Health Law

NMA Responds to New York Times

By Bill Marler

From a NMA Press Release:

New York Times reporter Michael Moss, in a lengthy article, has questioned the technology developed and used by Beef Products, Inc. to ensure improved safety of beef and beef trimmings in today's publication. Beef Products, Inc is a long-time member of NMA.

The company's President, Eldon Roth, has developed technology to improve the safety of beef, and beef trimmings, over a span of more than 35 years, applying technology using ammonia, the basic refrigerant used in all major cold storage establishments in the food industry worldwide. The NYT story is a very limited, one-sided view of the technology.

The innovative technology developed by BPI is fully set forth on the company's website, and has been hugely effective in improving the safety of meat and meat trimmings. It has also been effective at reducing any pathogens that may be present to non-detectable levels by adjusting the alkalinity of the product. Pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella do not survive in an alkaline pH environment

Mr. Roth and his team are to be commended for their very substantial contributions to ensuring the safety of meat. They have done so openly, presented their research and technology for scrutiny by the USDA and other scientists, and have demonstrated through their back-up testing that the technology is working.

Dr. David Theno who was quoted in the NYT notes that the story failed to mention Mr. Roth's unwavering support for food safety initiatives, and that he has held his team at BPI to the highest standards possible for food safety.

NMA's Director Emeritus Rosemary Mucklow, who has known Mr. Roth for over 35 years, said: Eldon Roth has been a strong leader in finding new innovative ways to ensure meat safety. The technology he developed thirty years ago revolutionized the safety of raw materials with the effective application of refrigeration. He has never ceased to try to improve food safety, and he has done so with developmental genius and transparency. He is to be highly commended for his commitment.

National Meat Association is a non-profit trade association. Since 1946, NMA has represented meat packers and processors, equipment manufacturers and food suppliers who provide services to the meat industry. The association has members throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Australia and Mexico.

Full post as published by Food Poison Blog on December 31, 2009 (boomark / email).