Yesterday, Daily Breeze reader Bill called with a follow-up question about the recent beef recall story. He wanted to know what happens to recalled meat.
Here's an answer from a Q&A on the USDA's Web site:
Any Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. products in the Federal food and nutrition programs, or its derivatives, must be destroyed and cannot be used or reconditioned for human consumption. All disposal methods must be fully documented regarding type of product and destruction method and witnessed with two signatures. Entities holding 50 cases or less may destroy the product on-site by rendering the product unfit for human consumption according to destruction guidance from the State or local health authority. Quantities greater than 50 cases must be taken to a landfill, incinerated, or sent for inedible rendering.
If you have questions about national news stories, Slate Magazine has an interesting online feature, along the lines of our local Ask Us column, called Ask the Explainer. Readers ask questions about stories in the news. For example, here's the site's answer to a question similar to Bill's after a recall in 2002.
Recent questions include: Why recall two-year-old beef?
Why would Clemens shoot up with B-12?
How much do campaign staffers make?
It appears that the site has about 1,550 explanations in its archive, so chances are, your question might have been answered. If not, send your question.
But continue send your questions about the South Bay or Harbor Area to our own Ask Us editor, Stephanie Walton. We also have hundreds of answers in our archive.
