Images for Pink Slime, industrial waste= YUCK

Images for Pink Slime, industrial waste= YUCK

Plastic, Plastic, Everywhere, Everywhere Plastic-Drink to Your Health?

Notice the plastic top on the  glass milk bottle.

Have you ever noticed how a re-used water bottle becomes brittle over time? That is because the phthalates have leached out of it - and you have drunk them.

Have you Been Poisoned by Plastic? 

It’s all around us, and it’s poisoning us. Scaremongering, or the truth?

Research has shown that harmful compounds can leach from plastics into the food and drinks that we consume Chemicals in water bottles and food packaging have been linked to infertility and birth defects.

One problem is; that most of us are utterly complacent or even totally ignorant. Like sheep, following the good shepherd right into the slaughterhouse; many of us have long come to trust, implicitly, the commercial food industry and that our government??? actually tries, or is, to capable of, should they ever do so; set safe health wise standards. We’ve all, well most all; come to take plastics so much for granted that we just assume they’re safe. Well, they aren’t!

So, what exactly are these people learning? And, should you follow their example?

The answer is, not much. And, hardly.

For example, a 33-year-old former lawyer who gave up the profession to launch Bare Skin Beauty, her own brand of organic cosmetics, earlier this year; she is one of a growing number of people who actually believes they are turning their backs on plastic bottles, plastic-lined tin cans and anything edible that comes in plastic packaging.
She, and many more like her, have these beliefs because they have all failed to recognise much of the plastic packaging; or, exactly, what, all, is commonly packaged in plastics. The reality is, if you want to avoid biphenyl-a and phthalates is that you probably can’t.

• People, humans, are probably the item most commonly packaged in layers of plastic.
• Plastics are all around us, in compact discs, car parts, carpets, cell phones, the fabrics used in most clothing, computers, cosmetics, key-boards, floor tiles, beds, upholstery - the list is endless.

• "Paper" cups, for hot beverages  all contain plastic.
• Processors all pack soft fruits and vegetables in plastic insulation, to avoid bruising.
• "Butcher" paper has a film of plastic on one side, in order to make it moisture proof,
• All candy wrappers and snack food bags contain plastic.
• One thing you should notice, on a walk through the the Bulk Foods aisle of you favourite supermarket--all the bulk containers are plastic--it does not matter, in the least, what the purchaser decides to put them in, these food products have all been exposed to plastics, numerous times. 

Fortunately, during the past five years, public awareness has slowly very slowly, grown over concerns about compounds in some plastic bottles, food containers, and, some, food packaging. The compounds on which most concerns have focused are biphenyl-a (commonly known, mostly in North America as BPA), which is used in tough polycarbonate products, and in epoxy resins that line rarely “tin” usually galvanised or aluminium cans, and a group of plastic softeners called phthalates.

Research has shown that these compounds can and do leach from plastics into the food (including all “fresh” and highly processed-like ground meat/hamburger) meats now sold in North American Supermarkets, and all the drinks (soft, hard, milk, juice, and bottled water; that we consume - more so if they are heated to high temperatures; which should raise additional concerns not about the kinds of plastics that are used as containers in microwave ovens but freezer/oven braising bags as well.

So prevalent is biphenyl that tests by the United States of the Americas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004 found it in 93 per cent 93% of urine samples taken from a group of 2,517 people.

Furthermore, a landmark report on biphenyl-a published in 2008 by the United states of the Americas National Toxicology Program concluded that there were concerns over biphenyl-a’s effects on the brain, behaviour and prostate gland development in foetuses, infants and children. It also found that because of the ratio of body weight to exposure, the highest estimated daily intake of Bisphenol A in the general population occurs in infants and children. This is because if a man of 180lb and an infant weighing 20lb ingested 5mg, the infant would have taken in more of the substance than the man, relative to their size.

Such concerns also extend to phthalates - there are 25 different kinds and several are already banned in children’s toys in the European Union/United Kingdom and for certain types of food packaging. Laboratory tests on rats and mice have found that some male offspring of females exposed to phthalates suffered birth defects and sexual development problems; but, so far, when larger mammals (man, as with meat packaging and “real meat” added by-products ‘pink slime’) were tested, the results could not be duplicated. One fact has been proven in tests in several developed countries, including Denmark and Israel, is that male fertility rates have fallen by about a half and rates of testicular cancer have soared since the use of plastics became widespread after World War II. Is this a coincidence, or cause and effect?

