Horse labeled as beef ...

[Lungomare]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...rance-england-europe-science-taboo-horsemeat/

In my opinion the scandal is not the breaking of a “taboo” but the wrong declaration. Horse meat is said to be much better quality than beef …

There was found horse meat labeled as beef in Austria, Germany, etc. Obviously plenty of horse meat has been sold, and I wonder what has been done with the “waste” – the hides.

Or is the meat found in the lasagna, burgers, etc. the waste and the main objects were the hides?

I have always wondered why some manufactures can offer horse hide jackets at such a low price …

I am sure that manufacturers like Aero Leather must sell at higher prices because their sources are reliable tanneries like Horween.

But there are a lot of jackets offered in horse hide which are much cheaper. If these (European) manufactures of leather jackets don’t make presents to their customers, they will have to find cheaper sources of hides to gain their profits.

This is m y consideration and m y reason why I’ll continue to spend more money on a jacket in order to get sure that the source of the hides offered is according to the rules.

I don’t want to imagine how these “illegal” and as beef labeled horses were treated and killed …

Just my two cents …

With kind regards,

Johannes

 

[rocketeer]

I know there is a lot of sentimentality attached to horses being used for meat in this country and some others but this detracts from the main issue which is fraud.
There is probably nothing wrong with horse meat as food if reared, slaughtered and prepared correctly, but when it is mixed in with beef, then you are told your meat is 100% you will not be getting what you asked for.
The way our (UK) news puts it out, using words like 'contaminated' makes you think there IS something wrong with the meat.
J

 

[majormajor]

The beef/horse thing is a very emotive subject.

For me, it is simply about correct description. If I buy beef, I want it to be beef. If I bought horse, I would want it to be horse. I don't want meats in there that are not on the label.

For some folks, it is more emotive. Some (in the UK) are unused to thinking of horses as something we can eat, and so are a little disgusted by the idea. The "gastronomes" will glibly tell us that horse is a fine meat, but overlook the fact that if illegality is involved, then the quality of the animals comes into question.

And there are countries in the world that eat dogs and monkeys. Would the gastronomes by happy for a bit of that in their gourmet burgers?:eeek:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Absolutely right, it's the element of fraud that's critical here. There's nothing at all wrong with horsemeat: Very tasty in fact:hungry::deadhorse

The problem I have is the description of this stuff as "meat". In almost every case this is mechanically recovered meat product. All the gristle, ligaments, tendons etc. that are harvested from the bones of whatever animal to generate a "meat product" or a product that at least vaguely resembles meat. I remember the godawful "sausages" my ma used to buy from the supermarket. Some kind of pork-based paste inside a synthetic edible skin. They neither looked, nor tasted, like sausages.

But if you're paying for mechanically recovered cow or pork or lamb product you should get what you pay for - stuff that kinda vaguely tastes like cow, pork, or lamb, but don't ask too many questions about what parts of the cow. If you're eating processed meat, it's probably worth your while to never think about what's in it.

There's more trouble brewing in the adulteration of halal products for prisons with pork. That's not good at all.

I will also say that I'm shocked at the incredulity of the public. Food adulteration has a long and filthy past. why would anyone imagine that low quality low price foodstuffs were not being adulterated as much as they have been in the past? Especially with our immensely complex international web of supply companies, abbatoires etc., I can't imagine why anyone's surprised. why would one trust the food companies and supermarkets? It doesn't make any sense to do so. Their only function is to make profit; they drive costs down to a minimum and have cornered the market so can impose lower prices on suppliers, which drives those suppliers to adulterate the food. No-one is right in such a system, and all bear some responsibility, though I'll bet the buck will all be passed on to the suppliers, and the causal role of the grasping supermarkets and their relentless driving down of prices will be glossed over. BUY LOCAL!

bk

This should probably be in Observation Bar, no?

 

[Rudie]

The potential danger for health is not the horse per se but when no veterinarian inspected the meat. You don't want to eat trichinae or dangerous chemicals, do you?

 

[majormajor]

This should probably be in Observation Bar, no?

Yes, I think this thread needs a move

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I agree completely. But I don't think there's evidence yet that no vet inspected any of these horses. I am pretty sure that's the way it's going to go (various Mafias implicated in illegal supply) but right now, at least it's being reported in the UK press that it's legitimate meat in illegitimate places.

