Some not so tasty news

I’m sure you’ve now seen the video circulating on the internet of the slaughterhouse in California that was shut down after the Humane Society smuggled a video camera into the plant. While the specifics of the situation may not come as a surprise to many who have read books like Fast Food Nation or The Omnivore’s Dilemma, I think it’s still shocking to see things in such a visceral way that sharply resolves the abstract notions we develop from reading about them.

I also find it interesting how the NYTimes article portrays the situation, especially knowing now what I’ve learned from reading those aforementioned books. Questions about how it’s possible for outbreaks of e.coli to become more frequent (it’s the stomach acid of cows fed corn diets) and general food safety (_Fast Food Nation_ will clear that one up) seem almost…not childish…but ignorant. This is not to pass judgement on the writer, but mentioned more as a realization of how little causal information is actually passed along through news articles: the reporting of the incident is filed as expected, but there is no deeper understanding of the issues and therefore no ability to assure or provide context.

I certainly do not feel assured by the FDA’s response to this matter, which, to paraphrase, amounts to “the meat isn’t dangerous because it’s already been eaten.” And I’m sure other people who aren’t as well read on food issues probably feel disconcerted or perhaps shocked by the footage and may not exactly feel confident in the FDA’s reaction either.

Time will tell if this is a seminal moment in society’s awareness of the roots of its food chain. Juxtaposing the sick cows being lifted with forklifts with the ground beef being packaged sure drove the point home to me. I think it is in some way the same realization that Michael Pollan had while slaughtering chickens, that the sanitized version of the beef patty or packaged chicken has its origins in a living animal. To often we forget this, and I could definitely see such footage either converting people into vegetarians or making them pickier about their food choices.