Comments on: U.K. "beef lasagne" made entirely of horse meat http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 22:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Jean Baptiste http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1651404 Jean Baptiste Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1651404 Given the state of the world, the lack of empathy so many of us have for our fellow human beings, the strange and sad "kick" way too many of us seem to get out of being malicious for the sheer sake of maliciousness, and the overall lack of accountability and personal responsibility-taking (from the individual level on up to the corporate one), I wouldn't be at all surprised if much of the "beef" we've been eating (especially in fast food, but also in supermarket chain "quick and easy" processed meals like the one above) for the last decade or so turned out to be human flesh.  I think about it every day.  It would not surprise me one little bit.  Which is kinda sad. Given the state of the world, the lack of empathy so many of us have for our fellow human beings, the strange and sad “kick” way too many of us seem to get out of being malicious for the sheer sake of maliciousness, and the overall lack of accountability and personal responsibility-taking (from the individual level on up to the corporate one), I wouldn’t be at all surprised if much of the “beef” we’ve been eating (especially in fast food, but also in supermarket chain “quick and easy” processed meals like the one above) for the last decade or so turned out to be human flesh.  I think about it every day.  It would not surprise me one little bit.  Which is kinda sad.

]]> By: jbond http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650968 jbond Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650968 Findus, Aldi's Today's Special, Tesco Everyday Value, Iceland, Lidl. You didn't really think their branded "beef" products contained prime-steak ground-beef did you? If you're a customer for those products, you probably try not to think too hard about what you're eating.  But you do hope that it's tested and less likely to kill you (or at least taste marginally better) than Pedigree Chum. Nice to see this being spun into a story about how weird those Europeans are with their funny foods. I'm only surprised the class angle above hasn't really been raised except by implication. Can we work this into a story about the CAP, EU subsidies to Poland and excessive funding by the UK of the EU € trillions budget? Surely there must be something in there about illegal immigrant benefit cheat gipsies in mobile caravans in modern day human slavery as well? Won't anyone think of the poor little Irish ponies? Findus, Aldi’s Today’s Special, Tesco Everyday Value, Iceland, Lidl. You didn’t really think their branded “beef” products contained prime-steak ground-beef did you? If you’re a customer for those products, you probably try not to think too hard about what you’re eating.  But you do hope that it’s tested and less likely to kill you (or at least taste marginally better) than Pedigree Chum.

Nice to see this being spun into a story about how weird those Europeans are with their funny foods. I’m only surprised the class angle above hasn’t really been raised except by implication.

Can we work this into a story about the CAP, EU subsidies to Poland and excessive funding by the UK of the EU € trillions budget? Surely there must be something in there about illegal immigrant benefit cheat gipsies in mobile caravans in modern day human slavery as well? Won’t anyone think of the poor little Irish ponies?

]]> By: random http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650954 random Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650954 I only choose fresh, free-range human for my dinner table. I only choose fresh, free-range human for my dinner table.

]]> By: Josh Jasper http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650919 Josh Jasper Sat, 09 Feb 2013 17:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650919 Fifty years from now the heirs to hipsterdom will be paying $2,000 a pound for horse meat in Whole Foods. Fifty years from now the heirs to hipsterdom will be paying $2,000 a pound for horse meat in Whole Foods.

]]> By: Aaron Gilliland http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650698 Aaron Gilliland Sat, 09 Feb 2013 06:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650698 Only if they are clean and from a good family. Only if they are clean and from a good family.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650583 Antinous / Moderator Sat, 09 Feb 2013 02:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650583 Is it okay to eat dead humans? Is it okay to eat dead humans?

]]> By: random http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650537 random Sat, 09 Feb 2013 01:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650537 I've worked with people on both the supply and retail side of the meat industry over the last decade, and I can tell you that traceability is a load of horse burgers. I’ve worked with people on both the supply and retail side of the meat industry over the last decade, and I can tell you that traceability is a load of horse burgers.

]]> By: random http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650528 random Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650528 I don't understand. Why is it ok to eat a cow, but not a cat or a dog or a horse or a chimp? They're all just meat aren't they? I don’t understand. Why is it ok to eat a cow, but not a cat or a dog or a horse or a chimp? They’re all just meat aren’t they?

