Jake Nelson
By Maci Carter | Radio Okla. Ag Network
A major issue in the meat packing industry today is foreign material found in beef, according to Jake Nelson, food safety coordinator at Ralph’s Packing Co.
“The issue that seems to be creeping back up right now is the presence of lead shot, birdshot, buckshot, and things that come out of the shotgun, out of a firearm,” said Nelson, who’s been employed at Ralph’s for two and a half years.
While the issue isn’t new, it is becoming a more prevalent topic of conversation in the packing industry, Nelson said.
“When I talk to colleagues across the industry, unfortunately they’re starting to see an uptick in frequency as well,” Nelson said. “Whether it’s the beef production sector, whether it’s the hunting community, whether it’s kids out having fun, we don’t know. We really need to stop this because it is our food supply.”
Finding foreign materials in meat is a serious issue that calls for drastic action, he said.
“First and foremost, it immediately is recognized as an adulterated product,” Nelson said. “We have to go and segregate that, differentiate it from that which is suitable for food, make a determination, and file a report with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA then contacts the supplier, and there’s a traceability exercise that goes on. It’s a loss in revenue because the product can’t be sold.”
The foreign material issue has large implications for meat packers when it occurs in the plant, Nelson said, and a serious problem that causes holdups for Nelson and others.
The next major issue is injection site lesions, Nelson said.
“I understand that animal health is vitally important to the survival of the industry, and animal health and injections are a great, useful tool. The beef quality assurance program, though, needs to continue to be provided to producers so they understand the proper way to administer injections. The proper method, proper timing, proper location – we can’t relax on that message.”
When a method or procedure has been identified as a best practice or method, “Let’s latch on to that and make adjustments in our operations,” Nelson said.
The best thing producers and others can do to combat these issues, he said, is “to keep talking about it and make sure to follow best practices.”