Korea: Another Bone Fragments Found in US Beef

[Robbien]

By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter

The government said it found seven bone fragments in the third batch of beef shipment from the United States.

It is the third time that South Korea has found bone pieces since September when it decided to resume the import of American beef.

. . .

The government had said it would return or destroy the two previous shipments on Nov. 24. and Dec. 1 as a bone fragment and three fragments were found in the beef from Kansas and Nebraska, respectively.

``I heard that the U.S. also conducted an X-ray test _ on the third batch _ before shipment,’’ Kang said. ``The possibility that the U.S. failed to detect the bone fragments is high because they were so thin.’’

He rejected some reports that U.S. beef with bone fragments have already been consumed by some U.S. soldiers here and Koreans. He said, ``I think the reports are groundless as the beef should be destroyed or sent back.’’

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200612/kt2006120621193511910.htm

Appears we cannot deliver beef which have no bone fragments, no matter how careful we are.

[Ian David]

1. Are the bone fragments tested to see if they come from cows?

It could be bones from rats, for example.

[MGD]

2. Would that be better? nt

[Ian David]

3. Not really. But it would be better than if they were human bone fragments. n/t

[MGD]

10. I think they're worried about bovine bone fragments, not human bone fragments

Actually, I think they're just looking for an excuse to not buy U.S. beef.
They prefer this:

[SledDriver]

4. For that matter, was the "beef" tested to make sure IT came from cows?

n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

5. I think this has something to do with "mad cow disease". The

presence of bone fragments could also indicate the presence of nervous material which could harbor the prions that are responsible for the disease.

http://www.vegsource.com/lyman/madcow.htm

I could be drawing the wrong conclusions here.

[warrens]

7. Korea has admitted it has nothing to do with BSE

Just "rule of law." Bones per se don't harbor prions; spinal bones do, however, due to central nerves running through them from the brain.

[warrens]

6. Another explanation

"Appears we cannot deliver beef which have no bone fragments, no matter how careful we are."

Industry people are speculating the fragments were planted. Creekstone has demanded its beef back WITH THE BONE CHIP. It plans DNA tests. The other two processors plan to as well.

Johanns said yesterday the three shipments were "tests" to see if Korea would play fair. Keep an eye on this...it looks like a set-up by Korea, which had riots in the streets last week over this issue.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. Aha! The plot thickens.

[Kali]

9. interesting