The European Horsemeat Scandal

It is a disgusting thought to eat something you think you know but actually it is something else. And so the horse meat scandal in Europe is a chance discovery which has shocked many people who have the least idea that they are not eating beef but horse meat. You can read the timeline of the exposed scandal here.

Beef or Horse meat - can you tell?

Besides the distaste, the main issue is eating horse meat that is tainted by pain killer phenylbutazone. This drug is known to cause blood problems namely aplastic anaemia. People are worried that it has entered the food chain and cause widespread effects. You can see the video on this rare but dangerous effects of the drug in the food chain. Drug residues perhaps, but over a long period of ingestion they could prove fatal.

It reminds me of the story of the disappearance of the vultures in Mumbai. These birds of prey were instrumental in "the burial" of dead bodies of people belonging to the Parsi faith in India at one time. The bodies are left for the birds to consume as per their religious tradition. But gradually these animals died away and it was found that  they perished en masse from kidney failure due to eating human meat tainted with the drug indomethacine ( nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents or NSAID) used to threat arthritis.

It is therefore very important that our food is not contaminated with such drugs which could compromise our health through its reactions with our body when taken on a long term basis.

The investigations are going on now as to establish and arrest possible criminal elements which produce  and profit from cheap contaminated  foods at the expense of public health.