Friday, October 14, 2011
Blog 9: What's in the Meat
How has the meat-processing/meatpacking industry been a spreader of disease and what elements in meatpacking are the cause of most meat contamination? After reading about foodborne pathogens that can be in hamburger meat, are you concerned about food poisoning when you eat at a fast food restaurant? How common is E. coli in restaurant foods? What outbreaks of E.Coli have you heard about in recent news?
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Nancy Pham
ReplyDeleteMany things contribute to disease-ridden meat such as: what farmers are feeding their cattle and how fast and clean a slaughterhouse worker is. One shocking reason why diseases like E.coli exist, is because the farmers are feeding their cattle remnants of other dead animals. Also, these cattle feed on grass, but most of the time, the cattle are knee-deep in manure. With cattle food prices rising, the cattle farmers may also feed the cows the manure of other animals. Disgusting, is it not? These farmers are not the only ones to blame: slaughterhouse workers are too. Slaughterhouse workers must cut these cows, and when they are not careful, manure from the cow falls down into the meat. Some inexperience workers may even spill the manure while cutting the intestines out. Time plays a part in this too. These slaughterhouses have a quota in which they must reach. So these workers have to work fast or else they will fall behind. Working faster will lead to more mistakes. In addition to the workers’ skill, the workers’ hygiene matters too. Many illiterate workers do not understand good hygiene so they might not clean the knives regularly, might drop the meat on the floor and pick it back up, and cook it in the sterilizer as a snack, thus rendering the sterilizer ineffective. Also, the poorly trained company inspectors are allowing contaminated meat to be shipped off. The cows that are made into ground beef by the meatpacking industry may cause diseases too. Many of the cows that are used are the cows that once were dairy cows. These cows can be “disease-ridden and have antibiotic residues”, due to the stresses of milk production.
After reading this chapter, I am concerned about food poisoning when I eat out. There are so many things that could have happened to the meat before it even reached the fast food restaurant. However, all of our meat is processed. It does not limit to just fast food restaurants. It makes me uneasy about the meat I look at while I am grocery shopping. E. coli is very evident in restaurant foods. I have heard stories from countless friends and family members who warn me about various restaurants. The last E.coli outbreak happened during July 2011 in Germany. However, the most recent outbreak I heard of was the listeria outbreak with cantaloupes.
Peter Huynh
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 9, Schlosser talks about what’s in the meat of the food we eat. The meat packing and meat processing companies spread diseases because of the animals they kill and use for processing. The main disease mentioned is the E. Coli disease. These diseases are found in animals because of what they are fed. Farmers are trying to make animals bigger in a fast period of time and they feed unhealthy stuff that causes animals to contain diseases such as E. Coli. They also catch the disease from their living conditions. The cattle are standing deep in their own manure and when they are cut up in the slaughterhouses the manure falls into the meat. Other factors contribute to animals contain E. Coli such as the area, the environment, tools used to slaughter animals, and careless workers. After reading Fast Food Nation I do worry a little bit about the meat and food I eat that might contain E. Coli. Whenever I eat foods that contain meat I think about if it can contain a disease in it. I have been eating less fast food. Doing this is good for my health. Also, watching the Fast Food Nation film has convinced me to be aware of meat products. There was one story that a mom shared about how her little boy died from E. Coli even though he was really healthy. This got me thinking that I’m not even a healthy person and it can easily affect me and I can die. I don’t know about any restaurants containing the E. Coli disease. I’m sure they still have it around today but probably not as much as they did back then.
Minh Luan Nguyen
ReplyDeleteMany things can lead to contamination of the meat during the meat packing process. For example, while the cattle is still alive, they are usually standing in their own poop and eating foods with poop on them. Even some of the foods that the cattle eat are covered in poop. Because of this poop wave, diseases can spread pretty quickly. Not only are they spread when cattle is alive, they are even spread when they are being slaughtered! The workers even have a part in this disease spreading dilemma. For example, inexperienced or clumsy workers may spread the poop from dropping them onto the meat while cutting up the animals. As time goes by, the bacteria in the poop will spread, grow, and turn into E. Coli, which is then transported to many restaurants around the United States, spreading the disease making people sick.
