So, I’m sure lots of people are worried about horse meat and all the stories about horse meat in the news.
First, you need to know that this is a European issue. No meat in the US has been found to have horse meat in it. Ever. The chances of that happening here in the US is pretty much zero. My friend, Dr. Davey Griffin, from Texas A&M summed up why horses could never contaminate beef in the US. Here are his main reasons:
1. Horses are not slaughtered in the US. We used to slaughter them here, and all of the meat went to export markets. Even then, we never had a problem with horse meat ending up in beef, pork, or any other products.
2. The level of oversight in the US meat industry is greater than any other country. The USDA employs over 9,000 inspectors in meat, poultry, and egg processing plants all over the country. These inspectors have access to all operations in any plant that produces meat for sale.
3. The US has very strict labeling laws. Even the tiniest mislabeling violation will result in a very costly recall that could bankrupt a company. It’s not worth the risk.
4. The US doesn’t import meat from Europe or horse meat at all. We have no market for horse meat, so there is no economical reason for it to come into the country.
5. It just doesn’t make economic sense. It just wouldn’t make sense to sneak it in to a plant and mix it in beef or pork. The risk is too great.
I want to clarify that horse meat is a safe food to eat. I’ve never tried it myself, but it is regularly eaten in countries all over the world. I would probably try it, given the chance.
So, don’t worry.
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| Vallie loves Trigger, but she knows he's not in her hamburger. |
