Bone Marrow

[sarea_okelani]

Yesterday I bought 6 pieces of marrow bones. (One was given raw to my dog, as marrow bones have been proven to be a great recreational bone, keeping dogs busy for hours as they chew happily away -- and it keeps their teeth clean and tartar-free at the same time!) I've been doing a LOT of research and reading about eating bone marrow, which has

Comments

[sarea_okelani]

I don't understand why boneless beef is considered "safer." It didn't cut itself out of the cow, making sure it touched no other part. Isn't it possible to buy a cut of boneless beef that was resting right up against bone, but you wouldn't necessarily know it? I buy beef back ribs that have been scraped of meat -- that meat went somewhere. And the machinery that cuts up beef flesh could also have cut bone or been exposed to it. I think this is one of those things we tell each other and ourselves because it makes us feel safer, even if it isn't, necessarily.

Additionally as I mention below, the NYT article on this subject -- and more research I've done on the Internet -- doesn't seem to actually call marrow or most organs out as "higher-risk." What is universally considered high risk is the nervous system, such as brains and the spinal cord. In fact in the article marrow is categorized with "beef sold on the bone," aka T-bone steak, Porterhouses, prime rib, etc. People very commonly eat those (maybe not yourself) and yet you don't see them called out as being especially risky to eat.

[noelleleithe]

The article does talk about processes used to remove beef from the bones and how some of them can get parts of the bone and nerve/spinal tissue with it. Bone-in meat is even lower risk than the already low risk from the "high-risk" stuff, but meat that's been cut off the bone (at the store or at home) is safest. Well, actually, grass-fed beef is safest, since the danger comes from animals getting feed that contains animal by-products.

As I said, I don't much care for the "high-risk" stuff anyway, so I just don't eat it. I also work for an infectious disease publication that regularly runs articles on prion diseases, though, so I'd probably be more wary anyway. :)

Prion/Mad-Cow Disease is scarrry stuff.

[sinisterwilliam]

The risk is primarily, yes, from animals fed animal by products.

The risk to YOU eating beef is in parts that are at high risk of including spinal/brain tissue. Primarily Brain, but any nervous tissue of the spinal cord mixed into your meat is enough to be a risk.

Mad Cow is a PRION disease. Which aggregates and affects tissues in the brain.
As it is a protein formed infectious agent which effects existing susceptible proteins in the infected. (thanks wiki for the proper lingo) You cannot cook it out of the food...or as is the case, the brain tissue remains- thus it is persistent in livestock situations where remains may exist in the feed or grazing pastures (goodness goodness if this isn't spooky stuff).

Kuru is a prion disease known to a native population once known to practice cannibalistic funeral rights.

Also, odd anecdotal bit...the tribe that practiced cannibalism said people tasted of pork, not chicken. But as they ate pork often- the comparison doesn't seem unwarranted.

This is of course me mostly regurgitating an anthropology lecture.

Marrow itself, is not a risk. Bones are not a risk. However parts that come in contact with loose spinal portions MAY be a serious risk.

Basically, the article is good in advice, but in response to alarmist concerns.

Prion disease is RARE, it is not really infectious unless direct contact is made (ingestion). It can incubate up to around 10 years before symptoms develop- though typically the brain starts turning into a spongey squishy juice filled mass before it kills and the symptoms start rather soon.

Ironically- the holes and juice factor brought mention of anecdotal evidence for it actually making the brain TASTIER. hoo boy.

Brain tacos...avoid.

Really though, I don't think American's are going to stop eating burgers, so I think you can take the odd bet on some marrow bones, if you want to avoid suspect parts in general- go right ahead. Obama at least has pushed against the border importation of bad beef. *shrugs* Yeah, this makes me A. want to eat organic and B. be vegetarian...

The article claims Lamb is safe- which it should be, but sheep are not immune to prion disease either, and sheep have their own version, Scrapie. Organic is a good bet though.

terribly complicated stuff.

Re: Prion/Mad-Cow Disease is scarrry stuff.

[noelleleithe]

Yeah, as I said, I work for an infectious disease publication, and we average an article per issue on prion diseases. So even if I were inclined to eat the higher-risk foods, which I wasn't in the first place, I'd be less inclined to do it because of all I've read about the diseases. :)

Re: Prion/Mad-Cow Disease is scarrry stuff.

[sinisterwilliam]

GOODNESS.