Transparency in food industry

[sir wanksalot]

It's funny how in today's society there is an massive emphasis on eating healthily yet we know so little about where our food is produced, how and under what conditions.

I only discovered recently that abattoirs and their locations are often kept secret and the use of CCTV inside them is still not taken up by all. We basically have no fecking idea what is being fed to the animals that we ingest (or at least not enough information is given about this to the public) nor do we know what conditions our food is grown or reared.

[mr.bluesky]

It's a good job we don't know these things. When I have a steak I don't want to know how the cow was killed or cut up . I guess this is why so many people become vegetarian.  Let's be honest nothing seems 100% pure nowadays.

[King Nuts]

It's funny how in today's society there is an massive emphasis on eating healthily yet we know so little about where our food is produced, how and under what conditions.

I only discovered recently that abattoirs and their locations are often kept secret and the use of CCTV inside them is still not taken up by all. We basically have no fecking idea what is being fed to the animals that we ingest (or at least not enough information is given about this to the public) nor do we know what conditions our food is grown or reared.

I think there's a partial solution to this:

1. Only buy fruit and veg that's local, i.e. from the UK. And ideally, if you're near one, from a farmers' market so it probably came from no more than a few miles away.

2. Never ever buy meat and fish from a supermarket. Go to a good local butcher, and he'll know where all his stuff has come from. Same with a fishmonger.

[lillythesavage]

It's a good job we don't know these things. When I have a steak I don't want to know how the cow was killed or cut up . I guess this is why so many people become vegetarian.  Let's be honest nothing seems 100% pure nowadays.

They do not want you to know how the animal is slaughtered because many would not agree with the method used, do you really think all that Halal meat sold in supermarkets, restaurants and Halal butcher shops is slaughtered separately ?

[lillythesavage]

I think there's a partial solution to this:

1. Only buy fruit and veg that's local, i.e. from the UK.

I buy British apples and pears, that are normally available all year round, berries in season, but foreign all year round because I love them and my favourite of all, mango, stop sniggering at the back, as far as I know is not grown in Britain.

British Cherry and plum are really good too.

Sticking to a year round seasonal fruit in the UK is impossible

[DastardlyDick]

Yes, there was a huge kerfuffle a few years ago when it was found out that the all the meat served in NHS Hospitals was Halal/Kosher, simply because it was easier for the catering dept if they only had one sort!  Accusations of Islamaphobia or Antisemitism abounded.
The location of abattoirs is kept "secret" to keep the inevitable protesters at bay.
This notion that "Farmers Markets" are better is a bit of a myth - all meat slaughtered in the UK has to go through approved premises.

[Gordon Bennett]

I think there's a partial solution to this:

1. Only buy fruit and veg that's local, i.e. from the UK. And ideally, if you're near one, from a farmers' market so it probably came from no more than a few miles away.

2. Never ever buy meat and fish from a supermarket. Go to a good local butcher, and he'll know where all his stuff has come from. Same with a fishmonger.

Farmers Markets are a con. Load of chancers renting a stall in a pop-up market on an industrial estate selling produce they bought in Costco at a 500% mark-up.

[Blackpool Rock]

It's funny how in today's society there is an massive emphasis on eating healthily yet we know so little about where our food is produced, how and under what conditions.

I only discovered recently that abattoirs and their locations are often kept secret and the use of CCTV inside them is still not taken up by all. We basically have no fecking idea what is being fed to the animals that we ingest (or at least not enough information is given about this to the public) nor do we know what conditions our food is grown or reared.

In terms of food production you probably don't want to know how most things are made, i've spoken to a few people over the years who either worked in food factories or had to visit them.
You walk in thinking oh they make XYZ brands which my family buy and eat but you walk out thinking i'm not fucking buying that again and switch to an alternative brand forgetting it will be made in the same way just a different factory 

[king tarzan]

It's funny how in today's society there is an massive emphasis on eating healthily yet we know so little about where our food is produced, how and under what conditions.

I only discovered recently that abattoirs and their locations are often kept secret and the use of CCTV inside them is still not taken up by all. We basically have no fecking idea what is being fed to the animals that we ingest (or at least not enough information is given about this to the public) nor do we know what conditions our food is grown or reared.

