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Leonhard Foeger / Reuters
An employee of the microbiological laboratory of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety prepares a sample of minced meat in Vienna this week. The samples of minced meat are tested for the presence of horse meat as a precaution. United States officials say it's highly unlikely the scandal will reach U.S. consumers.
Europe’s scandal over horse meat hidden in beef products -- including recalls of Nestle ravioli and Birds Eye chili con carne -- has renewed questions about whether Americans unwittingly could be eating equine products as well.
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulators say it’s highly unlikely that beef adulterated with horse meat could make it to the nation’s dinner plates because no domestic suppliers currently slaughter horses and the agency has strict labeling and inspection standards for imported meat.
But agency officials also acknowledge privately that species testing for meat imported into the U.S. is performed typically only when there’s a reason to question a shipment.
And a Florida company that supplies the only validated tests for horse meat in food has been slammed with nearly 1,000 requests in recent weeks for its $500 kits -- including orders from major U.S. meat producers.
“It’s becoming a little hectic,” said Natalie Rosskopf, administrative director of Elisa Technologies Inc. of Gainesville. “There was no call for horse testing a month ago. Nothing.”
Continental Europe has been roiled recently by reports of horse meat masquerading as beef in frozen burgers and prepared foods, including frozen dinners and pastas. This week, Nestle announced it was removing chilled pasta products produced by a German supplier, including Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini, from stores in Italy and Spain, and a lasagna product from France. On Friday, frozen food maker Birds Eye said it would withdraw products including chili con carne from Britain and Ireland because tests detected traces of horse DNA.
The trouble with horse meat hidden in beef is partly a health concern. Meats taken from store shelves in Britain and Germany had traces of a powerful equine painkiller, phenylbutazone, or “bute,” which is banned in animals destined for human food, tests showed.
But it’s also about trust, especially in the U.S., where many shudder at the mere thought of eating horse meat and the deception would raise even more suspicion about a company’s practices.
“If a company is willing to commit fraud, I can’t imagine that food safety is the biggest thing on their agenda,” said Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer and food safety expert who publishes a blog focused on the industry.
In fact, boneless beef adulterated with horse meat -- and with kangaroo -- did make it to the U.S. more than 30 years ago, when mislabeled meat from Australia led to the impounding and testing of 66 million pounds of the product, according to old USDA records found and posted by Marler.
Known as the “Australian meat incident,” the beef substitution scandal prompted swift action and increased scrutiny by agency officials.
USDA officials couldn’t quickly produce records of species testing results in the past 30 years -- or even the past year -- but they say the possibility of that happening again is remote. The U.S. neither slaughters horses nor imports horse meat from other countries, and it doesn’t allow import of beef from the countries and companies involved in the European scandal, an official told NBC News. (He was speaking on background because he said he wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue.)
In addition, USDA inspectors look at every shipment of meat sent through U.S. ports and can demand species testing if anything is amiss, documents show.
Officials with the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees processed foods, said that they had detected no horse meat in imported or U.S.-made food.
“We have no past record or current indication that horse meat is an ingredient in any FDA-regulated processed foods in the U.S.,” Jalil Isa, an FDA spokesman, said in an email. He added that FDA officials are reaching out to Nestle and Birds Eye to ensure that no adulterated food was sent to the U.S. Nestle has said no U.S. products use meat from European sources.
Birds Eye Iglo U.K. products have no connection to the Birds Eye brand in the U.S., which is owned by Pinnacle Foods, and isn’t affiliated with the U.K. supplier.
Producers such as the meat giant Cargill say they don’t import beef from plants that also slaughter horses, or from the companies and suppliers implicated in the European scandal, and they remain confident that their meat is free of adulteration.
“Cargill’s beef supply chain is shorter than those involved in the horse meat issue in Europe and we know, and work directly with, our suppliers, which minimizes the potential for fraudulent substitution of products,” Cargill spokesman Mike Martin told NBC News in an email.
Still, the problems in Europe could prompt renewed scrutiny, he added.
“We do not analyze for other species and are assessing the current situation to determine if this is something we might do in the future,” Martin said.
