Horse...
Don't know how many read my blog outside the UK or know that in the last 3-4 weeks a story broke that when peple have been buying beef in the shops and sometimes eating out, they have been getting to a lesser or greater degree something extra...Horsemeat!
Originally the suggestion was that DNA from horses or pigs were to be found in beef products...
Probably this was just a case of the same machines handling one meat being processed not being cleaned as well as they might so there were traces from one animal being mixed with another.
Not unlike the warnings/information given on confectionery where they warn that the factory may have produced items that contain nuts so a product that should not have any in them, could have traces and if you have a nut allergy that could have serious consequences.
In this case it might have consequences more on moral grounds if you dislike certain meats or avoid them on religious or cultural ground so it is more a case of clear information not being given on the packet or container.
So Muslims and Jewish people probably have the most reasons to be angry or upset over this. Because again the story originally was about pork getting into other foods.
And in many parts of the world(even Europe)Horsemeat is eaten with no problems what so ever. And since the story broke many British interviewed/surveyed have said it does not bother them eating horse.
Perhaps this is a new market that could be tapped into...I understand that during the war Horsemeat was sold when other meat was in short supply. I am guessing it will have similarities to venison.
Well after all the politicians making their views known and the media getting stuck into the story often making the situation worse or lots of feeble jokes being made where references to horse could be included in the article and playing on words...
Tests have been carried out and though many more need to be done in the coming days...it would appear that overall the statistic of products containing Horse so far is 1%. So not excusing that it was wrong to have it included...
Just maybe it has not been going on for years as many fear and it was coming to an end naturally.
We await to see if it happened by accident or was done intentionally. Also whether "Big" crime was involved.
I would suggest it is more likely to happen in processed foods(that are produced inexpensively)so you might say go to a butcher or go to the meat counter in the supermarket and I suspect when you see Lamb, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Beef, that's what it will be. But we must not forget that many are struggling to survive on low wages, benefits and their incomes are getting lower and so some will have to look at cheap food.
Don't I know it!
So I probably have eaten Horse and may still have some in the freezer for all I know.
What I try to avoid and would like more information on the item is to avoid mechanically recovered meat, now that really is disgusting.
Then again due to cost and health reasons I eat very little meat these days and what I do is stretched to do more more meals and it really is a case of smaller portions and padding meals out with lots of fruit and vegetables. Not on religious or cultural grounds. And where possible though it is getting more difficult because more people are having to do so I try where possible to get better quality fish and meat by looking for offers or hoping I can time it just as the Supermarket dicides to Yellow Sticker something and reduce the item to a silly price which often means it should be used on the day or within 48 hours but I try to freeze it and make it last longer and sometimes ignore the date going by smell, the look and feel of it.
At least that way I get the chance to have better quality food for the amount that I would normally pay. Yesterday I found some sliced Pork worth £3.50 for £1.05 and had started to walk away from the area and I saw someone bringing more items, returned and got some cider ham worth roughly the same amount so though I spent around £2.50 in total, I saved approx £4.50 and I know I can get approx 4-5 meals or approx 16 sandwiches/rolls out of what I have purchased.
Another example is finding a Tuna steak in the past worth £7-£8 for under £1, even if I was flush for cash there is no way I would pay the normal price for one piece of Tuna. We didn't when Mum was alive and financially we were better off. Perhaps we should have.
I am harder up regarding staying warm and socialising, eating well and keeping a roof over my head and yet in many ways Mum missed out on so much compared to me. And I guess there are people having a worse time than me.
Having access to the internet 24/7 unlimited she could have watched more tv or listened to a greater choice of music than even I was able to supply when she was alive via the laptop. But back then I was paying more for dial up and I am for broadband. The killer is the cost of the phone line rental. As Mum paid that and now I have to add that into the equation.
But you can't change things.
Originally the suggestion was that DNA from horses or pigs were to be found in beef products...
Probably this was just a case of the same machines handling one meat being processed not being cleaned as well as they might so there were traces from one animal being mixed with another.
Not unlike the warnings/information given on confectionery where they warn that the factory may have produced items that contain nuts so a product that should not have any in them, could have traces and if you have a nut allergy that could have serious consequences.