I am a simple man with simple pleasures, from time to time fish and chips, more often home made curries with the trimmings..
Don't give a shit about this modern day panzie eating..
Biggest joke olive oil to use in curries
..
Bullshit nonsense

[lillythesavage]

In terms of food production you probably don't want to know how most things are made, i've spoken to a few people over the years who either worked in food factories or had to visit them.
You walk in thinking oh they make XYZ brands which my family buy and eat but you walk out thinking i'm not fucking buying that again and switch to an alternative brand forgetting it will be made in the same way just a different factory 

I once picked up a GF from her neighbours sausage factory, they supplied every food outlet in Southend with the foot long bangers they all sell, not touched one since  .

Years ago a friend used to make a very good living, like millionaire money, boning pigs heads, there was nothing that did not sell bar the eyes, the meat, skin and all went to Mattesons, the Chinese paid bloody good money for the tongues, the bones went to the soap factory.

Picking the things up from Smithfield at 3am was not the best job I ever did. 

[billybob69]

It's funny how in today's society there is an massive emphasis on eating healthily yet we know so little about where our food is produced, how and under what conditions.

I only discovered recently that abattoirs and their locations are often kept secret and the use of CCTV inside them is still not taken up by all. We basically have no fecking idea what is being fed to the animals that we ingest (or at least not enough information is given about this to the public) nor do we know what conditions our food is grown or reared.

There is much traceability in food sector in the UK. In the UK a farmer has to tag and record ever cattle that is born, any medication it is given, record every time it is moved off the farm, the abattoir then has to record where it is killed and stamp the carcass accordingly. The Environmental Health of a Council can demand to view where the feedstuff for the cattle is stored. Certain feedstuffs are banned from being fed to animals. Chicken production takes it one step further and most of the main producers force the growers to use feedstuff which they supply.

I'm not sure where you get the idea from that abattoirs and locations are often kept secret? In the UK there are open records on abattoirs. There aren't many small ones left anymore and the majority of ones left are effectively huge factories.

[shadow2000x]

Yes very true, the older generation of my family (mainly the women) lived a very long time, as it wasn’t unusual for them to be on plant based diet where they grew a lot of the produce themselves

[King Nuts]

Farmers Markets are a con. Load of chancers renting a stall in a pop-up market on an industrial estate selling produce they bought in Costco at a 500% mark-up.

Maybe where you are, and in big cities like London.

Not where I am, and the much lower prices are the giveaway.

[sir wanksalot]

There is much traceability in food sector in the UK. In the UK a farmer has to tag and record ever cattle that is born, any medication it is given, record every time it is moved off the farm, the abattoir then has to record where it is killed and stamp the carcass accordingly. The Environmental Health of a Council can demand to view where the feedstuff for the cattle is stored. Certain feedstuffs are banned from being fed to animals. Chicken production takes it one step further and most of the main producers force the growers to use feedstuff which they supply.

I'm not sure where you get the idea from that abattoirs and locations are often kept secret? In the UK there are open records on abattoirs. There aren't many small ones left anymore and the majority of ones left are effectively huge factories.

Sorry as I may have got that wrong but I am sure I read some time ago that certain meat producing plants had their locations marked as secret presumably for biosecurity reasons? Maybe I got it wrong.

I agree there is much traceability in the food sector in the UK but when you examine it closely you discover that that transparency is not accessible to the general public.

Supermarkets would, and should, know what is going on with their suppliers but won't necessarily give their customers full details.

I suspect all the regulations act as punctuation marks in the journey from farm to plate. It is the gaps in between where farms, abattoirs (fuck me-can never spell it right!) take short cuts when noone is looking.

Sources: Morrissons scandal concerning chicken (External Link/Members Only)
Source: Just type "abattoir CCTV" into Google and take your pick   

[Blackpool Rock]

Yeah let's not forget the scandal from not too many years ago where horse meat was found in Lasagne instead of beef plus all manner of other meat cross contamination that came to light in the following enquiries.

And as I recall the official line was that there wasn't a safety issue but it was more one of a "food labelling" issue   

[king tarzan]

Yeah let's not forget the scandal from not too many years ago where horse meat was found in Lasagne instead of beef plus all manner of other meat cross contamination that came to light in the following enquiries.

