment does not claim that the cheese caused human illnesses or other public health consequences, according to Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. But lab analysis of the cheese showed it was adulterated with Salmonella, E. coli and other illness-causing bacteria, Fitzgerald said.
The conspiracy was complex. One defendant owned an Illinois company that imported the dried Mexican cheese to the U.S., and another defendant owned a Wisconsin company with a facility in suburban Elmhurst, IL that distributed cheese to customers nationwide.

Oh Rats! They Carry Salmonella, Too

Along with reports of Salmonella infection outbreaks involving contact with chicks and ducks, tiny turtles and pet frogs, add 46 cases of Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- infection linked to handling rodents sold as food for pet reptiles and amphibians.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its April 20 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report “Notes from the Field,” says 22 states are reporting the illnesses, and that the median age of those stricken is 11 years old. More than one third of those ill are younger than 5. At least 6 case patients have been hospitalized.

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Many of the children and others infected reported handling live or frozen rats or mice, which the CDC refers to as “feeder rodents.”

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Allergen Alert

 

 

Allergen Alert: Preserved Apricots With Sulfites

Hong Lee Trading of Brooklyn, NY is recalling Peacock Brand Preserved Apricots imported from Vietnam because they may contain sulfites that were not declared on the label.

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Routine sampling and analysis by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors revealed the presence of sulfites in packages of the preserved apricots.

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Articles of Interest

 

Italy’s Experience Liberalizing Raw Milk Sales: Can’t Put the Genie Back in the Bottle

Magnitude of health burden appears underestimated, or underreported

Opinion
On Jan. 25, 2007, Italy formally authorized the sale of raw milk to consumers through automatic vending devices. The decision had its legal basis in the generous interpretation  of a 2004 provision in European Union hygiene law, and followed intense lobbying from farmers and local authorities.
In fact, since 2004, local authorities had permitted sales of raw milk in their territories.
The 2007 decision requires registration of vending devices with the authorities, and authorized the placing of devices not only within farms, but also elsewhere in the same province. Pooling of milk from different farms is not permitted; each device corresponds to an individual farm.
The decision also mandates two analytical controls per month, on farm (and not in the end product), on Plate count (at 30 °C , per ml, with a limit of ≤ 100 000) and somatic cell count (per ml, with a limit of 400,000), and requires compliance with the limits, set by EU law, for the average of the two measurements. An unfortunate consequence of this requirement has been that compliance with the limits has been interpreted as proof of safety of the final product.
In the technical annex to the decision, a number of mandatory procedures are named, and the legal requirement for raw milk to be safe is repeated multiple times. In language which lends itself to multiple interpretations, analytical monitoring is required for pathogens (S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp, E. coli O157, Campylobacter) and contaminants (aflatoxins) on animals and milk, though no minimum frequency is mandated.
Moreover, fresh raw milk has to be supplied daily, and unsold milk from the previous day has to be collected and cannot be sold as such.
The vending devices can provide raw milk from tap, or automatically fill bottles, which need to carry the label “unpasteurized raw milk.” Moreover, raw milk has to be kept between 0 and 4 C (32 to 39 F) at all times, with an automatic mechanism to stop distribution if temperature exceeds the limits. A temperature data logger needs to be installed.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

Bayer Advanced Insect Killer Plays on Consumer’s Fear of Germs

 

Posted by

Bayer’s GERM KILLER Insect spray preys on consumer’s fanatical fear of germs! Absolutely IDIOTIC!

I love to show the public how ridiculously stupid they are.

I was in Lowe’s yesterday.  I happened to notice a display of Bayer insect spray that made me (involuntarily!)  shout…, “WHAT?”  It wasn’t the Bayer name that got me; it was the fact that I saw GERM KILLER on the same label with the words “insect”.  Incredibly, the label says…

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

Is Vermont’s Governor Surrendering to Monsanto?

Vermont’s governor has 2 weeks to stand with 90 percent of his constituents who favor labeling genetically engineered foods, or cave to Monsanto.
 

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has less than two weeks to either stand with the 90 percent of his constituents who support a mandatory labeling bill for genetically engineered foods — or cave in to Monsanto’s threat to sue the state if legislators pass H.722.

If the Governor’s words this past week are any indication, he’s already surrendered to Monsanto. But Vermonters, not known for backing down from a fight, are challenging legislators to take on the biotech industry. They’re even offering to raise money for the state’s defense.

