Dr. Don Huber is an expert in an area of science that relates to the toxicity of genetically engineered (GE) foods.

(Alternative terms for GE foods include genetically modified (GM), or “GMO” for genetically modified organism.)

His specific areas of training include soil-borne diseases, microbial ecology, and host-parasite relationships.

Dr. Huber also taught plant pathology, soil microbiology, and micro-ecological interactions as they relate to plant disease as a staff Professor at Purdue University for 35 years.

In part one of this interview, Dr. Huber discussed the shocking discovery of a brand new organism in genetically engineered (GE) crops—an organism that has been clearly linked to infertility and miscarriage in cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and poultry that are raised on GE feed.

In part one we began the discussion on the hazards of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup, and its contribution to a new phenomenon referred to as “Sudden Death Syndrome” (SDS).

Here, we continue the discussion on glyphosate.

The “Biodegradable” Weed Killer that Wasn’t…

The public’s appreciation of the toxicity of glyphosate is rather limited. The fact that Monsanto marketed Roundup as “environmentally friendly” and “biodegradable” may have quite a bit to do with this general lack of insight. (In 2009, a French court upheld two earlier convictions against Monsanto for false advertising.)

Glyphosate is actually, in many ways, similar to DDT, which is known to cause reproductive problems among other things.

“There are some similarities,” Dr. Huber says. “… I am familiar with DDT, and the fact that it’s a very difficult compound to degrade. It’s biologically degraded primarily by a process we call co-metabolism… [T]here are very few organisms that can utilize this as a direct nutrient source.

There are a few organisms that can utilize glyphosate as a direct nutrient source, but again, most of the degradation appears to be by co-metabolism. In other words, an organism just happens to produce the extracellular enzymes that will degrade it, rather than the organism really getting any benefit from it.”

Glyphosate Persists in Soil, and Promotes Disease-Causing Pathogens

According to Dr. Huber, glyphosate can accumulate and persist in the soil for years. Persistence is determined by biological activity, soil PH, clay content, and how firmly it’s sequestered or absorbed in the soil. This is bad news, because glyphosate not only decimates beneficial microorganisms in the soil essential for proper plant function and high quality nutrition, it also promotes the proliferation of disease-causing pathogens.

“The organisms that are stimulated are the pathogens,” Dr. Huber says. “…all of the natural biological control organisms are very sensitive to that concentration of glyphosate. What we see with the fusaria, which causes sudden death syndrome in soybeans, is that it can be stimulated by glyphosate… so we find [up to] 500 percent increase in root colonization by this fungus. It’s a very serious pathogen, not only on soybeans. Fusaria on most of our crops is a major disease organism that we have to deal with.”

This 500 percent increase in root colonization of the fusaria fungus occurs even on Roundup-ready crops, because the technology does not ‘cancel out’ the effects of the glyphosate in the plant in any way.

“All it does is make it possible for that plant to survive and to accumulate more glyphosate. We still change the soil ecology, microbial ecology, and… our intestinal microbiology.”

To quickly recap what we discussed in part one of this interview, while glyphosate promotes the growth of more virulent pathogens, it also kills off beneficial bacteria that might keep such pathogens in check—in the soil, and in the gut of animals or humans that ingest the crop.

“[W]ith glyphosate, we also see an additional stimulation of virulence, so we see increased ability to cause disease, as well as the loss of the natural biological controls,” Dr. Huber says.

It’s important to understand that the glyphosate actually becomes systemic throughout the plant, so it cannot be washed off. It’s inside the plant. And once you eat it, it ends up in your gut where it can wreak total havoc with your health, considering the fact that 80 percent of your immune system resides there and is dependent on a healthy ratio of good and bad bacteria.

Glyphosate—The Most Abused Chemical in the History of Man

Interestingly enough, when asked which toxin he would prefer to use if he had to make a choice between two evils, Dr. Huber says he’d take DDT over glyphosate any day.

“A lot of these materials can have a very beneficial use. I’m certainly not anti-chemical. But we have to use some common sense. What we have with glyphosate is the most abused chemical we have ever had in the history of man,” he says.

“… When future historians write about our time, they’re not going to write about the tons of chemicals that we did or didn’t apply. When it comes to glyphosate, they’re going to write about our willingness to sacrifice our children and jeopardize our existence, while threatening and jeopardizing the very basis of our existence; the sustainability of our agriculture.” … It doesn’t mean that it’s not reversible… But it means that we need to recognize what the concerns are, what’s happening, and then we need to change.”