And as I recall the official line was that there wasn't a safety issue but it was more one of a "food labelling" issue 

Always HOME COOKED

[Blackpool Rock]

Always HOME COOKED

But if the minced beef you purchase still contains some horse meat along with a % of sheep; pork and kangaroo 

[Watts.E.Dunn]

Well still alive, and i eat most anything inculding a speciality for muff's:)..

[Corus Boy]

Yes, there was a huge kerfuffle a few years ago when it was found out that the all the meat served in NHS Hospitals was Halal/Kosher, simply because it was easier for the catering dept if they only had one sort!  Accusations of Islamaphobia or Antisemitism abounded.
The location of abattoirs is kept "secret" to keep the inevitable protesters at bay.
This notion that "Farmers Markets" are better is a bit of a myth - all meat slaughtered in the UK has to go through approved premises.

Should!

When I lived in the country you could 'trade' services and Farm Slaughtered Llamb was widely available.

[lillythesavage]

Should!

When I lived in the country you could 'trade' services and Farm Slaughtered Llamb was widely available.

Golf course slaughtered Venison was available when I lived in Rural Ireland, Pro butchered, but usually in a shed on a plastic sheet.

[DastardlyDick]

In terms of food production you probably don't want to know how most things are made, i've spoken to a few people over the years who either worked in food factories or had to visit them.
You walk in thinking oh they make XYZ brands which my family buy and eat but you walk out thinking i'm not fucking buying that again and switch to an alternative brand forgetting it will be made in the same way just a different factory 

I know what you mean - saw one of those "How it's made" programs once about making hotdogs, and it out me right off!

[m4rmite]

I know what you mean - saw one of those "How it's made" programs once about making hotdogs, and it out me right off!

Aren't the hotdog sausages 3d printed?

They taste like plastic so i wouldn't be surprised.
I've not had a hotdog per se since about 10yrs old due to their dire taste.

[king tarzan]

Keema mutter with aloo parate youghurt

Simpletto signor 🙌🙌🙌

[Marmalade]

You walk in thinking oh they make XYZ brands which my family buy and eat but you walk out thinking i'm not fucking buying that again and switch to an alternative brand forgetting it will be made in the same way just a different factory

[King Nuts]

I know what you mean - saw one of those "How it's made" programs once about making hotdogs, and it out me right off!

When I was in my teens, I had a summer job working in a chicken factory. It was pretty foul ('scuse the pun) but oddly, it didn't put me off eating chicken.

Couple of years later, I had a job in a brewery. Saw all kinds of crap get put into the Mild. Never drank it after that. (Can you still get a pint of Mild these days?)

[m4rmite]

When I was in my teens, I had a summer job working in a chicken factory. It was pretty foul ('scuse the pun) but oddly, it didn't put me off eating chicken.

Couple of years later, I had a job in a brewery. Saw all kinds of crap get put into the Mild. Never drank it after that. (Can you still get a pint of Mild these days?)

Only with a health warning on it i guess
Always used to clear my pipework after a pint

[Colston36]

But if the minced beef you purchase still contains some horse meat along with a % of sheep; pork and kangaroo 

Kangaroo? That would make me hopping mad. Though I don't see many kangaroos round our way ....

[radioman33]

Iceland had the horsemeat scandal in 2013,What do you expect for a £1 meal

[king tarzan]

Kangaroo? That would make me hopping mad. Though I don't see many kangaroos round our way ....

I made keema mutter yesterday.. the lambs meat was minced in front of me.. so 100% authentic...
Very delicious Punjabi dish

[lillythesavage]

Kangaroo? That would make me hopping mad. Though I don't see many kangaroos round our way ....

You can probably find Kangaroo in your local Iceland, seen it there before.

Gressingham Duck sounds like a British Company, which it is I believe, but the Duck comes from Thailand mostly, you need your glasses to read it though.

Same as everything, transparency is only what you they want you to know, unless you go digging for the truth.

[DastardlyDick]

I believe Kangaroo is available over here, but it's very much a 'premium product's with a price tag to match. I've never had it, but it's supposed to be like beef, but with much less cholesterol.

[Corus Boy]

External Link/Members Only