Do you trust the FDA? If you do, you should know that millions see it and Congress as part of the big nexus of the corporate chain of grocery stores. Once you go through this article, you will also fail to trust the agency and the authorities.
Thanks to this nexus, gravely toxic decayed meat is made to appear fresh for several weeks for consumption by people. It is intriguingly allowed by the authorities, while it is banned in the EU and Japan.
Most people don’t know that more than 70% of the chicken and beef sold in the U.S. and Canada undergo treatment with carbon monoxide (the silent killer). What is even more serious is that the FDA doesn’t see this as a threat to public health.
In 2007, a bill requiring such meat treated with carbon monoxide (CO) to be labeled as such was introduced in Congress. But the Congressmen silently pushed it aside (H.R. 3115 (110th)).
What is concerning about this practice by the food industry is that the meat continues to smell and look fresh without concern if it is infected with hazardous bacteria like Clostridium botulinum, E.coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.
These companies use carbon monoxide gas because it makes the meat look fresh by interacting with the myoglobin found in meat. The reaction between CO and myoglobin will produce carboxymyoglobin, which is a red pigment. It will mask/cover the original decaying form of the meat including all the slime and smell.
So the next time you pick up red meat from the shelf be wary. It may be decayed and loaded with all kinds of bacteria, but carboxymyoglobin will make it look and smell normal – even for weeks.
The FDA on the one hand has continued to allow the usage of CO packaging, but at the same time, it has raised concerns about the use of low-oxygen packaging. Its official statement says that it will cause the ‘inhibition’ of the bacteria associated with spoilage. If those organisms cannot be detected, it will not be possible to determine if the product is suitable for consumption or not.
When carbon monoxide is present in meat, even cooking cannot destroy the underlying health issues. It doesn’t matter how well you cook such contaminated meat, it will still have toxins.
That the FDA has accepted the Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) notifications for the usage of CO in fresh meat, is an unlawful act in itself. This move by the agency overlooks the current Federal laws and regulations.
There have been at least 3 different moments when the FDA studied the use of CO in meat products. Despite these studies, the agency claims the gas to be GRAS.
Even the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety & Inspection Service states in its rules that it is illegal to use any compounds in fresh meat that hide the poor quality or damage or give enhanced looks to a product.
Due to these health concerns, several nations have banned CO to be used in specific foods. Even the EU has forbidden the use of gas in tuna and meat. The step was taken after the studies were conducted under the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food. The Committee noted after the findings that the red color of meat could last even after the shelf life of microbial growth in meat and it can hide spoilage.
Even Canada, Singapore, and Japan have laid a ban on the use of CO in tuna.
According to Prevent Disease, the ill effects of carbon monoxide can cause several food-borne diseases. It claims that carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that contains one oxygen molecule less than carbon dioxide. However, that tiny difference can mean a big thing for our bodies. It can be hazardous to our bodies even in very tiny concentrations.
One reason it is toxic is due to the reason that it will get attached to our hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in our blood.
Once you are exposed to a high concentration of the gas, it can replace oxygen in your blood and cause all types of damage. Even if you are mildly exposed to it, it can show symptoms like fatigue, headache, and confusion.
When you receive higher concentrations of it, it could cause unconsciousness or can also prove to be fatal. Even if you survive high exposure, it could have caused serious damage to your neurological health in the long term.
Because of these harmful effects of commercially available meat, you should use only locally available meat that is fed organic grass. Also, make sure to share this info with everyone you know!
Via Morphic Mind Body | Web Archive | Gov Track