Last week thousands of Vermonters flooded the Governor’s office with petitions, phone calls and emails, to make the case for GMO labeling of all food sold in Vermont and to demand a vote on the bill. Under Vermont’s constitution, the Governor can extend the state’s legislative session indefinitely, ultimately forcing a vote on the bill. If he doesn’t extend the session, or urge legislators to vote on the bill, it will die in committee.

 

Read Full Article Here

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes 'FAIR USE' of any such copyrighted material.]

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Food Safety Report – Thursday April 19th, 2012

Filed under: Allergen Alerts, Bacteria, Environmental, Food Borne Illness, Food Recalls, Food Safety, Mysterious Phenomena, Pet Health, Uncategorized — Leave a comment
April 19, 2012

Food Safety

4 Things Grosser Than Pink Slime

—By Tom Philpott

| Wed Apr. 18, 2012 3:00 AM PDT
One way that nasty bacterial strains from factory farms make it to “the community”–i.e., you. Jez Page/Flickr

The specter of “pink slime”—pureed, defatted, and ammonia-laced slaughterhouse scraps—has caused quite the uproar over the past six weeks. (The latest: Propublica has a great explainer on pink slime and other filler products.) The current fixation on pink slime may well lead to the demise of the product; already, supermarket and fast-food chains and school cafeterias are opting to stop adding the stuff into their burger mixes. The company’s maker, Beef Products International, has had to temporarily shut down three of its four plants in response to collapsing demand, which doesn’t augur well for the company’s long-term health.

But I’m wondering if focusing on the ew-gross aspects of “lean, finely textured beef” (as the industry calls it) doesn’t miss the bigger picture, which is that the meat industry’s very business model is deeply gross. Even if pink slime is purged from the face of the earth, the system that produces our meat and related products (eggs, milk) won’t be fundamentally changed. A while back, I identified something about meat production that’s “even grosser than pink slime”—proposed new rules that would privatize inspection at poultry slaughterhouses while dramatically speeding up kill lines. Here are four more.

Read Full Article Here

What’s the Deal With Tuna Scrape?

A closer look at the likely source of the sushi-linked Salmonella outbreak

by Gretchen Goetz | Apr 18, 2012
Last Friday, a week after announcing they were investigating an ongoing multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to sushi, federal public health officials were able to pinpoint the likely source of the bacteria that has now sickened at least 141 people. The suspect?  Something called Nakaochi Scrape distributed by Moon Marine Corporation USA.
Nakaochi Scrape, as described by the Food and Drug Administration, is “tuna backmeat, which is specifically scraped off the bones, and looks like a ground product.”

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This description has prompted several media outlets to compare scraped tuna with the controversial lean finely textured beef (LFTB) – also known as “pink slime” – that has captured headlines recently.
So what is Nakaochi Scrape? Is it indeed the fish version of LFTB (a.k.a., “Pink Slime”), which is produced by taking leftover scraps from a beef carcass, separating the meat from the fat, sinews and gristle in a heated centrifuge, grinding the meat and then treating it with ammonia? While both products are separated from bones, the similarities seem to end there.

Read Full Article Here

Sushi-Linked Salmonella Outbreak Reaches 141 Cases

by Mary Rothschild | Apr 18, 2012
A multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly infection has sickened at least 141 people, up from the 116 confirmed cases reported last week, while the related recall has expanded to include all frozen raw yellowfin tuna product – called Nakaochi Scrape – distributed by Moon Marine USA Corp.

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Nakaochi Scrape is the backmeat of tuna that, when scraped off the bones, looks like ground tuna, and is used to make sushi and similar dishes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Moon Marine’s frozen raw Nakaochi Scrape tuna, imported from a single processing plant in India, is the likely cause of the outbreak.
In an update Tuesday, the CDC said the illnesses extend across 20 states and the District of Columbia.

13 E. Coli Cases in Missouri, Raw Milk Dairy a Possible Source

by James Andrews | Apr 18, 2012

At least 13 people are sick from an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in central Missouri, with a farm suspected as a possible source. Investigators at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) have not yet identified a definite source of the outbreak, though 6 of the 13 ill consumed raw milk products from the same farm in Howard County.

