"James Curts" wrote in message news:vcFRa.83470$N7.11293@sccrnsc03...
The biggest problem in the US is the ignorance of the typical
consumer. Many people believe that the meat is somehow internally
infected with e.coli. But the bacterium exists in the steer's
digestive system and only contacts the meat through unhygenic
processes during slaughter. So when I buy a roast the only place
possibly contaminated would be the surface, and that can be washed off
or will be killed in the cooking. The problem arises when commercial
butchers pool and grind large quantities of beef into hamburger
several days before it is ever used, distributing the bacterium and
giving it a window to proliferate. A solution is to have one's beef
ground at the point of sale and use it soon after. Or do as I did,
purchase a meat grinder and do it at home.

--Hua Kul



I'm sure you feel much better about yourself

How is it possible that you're "sure" of this? You don't know
anything about me, and you've made no effort to contact me.

now that you have typified the US consumer as ignorant.

Ignorance does not imply indifference, stupidity, or lack of
intelligence.

Your understanding of steer guts is commendable also.

The extremely simple concept of e. coli. not being present internally
in uncut meat is NOT common knowledge among many consumers with whom I
have discussed the issue. I draw my conclusions from my admittedly
small (compared to national population) sample.

The typical US consumer is probably as cognizant of food quality, purity and
nutritional value as any in modern nations today.

Then why do I get so many blank stares when I discuss the FFA content
of animal fats or vegatable oils? The vast majority of folks simply
DON'T know how dangerous to their health a high omega6mega3 ratio
is. They don't know that most farm raised fish are fed on a grain
based diet and therefore they are not getting the health benefit
claimed for fish oil intake. They don't understand the safety and
need for some saturated fats in their diets. They don't understand
that dietary cholesterol intake doesn't much influence their serum
cholesterol levels. The don't understand the HUGE increase in
vitamins in meat from grass fed livestock versus grain fed. They have
no clue how dangerous fructose is to our health, especially to those
who have a genetic deficiency that inhibits their production of
Insulin Receptor Substrate-1. I could go on and on.

With the properly written and implemented laws we have today regulating food
products there is little need for the person purchasing the family meal to
be knowledgeable about any particular health shortcomings of their choices.

This is one of the most elitest things you have yet said. First you
say that the typical consumer is not ignorant, then you say there is
no need for him to be educated. If you are putting your trust in "Big
Brother" your walking on a dangerous path. One of the most dangerous
foods on the market, man made trans fats, are not even required by the
government to be listed on food product labels.

My livelihood is food products which must satisfy the most exacting needs
and wants of consumers. This includes the demand for the best health
safeguards we have available today.

In my particular instance it concerns fresh produce and the vast majority of
the retail consumers are a very discerning and critical lot. The continual
barrage of information and disinformation displayed for public benefit has
the buying populace taking even more notice of what is in/on and part of a
given product. This is in large part due to the ambiguous claims of the
organic growers regarding pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

I don't believe that organic always means better, but I know that
environmental poisons can damage health, such as the increase in
breast cancer among women who work around pesticides. I don't believe
basic fertilizers are dangerous, but I also know that geographic
location has much more to do with nutritional quality of foods than
any fertilizers we might use. We apply three elements, but many other
nutrients, such as selenium, are more deficient in some soils than
others. If there were a fertilizer that would increase all the
beneficiel but lacking nutrients I would be in favor of applying that
to anything that grows. But only if the grower wants to use it. If
people want to purchase "organic" produce it shouldn't be kept off the
market. One of the outbreaks of e. coli. that got national attention
was in bottled apple juice. This could be eliminated if people would
press their own juices.

The organic faction has quite a following until tests show what is really in
the produce. One of our larger retail food chains in the area has ceased
selling organic labeled produce because of non-conformance to advertised
standards. The GM issue has even more folks taking notice and becoming more
aware of what they put into the shopping cart.

Starlink GM corn is now in about 70% of all corn products in the US,
but I'll bet you a couple of doughnuts that most people don't know
this.

The US consumer ignorant??

They certainly are not so ignorant as to buy/use products whose producers
deliberately circumvent the laws and regulations on which we rely to insure
the food we consume is wholesome.

Here's one small example of how the food industries in general
couldn't care less about consumer health if it affects their bottom
lines. It has been know for a long time that man made trans fats are
quite dangerous for our health, yet bakery producers keep using it
because it provides a good product texture that doesn't get soggy, and
it's cheap. If they wanted to do the best for us they would switch to
coconut or palm oils, which also stay hard at room temperature. It
was only lies from the grain oil industry that convinced US consumers
that the tropical oils are bad for us. In reality they're much more
healthy than vegetable oil-based trans fats.

--Hua Kul