Food, Inc. - warning may ruin your dinner!

[toppick08]

I raised broilers last year, but I didn't raise nearly enough. I do buy chicken, but I hate that I have to. This summer I plan on raising enough to last until next summer.

I understand that chicken houses are probably necessary, but they're so disgusting. When you walk into them the stench almost knocks you over. Farmers have to wear respirators to do their daily walk-throughs. It's no wonder why chickens have to be fed antibiotics daily just so they can survive the 6-8 weeks before they're slaughtered.

Cleanout days are so fun...

 

[Nickel]

I raised broilers last year, but I didn't raise nearly enough. I do buy chicken, but I hate that I have to. This summer I plan on raising enough to last until next summer.

We have an organic market in town that stocks Amish raised chickens and 100% grass fed beef from the closest farms they can find. I plan on stopping by today to check out their selection and prices.

 

[Cowgirl]

Cleanout days are so fun...

I'd been on many chicken farms and smelled the crap coming out of the fans, but the first time I actually went into a house (and my boss was there with me), I walked in and said, "Oh f***." I couldn't help it, it just came out. The smell was terrible. I've since been inside houses other times, and I'm more prepared now so I don't let anything slip.

 

[kermitt]

http://www.vidoemo.com/yvideo.php?i=VklqYW5ocWuRpS3FWQzQ&meet-your-meat

 

[jazz lady]

They do show some nasty beef filler that will make you never want to eat any fast food or pre-formed hamburger patties.

Interesting. I wound up in the ER last week after eating a pre-formed raw hamburger patty that I had cooked for a late lunch. Within a couple of hours, I had massive amounts of hives and rashes all over my body and I've NEVER had that reaction before. Kudos to St. Mary's Hospital and their FastTrack system for getting me in quickly and treating me with steroids to stop the reaction dead in its tracks.

I've been trying to track down the culprit for what caused such a reaction in my body but according to the package, it was just ground beef. Yeah, right. Those who know me know I rarely buy anything prepackaged due to my reactions to MSG and chemicals in general, but I thought I was safe with something I thought was just ground beef already formed into patties. Silly me.

 

[Nickel]

Interesting. I wound up in the ER last week after eating a pre-formed raw hamburger patty that I had cooked for a late lunch. Within a couple of hours, I had massive amounts of hives and rashes all over my body and I've NEVER had that reaction before. Kudos to St. Mary's Hospital and their FastTrack system for getting me in quickly and treating me with steroids to stop the reaction dead in its tracks.

I've been trying to track down the culprit for what caused such a reaction in my body but according to the package, it was just ground beef. Yeah, right. Those who know me know I rarely buy anything prepackaged due to my reactions to MSG and chemicals in general, but I thought I was safe with something I thought was just ground beef already formed into patties. Silly me.

In the movie the company that provided the filler "washed" it with ammonia first, and they were very up front about it.

Glad you're feeling better.

 

[jazz lady]

In the movie the company that provided the filler "washed" it with ammonia first, and they were very up front about it.

Nice. The patties I bought were from Food Lion but were packaged by a meat packaging plant in Green Bay, WI. So far my research has shown this company has had problems in the past with Salmonella contamination and other things.

Glad you're feeling better.

Thanks. Believe me, and to the folks who saw the reaction or I showed the picture I took of it, we're ALL relieved. It was very scary and not something I EVER want to repeat again.

 

[Cowgirl]

Interesting. I wound up in the ER last week after eating a pre-formed raw hamburger patty that I had cooked for a late lunch. Within a couple of hours, I had massive amounts of hives and rashes all over my body and I've NEVER had that reaction before. Kudos to St. Mary's Hospital and their FastTrack system for getting me in quickly and treating me with steroids to stop the reaction dead in its tracks.

Whoa! Glad you're on the mend!

 

[Nickel]

Nice. The patties I bought were from Food Lion but were packaged by a meat packaging plant in Green Bay, WI. So far my research has shown this company has had problems in the past with Salmonella contamination and other things.

The name of the company is Beef Products Inc, and a quick google search shows that even meat treated with the ammonia has tested positive for salmonella and e coli. According to them, 70% of the burgers in the US contains their filler. What I can't seem to find out is whether or not that's 70% of ground beef, or just preformed patties.

 

[jazz lady]

The name of the company is Beef Products Inc, and a quick google search shows that even meat treated with the ammonia has tested positive for salmonella and e coli. According to them, 70% of the burgers in the US contains their filler. What I can't seem to find out is whether or not that's 70% of ground beef, or just preformed patties.

Thanks. I went to their website and was that ever eye opening!

The basic process behind BPI's product

At this point, the lean trim may be treated with a pH enhancement process that forms ammonium hydroxide in the finished product. Ammonium hydroxide is a natural constituent of meat, GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) approved by the FDA, and used in other foods such as baked goods, cheeses, gelatins, and puddings. In two independent process validation studies conducted by Iowa State University and National Food Laboratory, Inc., the BPI process1 eliminated all E.coliO157:H7 in the inoculated product, as well as producing significant reductions of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. The pH enhanced product is marketed as BPI® Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings. BPI® Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings are approved for unrestricted use in ground beef and hamburger with no labeling restrictions other than beef.

Better living through chemistry.

 

[Nucklesack]

I dont think the Amish use growth hormones. I dont know what they use as far as pesticides for their veggies but Im pretty sure their meats would qualify as organic.

Worth finding out though.. I like to eat whats local whenever I can.

Ahh "Organic" .... started out with noble intentions, but has become the great scam

Do you know what is still allowed for a farm that carries the Certified Organic permit?

• Livestock could be fed 20 percent nonorganic feed, yet still be labeled organic.
• Genetically engineered organisms could be allowed.
• Irradiated foods are not prohibited.
• The rules about animal confinement and the use of antibiotics are lax.
• Municipal sludge containing heavy metals and other toxic wastes could be used as organic compost.

Link

 

[Cowgirl]

Ahh "Organic" .... started out with noble intentions, but has become the great scam

Do you know what is still allowed for a farm that carries the Certified Organic permit?

• Livestock could be fed 20 percent nonorganic feed, yet still be labeled organic.
• Genetically engineered organisms could be allowed.
• Irradiated foods are not prohibited.
• The rules about animal confinement and the use of antibiotics are lax.
• Municipal sludge containing heavy metals and other toxic wastes could be used as organic compost.

Link

Please link to exactly where you found the above information, not just the general website. It's my understanding that the rules have not changed with the 20% conventional feed only allowed during the first 9 months of transition from conventional to organic. Where does it say GMO orgnanisms (and which organisms?) are allowed? Antibiotics use is NOT lax at all, I'm not sure where you're getting that information.

 

[Nucklesack]

Please link to exactly where you found the above information, not just the general website. It's my understanding that the rules have not changed with the 20% conventional feed only allowed during the first 9 months of transition from conventional to organic. Where does it say GMO orgnanisms (and which organisms?) are allowed? Antibiotics use is NOT lax at all, I'm not sure where you're getting that information.

The information came from the USDA site on what is allowed.

Why dont you post your references that refute it?

To help you, here is the list of allowed materials, while still maintaining the "organic" label

See if you notice which list (allowed vs prohibited) is longer on the Synthetic lists

 

[Cowgirl]

The information came from the USDA site on what is allowed.

Why dont you post your references that refute it?

To help you, here is the list of allowed materials, while still maintaining the "organic" label

See if you notice which list (allowed vs prohibited) is longer on the Synthetic lists

Well, I can tell you I do have firsthand experience working on an organic dairy. NO antibiotics were allowed unless that animal was getting sold and leaving the farm ASAP. NO non-organic feedstuffs were allowed. My friend and coworker has an organic vegetable farm and she's not allowed to plant any seeds that are GMO.

I looked through the list you linked and did not see a single antibiotic.

And I hope you don't think that's the total list of prohibited substances. If you look at the petitioned substance database, you'll find many more products that are prohibited.

