.
Group Members
Teri Malony
Lauren Eichman
What can consumers do to contribtue to the safety of the food they eat?
Thesis Statement:
Today's society revolves around what is the most immediate way to get things done. We as a group don't stop to think where that quick dinner you picked up last night from the nearest fast food resturaunt came from. You don't think about if the chicken in the freezer section at ShopRite is humanly killed or if it is shut in, in complete darkness, and fed to the point that it grows faster than its body and can not even walk more than a few steps. Because we do not take the time to think about these things and are ignorant to this topic our food is being effected and we dont even know it. There are laws in place to prevent our food from becomming infected with things like E Coli. One law for instance is Kevin's Law. Does this law cover the amount of ground that is necessary? Is this law effective enough to prevent the mass production of meat?
Teri Malony
Lauren Eichman
What can consumers do to contribtue to the safety of the food they eat?
Thesis Statement:
Today's society revolves around what is the most immediate way to get things done. We as a group don't stop to think where that quick dinner you picked up last night from the nearest fast food resturaunt came from. You don't think about if the chicken in the freezer section at ShopRite is humanly killed or if it is shut in, in complete darkness, and fed to the point that it grows faster than its body and can not even walk more than a few steps. Because we do not take the time to think about these things and are ignorant to this topic our food is being effected and we dont even know it. There are laws in place to prevent our food from becomming infected with things like E Coli. One law for instance is Kevin's Law. Does this law cover the amount of ground that is necessary? Is this law effective enough to prevent the mass production of meat?
What can consumers do to contribute to the safety of the food they eat?
By: Teri and Lauren
Abstract:
This paper will examine the ineffectiveness of government agencies to protect consumers from contaminated foods. While there are laws and bills in committee what we found is that enforcement is the largest barrier to keeping contaminated foods off consumer shelves. Due to a wall of corporate greediness, plant owners continue to use their resources to lobby against much needed enforcement of regulations. The methodology for researching this paper was done by internet, documentary review and the journal reading. The conclusion we’ve come to is that having a choice, consumers must begin to advocate for themselves and the world around them. We found one way for consumers to do this is to research for themselves the slow food movement that incorporates three concepts, good, clean, and fair. Good meaning food tastes good and is geographically and culturally true to its origins. Clean means sustainable and helps protect the planet rather than destroying it. Finally fair means that all food will be grown in a responsible and humane way paying attention to social justice and fair wages. To sum it up our food processing leaves a lot to be desired and only the consumer by mass number can force execution of policy changes. We found that it is up to all of us.
In 2001 a little boy named Kevin Kowalyk died from E Coli 0157:H7. He was only 2 years old. The meat his mother purchased for hamburgers had been recalled 2 full days before. It was still on the store shelf.
As a result, a bill was introduced to congress nicknamed Kevin’s Law, by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Palo Alta, in 2005. The bill known as H.R. 3160 was originally known as the Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act of 2003. This law, if enacted would allow the U. S. government to stop contaminated meats from reaching consumers food supply by:
- Requiring the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to identify the pathogens that threaten human health (e.g. Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria mono-cytogeneses).
- Requiring the USDA to establish performance standards to reduce the presence of these pathogens in meat and poultry.
- Confirming that the USDA has the authority to enforce its own standards by shutting down plants that continually breach basic health standards. Courts have held that the USDA does not have this authority in the absence of explicit authorizing legislation.
Corporate meat processors have lobbied against Kevin's Law, arguing that it would increase the cost of food and is unnecessary.
Unfortunately this bill never made it out of committee. As of April, 2010, this bill is still not a law.
There are many different illnesses that arise from mass producing meat. One that is heard a majority of the time would be E Coli poisoning. Escherichia coli also known as E coli is a bacterium that lives naturally in the intestinal tracts of healthy animals and humans, this bacteria aids in the maintenance of normal physiological functioning of the intestine (From Farm to Table). E coli come in different classes, four of which bring illness to humans. These four toxic strands are Enteroprovirulent E. coli (EPEC), Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), and Eneterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC).
While all four of these strains of E coli are harmful to the human body there is one specific strain of E coli most commonly implicated in food borne illness. This strand is known as E. coli 0157:H7. This form of E. coli is a result of consuming beef, usually the form of ground beef, which contains large amounts of harmful Shiga toxins. These Shiga toxins severely damage the lining of human intestines and other organs.
