Tom Devine of the Government Accountability Project has said that � ���"Contempt for federal law has been systematic at these plants as it extends to the treatment of animals, as well as trying to make money off of products which are contaminated with filth. It gets so extreme, that as one whistle-blower was telling me, in order to be more productive, not to lose time, that they were skinning the cows before they had died. Literally skinning them alive. It's absolutely revolting, inhumane treatment of animals at these plants.� �� �[21]
Pre-HACCP, USDA inspectors used to be able to stop the line for a live cow, but now, with as many as 390 cattle being processed each hour, inspectors are required to leave it up to plant personnel to do the right thing while they go audit paperwork at the plant-designated critical control point. With HACCP, the USDA has provided slaughterhouses the ability to violate the Human Slaughter Act with impunity.
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In a 1997 article for the think tank Resources for the Future called "Preparing America's Food Safety System for the Twenty-First Century," Michael Taylor writes that "New technologies have long been central to building the safety, economy, and convenience of the American food supply, and the new HACCP framework encourages industry adoption of new technologies to control harmful bacteria. Continued success requires investment in technology development, rigorous but prompt government approval processes, and public understanding and acceptance of technology and its benefits."[22]
Indeed, since HACCP was mandated, the largest processors have sought to sterilize contaminated meat by investing in costly technology, like high volume static chamber steam pasteurization systems, an option unavailable to small- and medium-size operations.
Though Moss never mentions the subject of irradiation � ��" a curious omission, considering Cargill is known to use it [23] -- Taylor most certainly has that technology in mind when he refers to the need for public acceptance of technology. A number of Moss' New York Times readers even left comments suggesting that the solution to food-borne illness is to irradiate the meat supply.
Other, more knowledgeable readers, however, immediately pointed out some of the known risks irradiation poses to the nutritional value and safety of food.
There are vested interests that want to see the widespread, commercial use of irradiation, no matter the long-known risks and consequences to health. In 2002, Public Citizen and GRACE, the Global Resource Action Center for the Environment, issued a stunning report entitled � ���"Bad Taste: The Disturbing Truth about the World Health Organization's Endorsement of Food Irradiation.� �� � The report asks the question: � ���"How could irradiated foods be declared safe and wholesome if animals fed irradiated foods in experiments dating back 50 years have suffered dozens of health problems, including premature death, mutations and other genetic abnormalities, fetal death and other reproductive problems, immune system disorders, fatal internal bleeding, organ damage, tumors, stunted growth and nutritional deficiencies?� �� � [24]
The report answers this question by reviewing in depth the � ���"scientific� �� � process by which the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed the safety of irradiated food in each of its meetings since 1961. It found that the WHO had ceded its authority on this issue to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has a vested interest in resuscitating the nuclear industry and legalizing and commercializing the worldwide irradiation of food. Because of the IAEA's efforts, the WHO has dismissed, downplayed and misrepresented scientific evidence showing harm.
Irradiation is responsible for forming cyclobutanones, unique chemicals that are not found anywhere naturally. As explained in the report, � ���"Because irradiation is responsible for forming these chemicals, which are completely distinct from any known food component, they are referred to as � ��˜unique radiolytic products.' Subsequent research found cyclobutanones in many common foods after irradiation, including chicken, pork, lamb, salmon, cheese, eggs, peanuts, certain fish and certain fruits.� �� � [25]
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