Something of a precocious child, I refused to eat processed meat or fish products at the age of 3 the battles with my parents are still remembered as legendary by my relatives! I felt vindicated when the potential cause of vCJD came to light and my father (the gent who invented/discovered Ibubrofen) admitted that I might have had a point.
I was always happy to scoff a slab of recognisable flesh (provided I liked the look of it) and still am; Im a thoroughly committed carnivore. What I object to is comminuted cheap cuts disguised. I wouldnt eat pigs eyelids or bovine rectums if they were served up on a plate so I dont wish to encounter them in a burger, sausage, luncheon meat, faggot, ready-meal or anything minced up in a factory and out of a tin. For all that I appreciate their nutritional value, Im squeamish about organ meats but nothing goes to waste in this household and I would never throw any part of a dead animal away. Fortunately my Husband and the dog are not quite so fussy!
During the time I lived in France I really enjoyed eating horse steak, very tender and tasty indeed; I wish I could source it in England! Would I want to eat horse lips or nostrils? No. Thats why I bought steak.
Believe me, horse meat is the least of our worries. I work for a mildly unscrupulous continental family business based in the UK and suffice it to say that they dont hesitate to import and supply condemned meat and meet with no problems from whatever Government body in doing so. If you live in the Midlands, think twice about ordering beef satay from a Chinese takeaway, thats all I will say! Choose the king prawns, they cannot be disguised!!
I buy all my meat from the local butcher who slaughters 2 cows, 3 pigs and 5 sheep each week in the abattoir behind the shop on Friday mornings. The animals travel no further than 5 miles and from farmers who the butcher has dealt with for many years. Sometimes a little too much information, but he usually gives you the farmers name and ear tag number of the animal. Not eaten chicken in years as the shoots hereabouts provide me with partridge, pheasant and pigeon in return for photos.
Apart from the Trades Descriptions issue, I cant see any problem with eating horse or donkey meat (kangaroo will be the next scandal remember where you heard it first
) but I believe that condemned meat is something to be concerned about.