Another common disease found in meat products is Salmonella. This disease has around two-thousand different strands. Two of these strands however are most common to the United States, Salmonella stereotype Typhimurium and Salmonella stereotype Enteritis. Salmonella is caused by ingesting meat that has been contaminated with animal feces. This illness resides in the intestinal tract of animals and humans. This disease while harmful is less of a threat than others. It lasts between four to seven days and has symptoms coinciding with a stomach virus.
Listeria Monocytogenes is another disease generated from soil, water, sewage, and vegetation that can last for long periods of time. This pathogen causes Listeriosis in humans and resides in the intestines of animals. Once an animal has been contaminated with Listeriosis the animal can contaminate any product coming from animal origin. For example it could contaminate meat or milk that comes from that animal. It is found that Listeria Monocytogenes infects two-thousand five-hundred people in the United States annually and kills five-hundred.
One last example of a contagious disease due to mass production of meat is Brucellosis. This disease is found in domestic livestock and wildlife. This disease generates from Brucella which is passed primarily between animals. This disease can cause decreased milk production, infertility, abortion or birth of nonviable calves, weight loss, enlarged joints, and lameness in the animals. If a human becomes ill with this disease through contact or consumption of infected animal meat they contract flu-like symptoms. Antibiotics are normally prescribed for about six weeks after contraction. Brucellosis is less common in the US compared to the other diseases and pathogens. However it still one-hundred to two-hundred cases are found annually
There are many other diseases and pathogens that can be contracted through diseased meat. So what is being done to prevent it? The conditions of slaughter houses and the way meat was prepared for stores was not brought to the public’s eye until 1906 through Upton Sinclair’s book The Jungle. From this book the first federal meat-industry reforms came about. By 1907 the Federal Meat Inspection Act was put into place. After this was passed both the FMIA and the USDA were required to inspect each animal entering a livestock slaughterhouse, carcasses and parts after slaughter, and they were required to maintain continuous inspection of processed meat.
In fairness the USDA has tried to implement actions to protect the consumer. Following are some of their accomplishments since 1993.
The USDA also states on their website that all ground beef “transported and sold in interstate commerce must be federally inspected. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) carry out USDA’s responsibilities under the Federal Meat Inspection Act.” Accompanying this pledge are organizations in charge of every level of meat distribution in the US under the USDA.
So then, what is the problem? Consumers have the right to assume that the Department of Agriculture is looking out for them. However, the problem arises when the industry is run by a select few who continuously lobby against Kevin’s Law, citing that the cost would trickle down to the consumer, and they feel it is unnecessary.
But the cost to humans, not fairly protected by the government, is high. Death and illness from foodborne illnesses is too high a price to pay for food. The incidence of foodborne illnesses is on the rise. Greater importation and food choices are a couple of reasons for the increase. The fact that a small number of distributers and manufacturers may have a single failure in the process also leads to greater spread of an illness. So, since government and plant owners aren’t looking out for us, what can us as consumers do to protect ourselves?
With the amount of priority the USDA places on their laws and keeping the meat that is processed up to code you would think that the meat that is distributed is clean. However in many cases that is not true. Since 1940 meat has had enormous recalls made. For instance in 1940 one of the largest beef recalls was associated with Topps Meat Co. one of largest frozen hamburger manufacturers in the US at the time. Due to a recall they were never able to recover. Recalls continued, in 1997 Hudson Foods recalled ground beef, 1998 Sara Lee had to recall fifteen-million pounds of meat, 1999 an ineffective inspection called for the original number of twenty-thousand pounds of meat recalled to rise to twenty-five million pounds. Due to the Listeria bacteria Pilgrim’s Pride was told to recall their cooked sandwich meat because of possible contamination in 2002. Recalls continued through the years of 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
So while the USDA, FDA, and the HACCP system of processing are all on the same page, enforcement seem to be the greatest barrier to food safety. As consumers there is much we can do to protect ourselves. One of the main things consumers can do is to know where your food comes from. Did it come from Argentina or California? Was the plant your meat came from clean and did it follow safety regulations? Remember you have a choice. Buy locally and the consumer will know what kind of farm their food came from. Write to your representatives and demand enforcement of safety regulations. Consider the cost of food by large plants and possible illnesses to the cost of food that may a little higher but the animals are treated humanely and allowed to grow naturally, without the addition of hormones and antibiotics. Consumers can also follow the Slow Food Movement, which simply stated says, good food tastes good and retains its geographic and cultural origins, clean food will be sustainable and helps regrow the environment not kill it. And fair food is grown in a responsible and humane way that means social justice and fair pay to workers. Consumers can also grow as much as their own food as possible. This will ensure freshness and knowledge about where it came from. So, there is a lot consumers can do to trace their food and protect them. It takes more time and involvement but isn’t their health and the health of the world worth it?
