sf > wrote:
> On Tue, 06 May 2014 11:44:03 -0400, William > wrote:
>
>> Is there any DNA testing going on in North America to verify animal
>> and fish species being offered for sale? I'm not that picky about
>> various types of animals and fish.
>>
>
> If we don't have proper USDA inspections of our meat processing plants
> - what makes you think we're going to get DNA testing?
>
>> I do wonder if chemicals used to
>> fatten up animals and fish can harm humans consuming them?
>
> Hello, Rip Van Winkle... where have you been the last 25 years?
> All you need to do is notice the statistics about early puberty in
> girls (USA).
>
> Synthetic growth hormones
> Antibiotics
> Steroids
>
> The obesity rate can also be attributed, at least partially, to it.
>

It's not just the meat and fish that contain suspicious chemicals, most any
processed food and non-organic produce and dry goods will contain something
that is untested (known by the ironic acronym GRAS or generally recognized
as safe) at best or something known to cause harm for decades, like
bisphenol A.

The food safety agencies are now run by executives from the additives and
pharma industries (they are diversified you know) and their
politician-lackeys. People either stupidly put faith in these agencies
because they are apathetic and unwilling to think for themselves, or
because they are true believers and fair weather patriots who believe that
there could never be a conspiracy to undermine the effectiveness of these
agencies when profit is at stake.

Best thing to do is to grow your own food and hunt / fish in unspoiled
areas. Next best thing is to try to eat organic and "natural" as much as
possible and give up processed foods.

My wife's family is from Iowa and they look at the attitudes I expressed
above as not only offensive, but a genuine threat to their livelihood. My
opinion is that any farmer greedy enough to pass off poisoned meat and
produce to an unsuspecting public, while lobbying against effective food
safety standards, is a criminal.