The U.S. Department of Agriculture has acknowledged knowing about the dangerous bacteria found food giant Cargill’s turkey well before August’s giant recall. This is one of the U.S.’s largest meat recalls ever with 36 million pounds of ground turkey being recalled after at least one person died from Salmonella and another 76 people fell ill from turkey traced to Cargill’s processing plant in Springdale, Arkansas.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it discovered a dangerous form of Salmonella in Cargill’s turkey at least once last year and four times this year, but did not push for a recall until the outbreak occurred. The USDA cited agency rules that does not hold Salmonella as a dangerous contaminant in meat, unless that meat results in illness or death.” -democracynow.org

This is even more of a shame because turkey burgers and turkey bacon are touted as healthier alternatives to beef burgers and pork bacon. Sadly, this is yet another, this time deadly, sign of our broken food system.

Src: democracynow.org