Abstract:
This paper will examine the ineffectiveness of government agencies to protect consumers from contaminated foods. While there are laws and bills in committee what we found is that enforcement is the largest barrier to keeping contaminated foods off consumer shelves. Due to a wall of corporate greediness, plant owners continue to use their resources to lobby against much needed enforcement of regulations. The methodology for researching this paper was done by internet, documentary review and the journal reading. The conclusion we’ve come to is that having a choice, consumers must begin to advocate for themselves and the world around them. We found one way for consumers to do this is to research for themselves the slow food movement that incorporates three concepts, good, clean, and fair. Good meaning food tastes good and is geographically and culturally true to its origins. Clean means sustainable and helps protect the planet rather than destroying it. Finally fair means that all food will be grown in a responsible and humane way paying attention to social justice and fair wages. To sum it up our food processing leaves a lot to be desired and only the consumer by mass number can force execution of policy changes. We found that it is up to all of us.
In 2001 a little boy named Kevin Kowalyk died from E Coli 0157:H7. He was only 2 years old. The meat his mother purchased for hamburgers had been recalled 2 full days before. It was still on the store shelf.
As a result, a bill was introduced to congress nicknamed Kevin’s Law, by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Palo Alta, in 2005. The bill known as H.R. 3160 was originally known as the Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act of 2003. This law, if enacted would allow the U. S. government to stop contaminated meats from reaching consumers food supply by:
- Requiring the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to identify the pathogens that threaten human health (e.g. Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria mono-cytogeneses).
- Requiring the USDA to establish performance standards to reduce the presence of these pathogens in meat and poultry.
- Confirming that the USDA has the authority to enforce its own standards by shutting down plants that continually breach basic health standards. Courts have held that the USDA does not have this authority in the absence of explicit authorizing legislation.
Corporate meat processors have lobbied against Kevin's Law, arguing that it would increase the cost of food and is unnecessary.
Unfortunately this bill never made it out of committee. As of April, 2010, this bill is still not a law.
There are many different illnesses that arise from mass producing meat. One that is heard a majority of the time would be E Coli poisoning. Escherichia coli also known as E coli is a bacterium that lives naturally in the intestinal tracts of healthy animals and humans, this bacteria aids in the maintenance of normal physiological functioning of the intestine (From Farm to Table). E coli come in different classes, four of which bring illness to humans. These four toxic strands are Enteroprovirulent E. coli (EPEC), Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), and Eneterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC).
While all four of these strains of E coli are harmful to the human body there is one specific strain of E coli most commonly implicated in food borne illness. This strand is known as E. coli 0157:H7. This form of E. coli is a result of consuming beef, usually the form of ground beef, which contains large amounts of harmful Shiga toxins. These Shiga toxins severely damage the lining of human intestines and other organs.
Another common disease found in meat products is Salmonella. This disease has around two-thousand different strands. Two of these strands however are most common to the United States, Salmonella stereotype Typhimurium and Salmonella stereotype Enteritis. Salmonella is caused by ingesting meat that has been contaminated with animal feces. This illness resides in the intestinal tract of animals and humans. This disease while harmful is less of a threat than others. It lasts between four to seven days and has symptoms coinciding with a stomach virus.
Listeria Monocytogenes is another disease generated from soil, water, sewage, and vegetation that can last for long periods of time. This pathogen causes Listeriosis in humans and resides in the intestines of animals. Once an animal has been contaminated with Listeriosis the animal can contaminate any product coming from animal origin. For example it could contaminate meat or milk that comes from that animal. It is found that Listeria Monocytogenes infects two-thousand five-hundred people in the United States annually and kills five-hundred.