Breast Cancer, United Kingdom, believes something is clearly wrong. It was at the forefront of a successful campaign to have baby-feeding bottles containing biphenyl-a banned in the European Union this year. Now it wants the ban extended. 

Minuscule amounts can make an impact and many studies have found evidence that they affect the development of foetuses in the womb.

Scientists say that environmental oestrogen can act as an “endocrine disrupter”, which means it can affect sexual development, leading to breast, prostate and testicular cancer, reduced levels of fertility, and undescended testes. In polluted rivers, it has lead to fish and mollusks actually changing sex from male to female. The problem is that not all studies have found evidence of this.

Over the past few decades an estimated $300 million has been spent on research; resulting in the publication of more than 5,000 papers. The Food Industry, most Government

Bureaucracy, and, Many Research Scientists; are still arguing, over whether or not it is harmful. For the government’s National Cancer; or any other, Plan to be effective, ministers must look beyond lifestyle choices as the cause of soaring cancer rates and consider our routine exposure to chemicals and/or other potentially harmful substances.

If you see plastic that is soft and pliable, then it is because of phthalates. Have you ever noticed how a re-used water bottle becomes brittle over time? That is because the phthalates have leached out of it - and you have drunk them.

Of course, the food processing and chemicals/plastics industries say time has proven that their products are safe; after all just as no one has yet reported dyeing from Canadian E- coli contaminated foods; no one has reported dyeing from plastic poisoning. The British Plastics Federation says: biphenyl-a and phthalates have been the subject of extensive scientific testing and governmental reviews worldwide. “Based on the overwhelming weight of evidence, these assessments have consistently concluded that human exposure levels to both compounds are low and within the safe limits set by government authorities”.

At present, the only real recourse; we could avoid all commercially processed and packaged meals, tinned food and canned drinks. We could use only fresh (home grown, build a large, green house, farmers and commercial packers all use plastic packaging) produce and freshly squeezed(using ceramic, glass, or stainless steel)fruit juice instead. Lastly, we could fire all existing governments and then hire competent people, willing to actually DO the job they were hired to do (thus avoiding the huge cost of elections) - regardless of whether the dangers of plastic containers are real or imagined, these solutions could or can only do us all some real indisputable- no need for further research or scams-good.© Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved

Canada’s food safety watchdog orders fourth E. coli beef recall this month.

However, there are NO REPORTED illnesses(THAT IS, EXCEPT FOR THE NINE CASES REPORTED IN ONTARIO, PLUS; THOSE THAT OCCURRED IN OTHER PROVINCES) from the ground beef, the CFIA said. The E. coli was detected by tests done by Canadian inspectors within a shipment of 6,350 kilograms of beef imported from the U.S.

Port Coquitlam family says Eagle Ridge Hospital misdiagnosis almost took their son’s life

http://www.al-alex-alexander-girvan.com/2013/10/october-22-2013-729-pm-canadas-food.html

Processed Meat, Early Death Link

All HIGHLY PROCESSED MEATS, including bacon, ham, luncheon, sausage, ALL MEAT COUNTER CUTS linked to cancer, heart disease, early death.

2013-02-19 – HEALTH HAZARD ALERT: Two of Canada's largest grocers have once again announced nationwide food recalls.

2013-02-19 – HEALTH HAZARD

MANY CANADIAN FOOD PRODUCTS

SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMED, OR 

EVEN TAKEN INTERNALLY.

ALERT: Two of Canada's largest grocers 

have once again announced nationwide food 

recalls.

Canada Safeway is recalling certain frozen beef burgers that may be contaminated with E. coli. They are under their in-store Gourmet Meat Shoppe and Butcher's Cut brands, and were distributed to their stores throughout Western Canada.

The affected products have a best before date of August 14th.

Meanwhile Loblaw’s, who operate stores including Superstore, Extra Foods and Wholesale Club, is advising customers not to eat President's Choice White Corn Black Bean Salsa, or PC Salsa Mild, because they may both contain pieces of plastic.

