Critics, including the inspectors union, say the change will benefit the industry while possibly endangering public health. Inspectors currently are required to visit each processing plant once a shift, including overtime runs. The department wants to switch to daily, random checks, starting in a year. It is no coincidence that this action comes on the heels of the government's recent legalization of food irradiation of raw meat such as ground beef, steaks and pork chops. Only days after the USDA announced their cut back decision the Sara Lee Corporation announced a recall of 34,500 pounds of Ball Park hot dogs after samples tested positive for the listeria bacterium.
Listeria can cause fever, headaches, nausea and neck stiffness.
It is most dangerous to children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. A listeria outbreak in 1998 that was linked to Sara Lee Corp.'s Bil Mar Foods plant in Michigan allegedly killed at least 15 people, sickened some 100 others and caused several miscarriages. Many corporate factory farms use dirty food handling practices that regularly contaminate meat with feces, urine, pus and other contaminants that spread disease. Rather than cleaning up these factories, the food industry and government have chosen a cheap, quick alternative in the form of irradiation. Beginning February 22, the USDA has permitted the irradiation of raw meat and meat products such as ground beef, steaks and pork chops.