According to Dr. Huber, we’re now seeing the results of a massive experiment based on flawed science and failed promises. We jumped in without the basic understanding of what these products do, and this was done just to support the bottom line of a few large companies, such as Monsanto. That’s madness!

Assumptions, Presumptions, and Flawed Science—All Potentially Deadly

As explained in part one of this interview, glyphosate is a strong chelator, meaning it immobilizes critical micronutrients, rendering them unavailable to the plant. As a result, the nutritional efficiency of genetically engineered (GE) plants is profoundly compromised. Micronutrients such as iron, manganese and zinc can be reduced by as much as 80-90 percent in GE plants.

Didn’t anyone know this could happen? Part of the problem goes back to the fact that Monsanto’s scientists were really only looking for a mechanism that would kill weeds. That’s what happens when you assume and refuse to double-check your assumptions…

“As I read some of the early documents, it stated that it ‘inhibits the EPSPs enzyme. Actual herbicide mode of action unknown.’” Dr. Huber says. “In 1984, it was very well-documented that the way it kills weeds and plants is by compromising the defense mechanisms, making them very susceptible to these soil borne organisms… It’s a debilitating type of situation, more like AIDS than a direct killer…

Also, since humans and animals don’t have the shikimate pathway, it was assumed that this is a pathway that exists only in plants and microorganisms. Therefore, it’s going to be safe for us. It was also assumed that the foreign proteins – whether it’s BT; the protein from glyphosate; that new EPSPs gene from the Agrobacterium – would readily be degraded in the gut… It’s a flawed science.”

The Unfulfilled Promises of Genetically Engineered Crops

The situation is equally disturbing with respects to the genetic engineering of the crop itself. Many experts have admitted that we really do not yet understand genetics enough to dabble in this way and release it into the wild. Because what we do know is that when you insert a foreign gene, you alter not just one feature—you’re altering multiple things, and you can end up with some highly unpredictable and unforeseeable results.

Most of the biotech industry’s promises have turned out to be false with respect to genetically engineered (GE) foods. For example:

GE crops are supposed to be more drought resistant, but the opposite turns out to be true. Says Dr. Huber:

“It takes twice as much water to produce a pound of a Roundup-ready crop soybean plant treated with glyphosate, as it does with soybean plant that’s not treated with glyphosate.”
GE crops are supposed to be nutritionally “better” or at the very least “equivalent” to conventional foods, but they’re not. On the contrary, they’re nutritionally inferior due to glyphosate’s chelating mechanism, which blocks absorption of micronutrients. GE crops contain about 50 percent less manganese, and up to 70 percent less zinc. They also contain less copper, iron and magnesium, just to name a few. This affects the overall health of the plant, and its reproductive ability, and when you eat this nutritionally inferior food, you’re not getting the micronutrients your body needs for proper function either. All animal products are similarly affected when raised on GE soy- or corn feed.

Has it Gone Too Far, or is There Still Time to Turn it All Around?

Glyphosate was first introduced as a weed killer in 1974, prior to the introduction of genetically modified crops. According to Dr. Huber, it has been so overused for the past 30 years that many essential soil organisms have been eradicated.

“Typically… when we would apply an herbicide, we would tell our growers, “You rotate the chemistry, just like you rotate the crop.” Therefore, when you had an effect on a specific group of organisms, you have an opportunity for nature to rebalance and to reestablish that beneficial and functional relationship. We haven’t done that with glyphosate. We just continually hammered for 30 years in one direction on those beneficial organisms… They no longer exist in the environment! We see that we have to start adding them now in order to increase crop productivity and nutritional value.

Dr. Huber has spent about 20 years researching how to remediate the damage caused by glyphosate. Fortunately, Dr. Huber believes we can turn it all around, but we MUST make changes. We cannot keep going the way we are.

“We have to start looking now at mineral supplementations and seed treatments,” Dr. Huber says, “because our soil biology isn’t going to provide it. The whole system has changed. If we want to change it for the better, we have to recognize what that change is and be willing to change again to compensate or to rectify.”

If we continue in the same direction, dousing our crops with ever increasing amounts of glyphosate, we will soon start seeing the same effect on human health as Dr. Huber is seeing in plants and animals. In fact, we may already be seeing the effects of the genetically engineered diet.

