zev@hou2a.UUCP (Z.FARKAS) (02/24/84)
If I remember correctly, I found this out when playing
Trivial Pursuit, so I am not sure how true it is, but
here goes:
Grape juice is used in the dye used to stamp USDA inspected meats.
Does anyone know if this is true, or how to verify it?
Does it make a difference? ("Yayin nessech" - unfit wine).
Most stamps are on fat ( they show up better ), which should
be trimmed away anyway, but the knife often passes through the
dyed section unless the butcher carefully avoids it.
zev farkas hou2a!zev 201 949 3821stan@clyde.UUCP (Stan King) (02/24/84)
You are close to the source of dye used in meat stamps. It is the sediment from grapes that is used; it is a waste product of wine making. I learnt this tidbit on a winery tour. Stan King phone: 201-386-7433 Bell Labs, Whippany, NJ Cornet: 8+232-7433 room 2A-111 uucp: clyde!stan
ariels@orca.UUCP (Ariel Shattan) (02/24/84)
According to my friend who worked in a fruit processing plant this past summer, they use blackberry juice for the meat stamps. I tend to believe this more, since blackberry juice is bluer than grape juice, and the stamps certainly look blue to me. My friend gave me this information while they were processing blackberries, not in response to a question of mine. For whatever that's worth. Ariel Shattan ..!tektronix!orca!ariels
rao@utcsstat.UUCP (Eli Posner) (02/24/84)
[]
In regard to hou2a!zev 's question about the relevance of 'grape juice'
in stamps used on meat.
Here are a number of comments on the issue:
1) There is no aplication of 'sofek' (doubt) on 'yayin nessech'.
2) 'Yayeen nesech' is not 'bottel' (nullified) even if it's 1/1000 parts
(ie. never mivootul)
3) On the other hand, I could argue that since it is in the form of ink,
then it is not 'rahooi la'achilut kelev' (fit for the consumption
of a dog) and therefore not considered food and therefore not
treif.
4) Therefore , because of the above, I would ask a Rav.
--
Eli Posner
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!utcsstat!raozev@hou2a.UUCP (Z.FARKAS) (02/29/84)
I would not be surprised if the USDA or their suppliers use more than one food dye in the stamps. This may depend on availability and/or what mixture produces a dye that comes up to USDA specs. zev farkas hou2a!zev 201 949 3821