If you were to go out on the street today and ask a stranger what sound a cow makes, they would probably…well, actually, they’d probably move away from your general direction, with a look of fear and confusion on their face. However, you would assume they knew the answer was “moo”.
And you’d be right in thinking that.
Well, almost.
You see, after certain recent events that have unfolded, it’s become clear that some people would argue with the widely accepted fact that cows make this sound. Instead, they would argue it goes “neigh”.
Yes, I am of course speaking of the recent horsemeat scandal, in which many cheap ready meals, in various supermarkets, supposedly being made of beef have been found to contain horse meat. In fact, in the case of some “beef” lasagnas, the meat in question has exactly 0% in common with Daisy the cow, and 100% in common with Black Beauty.
Excuse the cliché, but that is just the tip of the iceberg, because, in the last two or so weeks, an entire operation stemming in Romania and affecting most of Europe has been uncovered, where horsemeat has replaced beef products.
Naturally, people are shocked, mostly for sentimental reasons, though. Although traces have been found of the horse painkiller bute, they have been almost negligible, and so there aren’t really any health risks to worry about. The public is just (understandably) shocked by the thought of eating an animal with such sentimental value.
For me, however, the issue lies elsewhere.
I don’t mind eating horsemeat- I’ve knowingly eaten it before and it was OK.
No, for me the problem lies in the fact that the supermarkets claim not to know what is in their own food. Of course, they could be lying, which would be equally shocking. If they willingly accepted a product they knew was disastrously mislabeled, they’ve reached a new low.
But I don’t think they are lying.
I believe they honestly have no idea what is in their products anymore.
This can lead to particularly grave consequences. Who knows what dangerous ingredients could find their way into supermarket ready meals? Diseased meat? Higher concentrations of bute? Carcinogenic chemicals? It’s all very frightening.
But, for me, once again, the issue is more a moral one than a practical one.
When the packaging says “beef”, the meat in that product should come entirely from a cow. It’s simple honesty, which, incidentally, is another thing that children learn at an early age but the modern society seems to fail at. And we, the consumer, trust that the supermarkets and slaughterhouses also adhere to this basic but fundamental principle. Thus, the trade of dodgy meat by and from dodgy slaughterhouses is an abuse of this trust.
That, to me, is just plain wrong, especially when it concerns cheap ready meals aimed at those who are hard of cash. To entice the financially vulnerable with low-priced, easy food and then to take advantage of them by sourcing dubious ingredients is, to say the least, morally iffy. And why has this compromise of morality occurred? To save money, of course!
So what has to be done?
Well, this is where it becomes extremely difficult.
Supermarkets cannot be expected to ditch low-cost suppers. The incessant drive for cheaper prices is inherent to capitalism, and, really, there’s nothing wrong with it. Besides, it seems awfully harsh to take away the inexpensive meals from those who rely on them to feed themselves and their families.
But there is one possibility.
Clearly, the horsemeat that the supermarkets buy is very cheap. It is also perfectly good for consumption, being low in fat, high in protein and with a taste similar to beef and even venison. So, as long as tests are carried out for disease and drugs, there is nothing wrong with using it in some products. People eat horse all over the world, so it seems rather arrogant for wealthier Western countries to assume they are above doing the same.
All that needs to be done is for products containing horse to be labeled as such.
It’s all about being honest to the consumer. Nothing else.