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According to DHSS spokeswoman Gena Terlizzi, the remaining seven individuals said they were not associated with that farm. Still, the farm is under investigation and has halted sales of its raw dairy products.
The Missouri State Public Health Laboratory has analyzed eight food samples from the farm, all of which tested negative for E. coli O157:H7.

How the NY Times Got It Wrong on the FDA’s New Antibiotics Rules

—By Tom Philpott

Will the FDA’s new rules change this scenario? Not likely. Farm Sanctuary/Flickr

A casual reader taking in my account and the New York Times’ account of yesterday’s big FDA antibiotics announcement might have thought we were reacting to different events. Here’s the Times lead:

Farmers and ranchers will for the first time need a prescription from a veterinarian before using antibiotics in farm animals, in hopes that more judicious use of the drugs will reduce the tens of thousands of human deaths that result each year from the drugs’ overuse.

In the Times’ reading, the FDA placed significant restrictions on antibiotics use. My take was more critical: “The plan contains a bull-size loophole—and is purely voluntary, to boot.”

What gives? In short, the Times delivered a skim-level, FDA-friendly account of the new plan. Let’s start with the loophole. Here’s the Times:

Michael Taylor, the F.D.A.’s deputy commissioner for food, predicted that the new restrictions would save lives because farmers would have to convince a veterinarian that their animals were either sick or at risk of getting a specific illness. [Emphasis added.]

Read Full article Here

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Recalls

Bird Feed Recalled Due to Vitamin D Level

by Julia Thomas | Apr 18, 2012
Kaytee, a Central Garden & Pet brand, is recalling two products, Kaytee exact® Hand Feeding Formula Baby Birds and Kaytee exact® Hand Feeding Formula Baby Macaw, due to high levels of vitamin D.

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The recalled products are used primarily by bird breeders for feeding baby birds. Baby birds being fed the formula may run the risk of kidney failure when ingesting the product.
According to the recall news release, an elevated amount of vitamin D was unintentionally added in an isolated mixing batch during manufacturing. Products manufactured before and after the recalled batch have been tested and are safe for feeding to baby birds.

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Allergen Alert

Allergen Alert: Peppers in Lasagna Packages

by News Desk | Apr 18, 2012
Nestlé Prepared Foods Company is recalling approximately 16,890 pounds of Stouffer’s lasagna frozen entrées that may instead contain stuffed peppers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Tuesday.

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The stuffed peppers contain Worcestershire sauce made with anchovies, an allergen not listed on the package labels.
The error was brought to the company’s attention by two consumer complaints, but FSIS and the company say they have received no reports of adverse reactions.
According to the recall news release, the problem may have occurred when the lasagna packaging materials remained in the packaging machinery as the company began packaging stuffed pepper entrées.

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Articles of Interest

California Fights Citrus-Killing Bacteria

by Dan Flynn | Apr 18, 2012
There’s no threat to human health in a growing quarantine in Southern California, but an annual $2 billion worth of citrus fruits are at risk in a war with a tiny insect and the bacteria its spreads.
Earlier this month, the state of California added 93-square miles in the Hacienda Heights area of Los Angeles County to the quarantine after the citrus greening disease known as huanglongbing was discovered in the state for the first time.

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Until then, California had been combatting the insect that precedes the disease, which does not harm humans or animals, but causes citrus trees to decline and eventually die.
Now covering most of Southern California, the quarantine means no nursery stock can be moved out of the area and only commercially cleaned and cleared citrus fruit may be shipped from there. Residential citrus can’t be removed from the property on which it’s grown, although it can be processed and consumed on the premises.
“The success of any quarantine depends on cooperation from those affected,” says Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in a news release.  ”The stakes could not be higher for California citrus.”

Read Full Article Here

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Food Safety Report – Saturday April 14th, 2012

Filed under: Allergen Alerts, Asteroids, Food Borne Illness, Food Recalls, Food Safety, Uncategorized — 1 Comment
April 14, 2012

Food Safety

 

HSUS Reports ‘Deplorable’ Conditions at Large PA Egg Farm

 

The group urges Congress to act on industry-backed egg standards legislation

The animal agriculture industry is facing another round of unflattering headlines. The Humane Society of the United States on Thursday released video and photographs of alleged abuse and insanitary conditions at a large egg farm that supplies the mid-Atlantic region.

