#7c

Chapter 9 – What’s in the meat?

In 1997 an outbreak of E. Coli 0157:H7 hit Colorado and contaminated 35million pounds of Hudson beef. The nations industrialized and centralized food system is causing more breakouts because of the mass-production system. Many new food born pathogens are being discovered because of this production system. The hamburger was originally considered food for the impoverished and White castle changed the face of the burger. This caused beef consumption to be pushed beginning mass production, causing major E. Coli 0157:H7 breakouts. E. Coli 0157:H7 is mutated bacteria found in the digestive system. It kills children and harms adults producing bad stomach aches, cramps, anal bleeding and diarrhea can cause harmful diseases overtime, it gets into the meat through the animal fesses. Meatpacking industries filthy factories in early 1900’s caused change but quickly they dominated the FDA ultimately giving it no authority. Slaughterhouses constantly have E. Coli 0157:H7 breakouts and suitable meat is distributed anyways. Instead of changing their procedure companies simply “clean” the meat with ammonium nitrate. The cheapest meat in the U.S.A is cooked in the public school systems and causes many E. Coli 0157:H7 outbreaks.

Gems
• “The USDA plan, however has been significantly watered down during negotiations with the meat packing industry and Republican members of Congress. The new system would shift many food safety tasks to employees. The records complied by those employees-- unlike the reports traditionally written by federal inspectors -- would not be available to the public trough the freedom of information act. And meat-packing plants would not be required to test for E. Coli 0157:H7, a pathogen whose discovery might lead to immediate condemnation of their meat. Instead, they could test for other bacteria as a broad measure of fecal contamination levels; the results of those test would not have to be revealed to the government; and meat containing whatever organisms the test found could still be sold to public.” • “The USDA chose meat suppliers for its National School Lunch Program on the basis of the lowest price, without imposing additional food safety requirements.”
Thoughts & Reflections This brings back memories from when I was in middle school and elementary school. I felt the pressure to fit in so I would have my parents stop packing my lunch and eat the horrible cafeteria lunch. Fellow students and me always wanted to protest this food and attempted to change the quality of food in our school but we had no idea as to why the food was so horrible and, now I FULLY GET IT! We didn’t even get REAL PLATES OR FORK AND KNIFES, OR WATER. Only milk, Styrofoam trays, and sporks. The government does not care about the people. This also brings me back to my “health” classes where we were brain washed. All the information our P.E teacher gaves us came from the U.S.D.A so if the supposedly know what is best for us, then why do they ignore this fact when it comes to the money. We should have been educated on the TRUTH!!!