The meat was produced by a California processor accused of violating food safety regulations by slaughtering cattle that were too sick to walk.
Officials say so-called "downer" cattle are at higher risk of diseases - including Mad Cow disease. But they also downplay the health risk to humans in this particular case.
Federal officials suspended operations at the plant last week after undercover video showed crippled and sick animals being shoved into the slaughterhouse by a worker on a forklift.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered the recall Sunday. It covers frozen beef produced over the past two years by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company.
The USDA says the company exported meat products to Ivory Coast (kidneys and livers) and Angola (kidneys) in 2007. Officials say the company has not exported products to Japan or South Korea since at least 2003.
Source: By VOA News
Downed cows should never be sold for food
YES, downer cattle are typically unhealthly. However, WHY a high risk about the BSE infectiosity? Where is a central role of British infectious proteins? (from meat and bone meal- MBM) in BSE- when there is not any evidence about this? I described an alternative "BSE ammonia-magnesium" theory ( http://www.agriworld.nl/feedmix/headlines.asp?issue=3). This theory is based on the chronic Mg-deficiency- potentiated by hyperammonemia (high protein intake?). These mechanisms have a strong influence on CNS, especially in ruminants and carnivora animals ( www.bse-expert.cz).
There will be no epidemic of the human form of mad cow disease in Britain, despite fears that the worst is yet to come, recently (September 2007) an expert said. We are "highly unlikely" to see a resurgence in the fatal brain condition, according to Professor Bob Will, director of the National CJD Surveillance Unit, who was speaking at a medical conference in Edinburgh (PRION 2007) (http://theherald.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1717677.mostviewed.epidemic_of_vcjd_in_uk_highly_unlikely.php).