“… [W]e’re just starting to see the impact on reproductive fertility,” he says. “Also the disease potential… You can hardly pick up the paper anymore without seeing that a human disease is involved… We had to recall 20 percent of our total egg production here last year or early this year because of salmonella.

You have to say, “What’s changed?”

The newspaper said that when they looked at the egg-producing facilities “they had chicken manure and they had rodent droppings.” … I have never seen a chicken coup that didn’t have chicken drop. They have manure. Any time you have feed, even with three or four cats around and whatnot, you’re going to have some rodents. That’s NOT the reason.”

Glyphosate May Play a Key Role in Deteriorating Food Safety

Dr. Huber goes on to discuss a German paper that shows certain pathogens such as E. coli and some others have a high tolerance for glyphosate compared to their natural biological controls. What this means is that it may not be the presence or absence of pathogens per se that determines the safety of our food supply, but rather the presence or absence of the natural control organisms, which are effectively destroyed by glyphosate.

“Salmonella, Clostridium, and a lot of these disease organisms are ubiquitous. They’re everywhere. Our health is dependent on keeping them in check,” Dr. Huber warns.

This is truly important in light of the ongoing war against organically-grown foods, which are often targeted first, when there’s an outbreak of foodborne illness. If we can educate those in charge about this, then they would perhaps begin to understand why organic foods are FAR LESS inclined to be the culprit, because the beneficial soil bacteria present in organically farmed lands—as they do not use glyphosate or other chemicals on their fields—actually hinders pathogens in and on the food from multiplying out of control.

“If we’re eliminating that check, either through residues in our food or through direct impact in our environment, we’re going to continue to see what we’re seeing today. Look at Alzheimer’s, thyroid problems, autism, Parkinson’s – any of those diseases that have a tie with either the endocrine system or the nutrient availability—we’re going to see those increase.”

Are Genetically Engineered Foods Affecting Your Mood and Behavior?

Dr. Huber recently spent some time in Australia, where he had the opportunity to review an ongoing study into genetically engineered foods.

“It’s a continuation of a study that was conducted in Iowa with pigs and cattle. The [Australians] are doing it with mice so that they can define what the toxins are… They’re using these one or two-pound, big, white rats that some people call pet rats… You can reach in to the non-GMO-fed rat cage and pull one out. Put it on your lap and it can be patted just like a cat.

But try and reach in to the cage where the rats are being fed the genetically engineered feed. Here they have limited it to one [rat per cage]. The rats are irritated. They don’t get along together. They always go off into their own little world. They do backflips. They crawl up and run around the cage. They can’t get any peace; can’t settle down. That is very typical of what you’d see with autism. Then you start looking and say, “Well, are there any other similarities?”

Dr. Huber also recently met with a doctor in Germany who specializes in working with autistic children. Interestingly, there appear to be many correlations between the rats fed genetically modified feed and autistic children.

“[When] you look at the stomachs of the GMO-fed [animals], they have all of the severe allergy responses, the inflammation and the reddening… When they looked at the intestine, they said that the intestinal lining is deteriorating… The smell of the intestinal contents is very rank. The biology has been drastically changed.

This [German] doctor said, “That’s exactly what we’re seeing with our children with autism.

We need more research, but certainly, the indicators are there. The research up until very recently hasn’t been done, and those who wanted to do it have been prohibited from publishing, or from doing that research. We see those that have dared to come out and raised some concerns have been very severely impacted professionally, as well as in their own personal lives, in that persecution that they’ve had to endure.

We’ve got to change.

We’ve got to recognize that what we have now isn’t normal. We got to get back to safe, sufficient, and sustainable production and health for our agriculture community, if we’re going to be healthy in that process also.”

Food Serving Size Vitamin K (%)
Fresh Parsley 2 tbsps 153.9
Kale (boiled) 1 cup 1327.6
Spinach (boiled) 1 cup 1110.6
Turnip Greens (boiled) 1 cup 661.7
Swiss Chard (boiled) 1 cup 716
Collard Greens (boiled) 1 cup 880
Romaine Lettuce 2 cups 143.5
Brussel Sprouts (boiled) 1 cup 273.5
Broccoli (steamed) 1 cup 194
Cabbage (boiled) 1 cup 91.7
Asparagus (boiled) 1 cup 114.8
Celery (raw) 1 cup 44.1
Green Beans (boiled) 1 cup 25
Cauliflower (boiled) 1 cup 14
Green Peas (boiled) 1 cup 51.8
Soybeans (cooked) 1 cup 41.3
Pumpkin Seeds .25 cup 22.2
2% Milk 1 cup 12.2
Kidney Beans 1 cup 18.6

Now, if you are ever on a blood thinner, some of them require a diet that does not allow a lot of Vitamin K. The problem with that is some people later in life have experienced bone problems and memory problems. The FDA won’t tell you this. You have to remember the FDA is corrupt and if it is natural it cannot be good for you, that is the thinking of this corrupt agency. I winder how healthy we would be if we didn’t have the FDA….

