NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

Dingell, Stupak Praise Giant, Stop & Shop for Ceasing Sale of Meat Treated with Carbon Monoxide

Washington, D.C. – Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hailed an announcement today from Giant Food that the company will discontinue selling meat treated with carbon monoxide at Giant supermarkets and at the company’s affiliated Stop & Shop stores. Carbon monoxide artificially colors meat, making it appear fresh, even after it has spoiled.

“We all rely heavily on the color of meat to determine its freshness,” Dingell said. “Spiking meat with carbon monoxide can deceive consumers into thinking meat is fresher than it truly is. The supply of meat will be safer and consumers will benefit from the action Giant has taken.”

The company agreed to stop selling carbon monoxide treated meat after receiving letters from the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Earlier this year, after receiving letters from the Committee, two other major grocers, Safeway and Tyson Foods, both announced that they would also stop selling carbon monoxide treated meat.

“I commend Giant for taking this pro-consumer step and am pleased that correspondence and meetings with our Committee persuaded them to end the practice of selling carbon monoxide treated meat,” Stupak said. “I will continue working on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee to draw attention to this issue and to change the behavior of those in the meat industry. I also look forward to working with Chairman Dingell to move our food safety legislation, which would at least inform consumers by requiring that meat that is packed with Carbon Monoxide be clearly labeled.”

While Safeway, Tyson Foods and Giant have agreed to cease selling carbon monoxide treated meat, major meat packers such as Hormel, Cargill Incorporated, and Pactiv Corporation have not yet discontinued the practice.

Earlier this year, Dingell, Stupak and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, introduced legislation aimed at strengthening the nation’s food safety regulations. The bill includes provisions that would require meat, poultry and seafood that is treated with carbon monoxide to be treated as such, in order to ensure consumers are aware they cannot rely on the meat’s color to determine its freshness.

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Read Giant Food and Stop & Shop annoucements (in pdf format)