I find it shocking that Mexico, of all places, which laces their children’s candy with lead, would have stricter standards than we do for metals in meat!
So, what’s up? Are the cows licking copper pipes? Is our land contaminated with tailings from copper mines? Bizarre!
From the feed. Copper IS a required mineral, after all. It HAS to be in the diet, unlike some of the other things mentioned that are not required for nutrition (antibiotics, pesticides).
What I am interested in knowing is the toxic levels of copper in humans, and if anybody has done a study on how to relate copper toxicity in humans with beef consumption. For example, how much beef with X amount of trace copper is needed to cause health problems in humans.
Too little copper and the animal can get paralysis, won’t thrive, and may die. Too much copper and you shot the liver down. Usually sheep are more susceptible than cattle.
Not intentionally, certainly, but there have been some cases of candy imported from Mexico contaminated with dangerous levels of lead. Apparently a product in 2004-5 called “Chaca Chaca” and a product in 2009 called “Hola Pop”.
Clearly not. I think the whole thing, both the lead in the candy and the copper in the beef, goes to show that contamination can happen, and that it’s important for food safety and customs agents to be vigilant to make sure that tainted products don’t become available to the public.