RE: Slippery Business: (now other import problems)

[Guest guest]

Hi Chris,

 

I've been watching the FDA hearings on using carbon dioxide to package fish

and meats . . . Another very scary prospect. Packaging in CO2 creates the

illusion that the product is fresh as it keeps fish or meat colorful -

manufacturers calling this 'cold smoke' or 'ice smoke'. Fresh meat

purveyors are simply thawing the CO2 packaged fish (mainly from China) and

displaying it with other fresh meats as if it were also fresh. Truth is

that this process masks deterioration , giving the illusion that the

meat/fish is much fresher than it really is, meaning that there could

already be the development of dangerous bacteria. All of this goes on

without FDA or USDA testing. The consumer usually uses color as an

indicator of freshness . . . And very few people are aware of this CO2

process and don't realize that color is deceiving. With the advent of

E-coli and other bacterial poisons/diseases, this is also scary. The FDA

reps were totally nonchalant about the fact that this has been going on

since 1997 and they hadn't yet made an official report or recommendation,

nor had they put any consumer notification required on packaging. They've

just taken the manufacturers word for it that it is safe. There has been a

requirement for a 'use by' date, however, it usually extends way beyond what

any reasonable consumer would follow, is often not on the package (and

certainly not in a grocer's fresh meats case) and if it is, is so small that

it is unreadable. Since our elderly are so vulnerable, and probably can't

read the date, this is a travesty.

 

Reps from the following consumer orgs testified:

http://www.safetables.org/index.shtml and http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/

The latter has information about this on their website. Probably a good

idea to bookmark these and check in once in a while and also support their

efforts. I'm going to ask every time I purchase fish or meat whether it is

packaged in CO2. Even at our local butcher.

 

Get out and rabble rouse!!

 

Be well,

Marcia Elston

Samara Botane/Nature Intelligence, est. 1988

http://www.wingedseed.com Online 3/95

http://www.aromaconnection.org Group Blog 2/07

" Historically, the most terrible things - war, genocide and slavery - have

resulted from obedience, not disobedience. "

Howard Zinn

 

 

>

>

> On Behalf Of Christine Ziegler

> Saturday, November 17, 2007 8:30 AM

> ; houstonorganic

> Slippery Business: The trade in

> adulterated olive oil.

>

> http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/08/13/070813fa_fact_mu

> eller?printable=true

>

> There is A LOT of adulterated olive oil and olive pomace oil

> out there .. if you're on any of the soap maker lists you've

> probably seen it discussed recently.

<snip>