Is it really any surprise that this issue is being promoted by a business that may well be using headlines unfriendly to beef to drum up support demanding government deny use of technology developed and used by a competitor they fear?

Here is how it looks to me.

FACT: Both USDA and FDA reviewed the technology at issue and have no objection to its use, based on the science presented by the developer to those agencies.

FACT: the petitioner is a competitor of the company using the co2 to keep the natural color and extend the shelf life of their beef.

FACT: FDA will now review the petition and determine if the information presented has merit.

FACT: The Beef Checkoff researched this technology and found that it does keep the red color in beef longer and it increases shelf life. These findings are consistent with others' research. The level of co2 used is 0.4%, a very low level that won't harm humans. More info available at www.beef.org.........it may be easier to go to the other thread starting with "Toxic gas...." and click on the link posted by Murgen.

MAIN POINT: This attack on new technology to give beef greater shelf life......(and I am convinced BY THE SCIENCE of this process that there is no intent to sell spoiled beef).....by someone who doesn't want to compete against this technology is, IMO, an abusive use of scare tactics fed to the media to gain attention with the un-substantiated claim of "covering up spoiled meat". HOWEVER, if you read their petition closely, the official complaint is ONLY that FDA must remove the practice of using co2 because "appropriate" procedures were not followed.

I certainly do not want meat passed off as safe if it is not. Nor do I want a safe practice enhancing the shelf life of beef thrown to serve quite "competition" agenda.

MRJ