Manning Beef, LLC, a Pico Rivera, Calif. establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 80,000 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following products are subject to recall:

Combo bins of BroPack Inc Beef Manufacturing Trimmings “65/35, 50/50 or 85/15″ produced on Sept. 23, 2011.
Combo bins of Paso Prime Beef Manufacturing Trimmings “65/35, 50/50 or 85/15″ produced on Sept. 23, 2011.
30 and 60 lb. boxes of primal cuts, subprimal cuts and boxed beef produced on Sept. 23, 2011.

The establishment is recalling a variety of beef primal and subprimal cuts (such as top round and tri tip) and manufacturing trimmings due, in part, to insanitary conditions as reflected by an unusually high number of confirmed positive E. coli O157:H7 test results conducted by the establishment on the manufacturing trimmings. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS’ website at www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/
Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp. FSIS and the company are not aware of any illnesses in association with these products.

PREPARING GROUND BEEF FOR SAFE CONSUMPTION

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit
www.fsis.usda.gov

Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked.

Consumers should only eat ground beef or ground beef patties that have been cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160° F.

Color is NOT a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7.

The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

Each box bears “EST. # 934″ on the product label. These beef products were produced on Sept. 23 and were shipped to retail establishments and food service centers in Ariz. and Calif. and to another federally regulated establishment in Neb. These products were destined for further processing and will likely not bear “EST. 934″ on products available for direct consumer purchase.

E. coli O157:H7 is a bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

Consumers or media with questions regarding the recall should contact the company’s Quality Assurance Manager, Daniel Bové at (909) 689-9875 or Breanna Ortega, HACCP Coordinator at (714) 488-8123.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

1/4 c butter
1/2 c sugar
4 eggs (to be seperated)
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 c water
1/4 c almonds or walnut
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 c flour

Cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg yolks which have been beaten until thick and light-colored. Add water and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and cut and fold into first mixture. Spread in two shallow pans.
Cover dough with egg whites which have been added 3/4 cup sugar. Sprinkle top with finely chopped almonds or walnuts. Bake in moderate oven (350 F) for 45 minutes.

Like any parent, the dad says in the television commercial, he was concerned about high fructose corn syrup. But medical and nutrition experts reassured him that in essence, it’s the same as cane sugar.

“Your body can’t tell the difference,” he says. “Sugar is sugar.”

That key claim, made last year by the corn industry as it tries to rebrand high fructose corn syrup as simply “corn sugar,” was weighed for the first time by a federal judge Tuesday after a group of sugar farmers and refiners sued corn processors and a lobbying group.

Their lawsuit alleges the father-in-the-cornfield advertisement and other national television, print and online commercials from the corn industry amount to false advertising because sugar is not the same as high fructose corn syrup, the sweetening agent now found in the bulk of sodas and many processed foods.

Sugar makers say there are numerous differences between the white, granular product and the sticky liquid that is high fructose corn syrup. Attorney Adam Fox claimed the syrup industry has even acknowledged as much in the past.

At a hearing on the corn industry’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Fox showed U.S. District Judge Consuelo Marshall the papers from a case in Mexico filed by the Corn Refiners Association that carefully outlined how sugar and high fructose corn syrup are different. That case in 1997 was related to the export of high fructose corn syrup to Mexico.

“Like the horse and the automobile, sugar and (high fructose corn syrup) are two different products in terms of their physical and functional characteristics, as well as in their production process, distribution and commercial application,” corn industry expert Peter Buzzanell stated in an affidavit at the time.

Corn industry lawyers counter that Fox was taking such statements out of context because the Mexico case dealt merely with the physical properties of high fructose corn syrup and never addressed the manner in which the body processes it.

“Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are equivalent as far as how they are metabolized by the body,” attorney Dan Webb said.