More information on this; just the latest of the many meat recalls since 1995, is available online at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's website.

Canada-wide Beef Recall Expands for 6th time-Supposedly, Canada-wide Beef Recall Expands for ONLY the 6th Time.

Hey people, the problems with Canada's food safety are not new, existing long before 2009, free trade or the global market. Instead of the situation improving, we are regressing-going backwards. Economic growth-when and where there is such a thing that is not simply very dangerous inflation-does not; or, should not; mean reducing standards; nor should it be based on greed. Many of us, including myself, object strongly to government interference where it doesn't belong; but it's high time the government quits the political lying and starts to do at least a some small part of the job they were put in power for and are expected to do-which is not to go on a six month long, tax funded, holiday; every six months-but to look after the health,welfare, and well being of the State; the STATE being all Canadians.

Federal recall now affecting 210 beef products produced in Alberta

CBC News 

Posted: Sep 24, 2012 9:00 PM ET 

Last Updated: Sep 24, 2012 8:55 PM ET

"The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has again expanded its recall of made-in-Alberta beef, bringing 210 products under a newly widened health alert issued over fears of E. coli contamination.

The federal recall affects meat produced at X-L Foods in Brooks. The agency's latest update is the sixth such recall expansion on the range of ground beef products since the original notice was issued eight days ago.

Over the weekend, the health alert was broadened to include medium ground beef sold at Alberta Wal-Mart stores".

I'm sure you have read, or at least seen, this official 2012, news release before; but did you even see any of these others? 

Meat recalls 2009: 

People should avoid eating certain Presidents Choice ground beef, steaks, and other meat cuts.                        

 Yet another meat call:

It would be very difficult indeed to "ROAST" the above meat cut; but, just possibly, if you were to exhibit enough perseverance and did not add any additional water; you might be able to, eventually, braise most of the"CRAP" out of it. 

Typically, until now, hamburger has been the source of E coli contamination in Canada, but cases in which people are getting sick from steaks or roasting cuts should serve as your wakeup call.

Strictly the result of North American greed, E coli is now being, deliberately, injected or pushed into your meat products. 
Pushing pathogens into meat makes it harder to kill the bacteria through cooking, harder to test for it on the meat packing floor and easier for the bacteria to multiply, by creating more perfect conditions; but it also allows the non caring, unscrupulousness, money hungry, marketers to scrape every cent of profit off the floor.
If you are planning on eating any type of mass market produced beef, fish, poultry, pork lamb, mutton, or veal, make sure it is cooked-at the very minimum-to well done-preferably charred to a cinder- and then –to be perfectly safe-instead of eating, throw it in the garbage. Canadian Meat products should not be taken internally-according to government policy-you do so at your own risk.

Rick Holley, a food scientist and microbiologist at the University of Manitoba, found that through the process of "mechanical tenderization" 10 percent of bacteria and other contaminants from the surface was forced into the centre of the meat. One may think of this process as producing  one piece hamburger. But pathogens on the surface of the meat doesn't only contaminate the meat-it is also spread to the needles or blades on a tenderizing machine. "It  can be almost impossible to properly clean the machines, which can then spread E coli to other pieces of meat that are processed and tenderized. 
Bottom line: no more medium rare, no more rare, and certainly no Steak Tartar or Steak American.
That’s basically the extent of concern shown and the advice given, in a Health Canada in a release entitled Information for Canadians on cooking mechanically tenderized/flavoured meat.

Oct 28 2012, the latest instance of E. coli contamination in Canadian produced meat products has sickened 16 people but, very luckily and thankfully, there have, so far, been no linked deaths. Obviously, when compared with say asbestos contamination, this chronic, long term, threat to public health and safety is not the most lethal we have ever faced-at least not yet-but give the governments, marketers, politicians and producers the same time as was allowed for asbestos and tobacco and that can still change (these people now want to legalize marijuana). So far the “official” response to tainted meats and other foods has been that kind of stupid buffoonery “doesn’t worry, be happy, we're making good money”. We have a federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Business repeatedly expressing his concern for XL Foods, the cattle industry, and the economy of Brooks Alberta. But he has been all but silent on those who have been sickened an on the safety of consumers.

