A Strange American Dilemma About Eating Organ Meat

The word ‘organ meat’ makes many people squirm, even though tins of liver pâté have been gracing breakfast and lunch tables for decades. Many people who eat meat also have no problem with slices of liver sausage, but when it comes to chicken livers or tongue, some become more hesitant. And in the Netherlands, you hardly hear anything about eating this organ at all, but the differences between countries are quite significant…

In many countries, eating organ meat is entirely commonplace, and it can certainly be considered a delicacy. I didn’t find the plate of sheep testicles that was once placed in front of me particularly appealing, but that doesn’t mean I don’t admire the nose-to-tail mentality that many chefs and diners have toward animals. In America, there is a notable exception to this.

Off-limits

There, lungs may not be sold as organs for human consumption. It isn’t illegal to eat them, but you will never see them at the butcher’s. How did that happen?

Breathe in, breathe out

According to Dr. Jonathan Reisman, the USDA (the United States Department of Agriculture) once commissioned pathologists to conduct an investigation in which they dissected a large number of cow lungs. They found pollen the animals had inhaled, fungal spores, and traces of stomach contents that had ended up in the lungs. According to Reisman, this led them to conclude that animal lungs were not suitable for consumption and therefore could not be sold because they might endanger public health.

Perfectly natural

But according to Reisman, that decision was exaggerated. We would take in those same substances ourselves through our airways, as well as by eating the things we normally eat. He argues that taking in a little more of them by consuming this meat would not make a difference.

What do you think? If you eat meat anyway, do you think we should eat more than just the ‘usual’ cuts (such as those easy chicken breasts and steaks) from an animal? We’d love to know!

Also read:

• How healthy are all those meat substitutes, really?
• Who or what is ‘Beter Leven’ chicken actually better for?
• Albert Heijn launches its own-brand vegetarian chicken breast

Source: Eater