If they do, they’ll have to turn to Elisa Technologies for the horse species test, said Rosskopf. The company’s meat species kits, which verify animal proteins in raw and cooked meat samples, have been used for years by the USDA and by private firms, she said.
Before the discovery in Europe of horse meat in beef, the firm’s typical demand was for tests for more common species, for instance, to confirm that no pork was present in kosher meat, Rosskopf said. Now, meat suppliers mostly in Europe, but also in the U.S., have been clamoring for the equine test.
Have there been any positive tests so far?
“I can’t say,” said Rosskopf, noting that the company is known for its adherence to confidentiality agreements.
Of course, putting horse meat on the dinner table is common in many countries, including France, Canada, Mexico and Japan, to name a few. And it’s not unheard of on American menus, either. Slaughterhouses that produced horse meat for human consumption were in operation in the U.S. until 2007, when the last three of a one-time high of 16 or 17 plants closed under state and federal pressure.
Congress effectively banned the practice then by refusing to fund USDA inspections of the slaughterhouses. Those efforts were fueled by vocal anti-slaughter activists who regarded the practice as inhumane.
The arrangement stayed in place until 2011, when the Obama administration quietly lifted the restriction, partly out of concern for the neglect of horses in the U.S. and the treatment of horses that were shipped to Canada and Mexico to be killed.
The U.S. exported more than 46,000 metric tons of horse meat in 1990, a figure that fell to about 5,600 metric tons in 2007, when the ban was enacted, industry figures show.
Wyoming state Rep. Sue Wallis is trying to reinstate horse slaughter in the U.S. and to build a new source for the meat in America and abroad.
Her application is among those pending with the USDA to open horse slaughterhouses in Missouri, Iowa and New Mexico. The firms would produce what she and other advocates call “cheval,” horse meat that she said is prized by gourmet cooks and health enthusiasts for its taste and lean profile. Plus, Wallis said, horse meat is generally about 40 percent cheaper than beef.
“There are plenty of people in America who have no problem with cheval and are anxiously awaiting our product,” she said.
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You all make me sick. You can't leave anything alone. Do you must eat everything to feel like a real person on top of the world. Most of you are so fat or even slightly overweight that you might want to slow down on what your consuming. When you end up in the hospital complaining of a heart attack or dying of cancer from the products used in the meat or staying on your phones all day then don't ask how or why. I'm tired of taking care of disgusting people with no conscious. I would say look up the internet about horse slaughter but you would probably get off on that.
Those out there saying this is "non-news" and poking fun at this article are obviously oblivious individuals. The point is in Europe and no doubt here in the US to some extent people are paying hefty prices for what they think is pure beef and these a$$hole meat processors, who by the way make about 70% of the profit, not the farmers, are mixing horse meat in! Not only should they be run out of business but prosecuted!
All this talk is like beating a dead horse!
McDonalds in London is revising their McManeue to include a Filly' of Pone', a "colt" cut platter of slivers of "Silver' with Horseradish sauce for dipping. Pony up $15 an get the combo with a Colt 45 drink and a side bale of clover & alfalfa sprouts. They will make millions, I'll bet the farm on it!
Yawn. Another non-story to distract us from real news. Horse meat is eaten in France and Switzerland, and many other places. It doesn't hurt you. It tastes fine. There are parts of Switzerland where dog meat is available (look it up). But I must recommend this: if you are going to eat meat of any kind, you should first butcher an animal yourself to appreciate what it is you are doing. Most Americans are so far removed from the farm they think meat somes from the meat section of the grocery store and that's it. An educated American once told me he hadn't realized that meat and muscle are the SAME THING.
Whith the world population in 100 years or so from now most likely doubling, humans will be eating horses, dogs, cats and pretty well anything that moves just to keep everyone fed.
Folks, the US ships more than 100,000 horses & burros to Mexico & Canada to be slaughtered - the meat is sent to other countries - Europe etc. AND we import beef from other countries - Europe, etc. When I hear the names Burger King, Nestle, Birdseye, Walmart & Aldis, sort of makes me think we should be testing the meat here. If you have read the article above, there are at least 1000 individuals that have ordered the tests to do this. And our USDA says its "unlikely" that it would happen here? Be real - it doesnt take a brain surgeon to figure this out. Whats done to these animals - hauling them thousands of miles in trucks that arent always set up for horses then run thru a slaughter plant that isnt set up for horses - its beyond inhumane. Then theres the fact that in the US our horses are given bute, wormer, antibiotics, supplements - all kinds of meds that say right on the label - not to be given to animal raised for food. Just putting bute in your system can do all kinds of things to your body. Doesnt seem like a subject to be laughed about, really.
Maybe we should eat HorseSH-T instead!
We're certainly fed enough of it by our Government !!!!
Lets give more Foreign Aid. Were not broke enough.
FU-K american citizens . We're DUPES anyway
We keep electing ASS-oles, over and over again.
Lets All move to CUBA. Think Raoul could handle it.
Then we could shove PRIMO cigars up our asses, b 4 we smoke im.
Then we could smoke r SH-T, and eat it too.
The USDA stated the US does not import horse meat... that is an outright lie. Recent documents obtained from the USDA show that over 167 million pounds of horse meat were imported into the US last year. Now if this was for zoo use and or human use we don't know. That was not differentiated. Last year MOMA PS1 in NYC tried serving horse meat on it's menu, and did serve horse meat and a large foodie function during the summer of 2012. So apparently the oversight is not very good. What this article also fails to note is that Horse slaughter plants are being planned right now for opening in this country, the defunding language was removed from the Ag Appropriations bill in 2011. and as a result now, the USDA can inspect horse meat if funding allows.
Horse meat is not safe, many zoos are no longer using horse meat because the big cats have been developing cancer from the bute given to our horses in this country. Pet food companies stopped using horse meat in pet food in the 70s because of the reactions by certain breeds to the Ivermectin used to deworm horses.
We don't raise horses in this country for food under food safety guidelines nor do we have an appropriate tracking/passport program.
We don't eat out companion animals in the US.
Sounds like the horse is safe its the chemicals that we treat our animals with that aren't.
Anyone who has horses or is in the horse world knows that the pain killer "Bute" is only one of many many drugs that are given to horses.
I own a horse rescue and the horses that I have are here because they were taken in because the next stop for them was the auction and then to the slaughter plants.
Here are some of the medications our horses take on a routine schedule and these medications are expensive and alot of horses need to have them and some are worming medications that are given every 4-6-8 week intervals
WARNING: DO NOT USE FOR HORSES INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
THYRO-L (for the treatment of thyroid disease) Horses overgrazing on rich spring grasses get this after they founder.
Warning: DO NOT USE FOR HORSES INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
TRI-HIST (For use when a histamine antagonizing preparation is required.) for horses breathing
Warning: For Horses Only. Not for use in Horses intended for food. Possible side effects nevousness, excitation or sedation, temporary anhidrosis, inappetance, incoordination, and weakness.
those are just a very tiny few medications horses are given.
Ask yourself if you truly know what you are eating. go to food safety network and sign up for the emails you will see everyday how much food is recalled for listeria and botulism and so on. Most Honey on the market is not even all Honey its corn syrup!!
They want everyone to think Horse meat is good for you and its okay because other countries are eating it. Really I think they were eating monkey brains too isnt that were AIDS originated.
We wont have any wild horses left if the goverment has there way the horses arent overgrazing the truth is they are getting in the way of the gas and oil companies.
Horses are not LIVESTOCK they are our companions and they certainly arent whats for dinner.
If Horse meat was so good for everyone why are they scrambling to investigate this I will tell you why there is ALOT of meds that will make people very sick. How about some BANAMINE for dinner. Thats a pain killer for horses also.
You covered a lot more of the various drugs & meds that our horses get. All true. If only people would research this information for themselves. Whats happening to these horses is horrible, but it seems the only topic that gets to people is the chance their personal health might be endangered. Well, if thats what it takes to cause the public to get involved with horse slaughter - so be it. Horse advocates have been trying to get that information out for a long time. Its not a brand new piece of news.
I ate horse sausage in sweden, its nothing special but if people want to eat horse let them eat horse, i'm not sure why we put some magic halo around some animals and not others. Either eat all animals or eat none of them. Make up your mind.
Thanks for the liberating comment Dr. Chuck. Now we can eat mice with our friends from China!
Although he's been feeding us a steady diet of Baloney, Obama would prefer that we eat horse meat chops and burgers rather than pork which is haram according to his family religion. Luckily for the US pork industry, VP Biden is a liberal haraminator!
We get the horse meat and the zoos get the beef. I asked one of the butchers in a well known big box grocery what happens to the rib eye, New York strip, chuck roast, sirloin, rump roast, T-bone, filet mignon, ground round, angus, tenderloin, and other such cuts. He said that they donate it to the zoos for the meat eating animals after the expiration date. Obama is jumping with glee over this socialist practice of spreading the wealth around.
Coming soon " Mc Buck" burgers
They should just put it on the label if there is horse or kangaroo or whatever in it. It works for the meat snack and jerky manufacturers. Plenty of people will go out of their way to find the horsemeat products. The drugs have to be gotten out of the animal's system before slaughter, though. No different than beef or pork. If you enjoy eating dead animals, you should be able to do so with confidence that you are getting a reasonably clean product.
horses taste good ate a lot while stationed in Europe
Nothing like crying wolf. That s all Obama knows. He doesn't no how to lead. All he does is spread BS, deceit and lies.
You may deceive the people part of the time, and part of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time.
Abe Lincoln
Mr President Obama you are no Abe Lincoln. You couldn't even hold up his jock strap.
http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Food_and_Chemical_Toxicology_FINAL.pdf <--pdf about Bute in equine meat and the dangers of equine meat.
Consumers beware equine meat is not regulated or safe to consume. Horses are give medicines/Vaccines/Birth-control/de-wormers not tested to see if those items last in the horses system after death like bute which could poison the consumer. Become educated on the dangers of equine meat. Help prevent disasters like the UK Horse Meat Scandal by contacting your reps and asking them to pass legislation which bans the slaughter of horses for human consumption and Bans the transportation of horses cross boarders to slaughter!
Horsemeat is the least of our worries. They are most likely carrying deer, dog, mice DNA too. That is what ignoring gene sharing spirochetal prion protein infections are doing to the masses. When you see people with horns growing out of their heads and babies growing chicken feathers because criminals gave us those infections over 30yrs. ago and let you suffer your syndromes instead of treat the truth---when do you stop ignoring it? When we all crawl like dogs in the desert as intended? Why do you think babies who suffer Autism cannot tolerate GMO glutens the criminals genetically altered? Because stealth infections shares genes in dissarray and they knew that in 1985 when they gave them to us.
And they knew where it came from and did nothing to help you treat. Segmented Filamentous Bacteria in human ileostomy samples after high fiber intake.
and the sky is falling
All of you would be still in a cave sharpening your stone tools if it wasn't for the Horse! They deserve respect for that they are co-founders of our civilization and are companion animals not a "product". Cheers for people that give them love & respect and all you horse-meat eaters can go to hell!
But since we are no longer in the cave and we no longer need their services in the old way I feel we owe them a death of gratitude....filly cheese steak anyone.
I like and have owned horses. I also know that horse meat is just that: meat.
Calm your hysteria.
So they're worried about a little "bute" in the horsemeat?
Do any of these yuck horsemeat dumb asses have any idea how many antibiotics and growth hormones are in the pork and beef they eat?
And for you evo horsemeat is delicious and you can kiss my cheval eating ass.
'bute' is a known carcinogen moron.
Horses are not eaten in Canada......if any horse meat is eaten it would be in Quebec. I have no idea why so many American journalists and Americans in general think that Canadians eat horse meat? We do not.
Canadians do not eat horse meat! Why do so many American journalists and Americans in general believe that Canadians eat horse meat? Perhaps a small percentage of people in Quebec eat horses, but it is far from being common, in fact it is far more common for people in the U.S. to eat horses than Canadians. Sheesh, can't anybody get that story straight?
Yes, they do eat horse meat in Quebec.
Some few people eat horse meat in the US.
So What?????
Trot on over to Mr Ed's Burgers......get yourself a superfine equine burger with all the fixin's.
Looks like you guys corraled most the good puns :)
In all seriousness, just how does a meat inspector tell the difference between a steak from beef or a horse?...THEY CAN"T, so I call BS...you better start testing my meat dummies.....NOW
Actually, they can.