One last example of a contagious disease due to mass production of meat is Brucellosis. This disease is found in domestic livestock and wildlife. This disease generates from Brucella which is passed primarily between animals. This disease can cause decreased milk production, infertility, abortion or birth of nonviable calves, weight loss, enlarged joints, and lameness in the animals. If a human becomes ill with this disease through contact or consumption of infected animal meat they contract flu-like symptoms. Antibiotics are normally prescribed for about six weeks after contraction. Brucellosis is less common in the US compared to the other diseases and pathogens. However it still one-hundred to two-hundred cases are found annually
There are many other diseases and pathogens that can be contracted through diseased meat. So what is being done to prevent it? The conditions of slaughter houses and the way meat was prepared for stores was not brought to the public’s eye until 1906 through Upton Sinclair’s book The Jungle. From this book the first federal meat-industry reforms came about. By 1907 the Federal Meat Inspection Act was put into place. After this was passed both the FMIA and the USDA were required to inspect each animal entering a livestock slaughterhouse, carcasses and parts after slaughter, and they were required to maintain continuous inspection of processed meat.
In fairness the USDA has tried to implement actions to protect the consumer. Following are some of their accomplishments since 1993.
- Initiated unannounced reviews at 1,000 meat and poultry plants nationwide to enforce intensified zero tolerance requirements for fecal contamination on beef products.
- Required safe handling and cooking instructional labels on raw meat and poultry products.
- Introduced a strategy to change meat and poultry inspection from command and control supervision of industry to system that prevents hazards to the food supply from the farm to the table.
- Declared the bacterium E. coli O157:H7 an adulterant in raw ground beef and initiated a nationwide sampling program in federally inspected plants and retail stores that process ground beef.
- Prepared a regulation to overhaul the USDA food safety system by requiring the mandatory implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point systems and testing for bacteria in plants that slaughter and grind meat and poultry for distribution as raw product.
- Accelerated the review of requests for trials of technologies designed to improve food safety in meat and poultry plants.
- Initiated review of process controls used for fermented dry sausage and recommended revisions to industry's Good ManufacturingPractices following an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 linked to the product.
The USDA also states on their website that all ground beef “transported and sold in interstate commerce must be federally inspected. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) carry out USDA’s responsibilities under the Federal Meat Inspection Act.” Accompanying this pledge are organizations in charge of every level of meat distribution in the US under the USDA.
So then, what is the problem? Consumers have the right to assume that the Department of Agriculture is looking out for them. However, the problem arises when the industry is run by a select few who continuously lobby against Kevin’s Law, citing that the cost would trickle down to the consumer, and they feel it is unnecessary.
But the cost to humans, not fairly protected by the government, is high. Death and illness from foodborne illnesses is too high a price to pay for food. The incidence of foodborne illnesses is on the rise. Greater importation and food choices are a couple of reasons for the increase. The fact that a small number of distributers and manufacturers may have a single failure in the process also leads to greater spread of an illness. So, since government and plant owners aren’t looking out for us, what can us as consumers do to protect ourselves?
With the amount of priority the USDA places on their laws and keeping the meat that is processed up to code you would think that the meat that is distributed is clean. However in many cases that is not true. Since 1940 meat has had enormous recalls made. For instance in 1940 one of the largest beef recalls was associated with Topps Meat Co. one of largest frozen hamburger manufacturers in the US at the time. Due to a recall they were never able to recover. Recalls continued, in 1997 Hudson Foods recalled ground beef, 1998 Sara Lee had to recall fifteen-million pounds of meat, 1999 an ineffective inspection called for the original number of twenty-thousand pounds of meat recalled to rise to twenty-five million pounds. Due to the Listeria bacteria Pilgrim’s Pride was told to recall their cooked sandwich meat because of possible contamination in 2002. Recalls continued through the years of 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009.
So while the USDA, FDA, and the HACCP system of processing are all on the same page, enforcement seem to be the greatest barrier to food safety. As consumers there is much we can do to protect ourselves. One of the main things consumers can do is to know where your food comes from. Did it come from Argentina or California? Was the plant your meat came from clean and did it follow safety regulations? Remember you have a choice. Buy locally and the consumer will know what kind of farm their food came from. Write to your representatives and demand enforcement of safety regulations. Consider the cost of food by large plants and possible illnesses to the cost of food that may a little higher but the animals are treated humanely and allowed to grow naturally, without the addition of hormones and antibiotics. Consumers can also follow the Slow Food Movement, which simply stated says, good food tastes good and retains its geographic and cultural origins, clean food will be sustainable and helps regrow the environment not kill it. And fair food is grown in a responsible and humane way that means social justice and fair pay to workers. Consumers can also grow as much as their own food as possible. This will ensure freshness and knowledge about where it came from. So, there is a lot consumers can do to trace their food and protect them. It takes more time and involvement but isn’t their health and the health of the world worth it?