In this case it might have consequences more on moral grounds if you dislike certain meats or avoid them on religious or cultural ground so it is more a case of clear information not being given on the packet or container.
So Muslims and Jewish people probably have the most reasons to be angry or upset over this. Because again the story originally was about pork getting into other foods.
And in many parts of the world(even Europe)Horsemeat is eaten with no problems what so ever. And since the story broke many British interviewed/surveyed have said it does not bother them eating horse.
Perhaps this is a new market that could be tapped into...I understand that during the war Horsemeat was sold when other meat was in short supply. I am guessing it will have similarities to venison.
Well after all the politicians making their views known and the media getting stuck into the story often making the situation worse or lots of feeble jokes being made where references to horse could be included in the article and playing on words...
Tests have been carried out and though many more need to be done in the coming days...it would appear that overall the statistic of products containing Horse so far is 1%. So not excusing that it was wrong to have it included...
Just maybe it has not been going on for years as many fear and it was coming to an end naturally.
We await to see if it happened by accident or was done intentionally. Also whether "Big" crime was involved.
I would suggest it is more likely to happen in processed foods(that are produced inexpensively)so you might say go to a butcher or go to the meat counter in the supermarket and I suspect when you see Lamb, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Beef, that's what it will be. But we must not forget that many are struggling to survive on low wages, benefits and their incomes are getting lower and so some will have to look at cheap food.
Don't I know it!
So I probably have eaten Horse and may still have some in the freezer for all I know.
What I try to avoid and would like more information on the item is to avoid mechanically recovered meat, now that really is disgusting.
Then again due to cost and health reasons I eat very little meat these days and what I do is stretched to do more more meals and it really is a case of smaller portions and padding meals out with lots of fruit and vegetables. Not on religious or cultural grounds. And where possible though it is getting more difficult because more people are having to do so I try where possible to get better quality fish and meat by looking for offers or hoping I can time it just as the Supermarket dicides to Yellow Sticker something and reduce the item to a silly price which often means it should be used on the day or within 48 hours but I try to freeze it and make it last longer and sometimes ignore the date going by smell, the look and feel of it.
At least that way I get the chance to have better quality food for the amount that I would normally pay. Yesterday I found some sliced Pork worth £3.50 for £1.05 and had started to walk away from the area and I saw someone bringing more items, returned and got some cider ham worth roughly the same amount so though I spent around £2.50 in total, I saved approx £4.50 and I know I can get approx 4-5 meals or approx 16 sandwiches/rolls out of what I have purchased.
Another example is finding a Tuna steak in the past worth £7-£8 for under £1, even if I was flush for cash there is no way I would pay the normal price for one piece of Tuna. We didn't when Mum was alive and financially we were better off. Perhaps we should have.
I am harder up regarding staying warm and socialising, eating well and keeping a roof over my head and yet in many ways Mum missed out on so much compared to me. And I guess there are people having a worse time than me.
Having access to the internet 24/7 unlimited she could have watched more tv or listened to a greater choice of music than even I was able to supply when she was alive via the laptop. But back then I was paying more for dial up and I am for broadband. The killer is the cost of the phone line rental. As Mum paid that and now I have to add that into the equation.
But you can't change things.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 6:52 pm
2 Comments:
It's like having goat in lamb curry...absolutely no problem at all. The only thing is the 'thought' and the fraudulent selling I suppose.
Thing is I'v always told people to lay off cheap frozen burgers and sausages, and ready meals, precisely because they are likely to contain stuff from abroad not raised under the same conditions (despite the reality too that many UK farms are still well below acceptable standards.
OK the meat story broke after I had started eating some beef again and the occasional ready meal because of my reduced income but as explained on health reasons and cost I try to stretch any meat over a few meals and pad things out using lots of vegetables.
But if I haven't already I think I could eat horse, even goat as you've mentioned it. I have lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, vennison, beef in the freezer and a variety of fish too.
Generally, I have avoided what I think is affected by the recent problems by either saving up for better quality items or swiping a bargain when they reduce something to silly prices.
But those bargains are pot luck and hitting the supermarket as they are released.
And I am not always successful. And the choice is often limited. I could do with visiting other supermarkets but the bus fares cancel out the savings.
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