about these hogs (and now chickens) that were given the tainted feed?

38 poultry farms in Indiana have chickens that were given the tainted feed and some of those chickens are likely in the human food supply.

They say there's very little risk to humans, but it's still a scary thought. All of this food contamination is getting a little crazy. Ok, a LOT crazy. I mean, what the heck is going on?

Anyone have any of their own theories as to what's happening? I mean, we know what's happening. But why? I've heard some people go as far as saying it's a form of a mild terrorist attack just to see how quickly the U.S. responds to this sort of thing. That sounds a little far-fetched to me, but I suppose it's not completely unrealistic.

And if chickens were given tainted feed, how does that affect our egg supply? And how far is this going to go before it's finally over?

I know nobody has the answers to those questions, I'm just spewing out thoughts.

What are yours?

truthfully not really scared...the likely hood that it tainted the meat is slim to none since most toxins are processed throught the kidney or liver. Very highly unlikely it made it to the meat. Now if you eat kidney or liver..than maybe. But i think everyone is being on the safe side.

Very true. I definitely won't be touching chicken livers anytime soon. I'm actually a little more concerned about the eggs than the meat itself. I would think the contamination would be in a more concentrated form in the eggs.

It seems to me like that's just a risk we take in our heavily industrialized food production system. When you pack animals so tightly into barns, slaughter meat in unsanitary conditions and mix the production of chemicals and food materials, things are going to go wrong. Go organic!

You are so right smisen! Seems like now days there is something wrong with just about everything we eat and or drink.

I buy organic most of the time. I am not a egg eater or much of a chicken eater. Tend to stick to turkey, fish, and buffalo or vegetable protein. I know it is more expensive but I figure my health and my families is worth the extra expense.

The risk gets blown out of proportion because it seems like it is more common than it is because of the way it's portrayed on the news. One study found that ecoli contamination was actually MORE common in organic produce (because manure fertilizer is the usual source of contamination. No manure, no contamination). Do I avoid organic lettuce and spinache prewashed or not? Nope! I wash it again as a precautionary step and hope my immune system does the rest. If I get the "24 hour flu," I know some bacteria probably got through my defenses, but I generally don't worry about it.

Then again I "live dangerously" and eat soft cooked eggs and medium rare beef.

In the summer, I buy fresh fruits and veggies at the farmers market from local farmers and gardners. They're not always 100% organic, but farming and gardening methods are still pretty conservative around here, so the taste and quality are a cut above what you can find in the grocery store (organic or not).

All types of farming and food production reduces some risks and increases others. Ideally, I'd be able to raise and grow my own meat and veggies, but until then I have to stay informed and take the occasional calculated risk.

Yes, there are questions about organic foods as well. Pesticide residues are lower in organic food - but not absent. Organic farmers use cow or pig manure as well. And it too can be infected with E. Coli.

I'm not saying organic foods are just as 'unsafe' as foods that are commericially farmed. I'm just saying that just because it's organic, it doesn't mean it's without its risks.

Exactly! Also, if you hear a lot about something you tend to think it happens "a lot" or at least "a lot more: than it used to. That isn't necessarily true, though. Industrial food contamination has been an issue from the start. Does anyone else remember reading "The Jungle" in school about the horrible factory conditions at the turn of the century. I still remember the author describing the blue tinge of formaldehyde in the milk, commonly used as a preservative in the milk.

Ironically, I couldn't think of the title of the book, so I started googling formaldehyde in milk. Guess what? Formaldehyde is used in the making of melanine the chemical currently in question. Full circle, huh?

I read this just recently -

Every day, each of us eats a quarter of a teaspoonful of carcinogens; 99.99 per cent of these are made naturally by all plants - whether organic, GM or intensively farmed - to inhibit disease organisms and deter consumption by animals and insects.

I believe it.

The jungle was definately an extreme and was what set up measures for safer slaughtering. I definately was grossed by this book. But currently, not really worried about meat contamination...trust me..i still order my steak slightly mooing (rare - med/rare). But i can also speak from experience that I have been in a slaughter plant and know what goes on. And yes there have been some bad places exposed by tv shows...but overall, it really is monitored. And i also have a huge understanding of the animal raising process. I personally think its sad that a lot of americal doesn't know where/how our meat comes from. But so far i'm not "freaking out" about this recall. Just like i'm still not worried about BSE (aka mad cow disease). There are many measures to help prevent issues.

Yes I read all that stuff and get freaked out as well. I have learned that all I can do is my best to make food choices and to be safe and to rely on God to do the rest.

I just don't let myself think about it. If I think about it, it grosses me out and I'd starve to death. I freak out about that stuff way too easily, so I just avoid it all together. Seriously, when that Spinach incident happened, I didn't start eating spinach again until about 2 months ago. *LOL*

The Jungle is a very powerful book. I can't imagine why more people didn't just drop dead from eating back then.

I wish I were more squeamish, it might be a handy weight-loss tool. My sister's a health inspector, and if her stories can't keep me from eating in a restaurant, trying to gross myself out is pretty much a lost cause. My husband and I watch the show Bizarre Foods (where the guy travels world wide and tries strange foods like haggis, bugs, worms and the darien fruit (sp?) which supposedly tastes like vanilla custard, but smells like rotting flesh). If anything could turn my stomache this show would, but more often than not, I say to my husband "I'd try that."

I do draw the line at moving food, and rotted corpse sented food, but overall I'm pretty much game for trying anything.

I STILL won't eat it. Or at least I won't buy it. I haven't bought bagged spinach or bagged salads since. Not only was there the spinach incident, but not long before that, Dole bagged salads were recalled for contamination.

Oh gosh, I used to work in restaurants. A couple of them "upscale" expensive restaurants.

Would I ever EAT there? After seeing what went on in that kitchen?

No way.

I'm sure weird stuff goes on in the kitchens of other restaurants as well. But because I worked there and I SAW it, there's no way I'd eat there.