 

[pixiegirl]

I don't understand why it seems that people who have no concern what they consume have such heartburn with people who do care openly discussing it. If people want to eat $hit on a stick that's their choice but don't look down your fat nose at other people because they don't.

I don't eat "only" organic or naturally grown food but I do try to watch what goes into my body. I've been doing it for years because with frequent headaches a doctor suggested a limited diet to try to determine if diet was a contributing factor. When I started eating better I started feeling better.

I don't think additives and such are so much the problem in this country as portions and lack of balance are. I couldn't eat a whole Big Mac if you paid me to much less a Big Mac and fries. I've seen women twice my weight eat that plus more. Your empty stomach should be the size of your first and it's not designed to stretch to 4 times its original size.

Balance is terribly important as well. I'll eat fast food on occasion when things get super busy at work but I usually also have healthy snacks at my desk including always having some kind of fresh fruit. If I eat junk for lunch I eat really well for dinner. If I'm feeling crappy and realize I haven't been eating great I'll have a salad for a meal.

 

[Nickel]

I don't understand why it seems that people who have no concern what they consume have such heartburn with people who do care openly discussing it.

Thank you!!!

 

[rpexie]

"I don't understand why it seems that people who have no concern what they consume have such heartburn with people who do care openly discussing it. If people want to eat $hit on a stick that's their choice but don't look down your fat nose at other people because they don't. "

 

[Nickel]

I know!!! I've been on the wait list for O.D. for WEEKS and I'm still not up yet.

Do you have it yet?

I'm not too far into it. The Introduction sucks you in, but the beginning (the history of corn ) is pretty boring, IMO. I'm just getting into the ramifications of feeding corn to cows and it's getting really interesting. Nobody I know cares very much, so I'm just jotting down little notes (ex: "WTF?!?!" ) in the margins so that when I send it to my brother and his wife we can discuss it.

 

[Cowgirl]

Do you have it yet?

I'm not too far into it. The Introduction sucks you in, but the beginning (the history of corn ) is pretty boring, IMO. I'm just getting into the ramifications of feeding corn to cows and it's getting really interesting. Nobody I know cares very much, so I'm just jotting down little notes (ex: "WTF?!?!" ) in the margins so that when I send it to my brother and his wife we can discuss it.

Yes! I've had it for a few weeks. I agree with everything you said. The thing in the intro that I found very interesting is how he said we're a nation obsessed with health and eating healthily, but we're one of the unhealthiest ones!

Yeah, the history of corn was kinda boring, but it really aggrivated me to learn about how bass ackwards the corn industry is....in a flooded market you don't produce MORE! That causes all the problems with them needing to use the corn, so it winds up in SO many food products, ethanol, etc.!

The feedlot section is also maddening. They could easily prevent something like 80% of E. coli in beef if they'd just feed them hay for a couple days prior to slaughter. But no, that'd be too easy so instead they just wash the meat with ammonia.

I haven't read it in a few weeks because things have been crazy busy, but I'll start again soon!

 

[Nickel]

Yes! I've had it for a few weeks. I agree with everything you said. The thing in the intro that I found very interesting is how he said we're a nation obsessed with health and eating healthily, but we're one of the unhealthiest ones!

Yes!

Yeah, the history of corn was kinda boring, but it really aggrivated me to learn about how bass ackwards the corn industry is....in a flooded market you don't produce MORE! That causes all the problems with them needing to use the corn, so it winds up in SO many food products, ethanol, etc.!

Yes! I kept wondering how the heck we got so far into it that we have this huge surplus. Did nobody think to say "Hey man, start growing some cucumbers or something instead"?

The feedlot section is also maddening. They could easily prevent something like 80% of E. coli in beef if they'd just feed them hay for a couple days prior to slaughter. But no, that'd be too easy so instead they just wash the meat with ammonia.

That infuriated me. They're jumping through hoops to find ways to keep these cows alive while they're feeding them corn, but if they'd just not feed them crap none of those problems would exist. And feeding beef blood and fat to cows is just disgusting.