]]> By: Dennis Smith http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650449 Dennis Smith Fri, 08 Feb 2013 23:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650449 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy6uLfermPU I have no issue with eating alternative meats. Give anything a try at least once. I often buy meats from Kezie foods who sell wild boar, snake, kangaroo to name a few. So long as I know what it is then I'm happy that I can make an informed choice, and it's not as if anyone was or will be ill from this. My biggest issue is the little butchers would supply any meat you might have wanted but try getting something remotely non-farm yard from the big bully shops that replaced them and they would kick you out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy6uLfermPU

I have no issue with eating alternative meats. Give anything a try at least once. I often buy meats from Kezie foods who sell wild boar, snake, kangaroo to name a few. So long as I know what it is then I’m happy that I can make an informed choice, and it’s not as if anyone was or will be ill from this. My biggest issue is the little butchers would supply any meat you might have wanted but try getting something remotely non-farm yard from the big bully shops that replaced them and they would kick you out.

]]> By: Ian Osmond http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650401 Ian Osmond Fri, 08 Feb 2013 22:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650401 People have food taboos.  I know I do.  Horse isn't one of them for me -- I've had horse and liked it -- but cat is.  I'd never knowingly eat cat (barring an emergency situation), even though I am given to understand that it is similar to rabbit, which I have eaten and enjoyed.  People categorize animals, and have taboo animals which are outside of their foodways. It causes emotional and psychological distress to find out that you have inadvertently broken a cultural or religious taboo.  Therefore, people with a cultural taboo against eating horse will be distressed to discover that they have eaten horse.  This is natural, and human. You are stating that you, personally, do not share a particular food taboo.  Okay, great.  Good for you.  There exists a thing that you can eat that people with that food taboo can't. But one thing that societies do is set up safeguards and rules that help protect people from breaking those taboos which are most nearly universal within the society.  There are times and situations in which taboos should be challenged, because they are practically, ethically, or morally problematic -- but this isn't one of them.  Anti-horsemeat food taboos are harmless.  And this is a case in which the mechanism in place to prevent a taboo-breach failed. People have food taboos.  I know I do.  Horse isn’t one of them for me — I’ve had horse and liked it — but cat is.  I’d never knowingly eat cat (barring an emergency situation), even though I am given to understand that it is similar to rabbit, which I have eaten and enjoyed.  People categorize animals, and have taboo animals which are outside of their foodways.

It causes emotional and psychological distress to find out that you have inadvertently broken a cultural or religious taboo.  Therefore, people with a cultural taboo against eating horse will be distressed to discover that they have eaten horse.  This is natural, and human.

You are stating that you, personally, do not share a particular food taboo.  Okay, great.  Good for you.  There exists a thing that you can eat that people with that food taboo can’t.

But one thing that societies do is set up safeguards and rules that help protect people from breaking those taboos which are most nearly universal within the society.  There are times and situations in which taboos should be challenged, because they are practically, ethically, or morally problematic — but this isn’t one of them.  Anti-horsemeat food taboos are harmless.  And this is a case in which the mechanism in place to prevent a taboo-breach failed.

]]> By: GrumpySteen http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650351 GrumpySteen Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650351 If you've ever looked at the anatomy of a clam, you'd notice that the gonads are in the portion that gets chopped up and put in clam chowder.  So umm... yeah.  There's probably clam semen in your chowder. Creamy, isn't it? If you’ve ever looked at the anatomy of a clam, you’d notice that the gonads are in the portion that gets chopped up and put in clam chowder.  So umm… yeah.  There’s probably clam semen in your chowder.

Creamy, isn’t it?

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650332 Antinous / Moderator Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650332 Must. Not. Harvest. Low. Hanging. Fruit. Must. Not. Harvest. Low. Hanging. Fruit.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650317 Antinous / Moderator Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650317 Since it's made from animals which were neither raised for food nor hunted in the wild for food, there's no guarantee that it meets food safety standards. Since it’s made from animals which were neither raised for food nor hunted in the wild for food, there’s no guarantee that it meets food safety standards.

]]> By: Aaron Gilliland http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650120 Aaron Gilliland Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650120 Although you might get the trots. Although you might get the trots.

]]> By: Danny Smith http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650053 Danny Smith Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650053 Okay, real talk? I ate some lasagnia from these people last month. Moral implications of selling one meat as another aside, that shit was downright succulent. I dont know what happy end there is to this, but apparently horse lasagnia is goddamn delicious. A meal fit for a khal. Okay, real talk?
I ate some lasagnia from these people last month. Moral implications of selling one meat as another aside, that shit was downright succulent.

