U.S. to Allow China Processed Poultry In

Associated Press ^ | 04/20/2006 | LIBBY QUAID, AP Food and Farm Writer

[dvan]

WASHINGTON - Poultry processed in China will be allowed to enter the United States despite outbreaks of deadly bird flu in China, the Bush administration said Thursday.

Critics said the imported poultry will put public health at risk. The Agriculture Department said the meat would be fully cooked and perfectly safe.

"It will have been processed," said Richard Raymond, the department's undersecretary for food safety. "Cooking will kill the virus, if there is any virus, in poultry meat."

The U.S. does not accept live poultry from countries where the virulent flu strain is present. That policy has not changed.

The poultry would be raised and slaughtered in the U.S. or other countries from which the U.S. accepts poultry. It would be fully cooked and packaged or canned in China. Imports will be allowed beginning May 24.

Critics say the U.S. cannot guarantee that Chinese processing facilities will keep Chinese poultry from mixing with U.S. poultry.

"It's not clear to me the two will be effectively kept separate," said Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin (news, bio, voting record), the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (news, bio, voting record), D-Conn., said the imports are dangerous.

"It is an outrage that the U.S. is going to open our borders to imports of poultry from China — a country that lacks the fundamental safety functions in its processing plants, has questionable export practices, and a country where a deadly animal disease and possible pandemic is running rampant," said DeLauro, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee's agriculture subcommittee.

The department acted on a request from China, but Raymond said he does not expect very much of the product to be shipped to the U.S. He noted that chicken prices have been low.

"With the price of chicken, I don't know how you could send it across the ocean twice and make money," Raymond said.

He added that poultry is safe as long as it is properly cooked and basic rules for kitchen safety are followed. The department says cooking poultry to 165 degrees will kill viruses or bacteria.

Chinese President Hu Jintao visited President Bush on Thursday at the White House. In advance of his visit, China made several commitments including an agreement to drop a mad cow disease-related ban on imports of U.S. beef. Raymond said the deal is unrelated to poultry imports and has been in the works since 2004.

[GOP_1900AD]

Are we insane? I'd have to say yes, based on this.

[org.whodat]

As a matter of safety, I never buy foodstuffs from foreign countries. That includes produce or beer from Mexico or South America and seafood from Thailand. In many countries, food inspectors can be bribed, the water used during processing may be tainted, and sanitary conditions are just not on a par with ours. This has been my practice for at least 15 years or so. And now, with terrorists everywhere, how difficult would it be for someone to taint an entire shipment before it is shipped off to the USA? Chinese chicken? Never in this household!

RIGHT ON!!! How many people got sick on the green onion's from Mexico?? You just never know what type of crap they have been dipped in.

[mjwise]

Here is a handy chart. They recommend 180 degrees for a whole bird (probably a bit too high IMO, look at their ground poultry recommendation) - and I think these are all instantaneous temperatures. Also, this is the innermost (coolest) part of the bird we're talking about, so you'd need a meat thermometer to measure it accurately.

It's been my experience that people tend to overcook poultry (and pork too, for whatever reason). White meat should never be dry when it is cooked correctly.

[mjwise]

Here is a handy chart. They recommend 180 degrees for a whole bird (probably a bit too high IMO, look at their ground poultry recommendation) - and I think these are all instantaneous temperatures. Also, this is the innermost (coolest) part of the bird we're talking about, so you'd need a meat thermometer to measure it accurately.

It's been my experience that people tend to overcook poultry (and pork too, for whatever reason). White meat should never be dry when it is cooked correctly.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Thanks for the info, I'll put it to good use.

[Calpernia]

The defense for importing poultry from China moots the arguement in the USA for tagging poultry.

[Eastbound]

"The defense for importing poultry from China moots the arguement in the USA for tagging poultry."

Well, we should at least stamp 'em with a 'Born in the USA' stamp to distinguish them from imports. But that's the only reason I can think of for tagging them. ;>

[Velveeta]

Didn't I see the Prez having a toast with the Chinese on TV today?

~sigh~ Yep, you did.
Toast and chicken on the menu it seems....with a side of bird flu.

[Vinnie_Vidi_Vici]

The town of "Usa", was in Japan!

[hershey]

Vegetarianism, here I come.

[Bigg Red]

Snopes calls it an urban legend.

**
Thanks for checking that out.

[JustPiper]