|
Wild Oats Markets, a
leading national natural and organic foods retailer, provides valuable
information to consumers about the safety of all-natural and organic beef as
it relates to the first U.S. case of Mad Cow Disease (Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy or BSE), and offers tips on making informed choices when
purchasing beef.
"Since the news of the first BSE incident in the United States surfaced,
more and more consumers have been coming to our stores asking about the
benefits of all-natural and organic beef," said Paul Gingerich, Vice
President of Meat for Wild Oats Markets. "Now that Mad Cow disease is a very
real issue for us in this country, consumers are seeking alternatives to
conventional beef raised on factory farms, and we are offering them several
helpful tips and advice on making better, safer beef purchases for their
families."
Based on the most commonly asked customer questions, Wild Oats Markets
offers the following tips for people who want to have greater confidence in
the beef they purchase in light of the recent news of BSE in the U.S.:
- Buy all-natural or organic beef. The
prevailing viewpoint on BSE is that it is transmitted via feed containing
animal by-products (meat-and-bone meal). All-natural and organic beef
standards prohibit the use of any animal by-products in the
livestock feed. Therefore, cattle raised the natural way are fed a 100
percent vegetarian diet, which is the native food choice for this species.
Additionally, all-natural beef contains no antibiotics or growth hormones.
- Know the source of the beef you buy.
Buying beef from trusted sources is one of the primary ways consumers can
ensure the safety of their beef. Natural beef is tracked from conception
to consumption.
- Ask if the beef you're buying is from
downer cattle (cattle that are non-ambulatory at time of slaughter).
Yesterday the USDA banned downer cattle from being used as food for
humans.
- Ask if the beef you're buying is from a
dairy farm or cattle ranch. Due to the average five-year production life
of a dairy cow, these cattle are older and therefore may be more
susceptible to contracting BSE, as the disease has a two-to-five year
incubation period. Not only do cattle raised exclusively for beef
production produce higher quality, more flavorful beef, but they are
typically younger.
- Buy boneless beef. BSE can reside in the
spinal column, therefore cuts of beef such as Porterhouse steaks and
T-Bones, which have meat near the spinal column, can have a greater risk
of containing BSE. For steaks, the best choices are boneless New York
Strip, Ribeye or
Sirloin.
- Have your grocery store grind your beef
for you. If you don't have a trusted source for natural meat in your
neighborhood, for ground beef used in sauces and for hamburgers, request
that round or chuck roast be ground at the store while you are present.
- Consider beef alternatives. If consumers
are still concerned about potential risks associated with Mad Cow disease,
there are several alternatives for high-quality and flavorful protein
sources. American Bison (buffalo) is the closest to beef, but poultry,
pork, lamb and several vegetarian meat substitutes, such as tofu and
grain-based products, are also options.
|
|
