From Farm to Fork, the Route of Beef Meat - Research Paper Example

From Farm to Fork, the Route of Beef Meat In 1910, the first statistics were released to monitor the average amount of beef that is consumed in America. Since then, American’s have been shown to consume an average of 57 pounds of beef each day. Various health professionals yearly to affirm that the cattle are ready for human consumption inspect millions of cattle. In 2009, statistics showed that beef meat is the second most popular food among the American people. This paper is a critical analysis of all the processes that before meat has to pass through before it is consumed. The paper covers the various inspections that the food has to pass through, the requirements for selling beef and some of the chemicals that humans might be exposed to on consuming beef meat. What are some of the processes that beef meat pass through all the way to the consumer? How cattle are raised Cattle start eating grass the very first day that they are born. They also drink their mother’s milk as well as water. During this time, many vaccinations have to be given to them to ensure that they do not get some infectious diseases as they grow. American health specialist John specifies that cattle can be given antibiotics during their raising stages either as a preventive or curative measure. However, he states that there has to be a given withdrawal period that the animal has to pass through before it can be slaughter. This ensures that the antibiotic given to the animal does not translate and move on to the consumer. In the past, very low percentage of antibiotics has been shown to translate to the consumer (Hodd 21). There are various hormones that are given to animals to promote their growth. Progesterone and testosterone are some of the hormones injected on animals to improve their growth. Most of the hormones used are used between 90 and 120 days after the birth of the cattle. The health safety board does not approve most combination of hormones. However, some of the hormones have no human intoxication and so they are not illegal to use. Slaughtering of the cattle The cattle are always slaughter in large numbers in slaughterhouses that are inspected by various health professionals to ensure that they have favorable conditions for consumer consumption. First, the slaughterhouse has to be clean and should not have any traces of harmful chemicals that are dangerous to consumers. In case one wants to slaughter the cattle alone, then the slaughter place has to be inspected. The slaughter also has to be clean and should not have any chemicals in him. He has to be medical examined and have a renewable certificate that proves that he is healthy and fit for this particular job. Medical examination certificates have to be renewed after each one year (Summer 78). Meat inspection Meat inspection is mandatory for any beef that is to be distributed to various consumers in the country. However, grading of the beef meat is voluntary but all the cattle have to be inspected before they are distributed. Meat is always inspected to ensure that the cattle are free from traces of drugs given to them before they can be slaughtered. In case the beef is found to contain elements of harmful drugs and hormones, the inspection officer immediately orders for the destruction of the meat to ensure that it does not reach the consumer. The health inspector has the responsibility of ensuring that the health of the consumer is protected. In case the food is inspected and it is found to be consumable, then it is allowed to move on to the next level of packaging. Packaging After the inspection, the meat is packed into plastic bags and containers that have to be inspected too. The American health association requires that the packaging material should leave nothing on the meat after it is unpackaged by the consumer. This ensures that nothing dangerous is transferred to the consumer. Once packed, the meat is transported to the consumer using trucks and other means of transport. During the packaging, it is important to remember that the meat is packed depending on its weight. The packaging starts from a quarter kilos all the way to more than 10 kilos. Some consumers however prefer to buy their meat directly from the butcher and so the meat is transported to various distributers from where they measure the weight directly to the consumer. However, the butcher has to be inspected every year by health professionals to ensure that they are fir for selling meat. The consumer is also expected to report any person who they feel is not fit for this job. During the packaging, the meat has to be labeled to guide the consumer during the buying process. Every meat packaged has to have the nutritional value that the meat will bring to the consumer. It is also important to note that any meat that is fresh is considered natural and so has to be known by the consumer. Anyone labeling meat that is not fresh as natural is committing an offence in which they can receive more than $10000 in fine for deceiving the consumer (Neumann 31). Safe handling of beef There are different safe ways of handling both raw and ready meat. For raw meat, remove the meat from the package after checking all the details of the meat. The packages are then disposed off correctly without having to dirty the environment. The meat should be kept in a cold place preferably a freezer before it is cooked. Defrosting meat is done in three ways. Using cold water, using the microwave, and using the refrigerator. Never ever, try to defrost meat at the counter. After the defrosting, the meat is then ready to be cooked and consumed. It is important to note that defrosting is only necessary when the meat has been stored for a long time and is frozen. Fresh meat does not need to be defrosted. Preparation Beef meat can be prepared using so many methods; Marinating Marinating is done in the refrigerator for more than 5 days. Marinade boil is used for brushing cooked beef. Any marinade that s left over is not used again rather it is discarded. Partial cooking Partial cooking is not recommended. You should never cook meat partially and then store it in the refrigerator for later cooking. This will not kill all the bacteria present in the food. Partial cooking is necessary when the meat is to be grilled. Safe cooking Beef can be cooked in as burgers, and or ground beef as well as other many beef products. It is recommended that the meat be cooked at a temperature of more than 160F. All organs have to be cooked. Raw meat should never be taken. Roasting is also possible with more than 140F. This also ensures that the meat is safe for consumption by killing all bacteria. Frying The meat can be fried, or it can be deep fried using oil or fat. This should however be carefully done to avoid any injury. While cooking, it is necessary to ensure safety. Serving The mat can be served with rice or bread. It can also be eaten in burgers and other beef products. Meat provides a lot of proteins to the consumer and is one of the most common source of proteins in the world. Work cited Beef Processing in Manitoba: Feasibility Analysis. Winnipeg: Manitoba, Economic Development Innitiatives Branch, 2004. Print. Beef Processing in Manitoba: Feasibility Analysis. Winnipeg: Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Economic Development Initiatives Branch, 2004. Print. Hodd, D E. Beef Processing and Marketing. Dublin: Irish Livestock and Meat Commission, 1971. Print. Neumann, A L, and Keith S. Lusby. Beef Cattle. New York: Wiley, 1986. Print. Sumner, John, and David Samulenok. Beef Processing: The Q.a. Approach. Castle Hill, N.S.W.: ECOLAB, 1992. Read More