Dec 26 2008
A trio of meat recalls and rail cars full of animal fat
Omnivores be on the lookout for a trio of meat recalls -
First - Officials in Boulder, CO are warning people against eating elk meat that could have chronic wasting disease.
“Thousands of captive elk were slaughtered in Colorado to prevent spread of the disease. In 2002, the disease was also found in the wild and deer and elk farms in Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, and Canada.”
Second - Officials in St. Louis are warning people meat from Piekutowski European Style Sausage, a St. Louis company. Approximately 750 pounds of sausage products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes are being recalled.
“Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease.”
Third - Canadian officials are warning the public against eating Old Style brand meat products, as they might contain Listeria monocytogenes. As with the St.Louis sausage, consuming said bacteria could cause listeriosis.
The rail cars of animal fat? Well those come courtesy of my city of Chicago. Over 160 firefighters were needed on Christmas day to put out a fire at a south side meat-packing plant. “Firefighters arrived on the scene and heard loud noises coming from the plant, and saw rail cars full of animal fat near the burning plant.” “there were rail cars full of animal fat, which would be broken down with ammonia for reprocessing, near the plant. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the plant, and did not spread to the animal fat in the rail cars.”
If the fire would have reached the cars full of fat, the city would have once more had that nostalgic scent that used to waft up from the Stockyards. On a high school trip about ten years ago, we visited the famous “bubbly creek” adjacent to the Stockyards. Even with all this time, it still continues to bubble and stink from all of the animal parts discarded into it.
Sources - Examiner - Elk meat recalled in Colorado; wasting disease found December 24, 2008
My Fox Orlando - Sausage recall December 25, 2008
The Canadian Press - Mariposa Meats Old Style meat may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes December 19, 2008
Chicago Sun Times - Firefighters extinguish extra-alarm fire at meat-packing plant December 25, 2008
What part of Chi-town you from? I used to live in Elmhurst myself…
Yeah that’s a real pickle hehe. Luckily I don’t eat elk, but I do love my sausage! BTW, Listeria monocytogenes can come from veggies. In fact, a lot of food borne illness, including E. Coli., commonly arise from veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers.
If you don’t practice proper handling and preparation at home you’re pretty much always rolling the dice.
http://poorrepublican.today.com/
It’s true, as with all food you have to be careful. However, with the often lax oversight from the USDA and the excesses of factory farming, it breeds conditions that are ripe to spread disease.