Although eating hamburgers is tasty, reading this book makes me kind of worried when I eat them now. I've had a stomach virus before, and it was not fun; I thought I was going to die. However, it is a risk I'll have to take to enjoy my meal. I am not heavily concerned on getting E. Coli because it is pretty rare that people actually get it. E. Coli is not very common in restaurant foods. It is only in restaurants that have unclean workers or have low standards in cleanliness. Therefore, if you eat at a good restaurant with clean workers who wash their hands, you should be okay. I do not watch the news, therefore I do not know of any outbreak that has happened recently. However, I have heard of people who have gotten food poisoning from fast food restaurants and I try to avoid those restaurants.
Mahalia Dees
ReplyDeleteThe meatpacking industry has been a very large contributor to food poisoning around the world. Many contaminations are based on how clean and efficient the meat packers in the factories are. Sometimes the workers may cut the meat incorrectly, slicing the intestines and spilling the entrails of the cow all over the meat. The meat can then not be cleaned properly, packaged, and not cooked to a high temperature. Cattle feed is also an important part of hygiene. Cattle feed is becoming more and more expensive, so to cut corners factories are feeding their cattle manure from other animals and leftovers of other animals. Also the facilities and tools may not be cleaned regularly. To cut corners on paying workers, the corrals where the cows are kept may not be cleaned on a regular basis. The factory workers may not understand hygiene so they cut corners just to get the job done. They might not clean their knives and equipment. They might drop meat on the floor, pick it up, and put it back on the conveyor belt to be packaged and shipped. There are also many cows that use to be used as dairy cows, but they can no longer produce milk. These cows may have special antibiotics either in their food or directly injected to get the milk as clean as possible even before pasteurization. Because of this, these antibiotics get into the meat and can possible get people sick.
I personally do have a small concern about food poisoning when I eat at a fast food restaurant in the back of my mind. Whenever I eat anywhere outside of my own home I am always aware of possible food poisoning. There seems to always be a story about food poisoning in the news. The latest story was an E. coli outbreak in Tyson ground beef in Ohio (Food Safety News). The largest one in recent years was a rare strain of E. coli that produces a toxin that shuts down the kidneys. It was found in vegetables grown on farms in Germany (CDC).
Ira’neshia Buckley
ReplyDeleteThe meat- processing and meatpacking industry has been the spreader of disease because of the conditions the animals are kept in and the food the farmers prepare for them. The cleanliness of the slaughter house is another thing that contributes to the spread of disease. I am very concerned about food borne pathogens that can be in hamburger meat but because I’m so use to stopping at a fast food place when I’m in a hurry to get somewhere or if I don’t really feel like cooking I would still stop at a Mc Donald’s to get something to eat. I believe since humans are creatures of habit we tend to follow the same pattern over and over no matter how harmful it is. We know that the food is harming our bodies but because we are so used to eating it we continue to do so. We tell ourselves that we aren’t going to eat it anymore but we still do.
Kelly Johnson
ReplyDeleteThe meat-processing and meat packing industry has been the spreader of disease because one the cattle's environment and the food they are feed. It is said that factories should test for all types of disease and pathogens throughout the meat but who's to say that they actually test all of it. Meat can get contaminated by many different things. I say this because the handling and condition of the meat and/or factory could impact the contamination. One wrong move could make a big difference. I say this because if the meat is cut wrong or handled the wrong way unidentified items or not easily seen items could get into the good part of the meat and contaminate it if it is not watched closely and cleaned right. Also, there may be some airborne diseases that can easily get into the meat.
Now that I have read about these foodborne pathogens I am now concerned about the things I eat from these fast food restaurants. As a frequent customer at McDonald's I expect not to be eating any type of disease because to my understanding I shouldn't have any in my food! Now I think that I could possibly be eating a disease that could easily be fatal to my health and my body altogether. But even though I know this I don' think it will stop me from eating the delicious food that comes from behind the counter of McDonald's. I just will not order the meat. I don’t believe that the rate of illnesses found in the meat will stop customers from going to the fast food places but just watch more carefully what they eat and also how the workers prepare it.