I dont know what happy end there is to this, but apparently horse lasagnia is goddamn delicious. A meal fit for a khal.

]]> By: Daneel http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1650004 Daneel Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1650004 Burro burrito? Burro burrito?

]]> By: Ryan Lenethen http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649896 Ryan Lenethen Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649896 PEOPLE! PEOPLE!

]]> By: Dan Hibiki http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649870 Dan Hibiki Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649870 but does it taste good? but does it taste good?

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649868 Jonathan Roberts Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649868 Pity. Donkey meat is delicious. Pity. Donkey meat is delicious.

]]> By: George Stirling http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649849 George Stirling Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649849  Key issue: what it says on the box is not what is in the product. The fact it's horse meat is of less importance.  Key issue: what it says on the box is not what is in the product.

The fact it’s horse meat is of less importance.

]]> By: timquinn http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649847 timquinn Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649847 I would love to see some sort of thinking expert (no, not you, Aaron) come to each comment thread and delineate the error in each comment. It would make for fascinating and instructional reading. I would love to see some sort of thinking expert (no, not you, Aaron) come to each comment thread and delineate the error in each comment. It would make for fascinating and instructional reading.

]]> By: SumAnon http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649845 SumAnon Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649845  For the many who think of horses as pets, myself included, being told after the fact that a product is horse is pretty horrifying. If it's that hard to wrap your brain around people not wanting to eat horse, feel free to substitute 'cat' or 'dog' or for some variety 'chimpanzee' in place of horse.  For the many who think of horses as pets, myself included, being told after the fact that a product is horse is pretty horrifying. If it’s that hard to wrap your brain around people not wanting to eat horse, feel free to substitute ‘cat’ or ‘dog’ or for some variety ‘chimpanzee’ in place of horse.

]]> By: Missy Pants http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649842 Missy Pants Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649842 You can get horse in BC, QC and ON pretty easily, butchers and restaurants, the other provinces you might need to "know a guy". You can get horse in BC, QC and ON pretty easily, butchers and restaurants, the other provinces you might need to “know a guy”.

]]> By: timquinn http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649840 timquinn Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649840 Yes, my grocer lied to me about what he was selling me, but it was only the one lie, so no worries, eh? Yes, my grocer lied to me about what he was selling me, but it was only the one lie, so no worries, eh?

]]> By: Alan Goulding http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649806 Alan Goulding Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649806 It might take a long time if properly slowly cooked but at the end of the day it isn't much work. It's just a stew, let's not get all precious about it. It might take a long time if properly slowly cooked but at the end of the day it isn’t much work. It’s just a stew, let’s not get all precious about it.

]]> By: phuzz http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649801 phuzz Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649801  Worst bit is, all of it's going to be destroyed, rather than sent to a food bank or similar.  Worst bit is, all of it’s going to be destroyed, rather than sent to a food bank or similar.

]]> By: SporkFishGod http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649795 SporkFishGod Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649795 That sums it up, albeit crudely. That sums it up, albeit crudely.

]]> By: SporkFishGod http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649791 SporkFishGod Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649791 I have no problem at all with horse meat.  I do have a problem with being sold beef and discovering it's horse meat.  If they recalled the products, changed the labelling and put it back on the shelf I couldn't give a hoot. It's very important that you are buying what you were sold.  There's all sorts of issues at play here, consumer choice & awareness, potentially fraud, the list goes on.  The matter that it is horse is irrelevant imo. I have no problem at all with horse meat.  I do have a problem with being sold beef and discovering it’s horse meat.  If they recalled the products, changed the labelling and put it back on the shelf I couldn’t give a hoot.

It’s very important that you are buying what you were sold.  There’s all sorts of issues at play here, consumer choice & awareness, potentially fraud, the list goes on.  The matter that it is horse is irrelevant imo.

]]> By: peterblue11 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649774 peterblue11 Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649774 in England, London specifically there were lots of horse butcher shops. Spoke to somebody who grew up around elephant & castle about 70 years ago and these shops were all along harper road apparently. in England, London specifically there were lots of horse butcher shops. Spoke to somebody who grew up around elephant & castle about 70 years ago and these shops were all along harper road apparently.

]]> By: terrysaunders http://boingboing.net/2013/02/07/u-k-beef-lasagne-made-ent.html#comment-1649768 terrysaunders Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211663#comment-1649768 clambukke clambukke

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