Horse Meat Scandal

The biggest scandal now in Europe is the Horse Meat Scandal.
The origin of the meat is Romania, imported by a French distributor that distributed it to other European countries including Germany and the UK. The horse meat was sold as beef and mixed with beef. DNA testing is being carried out to identify and remove the meat from store shelves. It is not harmful, however for many eating flesh from an animal not with split hooves is taboo. The idea of eating horse meat is also repulsive and it is fraud. The investigation continues and most likely will result in tighter controls of food and food distribution. Sometimes a bad thing can turn out good in the end.

Many people have eaten hosrse meat during the wars in Europe in order to survive. It was often done when the horse could no longer survive due to lack of food or injury. That is not the case today. In my view, it is sad and repulisve.

Because of my socialization, I find eating horse meat repugnant also. However, I do understand that in the Wild West horse meat was eaten when the horse was done.

If you think about it very much, it puts one in sympathy with vegans and vegetarians because most living things that are killed to feed humans have characteristics that trouble if thought about too much.

Nothing is cuter than a baby of any animal species. Eggs are the beginning of a young chick. who could eat "Bambi?" How about alligator and that cute turtle in the home tank? Even pigs are now used as pets.

I think is it our hunger for so much meat and our insatiable glutony at a low cost that leads to fraud in the food market. We must be willing to pay for quality care of animals that are used to feed humans and safe standards with the resulting food source. With globalization, some international standards may need "beefing" up. Different cultures have different taboos as you pointed out.

2/17/2013
Horrifying ! To me a horse is a pet, not food !
Cheers.Joe..

Just heard on the news that Donkey meat was found in food in the UK. It is from the same source.
Haven't heard from Shelagh in a while. Hope she is not gone donkey.

It's time to start farming in my backyard. Wonder what the code enforcement would say about a few chickens, a few steer, a milk goat, etc. I know the owners of prime commercial real estate leave a few cows in their lots so they are taxed "agricultural." It's sort of funny to see the handful of cows between two commercial buildings on an empty lot or hanging out in the "out parcels" of the shopping centers.

DK. I think it would be much like the man who planted vegetables in his front yard instead of grass. It was forbidden. We don't have to look too far back to remember chicken houses behind many homes and a small stables for a cow or a horse. Smell and/or perceived beauty override practicality. I think there will come a day in the not too distant future where we will change our views by necessity. Growing ones own vegetables free of pesticides. Raising beef, having chickens for eggs and meat may have a comeback. Where I live, there are numerous chicken houses in the area. Eggs from free running chickens is a given. Farmers markets from locally grown produce are growing in number. Regulations for food source, handling and content cannot be relied upon. Profit takes precedence. "Consumer Beware" is making a comeback.

Free range, cage free, hormone free non messed with eggs can be found in the grocery: $4.29 a dozen. Industrial, perfect eggs may be bought for $.99 a dozen on sale.

Sure makes one think about chickens at least. And one goat for hormone free milk. I can give up the beef but I don't know what to do about fish - that supply is also tainted with fish farming and the fish from the sea have mercury. Everyone on my block has one or two or three dogs; why can't I have a couple chickens and a goat in my own yard? At least I won't be walking them down the street to mess in the neighbor's yard - or maybe I will!

What are we doing to our planet in the name of profit? Profit for whom? For how long? Is the extra home in Italy, the four BMW's, the jet-setting around the world, worth the destruction of a planet that is certainly a gift that the human race is supposed to care for?

My house is on a modest street of homes one block long. At the cul de sac is a river. My yard is ugly because I don't use weed and feed but fight the weeds as I am moved by howing them out. All that weed control and fertilizer runs right down the street and into the river and out to the Gulf.

Now our Gulf has an ever-growing "red tide" - red algae that are poisonous to most people's breathing, take the oxygen out of the water and kill the sea life several months of the year. Duh - where do people think it "appeared" from? We pour poison into the rivers, they run into the Gulf and they encourage life that kills life. We should at least worry about the tourist industry - a beach strewn with dead everything (if you can stand the smell it's a regular sea life lab) is not condusive to walking on the beach or swimming in the Gulf.

I live near the coast in the UK. We recently had a large
spillage of ‘sticky white substance’ which was doing a sterling job of decimating
the sea bird population. And no, it wasn’t a result of teenage boys getting
hold of a copy of my book.


When it was discovered that the stuff could be cleaned off
with margarine, the authorities started looking at people with large scale DIY Bio-diesel
production facilities. Hmm?

Yesterday's news reports dog meat found in meatballs in Holland. The source is suspected to be Spain.
The good thing about the scandal with food products is that more care and testing is being done to protect the consumer. Horse or dog meat is not harmful, but the harm to the consumer is mistrust in what the label reads or doesn't read.
Becoming a vegetarian doesn't mean a healthier food substance since pesticides are also found in vegetables.

Supporting the local farmer may be the safest route. Pay a bit more and get what you pay for with confidence. Best bet is to grown your own.