I'm sure that E.coli is very common in fast food places. From the workers, habits, conditions, and preparation of the food I am sure there has been many traces of E. coli and other pathogens. But who's to know.
The meat processing and meat packing industry has been the spreader of disease because of the conditions the cattle are living in. The cattle have the live and eat their food in a contaminated environment which is not good because that’s when the disease occurs. The cattle are raised in a horrific place where they have to stand, sleep, and eat in feces. Nine times out of ten when the cattle is being fed they are eating some of the feces because it all around them. There are many diseases, including food poisoning, cholera which is spread by feces. Many parasites, such as the tapeworm, can be spread through ingestion of poop. Once one cow gets a disease it spreads quickly. The diseases can spread from the live cattle to the slaughter cattle. The workers at the slaughterhouses are a part of spreading disease too. Some workers that do not understand what good hygiene might not clean the knives properly or may not clean them at all. Also a worker might drop some meat on the floor and not clean it, thinking nothing is wrong with it. Some of the workers are physically capable of doing the work but do not always think through about some of their working habits.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the foodborne pathogens I am more concerned about the food I consume and where I purchase my food from. I eat fast food a lot so after reading this chapter I’m in shock and afraid. I don’t want to die from eating food that is yummy. Now I’m paranoid about the things I eat, I’m going to be thinking “Is this poisonous”, or “Is the deadly? E. Coli is not common in many food restaurants mainly because restaurants always try to obtain a clean restaurant. E. Coli maybe common in unsanitary places, fast food restaurants that are disgusting.
In Chapter 9, Schlosser talks about the meat we are consuming and what's in them. One of the elements in the meatpacking industry that is causing contamination is the conditions that the cattle are living in. They are being feed the leftovers of dead animals, and they are also living in their own waste. Standing in their own waste can be a major problem because when they eat their food they are also eating their own waste. Because of this unsanitary environment, disease can spread around pretty quick. The workers for the slaughterhouse may work so quickly at times that when they cut the cows the manure will fall down into the meat. As time goes on the bacteria in the meat will turn into E Coli. ,causing people to get sick. The slaughterhouses push their workers to work faster because they don't want to get behind. This causes the workers to make a lot more mistakes than they normally would. The meat inspectors have a lot to do with the meat being shipped out ,so they can be blamed also. A majority of the cows they use were once dairy cows. This means that they are more prone to disease because of the stress the dairy industry has already put on them. Now from reading this book I am more cautious when I want to go to a fast food restaurant to order a burger. E Coli. can be in any restaurant not just fast food since the majority of our meat is processed. It makes me more concerned for my health and whether or not the meat may be contaminated. When I go to a restaurant I look to see if the workers are clean and are preparing the food with the proper safety equipment. The most recent E Coli. outbreak I recall was in Germany. It caused a lot of panic across the country.
ReplyDeleteThere are many factors that contribute to the contamination of meat and the spreading of diseases found in the meat packing industry. The main disease that Schlosser discusses in this chapter is E. Coli. This disease is caused by the things that animals are being fed. Because farmers are trying to grow animals at a very fast rate, they feed animals almost anything that will allow them to do that even if it is harmful. The living conditions of animals also play a part. In most cases cattle usually live in tight confined areas where they are knee deep in manure. This allows diseases to be contracted and spread from animal to animal. Workers in the slaughter house are also to blame. If they are not careful with their work they can make mistakes and contaminate the meat as well. When workers try to move at a quick pace they are more likely to cut the cows in a way that allows manure to come in contact with the meat. In factories like these we find people who don’t understand good hygiene meaning they won’t clean their working utensils properly and as often as needed. This can also lead to contamination of meat. The workers are not the only people who lack skills. Because the company inspectors are not trained very well, they will allow things that shouldn’t happen to go on, such as contaminated meat being shipped off. After reading this chapter I am very concerned with the foods that I eat. It scares me that people are willing to feed us anything no matter what disease we may be subject to catching. What really bothers me is that we can’t escape from processed foods because almost everything we eat from fast food to “fresh produce” has been processed in some sort of way. E. coli is often found in restaurant foods. There have been many cases where certain things such as lettuce and tomatoes were recalled due to E. coli. The last E. coli outbreak that I’ve heard about was the listeria outbreak with cantaloupes.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 9 Eric Schlosser discussed meat and how it can be every harmful to the human body. This chapter is discussing the several diseases that are found in meat and how many people contract these diseases without being aware of what they are eating. In the earlier years meat was processed very different from how it is being produced now. According to Eric Schlosser the increasing number of food borne disease can be caused by complicated factor, but most of the illnesses come from how the American food is being produced. Before the changes in how meat was being produced illnesses from food usually occurred because a person did not store or prepare the food correctly. Eric Schlosser states that the rises in large feedlots, slaughterhouses, and hamburger grinders have caused a disease called E. Coli to be in the nation’s food supply. There are several bacteria that are in the meat and these diseases are causing many people to suddenly become ill and die. There are also people who are causing these pathogens to easily get into the meat. Many major meat companies have decided to have their meat regulations of safety decreased because it would affect their business.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this chapter and finding that there are several pathogens that can be in hamburger meat I am concerned about getting food poisoning while eating at a restaurant. I believe that our food should be prepared in the best way possible because several people are consuming these meat products. Based on this chapter E. coli is found in several restaurants because E. coli is usually found in beef products. Many restaurants today major food product is hamburgers therefore, several people are being stricken with E. Coli. The most recent stories about the E. Coli virus outbreaks occurring during the the late 1990s when several people were being hurt by E. Coli virus. Many of these people were children and they were usually contracting this disease by eating hamburgers. The meat companies really need to start caring more for the food products in this country because people should not be dying from eating tainted meat.
Dikeyta Bowser
ReplyDeleteE. Coli, also known as Escherichia Coli, is bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of endotherms (warm blooded organisms), according to Medical News Today. Schlosser discusses this bacterium E. Coli in Chapter 9. He goes into great detail in terms of the bacterium affecting consumers in the fast food industry.
Schlosser discusses meat contamination in the fast food industry. E. Coli has the greatest impact on meat contamination in the industry of fast food. There are initially two factors that influence E. Coli contamination. The two factors are the farmers of cattle, and the slaughterhouses. The farmers of cattle have a tendency to feed their cattle manure from other dead animals that can contain E. Coli. Some cattle also live in horrible conditions that can make it easier for them to come in contact with the disease.
The slaughterhouses tend to have incapable staff that are ignorant to proper food etiquette and meat handling. Their lack of knowledge tends to leave carless mistakes such as dirty utensil usage, unclean meat that may have fallen on the floor etc. These careless mistakes bring on the E. Coli contamination.
After I completed my reading in this chapter, I have a different outlook on fast food. I understand that some of the food I love the most can be the death of me due to poisonous and contaminated beef from cattle that provide the meat I eat on a daily basis. I can honestly say that I don’t believe my new found knowledge will persuade me to not intake fast food, but it will allow me be more alert of the food I eat and where I get my food from.
I have recently heard of food contamination in cantaloupes. The bacteria found in the cantaloupes were known as listeria. Listeria is a food borne bacterium that has infected and killed many people. Of course my knowledge about these bacteria brought fear to me. I was informed about listeria from the news and I did further research on the internet.
Chinedu Echebelem
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 9, Schlosser discusses how and in what ways the meat packing industry has contributed to the spread of many life threatening diseases through the contamination of the meat that is being processed from their cattle. Before the breakout of food contamination, individuals who were sickened by a foodborne illness were misdiagnosed. However, now there are more people who recognized the symptoms of food poisoning.
Farmers contribute to foodborne illnesses by feeding their cattle corn, and remains of other dead organisms, instead of the ideal grass. Farmers try to use the most efficient and least costly way to make sure their cattle grow big. It is easier for cattle to grow corn to feed to these cattle than it is for these farmers to grow grass. In the end, the individuals who consume the products made from these cattle are in more harm. The unhealthy and quick fix products these farmers use to feed their cattle, and the manure the cattle stands in, inches deep, contain lethal foodborne pathogens, such as E.Coli. This is why E.Coli is commonly found in the meats of a fast food restaurant.
After reading Fast Food Nation, I’m just as concerned about my food containing a foodborne pathogen as I was before. I believe I have experienced food poisoning from a fast food restaurant before which forced me to completely stop buying food from that restaurant. As an athlete, I don’t eat fast food much, but because I don’t have much time on my hands I will occasionally stop by one.
I have recently read about an E.Coli outbreak in St. Louis that has now sickened about twenty-two individuals. Many of the sickened individuals have claimed that they encountered the E.Coli from a fast food restaurant, or deli. The ages of these individual ranges, however majority of the individuals have admitted to eating at a fast food restaurant within the time of their sickness.
Taylor Reuther
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 9, Schlosser talks about the meat packing industry as whole and the disease hat can easily be spread within the meat and vegetables. The problems that cause disease are usually within the cattle’s’ diets and the soil the vegetables are grown within. The farmers and companies add chemicals to the soil to make the vegetables grow faster and bigger, which is always asking to get diseased with something. The companies feed cattle with many chemicals to make them fatten up in a short amount of time rather than feeding them nutritiously during a long period of time. These chemicals that are added to their diets are usually unable to be digested by the cattle, so the pathogens sty in the cattle’s stomach. The cattle are also standing in their own manure for a long period of time throughout the day, so if one cattle has the E. Coli pathogen, then it will spread to all the other cattle as well. This is how E. Coli is formed and how outbreaks of this pathogen can be easily traced back to the meat. A recent outbreak was in Germany, and it killed 44 people. The fact that farmers want bigger, better, faster killed 44 people. That is ridiculous, but it is also the truth. The story from the movie really got to me because that little boy was perfectly healthy, but he was dead within a couple of days due to an E. Coli poisoning. There was nothing the family could even due to help the boy.
I never really think about the chances of me getting poisoned, but I know the risks do exist. I still eat at fast food restaurants regularly, and I purchase meat regularly. I do not really let the chance of getting sick affect me that much mainly because I just don’t think it will ever happen to me.
Anh Phuong Dang
ReplyDeleteThe meat-processing/meatpacking industry has been a spreader of disease because of the feed given to cattle, the overcrowding feedlots, the poor sanitation at slaughterhouses, excessive line speeds, and poorly trained workers. Those are mostly the elements in meatpacking that are causing meat contamination. After reading about foodborne pathogens that can be in hamburger meat, I am concerned about food poisoning when I eat at a fast food restaurant because there is a high possibility that there might be something wrong with the processed meat in the hamburgers or tacos. I’ve never really cared to wonder if there is anything wrong with the meat just because it tastes so good. However, if it did have an odd taste to it, I would be very concern. After reading about E. coli and foodborne pathogens, I need to be more aware of what I order and eat from fast food restaurants and restaurants in general. It’s a scary thought to think about eating something so good can be very harmful to you and your health. E. coli is not very common in restaurant foods because “clean” restaurants will try to maintain their status and they care about what they serve their customers. Recently, I have not heard about E. coli outbreaks but I know everyday someone in the world has died from food poisoning, especially kids and it needs to be stopped.
xavier Hill
ReplyDeleteThe meatpacking industry has spread so many disease to the American people it's not funny. E. coli infection is something people get when they undercook certain vegetables and meats. E. coli can give you severe cramps and diarrhea and it is the leading cause of bloody diarrhea. It is more common during the summer months and in the northern states. It is spread by the use of unclean materials and foods in factories. They mix a small amount of the bacteria in with the other foods and they become contaminated as well. The water is also a major cause of diseases also. Salmonella infection can be received by the bacteria that are in the water they may have come from the feces of a bird or small rodents. They contaminated water can after all of the foods. They have had E. coli and Salmonella outbreaks which kills many people when it gets into our foods. It also is a waste of our food because they have to dispose of thousands of pounds of infested meats. We should be concerned about food poisoning when we eat at fast food restaurants because the food could already be contaminated or they could easily contaminate it in an unclean environment. We don't know what is behind those walls when we go through the drive through. The workers could be doing all kinds of unsanitary things to our food. We really should be more concerned. Since 1982 only 10% of E. coli outbreaks have occurred. There have been more but they have only been sporadically outbreaks. The most recent E. coli outbreak was in Europe in the country of Germany. The outbreaks happen in late June through early July. 852 patients became sick with the infection and 32 people died from it. The outbreak was in other parts of Europe also throughout the months of June and July.
Anthony Poche
ReplyDeleteThe meat processing and packing industry has spread disease in America and throughout the world through carelessness, unskilled workers, and cutting corners. These diseases, like E. coli, are caused through contamination of the meats by various means. In order to save money, many companies feed the cattle things other than letting them graze naturally. Some cows consume the carcasses of other animals or even their waste. This kind of diet leads to contaminated meat. Every once in a while workers may perform cuts that slice open the intestines and spill the feces of the cow on the meat. Incidents like this may also not get handled properly. The meat may not get cleaned thoroughly enough to undo the damage and this tainted meat is then sold for consumer consumption. Many slaughterhouses put meeting their quota for a certain period of time above all else. Sometimes workers are encouraged to work as fast as possible. These slaughter houses rather produce more meat that may not be of the best quality instead of taking their time producing less but producing quality cut meats. The logic behind this is just maximizing profits. This industry is willing to put public health at risk in order to make a few extra bucks per hour. Yet another reason contaminated meat is consumed by the public is that the inspector at companies and slaughter houses are either poorly trained or turn a blind eye to some mistakes or impurities.
As a consumer, I am extremely concerned about food poisoning and the quality of the meat I am eating. I feel uneasy that companies are not as concerned about my health as I thought. The only time they seemed concerned is when an outbreak or bad batch of meat can be traced back to them. In my opinion, E.coli outbreaks happen to often. I know they are not happening everyday but I think if everyone did their job (including the FDA) that E. coli would almost never happen. People’s lives are put in jeoperdy just so meat companies can make more money and it is wrong. One of the most recent outbreaks of E. coli was in Germany in this past July.
Kierra Hitchens
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 9, Schlosser talks about what’s inside the meats we consume and their risk to our health. The meat-processing/meatpacking industry has been a spreader of disease because of the carelessness of the industry. Certain elements such as the living conditions of the cattle and unskilled workers have caused most of the meats contamination. Cattle live in unclean facilities and are forced to eat while standing knee-deep in their own manure. And also antibiotics taken by the cows and also the manure get into the meat. Workers are also another reason for contamination. Some workers lack hygiene, they don’t clean knives and other tools; they drop meat on the floor, and much more. After reading about foodborne pathogens that can be in hamburger meat I have become concerned about food poisoning that can come from me eating a simple meal from a fast food restaurant. When eating, you shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of your life. It’s a normal thing that comes with living and there shouldn’t be contaminants out in the industry that can harm our food or us. E. coli is common in any type of setting. Therefore, E. coli is just as common in restaurant foods as fast foods. E. coli doesn’t just choose where to go. Majority of the meats we eat are processed, so no matter where you eat there is a risk of food poisoning. It might not seem as common in restaurants but E. coli is everywhere. The most recent E. coli outbreaks in recent news was in October. In October 2011 there was an E. coli outbreak in North Carolina. North Carolina’s state fair was linked as the source of the E. coli outbreak. The outbreak was related to animal contact at an animal petting zoo exhibit set up at the fair. About 27 people contracted E. coli majority of them children.
Many things play a part in the contamination of meat. These things include the caring of the animals, what farmers are feeding the animals, and the type of environment the animals are being kept in. On the farm, cattle is usually kept in manure. This is not a healthy or ethical environment to kept something that someone has to eat. Sometimes farmers feed the cattle remains of other dead animals. This too is not healthy or ethical.
ReplyDeleteI never was concerned about getting food poisoning from fast food restaurants ubtil reading this book. Once I found out about all the harms and dangers I have become more cautious of what I eat, that is why I don't eat hamburgurgers any more. Just the thought of what is going into the food makes me sick to my stomach.
TaiRhe Turner
ReplyDeleteThe meat-processeing/ meatpacking industry has spread diseases through their unsanitary and unnatural processing conditions. One example of this is that the cows aren’t properly monitored and inspected thorough enough. They sit around in their own manure until its time for them to get slaughtered and aren’t cleaned accordingly. This opens up a huge door for all kinds of diseases and bacteria to spread.I’m somewhat concerned about it but when I get my food, there isn’t much I can do except over it and hope there isn’t anything in it to harm me. I believe it’s important to check to see if it is under cooked or not, because a lot of bacteria will thrive in undercooked meats. I’ve heard that e. coli can do some pretty bad damage in the human body’s system. I know there are deaths from it’s acquiring. However, I believe more precaution is taken today in restaurant foods than from when its spreading was first discovered.
The meatpacking industry has managed to spread several diseases because they are ran like factories instead of small farms. The workers are unaware of what’s coming and going out the work place because there is so much in them. Animal waste sometimes ends up in the slaughter cow meat and goes on to packaged and sold without being noticed. Since I know that this happens I should probably be more cautious when eating at fast restaurants, but I never think about what’s actually in my food when I’m purchasing it. At some point I was on strict diet so I paid attention to the fat in foods, but not the possibility of foodborne pathogens. E.Coli breaks are very common in restaurants as well as regular food products. There have been breaks out of E.Coli in fast food chains like Jack in the Box that have resulted in death which was shown by Scholsser in the Food Inc movie. There have also been E.Coli break outs in spinach and peanut better in the last 10 years. I haven’t heard of any recent break outs though.
ReplyDeleteThe meat packing industry has been a major spreader of disease. How clean work stations and the meat packing facility are some of the major factors contributing to the cause of the most contamination. Another factor could be if the worker has washed his or her hands after they have used the rest room or if they have cleaned their work station or not. Yes i am concerned about eating at restaurants now.
ReplyDeleteMany people fail to consider where their meat comes from. Often, the image is of a farm animal and then of the prepared meat on the dinner plate. However, before meat makes it to the store to be purchased the animal is sent off to be slaughtered and processed at a meat packing plant also called slaughterhouses.
ReplyDeleteAnother effect of the fast pace at which animals are processed is food contamination.The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates all meat production and sale in the US, and meat is the only consumer product in the US that comes with a government seal of approval on the package. All meat for commercial sale is produced with government employees present to protect the interests of consumers. But despite its mandate to act in the interests of consumer safety, the USDA has failed to effectively assure the safety of the US meat supply due to weak regulations and lack of control over meat companies.
Fortunately, there are many sustainable farmers and ranchers throughout the US that care about where their animals are processed. So if you buy directly from a farmer or rancher, he or she will be able to tell you exactly where the meat was processed, and what kind of practices that plant uses.
Many things contribute to the spread of disease in the meatpacking industry. For example, the cattle that is used to cook your delicious foods, have limited space and is usually standing in their own feces. Their feces are dangerous, biohazards, and detrimental because if they do not clean the cattle good enough that’s their meat, or food we are eating. The cattle begin to eat their on feces which is ingested into the meat we consume. This waste turns into E.Coli. E.Coli can be transported from restaurants to restaurants all around the United States. This is poisonous! This spreads diseases and makes people sick and can even lead to death. Tapeworms and parasites live and grow in these unhealthy conditions which make humans very sick. Even lack of good hygiene from workers can cause and produces germs which can be transported. The meat can be contaminated with all of the many unhealthy factors that coincide with producing meat. In factories, workers do not understand how much their hygiene plays a role in their job. People are unaware of what they are consuming and not mindful of what their eating. There are an ample amount of pathogens in the hamburgers that many Americans enjoy. In just about every food that is process there poses many risks of bacteria. The risk of catching many illnesses of eating contaminated foods is at an all-time high.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading chapter nine I am more cautions of what I eat. I understand the risk I am taking by trusting restaurants with their food supply. After reading this chapter I am more aware of how that hamburger I enjoy at Mcdonalds is actually prepared.