Our political leaders-federal and provincial can't seem to associate, or visualize a connection between sickness, possibly even death caused by contamination and rising cost of Health Care. They seem to believe that food safety is solely the responsibility of individual Canadians, and it is very troubling that they are using public agencies to deliver this wrong-headed- possibly criminal- message.

A press release from Health Canada is a prime example. I published my first article on this subject in 2009; yet this is the first acknowledgement-however backhanded it is-that the SOURCE of the problem at XL Foods and other facilities can be found in government action, policy or lack thereof.

XL Foods was using mechanical meat tenderizers (somewhat similar to the machines used to produce commercial “Minute Steaks” but with longer steel blades and needles). These machines not only pound the crap (fibre and connective tissue) out of meat to make it tenderer but also inject water, pink slime and other ”real crap” in. Alberta Health Services had previously “suggested” that tenderization of steaks and roasting cuts at Costco stores in Alberta may have factored in the E. coli illnesses. Management of the meat plant in Brooks Alberta has since been taken over by JBS USA a subsidiary of a Brazilian company. The company has not yet decided if it will exercise its option to buy the plant.

Normally, pathogens such as E coli would remain on the meats outer surface (one reason that Steak Tartar and so called Steak American were formerly quite safe to consume)and be killed by cooking, even if you like your steak rare-as I do-partly because “over cooking” destroys many of the natural nutritional benefits.Consumers should not have to cook their meat to death to kill E coli any more than they should be responsible for pasteurizing their own dairy products or boiling their tap water before drinking. Of course, it’s almost impossible to distinguish, just by looking, which meat products have been tenderized or flavoured; because after the meat has been treated the tiny holes seal up and disappear. However, Health f Canada says the process of mechanically tenderising meat is a “very common practice” “could be 50 percent of all meat produced and is used by suppliers, retailers, and restaurants “to improve the tenderness flavour and nutrition of cooked beef.

 MORE RELATED TO THIS STORY:

http://thegirvanway.blogspot.ca/2012/03/yet-another-recall-of-hamburger.html

http://al-alex-alexander-d-girvan.blogspot.ca/2009/09/unacceptable-year-after-listeriosis-our.html

http://al-alex-alexander-d-girvan.blogspot.ca/2009/09/consumers-should-avoid-eating-certain.html

http://cookingcanadianstyle.blogspot.ca/2010/04/how-might-we-eliminate-this-problem-of.html

http://al-alex-alexander-girvan.blogspot.ca/2012/06/why-is-pre-packaged-ground-beef-bright.html

http://al-alex-alexander-d-girvan.blogspot.ca/2011/08/characteristics-of-meat.html

http://al-alex-alexander-girvan.blogspot.ca/2011/04/new-prime-rib-burgers-widely-advertised.html

http://al-alex-alexander-d-girvan.blogspot.ca/2011/08/what-is-beef.html
When It Comes To Meat, And Other Food, Safety For Canadians, Why Does Ottawa And The Provincial Governments Let Us Fend For Ourselves?
Why do Canadians continue to allow these-so called- governments and the elected politicians there in, to to collect highly inflated salaries, in compensation carrying out and performing in a timely fashion; functions they are are not capable of or because of a conflict of career and/or financial interest, refuse to do? 

©Al (Alex, Alexander) D. Girvan, 2012- All rights reserved

YET ANOTHER RECALL OF HAMBURGER PRODUCTS, DUE TO E-COLI CONTAMINATION.

Published on 20/03/2012, this time, the batch number is 761. If you have any hamburger products with this number on the label, they should be thrown out. This all boils down to violation of The Mother's Laws: you can not add "pink slime", or similar product, plus water; then run ANY animal or vegetable matter through a grinder three times;  ship it from one country, or province, into another, pass it, again, through a grinding machine(the fluffing process now used in supermarkets)and expect that it will not become contaminated; something our government(which claims to be so very concerned over rising health care costs), and our mostly U.S. of A. based supermarkets  can't  seem to get through their heads. It's high time our government politicians, and bureaucrats start actually doing, at least some, small part, of the job, they have made themselves so highly over paid to be doing.
AND, YET ANOTHER RECALL-NOTICE THE DATE: