Horsemeat and Codswallop

One amongst many tainted brands

The current horsemeat scandal does not surprise me.

It was inevitable.

A number of factors caused it, principally the need for cheaper meat and those willing to subvert the law to provide it. The EU (European Union) and it’s method of supplying products freely over borders. Governments cutting costs with less health inspectors and monitoring. The decline in local butcher’s shops in favour of the corporate level supermarket.

We need to buy frozen meals at the supermarket

Lastly, and probably the biggest factor, our need to have meals prepared and frozen…

…because we are to damned lazy to cook at home!

Largely, we ourselves are to blame.

I have touted, for a long time, the need to return to the old ways. This is a prime example of why.

The governments have regulated that you can only buy meat from corporate slaughter houses and abattoirs. Another case of the ‘milk’ story, it’s because of your health.

Codswallop!

It’s because of corporate wealth!

For centuries we have grown our own animals for consumption and survived; and now the government comes along and says you can’t.

I know that because most of live in cities, it’s impractical to raise big beasts for the household, but we can seriously look at supporting our local butcher. Most are pretty reputable types, those that aren’t soon lose their custom.

We have been eating horsemeat for years. There is nothing wrong with horsemeat. The problem is that horses can/may have been treated with phenylbutazone. Therein lies the problem.

“In the United States and United Kingdom, it is no longer approved for human use, as it can cause severe adverse effects such as suppression of white blood cell production and aplastic anemia.” – Wikipedia

If horses were raised for human consumption, then they would not be treated and the meat itself perfectly okay, apart from peoples’ aversion to eating such a ‘noble’ animal.

We eat almost anything else, but suddenly the world starts gagging collectively over horsemeat.

We call meat from cattle beef, sheep meat is called mutton, pig is pork, deer is venison; if only we had a fancy name for horse, would it be more acceptable? Perhaps if we used the French, viande de chevaline, there’s a nice name, it would lessen the stigma.