From foodconsumer.org
California firm recalls 143 million pounds of beef due to possible health hazards
By Sue Mueller
Feb 18, 2008 - 9:42:18 AM
MONDAY FEB 18, 2008 (Foodconsumer.org) -- The U.S. Food safety and Inspection Services on Feb 17 issued a statement to alert the public that Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. based out of Chino, California is voluntarily recalling approximately 143,383,823 pounds of raw and frozen beef products due to potential health hazards.
Ed Schafer, Secretary of Agriculture, said in his own statement that there was evidence that "Hallmark/Westland did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian in situations in which cattle became non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection, which is not compliant with FSIS regulations.”
“Because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection FSIS has determined them to be unfit for human food and the company is conducting a recall," he added.
The underlying concern that triggered the recall is about the fact that non-ambulatory cows carry a higher risk of mad cow disease among others.
Downers - cows that are too old or too sick - often harbor risks such as infections and bovine spongiform encephalopathy or mad cow disease. It has been reported that most cases of mad cow disease occurred to downers.
In July 2007, the FSIS issued a rule that prohibits use of specified risk material for human food and requires that a case-by-case deposition must be made by an FSIS Public Health Veterinarian for every animal that becomes non-ambulatory disabled (downer) after passing pre-slaughter inspection.
Critics complained that the recall came too late fearing that most of the beef products being recalled may have already been consumed. The FSIS agreed, but it suggested that the government has three safeguards in position to protect food-borne diseases and the risk of the products subject to the recall is extremely low.
Keith Williams, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman, was cited by CNN as saying investigators have found no cases of illness related to consumption of the beef products subject to the recall.
But consumer advocates cautioned that it was too early to feel easy about it because it would take at least months for mad cow disease to develop symptoms in humans.
The recall came after the USDA agency determined the beef being recalled was unfit for human consumption because the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection.
Earlier on Jan 30, 2008, the Humane Society of the United States released a secretly taped video showing that the company employees kicked cows, jabbed them near their eyes and rammed them with a forklift or shoot high pressure water up their noses in an effort to force non-ambulatory or downer cows to stand on their own feet to pass the USDA inspection.
The video triggered the FSIS to investigate the allegations that sick cows were processed into beef and therefore the risky beef may have gotten into food chain through government-channeled programs such as the federal school lunch program.
The video showed at least one downer was forced into the slaughter box.
The FSIS said in its recall statement that the inspection was occasionally incomplete during the past two years, prompting the met packer to recall beef products produced between Feb. 1, 2006 and Feb 2, 2008.
CNN cited Dick Raymond, undersecretary of agriculture for food safety, as saying that the average age of the cattle involved in the case is 5 to 7 years, meaning most of cows were probably born long after 1997 when a ban was imposed on a type of cattle feed suspected to cause the disease.
The feed ban was believed to be the primary safeguard against spreading of mad cow disease, but a similar ban in Canada did not seem to be effective enough. After all, the scientific community has not come to a solid conclusion about what exactly causes the fatal disease.
The shocking video has quickly prompted more than 100 school districts nationwide to withdraw beef obtained through the school lunch program. Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company was said to be the second largest meat provider for the program.
Since Jan 30, USDA has had an administrative hold on all products from the company in all of these outlets including in the National School Lunch Program, according to Schafer. All Federal food and nutrition program contracts with the company were also being suspended.
Schafer also said USDA had suspended operations of Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company until the company corrects its practice.
The whole incident has also lead to firing of two employees who were identified as the ones who mistreated downers. Daniel Ugarte Navarro, 49, the slaughterhouse manager faces up to eight years and eight months in prison if convicted of the five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanor charges of illegal movement of downers. Luis Sanchez, 32, who worked as Navarro's assistant for the plant for a few years faces up to three years in prison if convicted of three misdemeanor counts.
The recall will remove beef products destined for the Federal food assistance programs, including the National School Lunch Program from schools and other holding facilities and destroyed, the FSIS said in its announcement.
The products subject to this recall were sent to wholesale distributors nationwide in bulk packages and are not available for direct purchases by consumers. All recalled products bear the established number "EST.336" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The recall dates from Feb. 1, 2006 to Feb 2, 2008.
Fore more information, read the following:
Statement by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer Regarding Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company Two Year Product Recall
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS HALLMARK/WESTLAND MEAT PACKING CO.
Transcript of Technical Briefing Regarding Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company Two Year Product Recall
California Firm Recalls Beef Products Derived from Non-Ambulatory Cattle without the Benefit of Proper Inspection