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Title: | Tel Aviv problems is small potatoes by comparison | |||
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| Name: | * BEN JABO | | |||
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| City: | USA | State: | | ||
| From today`s Philadelphia Inquirer-- "Beef recall is largest in U.S. history Precaution over mad cow disease is the reason, but the 143 million pounds of meat from a California company is considered low-risk. By Alan Bjerga Bloomberg News WASHINGTON - A California company has recalled 143.4 million pounds of beef products that the Department of Agriculture said were unfit for human consumption. It is the largest meat recall in U.S. history. Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. of Chino is taking back all raw and frozen products it produced since Feb. 1, 2006, because the cattle didn`t receive complete and proper inspection, according to a department statement. The recall covers all beef products produced during the period in which the department found the company didn`t consistently contact it regarding its treatment of non-ambulatory "downer" cattle. A video taken at the plant released by the Humane Society of the United States shows workers kicking cows and using electric prods and forklifts to make them move. The acts are apparent violations of a 2003 prohibition on downer cattle from entering the food supply as a precaution against bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad-cow disease. "Non-ambulatory cattle are not allowed into the food supply," Richard Raymond, USDA undersecretary for food safety, said in a teleconference call. The recalled meat, 37 million pounds of which was distributed as nutrition aid, including to the federal school-lunch program, is considered a low risk to the food supply because nearly all of the meat has either been consumed or is being held from distribution, he said. Yesterday`s meat recall is more than four times the size of the second-largest ever, a 35-million-pound removal of Thorn Apple Valley Inc. ready-to-eat meats potentially contaminated with listeria in January 1999, Raymond said. Two Westland/Hallmark former employees were charged with animal cruelty by the San Bernardino District Attorney`s Office on Friday. The company ceased operations last month after the video was revealed. In a statement posted on the company`s Web site Feb. 3, Westland/Hallmark president Steve Mendell said the company was cooperating fully with the USDA. |
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