Irradiating Meat

[Durgan]

Irradiating Meat- Clean Beef or Irradiated Dirty Beef? Probably a gret case for growing your own food as much as possible.

I first read about irradiation when visiting New Zealand in about 1970. There was a large amount of public information condemning the practice. This matter is a deep concern and should be to consumers of meat. The practice is upon us now.

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/irradiated-beef.asp This is an URL which is ringing the alarm bells.

You are not even safe purchasing from the local farmer, since all meat must be slaughtered in commercial establishments, if the meat is not soley for the consumption of the farmer. Home butchered meat cannot be sold to the public. This is Ontario Law.

A little off topic, the dangers of mass production of public food is a disaster in the making. Meat today, vegetable products tomorrow. The public has given up quality for convenience. Nary a garden in sight in Canada.

I suggest some the grass grown in urban homes be planted in food crops. It is amazing just how many vegetables can be grown
in a small patch. At least one can have a few fresh, safe products for some period of the year. It could be start.

Durgan.
http://www.durgan.org/Blog/Durgan.html

 

[mrmom2]

You old sod buster Durgan how ya been longtime no see .I take it your finished with the farm for the year ?;-)

 

[missile]

I wouldn't suggest that anyone should consume large quantities of beef ever,and irradiation is only part of the problem. Human growth hormone is another.But the best reason is the lack of meat inspectors in this country:-(

 

[Sal]

Wow the line in the article that blew me away was

Grass fed beef actually helps to lower your harmful LDL cholesterol levels. It is an excellent source of healthy protein when processed properly.

If true, probably almost everything they tell us about eating red meat is likely wrong. Which in turn means generally speaking, because our food is so highly processed and low in nutrients they (the supposed experts) don't have a clue what leads to and will maintian a healthy body.

When I got sick from eating a salad and ended up in the doctor's office she told me most food born illnesses that end up in her office are due to improperly washed lettuce. Great.

What to eat? What ever the heck you want. Just keep it in moderation. I am not going to be growing my food any time soon and neither are the other approximately 180 souls living in my building. We do not all have access to home gardening. It's a different world now.

 

[TenPenny]

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/irradiated-beef.asp This is an URL which is ringing the alarm bells.

That URL may be ringing alarm bells, but it's an advertisement for the american grass fed beef - in other words, it's no more reliable than a web page from any other commercial beef producer.

 

[Durgan]

So true every post has an agenda, but there is some facts. Don't throw out the baby with the dishwatr.I traced down some information from the UK an EU. In North Americaa the rules as far as informing the consumer are almost non-existant. What is happening in our own country is of concern, but with most of our food imported it is probably good idea to know what is happening world wide.

In compliance with EC legislation, the UK Food Labelling Regulations 1996 and the Food Irradiation Provision Regulation 2000 require all foods, or listed ingredients of food, which have been irradiated, to be labelled with the words 'irradiated' or 'treated with ionising radiation'. The Food Irradiation Provisions Regulations 2000 removed an exemption which had previously allowed small amounts of irradiated food used in compound ingredients to remain unlabelled. All foods containing any irradiated ingredients must now be labelled as such.

What foods are irradiated in the UK?http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/factsbehindissues/irradiation/

Current national regulations allow for the irradiation of seven categories of food: fruit, vegetables, cereals, bulbs and tubers, spices and condiments, fish and shellfish, and poultry. However, only one UK licence, for the irradiation of a number of herbs and spices, has so far been granted.

http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/irradiation_legislation.htm
Mass production and transportation
Food irradiation supports the trend towards centralized mass production and distribution of foods worldwide. Prolonged shelf life allows the transportation of foods over greater distances contributing to increased fuel consumption and air pollution, more road accidents, socio-economic decline among small-scale local farmers and loss of wildlife habitats to industrial farming and road construction.

Nutrient loss
Food irradiation can result in loss of nutrients,

Radiolytic contamination
Irradiation of food often creates radiolytic by-products. Considerable controversy remains over the safety of these chemicals, and over the levels of research being undertaken to study them.

Resistance of pathogens to irradiation
Food irradiation does not inactivate dangerous toxins which have already been produced by bacteria prior to irradiation.

The problem of handling irradiated food safely
Irradiation of food only kills off the bacteria present at the time of irradiation. It does not prevent recontamination after irradiation.

Poor hygiene practices
Food irradiation can cover up poor hygiene practices and so provides no incentive to clean up food processing operations.


Vermin and insect infestation
Irradiation renders contaminants such as insects and rodent faeces sterile, enabling them to pass undetected in food supplies.

http://www.durgan.org/Blog/Durgan.html
Durgan.

 

[Durgan]

You old sod buster Durgan how ya been longtime no see .I take it your finished with the farm for the year ?;-)

You are so right. Now I am looking for things to fill my time, until planting time. My wife dried up and booze is too hard on the body, so it is time to stirrith up the pot in the Political scene. One cannot rely on the main stream media for relevant information, so the forums present a different outlet, and awareness. So here I am.

The food in this country is beginning to get my goat. For example, Made in Canada labels on food has no meaning, anymore. In Port Dover on Lake Erie they are processing shrimp. Where the hell do the shrimp come from? My guess is China. The label states Packaged in Canada. The World Food Processors are enjoying our ignorance and gullability.

I never paid any attention to irradiation until yesterday, and was astonished that almost nobody is aware about just how far this practice has permeated our country with the public knowing nothing about the process, and possible benefits and harm. We, in Canada, allow Big Brother too much licence or license- take your pick.

http://www.durgan.org/Blog/Durgan.html

Durgan.