t due. We should have had that prohibition in place for a long time in our food safety system.
Member question: I read that although the brain and spinal column are removed, the spinal ganglia are not. Then the bones are pressed to extract every last bit of marrow, meat, etc. What's the point of saying the meat supply is safe if these kinds of extraction methods are used?
Haas: For more than a decade we've had new processing techniques called advanced meat recovery that are so advanced in their ability to capture all the meat on a carcass and grind it up that they also have included the nervous system tissue connected to the spinal cord, which is called dorsal root ganglia. The new regulations of USDA just issued do prohibit it; however, AMR has been a system that has really been under-regulated, and so consumers need to be aware there is little enforcement of this process.
I think the Department of Agriculture should take a closer look at how they will enforce the prohibition. What kind of testing will be done is important. It's very important that consumers are protected. In the meantime there are things consumers can do to make healthy choices. We at FoodFit.com provide on our home page the kinds of tips you need to have a safe dinner tonight.
Member question: I live in Portland where the "mad cow" was processed. Our local groceries recalled certain types of beef because of this. Unfortunately one of the types was a very lean ground beef purchased from the butcher at my local market during a particular period of time. I wish I could return it, but I cooked it and we ate it. I know cooking doesn't affect the prions. How concerned should we be that we ate what could be tainted meat?
Haas: I think there is no need for alarm, that the chances of BSE to be found in that meat is very small, because the number of cattle was small, the recall was preventative, and it's not happening again.
I understand your concern for you and your family, but the risk is insignificant, according to USDA. With the changes in regulations and the move to a stricter system there should not be a continuation of this problem in our country.
Member question: Should I let my child eat school lunch beef and occasionally McDonald's hamburgers? Should I pursue asking for organic beef in public school lunch?
Haas: The school lunch program is like a consumer. The same risks are there. There are not additional inspections being done in the school lunch program. We do not have a situation where the consumer should be that alarmed that they should stop their children from having any beef, any hamburgers.
However, consumers should be alert, and if organics are available in your marketplace it is a smart option to take advantage of. The school lunch program does not have much organic food in it at all, whether it is fruits or vegetables or beef. If you, the consumer, feel this is important for the future health of your family it is wise to get involved in the school lunch program in your community and to encourage more availability of organic produce and beef, not just because of a fear of BSE, but for the healthfulness and the taste of the product.
Member question: Is kosher beef safer than regular beef? I know they are careful about how the animal is slaughtered and only use certain parts of the animal.
Haas: Yes, kosher beef is a good choice. There are more strict prohibitions involved. Kosher processors have never used downer cows. Kosher beef might be safer because the animals are killed by having their throats slit rather than by being shot or struck in the head, which can scatter brain tissue. I think it is fair to say their standards of production are very rigorous.
Member question: Is there a supply chain of meat that doesn't go through the same mass production that creates this mad cow danger? Do "organic" beef producers exist who slaughter their own cows, that we can purchase beef from?
Haas: Definitely there is a growing industry of organic producers of beef, and that beef is safest. It's cattle that have been raised organically, and by law cannot