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HSUS, an animal rights group loathed by the livestock sector, last year struck a historic deal with the egg industry to seek federal legislation for alternative housing for egg-laying hens, and now the group says the latest undercover investigation at Kreider Farms in Pennsylvania should propel Congress to act on the bill.

“The egg industry in the United States now supports legislation to provide legal protection for hundreds of millions of egg laying hens. Kreider Farms is one producer that disagrees,” said Paul Shapiro in the HSUS’ investigation video. “In fact, its standards are even less than the voluntary standards that the industry has right now.”

HSUS is alleging that Kreider Farms not only treats its 7 million birds inhumanely — the released video shows chickens packed in cages (which is how the vast majority of egg laying hens in the United States are kept) and dead birds stuck in caging — but keeps them in filthy conditions, which helps bacteria like Salmonella spread. The investigation found some manure and eggs testes positive for Salmonella.

Read Full Article Here

FDA Warning Letters: April 10, 2012 Update

From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning letters posted since our April 3, 2012 update:

Lucky Taco, Inc. of Hustisford, WI was warned by the FDA that a December 2011 inspection of the company’s facility revealed significant violations, including that its Java Mint flavored Lucky Cruncher Cookie contained a coffee liquer flavor with color additives not declared on the label and that its Lucky Taco Mexican Fortune Cookie containued milk, an allergen not declared on the label. The FDA also challenged the company’s “low calorie” claims for some of its products.

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Recalls

 

Heineken Recalls Certain Beers Due to Bottle Defect

 

Heineken USA is recalling certain Mexican beers because the bottles may be defective, so there is a potential for small particles of glass to separate from the inside lip of the bottle and fall into the beer. The pieces may vary in size and some may not be easily visible, the company said in its recall announcement.

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The problem affects certain 12-ounce brown bottles of Carta Blanca and Dos Equis Ambar, as well as “Beers of Mexico” and “Best of Mexico” pack varieties. Indio 12-ounce bottles, which are only in the “Best of Mexico” pack (available only in Texas), are also affected and being recalled.
Dos Equis Lager green bottles and draught; Dos Equis Ambar draught; Tecate; and Carta Blanca 32-ounce bottles are not impacted nor are any other Heineken USA brands.
According to the company’s news release, the number of defective bottles is less than one percent, and the recall is a precautionary measure.
“There have not been any reports of consumer injuries, and while the likelihood of a possible injury to a consumer is very low, the presence of small particles of glass in the bottle could pose a health risk,” the company stated in its recall announcement.

Read Full Article Here

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Allergen Alert

 

Allergen Alert: Peanuts in Caramel Cob

 

Kathy Kaye Foods is recalling certain Classic Caramel Cob Junior because it may contain peanuts, an allergen not included on the label.

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No adverse reactions have been reported.
Routine sampling and analysis by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets revealed the presence of peanut allergen at 34 parts per million in packages of Classic Caramel Cob Junior with a best-by date of Dec. 23, 2011….

Allergen Alert: Nuts with Soy, Milk

John B. Sanfilippo and Son are recalling Fisher Vanilla Bean Almonds and Fisher Cocoa Mocha Almonds because they contain soy ingredients not declared on the label, and a snack nut blend because it contains soy and milk ingredients not listed on the label.

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There have been no reports of adverse reactions.

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Articles of Interest

The Rise to Fame of ‘Pink Slime’

In the news since 2008, why no LFTB backlash until now?

Last week, Iowa’s Gov. Terry Branstad and U.S. Rep. Steve King called for a congressional hearing on the media coverage that fueled a public backlash against ‘pink slime,’ Beef Products Inc.’ s Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB). Among other things, King accused journalists and activists of perpetrating a “smear campaign” against BPI and suggested they should go under oath to explain why they “could not base their allegations on facts.”

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Coming from top-tier lawmakers, the demands for a hearing were a testament to the significant influence of media and social networking on the national perception of LFTB. Since the backlash ignited last month, concerned parents and grossed-out burger lovers have spoken out in droves, demanding it be labeled or altogether removed from store shelves and school lunches.
But LFTB isn’t new. It’s been marketed since 2001, when the Food and Drug Administration OK’d the ammonia treatment process, and it had been in McDonald’s hamburgers and on school lunch trays since at least 2004. The Washington Post wrote about it in 2008, the documentary Food, Inc. showed BPI’s process on camera, and a 2009 story discussing BPI’s product earned journalist Michael Moss and the New York Times a Pulitzer Prize. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver railed against it on primetime television in 2011.
So, after roughly four years in the popular media, what sparked the sudden, forceful public rejection of LFTB?…

Canada’s Food Inspectors Nervous About Federal Budget

Since the Conservative government led by Stephen Harper has been in power in Ottawa, the Canadian Food Safety Inspection Agency (CFIA) has seen annual increases in its inspector ranks.