Webb and other lawyers had filed a motion to dismiss the sugar makers’ lawsuit on the grounds that the advertising campaign is protected speech because it forms part of a national conversation about the merits and pitfalls of high fructose corn syrup and sugar in general.

“At the core of this case is clearly a lawsuit filed by the other side that is attempting to stifle debate,” Webb said.

He also argued that because the Corn Refiners Association is an industry group and does not directly sell any products, it cannot be sued for false advertising.

Without providing a timeline, the judge said she would issue a ruling on the dismissal motion.

High fructose corn syrup’s image has suffered in recent years after public awareness of its widespread use increased and some studies suggested a link to rising obesity levels. Americans increasingly blame the syrup for a range of health problems, and first lady Michelle Obama has said she does not want her daughters eating it.

The American Medical Association has said there’s not enough evidence to restrict the use of high fructose corn syrup, although it wants more research.

A year ago, the Corn Refiners Association asked the Food and Drug Administration if it could start using the term “corn sugar” as an alternative to high fructose corn syrup. It could take another year for the FDA to decide on the name, but the corn industry didn’t wait before it started using it in advertisements.

Sugar industry lawyers claim corn refiners have already spent $50 million trying to persuade the public to accept corn sugar as a name.

It would not be the first time a food has been rebranded. In 1988, for instance, low erucic acid rapeseed oil became much more popular after it was renamed “canola oil.”

More than 100 citizens and consumer groups have written to the FDA as it weighs the name change, many of them slamming the rebranding as a cynical attempt to confuse customers who may be wary of high fructose corn syrup.

“Given the current controversy, consumers who look to avoid (corn syrup) should be able to easily differentiate among products that do and don’t use (it),” the Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, wrote to the FDA.

Expert opinion was divided on high fructose corn syrup. Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, has said that there was no evidence that the sweetener is any worse for the body than sugar.

Michael Goran, a professor of preventive medicine and director of the Childhood Obesity Center at the University of Southern California, said he does not give his kids products containing high fructose corn syrup because it contains high levels of fructose, which can be stored in the liver as fat and trigger gout and hypertension problems.

“As a father and as a consumer, I like to know what I am eating,” he said. “The industry has done a very good job trying convince people it’s sugar from corn. It’s not … it’s manufactured from corn by a highly industrialized process.”

Goran and other professionals say the healthiest option is consume smaller amounts of all sugar.

“The U.S is the highest consumer of sugar in the world,” Goran said. “To prevent obesity and diabetes, we should be consuming less sugar in general.”

the greedy bastards know that the high fructose corn syrup is pure poison and is really one of the leading causes of obesity, it is in everything. the corrupt fda won’t do anything for they get their money from these greedy companies. it is not profitable for you to be healthy and yet over priced healthcare is such a burden in this country. in the end, no one can afford anything and a lot of stupid people will be left dying in the gutter. but since you people won’t hold your government accountable, nothing will ever be done. in the old days corrupt officials were at the least sent to jail. if you idiots ever put things together, you will notice that things that are natural and healthy are being removed by things that have no nutrients and yet there is a drug to help that which eventually will destroy your kidneys and liver and also proven to give you cancer. we are all going to die, that is inevitable, however we should not have to die because of greed and corruption… do something while there is still time…

The second recall is much smaller than the one the company issued Aug. 3 for 36 million pounds of ground turkey. That recall followed a salmonella outbreak that federal health officials said had sickened 107 people in 31 states, killing one person.

No illnesses have been tied to the second recall, which was initiated after a sample from the company’s plant in Springdale, Ark., tested positive for salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Cargill halted production of ground turkey products at the plant Aug. 2 in anticipation of the recall announced the next day, spokesman Mike Martin said. Equipment was taken apart and steam-cleaned. Limited production resumed Aug. 10 after the USDA approved additional anti-bacterial safety measures, Martin said.

The sample that tested positive for salmonella was taken Aug. 24, the USDA said. It was the same strain of salmonella tied to the earlier illnesses, the agency said.

Martin said Cargill added two additional anti-bacterial washes to its processing process in Springdale after the first recall and instituted what he called “the most advanced sampling and monitoring system in the poultry industry.”

The problem, he said is that salmonella is “ubiquitous” and can come from soil, water, poultry feed and any number of sources. The challenge for Cargill and other food processors is to try to identify and eliminate the sources, reduce the amount during processing and then test for it.

