Chicago Tribune | City considers meat packaging ban

Chicago Tribune City considers meat packaging ban

Packs of rotted hamburger were dropped on a table before Chicago aldermen Thursday as evidence that new packaging techniques used by some meat processors can mislead consumers about food safety.The city may ban the relatively new practice of using carbon monoxide, a highly toxic gas, to make even rotten meat look fresh.The American Meat Institute, an industry group that opposes the ban, said the gas is used only to remove oxygen from packages and actually gives the consumer a better tasting product.

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