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Also there is a yearly scare about food safety jobs that gets pushed along by government unions with speculation about cuts that might occur as Canada goes through its budget process.
This year, Canadians are being told 100 food inspector positions might be cut from the federal government’s budget. Might the scare tactics this year be for real?  Maybe.
To understand Canada’s budget ritual as it affects food safety, it’s important to know the numbers to begin with.  As of March 2011, CFIA employed a total of 7,544.  Its ranks have increased in every year since 1999…..

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Food Safety Report – Tuesday April 10th, 2012

Filed under: Food Borne Illness, Food Recalls, Food Safety, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Uncategorized — Leave a comment
April 10, 2012

Food Safety

The Genetically Modified Food You Eat Every Day

GMO crops have infiltrated 80% of all the packaged food in the United States, and no one has told you. Here’s why.

Genetically modified food is in a store near you today. In fact, it’s been there for years. You may not know it, but in all the fracas over genetically modified food, one point is often left out: You’ve been eating it for a long time and no one has told you. This infographic from Nature’s Path–which makes organic cereals, bars, and waffles that contain no GMO ingredients, they’d like you to know–shows where you’re getting your genetically modified treats, and why no one has told you:

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

Debate Heats Up Over Poultry Inspection Proposal

 

By Helena Bottemiller

 

If you listen to both critics and proponents of a new U.S. Department of Agriculture proposal to expand a pilot poultry inspection program, you might wonder if they’re talking about the same thing. In January, the USDA’s Food Safety and…

 

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Has Salmonella Sushi Sickened 3,000?

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that for every reported case of Salmonella, an additional 29.3 infections go undiagnosed and unreported. Undiagnosed Salmonella victims are never counted in official Salmonella outbreak case-counts. There may well be nearly 3,000 sickened.

In the wake of an April, 2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announcement that at least 100 people have become ill in a Salmonella outbreak linked to Sushi, the attorneys at Marler Clark are distributing a FAQ list for consumers who may have been exposed in the outbreak. The CDC has identified cases in the following states: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (5), District of Columbia (2), Georgia (4), Illinois (9), Louisiana (2), Maryland (10), Massachusetts (4), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (7), New York (23), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (3), Rhode Island (4), South Carolina (3), Texas (3), Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (9).

What do consumers need to know in a Sushi Salmonella Outbreak?……

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

7 Food Ingredients Most Prone for Food Fraud

 

ROCKVILLE, Md.—Olive oil, milk, honey, saffron, orange juice, coffee and apple juice are the seven most likely food ingredients to be targets for intentional or economically motivated adulteration of food, or food fraud, according to analysis of the first U.S. public database created to compile information on risk factors for food fraud published in the Journal of Food Science.

The database was created by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) and provides baseline information to assist interested parties in assessing the risks of specific products. It includes a total of 1,305 records for food fraud based on a total of 667 scholarly, media and other publicly available reports.

Food fraud is a collective term that encompasses the deliberate substitution, addition, tampering or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients or food packaging, or false or misleading statements made about a product for economic gain. A more specific type of fraud is the fraudulent addition of nonauthentic substances or removal or replacement of authentic substances without the purchaser’s knowledge for economic gain of the seller.

According to the authors of the paper, food fraud may be more risky than traditional threats to the food supply because the adulterants used in these activities often are unconventional and designed to avoid detection through routine analyses.

“The vast majority of food fraud is primarily technical and economical,” said John Spink, associate director with the anti-counterfeiting and product protection program at Michigan State University. “However, there are some cases where there can be serious health consequences as illustrated when melamine was added to infant formula and pet food in order to falsify the level of protein content in these products.”

 

Read Full Article Here

 

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Recalls

 

Some Planters Cocktail Peanuts Recalled

 

By News Desk

 

Kraft Foods Group, Inc. is recalling about 3,000 cases of Planters Cocktail Peanuts because there is a possibility that the product was exposed to water not intended for use in food during the production process.Consumers who purchased the affected code…

 

Read Full Article Here

 

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Articles of Interest

 

BPI and ‘Pink Slime’: A Timeline

 

By James Andrews

 

The story of Beef Products Inc.’s Lean Finely Textured Beef isn’t new, and neither is the nickname “pink slime”. Yet after more than 10 years on the market, the beef additive had never received the level of attention it did…

 

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A Question of Origin

 

By Alli Condra

 

Dear Reader: Where did your last meal come from?Given our globalized food system, this is a difficult question to answer. The question of food origin breaks down into several parts. Do we care where it originated? Or, do we care…

 

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes 'FAIR USE' of any such copyrighted material.]

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Food Safety News – Friday April 6th, 2012

Filed under: Food Safety, Poisons in Our Foods — Leave a comment
April 6, 2012

Food Safety

 

CDC: No Source Confirmed in Outbreak That Has Sickened 93

Sushi or sashimi suspected

 

by Mary Rothschild

 

Ninety-three illnesses linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Bareilly have been reported from 19 states and the District of Columbia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Wednesday, but CDC officials said a specific food has not been identified as the source of the infections.
However, many of those infected recalled eating sushi, sashimi or a raw dish such as ceviche, in the days before they became ill, according to the public health agency.

In an investigation report released Wednesday afternoon, the CDC revealed the states reporting illnesses: Alabama (2), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (4), District of Columbia (2), Georgia (4), Illinois (8), Louisiana (2), Maryland (8), Massachusetts (4), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (6), New York (23), North Carolina (2), Pennsylvania (2), Rhode Island (4), South Carolina (3), Texas (3), Virginia (5) and Wisconsin (8).

The CDC’s message follows an internal U.S. Food and Drug Administration email on the outbreak investigation that was inadvertently circulated beyond the agency. That emailed summary did not list all the affected states.

And although the FDA email said investigators were looking at sushi as a possible source of the illnesses, and singled out spicy tuna roll sushi as “highly suspect,” the CDC said no food item has been conclusively identified.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

 

Iowa Leaders Seek Congressional Hearing on Pink Slime Critics

 

by Helena Bottemiller

 

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad are pushing for a congressional probe into what many in the meat industry are calling a “smear campaign” against Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB), a formerly obscure component commonly used in ground beef now known to the public as “pink slime.”

King has asked Frank Lucas (R-OK), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee to host a hearing that would bring in witnesses to testify on the media firestorm and consumer backlash over the product, which has led to three plant suspensions and sidelined 650 workers in Texas, Kansas, and Iowa — including some 200 workers in King’s district.

“Witnesses would be under oath and they’re of course obligated by law to tell the truth, those who have been the ones who have perpetrated this smear campaign against one of the stellar companies in the country,” King recently told an Iowa radio station. “I think they’ll have an obligation then to explain themselves why they could not base their allegations on facts and what they’ve done to damage an industry.”

The congressman said he believes the campaign is also an “assault” on meat. “I’d like to look at that further,” he said. “Right now, I’m focused on helping BPI get their brand back and their market share back.”

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

 

BPA is FDA’s Latest Gift to Food Industry

 

By Michele Simon

 

In a long-awaited decision, last week the Food and Drug Administration disappointed health advocates once again by allowing Bisphenol A or BPA, a known endocrine disruptor, to remain approved as a chemical additive in food containers such as plastic bottles and metal cans.While the agency says it’s still studying the matter, a number of groups say the science is clear enough. Indeed, in the four years since the filing of a legal petition asking for a ban (a court order was needed to force FDA to respond), evidence of potential harm from BPA exposure has only increased. Of particular concern are young children, as the chemical often lines infant formula containers and baby bottles. Ironically, some of the more alarming research is funded by the federal government. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is spending $30 million to study BPA, with much of it published already and more to come. Not surprisingly, the chemical industry claims the additive is perfectly safe.

But with the scientific studies piling up to show how BPA increases the risk of everything from cancer to heart disease to fertility problems, and more recently, even obesity, this latest industry-friendly move by FDA is especially troubling. Meanwhile, without a hint of irony, FDA also maintains several web pages with helpful information for parents and others wishing to avoid BPA, such as: “What You Can Do to Minimize Your Infant’s Exposure to BPA.”

So if FDA admits the chemical is scary enough to avoid and previous independent scientific advisory panels have derided the agency for ignoring the mounting evidence, why did the agency back down yet again?…..

 

Read Full Article Here

 

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Recalls

 

Tomme d’Or Cheeses Recalled in British Columbia

 

By News Desk

 

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is warning the public not to eat Tomme d’Or cheese made by Moonstruck Organic Cheese on Saltspring Island because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.Currently there are no illnesses linked to…

 

Read Full Article Here

 

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Articles of Interest

 

Lawsuit Claims Some Store ‘Honey’ Brands Are Deceptive

 

by Gretchen Goetz

 

A series of class action lawsuits has been filed in Florida against major food retailers who allegedly sell honey that may not be “honey” because it does not contain pollen.

Five Florida residents are bringing suits against four different grocery chains – Publix Super Markets, Inc., Target Corporation, Walgreen Co. and Aldi, Inc. – that all reportedly carry ultra-filtered honey under their own house brands.

Ultra-filtration is a special process by which honey is heated and then forced through tiny filters that don’t let pollen through. This process is different from traditional honey filtration, which uses bigger filters and is designed only to weed out visible contaminants such as bee parts, wax and debris.

In removing the pollen from honey, ultra-filtration essentially removes its footprint. The resulting product cannot be traced back to its source to determine whether it came from a legitimate supplier or one with a reputation for adulterated products.

When Food Safety News investigated ultra-filtration last year, it found that over 3/4 of honey sold in U.S. grocery stores lacks pollen.

Florida is one of a handful of states that has set a honey standard dictating what qualities a product needs in order to be called honey. Anything labeled as “honey” must contain pollen, says the standard. This rule gives legal clout to those who want to see pollen-free honey labeled as something other than honey.

The same clout does not exist at the federal level, because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to issue a set of standards for honey, despite demands from both industry and Congress that it do so.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

FDA Warning Letters: Update

 

by News Desk

From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning letters posted since our March 27, 2012 update:

- Prospect Enterprises of Los Angeles, CA was warned that a January/February 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility, American Fish & Seafood Company in Sacramento, CA revealed violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation so that its chilled, histamine-forming fish such as tuna, chilled, vacuum packaged Hamachi and tuna, as well as refrigerated ready-to-eat products such as vacuum packaged smoked salmon and trout, and pasteurized canned crabmeat, would be considered adulterated.

The FDA said the inspection also revealed deviations from the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods, including inadequate monitoring of cooler storage to control pathogen growth and toxin formation including Clostridium botulinum toxin.

- Plenus Group of Lowell, MA was warned that a February/March 2012 inspection of the company’s seafood processing facility revealed violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation so that its refrigerated clam chowder in reduced oxygen packaged bags would be considered adulterated.

- Meherrin Agricultural & Chemical of Severn, NC was warned that a November/December 2011 inspection of the company’s Hampton Farms Industrial peanut butter processing plant revealed violations of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulation for foods, such as using a band saw to cut the bottoms off customer-returned 18 oz. plastic jars of peanut butter.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

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Food Safety Report – Tuesday April 3rd, 2012

Filed under: Food Safety — Leave a comment
April 3, 2012

Food Safety

 

Research Links Pig Health and Food Safety

 

by Helena Bottemiller

Visceral lesions, or visible signs of infection or organ damage, can help predict Salmonella contamination on pig carcasses, according to new research published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research this month.

Researchers at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that Salmonella contamination was 90 percent more likely to occur in carcasses with lesions that were visibly identifiable, when compared to carcasses without visible lesions.

The study analyzed 202 conventionally raised pigs and 156 antimicrobial-free pigs in a Mid-western processing plant during December 2005 and January 2006. All carcasses were swabbed to check for Salmonella contamination and then both nonexperts and three veterinary pathologists examined the carcasses for lesions.

U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors are on hand at every slaughter facility to inspect animals for visual health defects before and after slaughter. If during antemortem inspection, animals are deemed sick, they are kept out of the abattoir, or are tagged as suspect and then inspected postmortem, or after slaughter, which should, keep sick animals out of the food supply.


Read Full Article Here

 

Study: Climate Change May Impact Outbreaks

 

by James Andrews

 

The transmission of foodborne pathogens may be impacted by the effects of climate change, according to a report released March 28 by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Studying hundreds of peer-reviewed publications on six different food- and waterborne pathogens, the report’s authors observed 1,653 “key facts” that link the viability of those pathogens to a range of climatic variables such as air temperature, water temperature and precipitation. The pathogens under study included Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Norovirus, Cryptosporidium and non-cholera Vibrio.

Campylobacter, the most prevalent foodborne pathogen in Europe, shows a strong seasonal variability, leading researchers to believe its peak infection rates may rise or shift in response to rising global air and water temperatures. Salmonella infection rates were also strongly associated with air temperature.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

Consumer groups demand GMO labeling, question food safety

 

(Reuters) – Critics of genetically modified crops are making new demands for government mandated labeling to identify foods on grocer shelves that contain ingredients from transgenic corn, soybeans and other crops.

Labeling drives are underway on both state and federal levels, and on Tuesday several U.S. consumer groups released a survey and results of a petition drive that they say shows overwhelming consumer support for labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMO).

“People believe they have a right to know what goes into their bodies,” said Mark Mellman, a public opinion pollster and consultant.

The Mellman Group survey released Tuesday said based on a polling of 1,000 voters last month, about 91 percent support labeling of GMO foods while 5 percent oppose such a move. Support was nearly equal among Democrats, Republicans and Independents.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

‘Pink slime’ is now found in 70 percent of the ground beef at our grocers

 

(NaturalNews) Would you knowingly eat ground beef which contained scrap meat items such as muscle connective tissue which had been sprayed with ammonium hydroxide? Would you want your children to eat such ground beef in their school lunches? According to recent revelations, if you or your children eat ground beef there is a strong chance that both may be happening.

Last week, former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist-turned-whistleblower Gerald Zirnstein revealed that 70 percent of the ground beef sold at supermarkets contained the fake-meat additive which is commonly referred to as “pink slime”. This revelation came on the heels of reports that the USDA is purchasing 7 million pounds of the product for school lunches in public schools.

“Pink slime” is taking over ground beef at our grocers and schools
“Pink slime” is made by gathering beef waste trimmings, simmering them at low heat to make it easy to separate fat from the muscle, and using a centrifuge to spin the waste trimmings to complete the separation. Next, the mixture is sent through pipes and sprayed with ammonium hydroxide gas to kill bacteria. Finally, the product is packaged into bricks, frozen and shipped to grocery stores and meat packers, where it is added to most ground beef.

 

Read Full Article Here

 

 

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Recalls

No Food Recalls For Today

 

 

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Allergen Alert

No Allergen Alerts For Today

 

 

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Articles of Interest

 

House Bill Would Require Labeling LFTB

 

by News Desk

 

A bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday would require the labeling of any beef products that contain lean finely textured beef, the lean beef supplement also known as “pink slime.”

Introduced by Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree from Maine’s 1st District, the “Requiring Easy and Accurate Labeling of Beef Act” (REAL Beef Act) was inspired by growing public demand for lean finely textured beef (LFTB) to both be labeled in supermarkets and removed from the school lunch program.

Pingree, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, also previously wrote a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack demanding LFTB be completely banned from the school lunch program. Dozens of House members signed on.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it would allow schools to choose opt out of serving LFTB.

The REAL Beef Act has ten co-sponsors in the House: Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jerry Lewis (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).

 

Read Full Article Here

 

E. Coli Vaccine Maker Eyes Government Support

 

by News Desk

 

****Yet another chemical to be injected into cattle so that we can consume it. How about we raise cattle more humanely so the health issues are not as monumental???? Now there is a no-brainer ****

 

A Canadian biotech company has developed a vaccine for cattle that prevents them from shedding E. coli in their manure, and its CEO now hopes the Canadian and U.S. governments will help spread the vaccine to combat the threat posed by E. coli contamination in beef.

In an interview with CTV News, Bioniche Life Sciences CEO Graeme McRae said that while the cost of his company’s vaccine is currently too expensive for farmers to buy, a public health investment in the product would save hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

E. coli illnesses cost the Canadian medical system more than $200 million a year, but vaccinating every cow in the country would cost less than $50 million. From an economic perspective, government support of the vaccine is a “no-brainer,” he said.

 

Read Full Article Here

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