“Food safety is a top priority and taken extremely seriously at Cargill because we know that millions of people throughout the U.S. are eating food that we produce every day and we want to do everything we can to make sure that people are getting the safest food possible,” Martin said.

Ground turkey production at the Springdale plant has been suspended again while the Minnesota-based company looks at what other safety procedures might be needed, he said. Production of other products, such as whole turkeys, continues, he said.

USDA officials did not immediately respond Sunday to messages requesting comment.

The second recall covers about 185,000 pounds of ground turkey products, including trays of ground meat, patties and chubs, the USDA said. The products were distributed nationwide under the Kroger, Fresh HEB and Cargill’s Honeysuckle White brands.

All ground turkey made at the Springdale plant has “P-963″ or “963″ on the package, in a USDA seal or perhaps on the cellophane, Martin said. Consumers who bought products bearing that identification number can call 1-888-812-1646 for instructions on what to do, he said.

The recall covers products made Aug. 23 and 24. Cargill also is recalling ground turkey made on Aug. 30 and 31 pending a positive match with a sample, the USDA said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 50 million Americans get sick each year from food poisoning, including about 3,000 who die. Salmonella causes most of these illnesses.

Government officials say even contaminated ground turkey is safe to eat if cooked to 165 degrees. But it’s also important that raw meat be handled properly before it’s cooked and that people wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling it. Turkey and other meats should also be properly refrigerated or frozen and leftovers heated.

The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within eight hours to 72 hours of eating a contaminated product. It can be life-threatening to some with weakened immune systems.

Also Look At:

USDA recall announcement: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_071_2011_Release/index.asp

Cargill recall announcement: http://www.cargill.com/news/releases/2011/NA3049298.jsp

2 lbs beef stew meat
1/4 butter (for browning meat)
1 large onion, sliced
6 large carrots, cut in chunks

For the gravy:
2 tblsp flour
3 c water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp allspice

Shake stew meat in a paper bag with enough flour to cover.
Brown meat in the 1/4 cup butter in a heavy frying pan together with the onion.
Place meat in heavy saucepan.

Measure grease remaining in frying pan and if necessary add more butter to make 3 tablespoons. Add 3 tablespoons flour and stir over low heat until flour is browned. Add 3 cups water, salt, pepper and allspice to make a rich brown gravy. Add gravy to the meat in saucepan and let simmer, covered for 1 hour. Add carrots and let simmer 45 minutes longer (remove cover last 30 minutes). If gravy gets too thick during the cooking process, add more water. Serve with plenty of boiled or mashed potatoes. Serves 6.

Recipe From: Prairie Cooks by Carrie Young & Felicia Young, 1993

Dodge City, Kan. (AP) — At least three major grocery store chains have recalled some of their ground beef packages because they could be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Publix Super Markets Inc. and Kroger Co. announced the recalls mainly in the southeastern U.S. and said they stem from problems at the National Beef Packaging Co. of Dodge City, Kan.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday that National Beef was recalling more than 60,000 pounds of beef after the Ohio Department of Agriculture found the bacteria during routine testing.

The recalls affect products sold mainly in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee, but the meat was sent to several distributors and could have been repackaged for consumers and sold nationwide.

The agriculture department says there have been no reports of illnesses. A spokesman for National Beef said the company has never had a problem with E. coli. It is checking processes and procedures in an effort to find the cause and prevent it from happening again, the spokesman said.

E. coli can be deadly and can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and other problems. The agriculture department cautioned people to cook ground beef to a temperature of at least 160 degrees. The temperature should be checked with a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, the agency said.

The meat also was distributed to meat packing companies in Detroit and Indianapolis and to Wal-Mart operations in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Wyoming, National Beef said.

At Kroger, the nation’s largest traditional grocery store chain, the recalled products include ground chuck, ground beef patties, and meatballs and meat loaf made in the stores. Packages have “sell by” dates of July 29 through Aug. 12. At Publix, the products include meatballs, meat loaf, ground chuck patties, stuffed peppers, seasoned salisbury steak and others with “sell by” dates of July 25 through Aug. 12. Winn-Dixie products include ground chuck and patties with “sell-by” label dates from July 31 to Aug. 12.

The companies said people should return the beef to their stores for a full refund.

WASHINGTON, August 3, 2011 – Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, a Springdale, Ark. establishment, is recalling approximately 36 million pounds of ground turkey products that may be contaminated with a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall today bear the establishment number “P-963″ inside the USDA mark of inspection, and include the following:

Recommendations for Preventing Salmonellosis

Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Also wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water. Clean up spills right away.