The potential danger for health is not the horse per se but when no veterinarian inspected the meat. You don't want to eat trichinae or dangerous chemicals, do you?

 

[Rudie]

They already found phenylbutazone. That's a pain blocker with so many side effects that it is illegal in most countries. In the UK and the US it is only used for animals.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yes I heard that. Doesn't mean it wasn't seen by a vet though. The presence of the "bute" would suggest otherwise, in fact.

Yet another reason to only buy organic. None of this crap gets into the food chain.

 

[Rudie]

Well, it was probably seen by a vet when still alive. But probably not at the slaughterhouse. I agree about buying organic. And any processed foods are to be avoided like the plague. Just because there are carbohydrates, proteins and fat inside doesn't mean this crap has real nutritional value.

 

[cordwangler]

The point of the fraud is to make money from selling carcasses not fit for human consumption, whether because of risk of disease or because they're pumped full of bute and other nasties. Whether the animals were attended by a vet - and remember, vets may have provided the bute - is immaterial, as others have said.

And this is the whole point of organic produce. Non-organic meat will be contaminated - and I use that word on purpose - with any and all veterinary drugs, including antibiotics, most of which are harmful to people and the environment. Organic meat from a reputable source will not contaminated in this way (although all environmental factors must be considered as affecting animals, of course).

 

[schitzo]

man am I starving. I could eat a horse

 

[Ishmael]

Somewhat (totally?) off topic, but we used to live literally right across the street from this place (Minoya in Morishita, Tokyo). "Sakura-niku" served raw and also cooked. Absolutely delicious.

http://fallindebu.net/archives/3987183.html

 

[Lungomare]

Apart from the danger of illegal drugs in the meat, I wonder what has been done with the “waste” – the hides.

Or is the meat found in the lasagna, burgers, etc. the waste and the main objects were the hides?

I have always wondered why some manufactures can offer horse hide jackets at such a low price …

What do you think?

Regards,

Johannes

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Horse-meat is considered "traditional" in some parts of Italy; but, as a lot of "traditional" things, it's infact very recent. Horsemeat butcher's shops were opened at the end of the XIX centuries, with the intent to improve the diet of the worker class of the newly united italian State with cheap, yet healthy meat; people nonetheless was very suspicious, and in my town they assaulted butcheries with stones, blocked supplies etc.
Well, little by little people came to appreciate the idea... and the meat, which is infact tasty, and learned specific ways to cook it.

Obviously we are talking about horsemeat controlled and fit for human consumption, and properly labelled as horsemeat, not alimenatry frauds...

 

[wild_balls]

The potential danger for health is not the horse per se but when no veterinarian inspected the meat. You don't want to eat trichinae or dangerous chemicals, do you?

You are exactly right there, horse can contain dangerous chemicals!

 

[rocketeer]

man am I starving. I could eat a horse

You beat me to that one hahahaha

 

[MisterCairo]

Yes, I think this thread needs a move

It needs a merge with the thread on this topic started a number of weeks back:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?69150-Horse-meat-in-the-UK&highlight=horse+meat

 

[Highwaymanman]

I ate donkey while once while living in Italy. The smaller, more traditional trattorias don't have menus and just make a big batch of two or three dishes and you take your pick from what the waiter tells you. A lot of these places are run by older families who don't speak a lot of English or even standard Italian.... it's all local dialect. I was in one and saw a guy at the next table eating what I thought was my favorite dish ever - guanchiale de bue - braised ox cheek..... It's pretty much the most delicious meal created by human hands so using frantic Mr. bean style gesticulations I ordered it. well, it turned out to be braised donkey.... something. And what's worse, it was over seasoned with cloves.

What gets me about the horsemeat scandal is that it's plainly the work of organized crime and the money involved must be astronomical. They are ploughing the profits back into their Spanish villas and human trafficking operations at the British burger lover's (and poor dobbin's) expense. Heads must roll!

 

[Aerojoe]

Horse meat is said to be much better quality than beef …

Any meat that is not meant for cooking is probably healthier than beef. These animals are not given drugs to make them grow faster and fatter. Buffalo, gator, ostrich, kangaroo, elk, snake, yak...

These are proteins anyway. A piece of delicatessen for guys like Bear Grylls