New Animation Warns Consumers About the Use of Carbon Monoxide to Color Meat

WASHINGTON, April 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new web animation released today by Food & Water Watch draws attention to the deceptive and potentially dangerous use of carbon monoxide to color packaged meat.

"By creating the red color consumers associate with freshness, carbon monoxide makes meat appear to be fresher than it is," said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. "Because we all rely on color when choosing fresh meat for our families, carbon monoxide treatment could deceive consumers into buying spoiled meat that looks fresh and safe."

In 2004 the Food & Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the use of carbon monoxide in consumer-ready fresh meat packaging. This type of packaging is commonly found in "case ready" products that arrive at the store already in their package, as opposed to meat that is packaged by store employees on-site.

"Just Say NO! to Mono Meat" briefly tells a story of three steaks on their way to the grocery store from the meat packing plant. Along the way to their destination, one of the steaks is treated with carbon monoxide. The animation includes a time lapse video comparing meat treated with carbon monoxide and untreated meat.

"FDA and USDA don't allow other processes to dye meat and shouldn't allow this one. Congress should ban the use of carbon monoxide in meat," Hauter said.

A citizen petition was filed with the FDA and USDA on November 15, 2005 asking that the approval for the use of carbon monoxide be withdrawn. No action has been taken on the petition and carbon monoxide treated meat remains available in many supermarkets.

The animation can be viewed at: http://monomeat.advomation.com/no-co-meat/.

Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer rights group based in Washington, D.C. that challenges the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources. Visit http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/.

  CONTACT
  Jen Mueller: 202-797-6553
  jmueller@fwwatch.org