Keep raw meat, fish and poultry away from other food that will not be cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

Cook raw meat and poultry to safe internal temperatures before eating. The safe internal temperature for ground meat such as beef and pork is 160° F, and 165° F for poultry, as determined with a food thermometer.

Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase (one hour if temperatures exceed 90° F). Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

Ground Turkey Chubs – Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11

10 lb. chubs of Honeysuckle White Fresh Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
10 lb. chubs of Unbranded Ground Turkey w/ Natural Flavoring 2 Pack
80 oz. (5 lbs.) chubs of Riverside Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
10 lb. chubs of Natural Lean Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh Lean HEB Ground Turkey 93/7
16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Fresh HEB Ground Turkey 85/15
16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
4-1 Pound Packages of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring Value Pack
16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey
48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Fresh Ground Turkey

85% Ground Turkey – Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11

19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Taco Seasoned Ground Turkey Colored with Paprika
19.2 oz. (1 lb. 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
48.0 oz. (3 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh 85/15
20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
48.0 oz. (3 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey Family Pack
16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White Seasoned Italian Style Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings
20 oz. (1 lb. 4 oz.) trays of Safeway Fresh Ground Turkey with Natural Flavorings * 15% Fat
(NOTE: Sold in Texas only at Randall’s and Tom Thumb, Use or Freeze by 03/12/11 through 04/30/11)

93% Ground Turkey – Use or Freeze by Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11

19.2 oz. (1.20 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
48 oz. (3.0 lbs.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey Family Pack
19.2 oz. (1.2 lb.) trays of Fit & Active Lean Ground Turkey 93/07
19.2 oz. (1.2 lbs.) trays of Giant Eagle Ground Turkey Fresh & Premium Lean
19.2 oz. (1 lb 3.2 oz.) trays of Kroger Ground Turkey Fresh Lean 93/7
20 oz. (1.25 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey

Ground Patties

16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey Patties with “Use by” or “Freeze by” dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
16 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Kroger Ground Seasoned Turkey Patties Fresh 85/15, with “Use by” or “Freeze by” dates of 2/20/11 through 8/23/11
16.0 oz. (1 lb.) trays of Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey Burgers with Natural Flavoring with the following “Use by” or “Freeze by” dates: 07/09/11, 07/10/11, 07/11/11, 07/15/11, 07/16/11, 07/21/11, 07/22/11, 07/24/11, 08/01/11, or 08/04/11

Frozen Ground Turkey – Production Dates of 2/20/11 through 8/2/11

16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring
16 oz. (1 lb.) chubs of Spartan Ground Turkey
48 oz. (3 lb.) chubs of Honeysuckle White 85/15 Ground Turkey
40 lb. Bulk Packed Ground Turkey with Natural Flavoring for Food Service Use Only

These products were distributed at the retail level nationwide. Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation requests that consumers who may have purchased these products return them to the point-of-purchase. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS’ website at www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/
Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

To prevent salmonellosis and other foodborne illnesses, wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry, and cook poultry—including ground turkey—to 165° F, as determined with a food thermometer.

This recall follows a July 29, 2011 FSIS Public Health Alert that was initiated due to concerns about illnesses caused by Salmonella Heidelberg that may be associated with use and consumption of ground turkey. A total of 79 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg have been reported from 26 states between March 1 and August 3, 2011. The outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg is resistant to several commonly prescribed antibiotics. Among the ill persons with available information, 22 (38%) have been hospitalized and 1 death has been reported. As a result of the epidemiologic and traceback investigations, as well as in-plant findings, FSIS determined that there is a link between the Cargill ground turkey products and this illness outbreak. FSIS is continuing to work with CDC, affected state public health partners, and the company on the investigation.

FSIS will continue to provide information as it becomes available, including information about any further related recall activity. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Consumers with questions about this recall should contact Cargill’s consumer relations toll free telephone number at 1-888-812-1646. Media with questions regarding the recall should contact Cargill’s media contact Mike Martin at michael_martin@cargill.com or (316) 291-2126.

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. Salmonella infections can be life-threatening, especially to those with weak immune systems, such as infants, the elderly, and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy. The most common manifestations of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within six to 72 hours. Additional symptoms may be chills, headache, nausea and vomiting that can last up to seven days.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

Recipe From: Rigby’s Reliable Candy Teacher, 1923