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Northern Beef Packers Meat Fortified with Zinc?

I don't know much more about building beef-packing plants than the only-slightly-poorer Korean and Chinese investors who lost money on Northern Beef Packers. I only know what I read on the Internet... and what the occasional eager reader tells me.

For instance, I learn from one reader and find guidance from the University of Florida Extension Service that using galvanized steel in food processing facilities is a bad idea.

What did Northern Beef Packers build its beef conveyor with? According to AAN John Davis's all-rights-reserved photo from June 3, 2011, galvanized steel.

What could go wrong?

A new hot-dipped galvanized overhead rail system was installed in a refrigerated meat processing facility for transporting sides of beef withing the plant.... Shortly after installation, facility operators and management observed particulate dropping from the rail system onto the meat processing area. They attributed the particulate to the galvanizing coming off the support structure. Initial inspections performed by plant maintenance personnel indicated that the problem was widespread and had the potential to contaminate the meat. With the appearance of the particulate, the plant was shut down and repeated inspections from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensured because even a small amount of particulate is unacceptable in a food processing facility [Raymond Tombaugh, "The Fix That Was Worse than the Problem," Journal of Protective Coatings and Linings, August 2009].

We eat beef because it's a good source of zinc... but you don't want that zinc flaking off from corroding galvanized steel.

Tombaugh is referring to a poorly built packing plant that went into operation before Northern Beef Packers. But if you have several million dollars burning a hole in your pocket and you're thinking of bidding on NBP at bankruptcy auction December 5, you might want to tour the plant and take a close look at the steel...

...because you wouldn't want any more flakes ruining good beef and good jobs in Aberdeen.

17 Comments

  1. Lynn G. 2013.11.05

    so was this plant built to US or Chinese standards after the influx of Chinese investors? I watched the Argus Leader's 100 eyes latest NBP video last night. What a convoluted mess and as they mentioned the more layers the more chances for something that isn't right. Cayman Isles and on and on and on. How can one not speculate with a developing story and two ongoing investigations like this?

  2. Jerry 2013.11.05

    There had to be spec sheets on this that were used to build this food handling area. Look to see who approved them and then you will have your answers. On these types of commercial buildings, they have to build according to the current codes. Something happened here that should have never been allowed. We the people need to sue our state and its leaders for malpractice and mismanagement of our tax dollars.

  3. Lynn G. 2013.11.05

    I was kidding about the Chinese codes knowing all the corruption and that seems common there. It's unfortunate those investors lost money regardless of their wealth. This particular blog posting about the use of galvanized steel in such a sensitive food safety area just further adds to this ongoing debacle

  4. Jerry 2013.11.05

    Of course you were Lynn G., but you are onto something in that there are codes that must be adhered to. Someone had to look at these specs and either approve them or not and then sign off on them. These are the guidelines that are used that builders and counties and cities abide by for the safety of the workers as well as the consumers in this case. Follow the signatures and the moolah.

  5. Amy 2013.11.05

    I assure you... David Palmer made himself 100% responsible for all such decisions. He was advised time & again by industry experts. He chose to disregard advice and insisted on making decisions about things he is NO expert about.

  6. Jerry 2013.11.05

    Then who did David Palmer give the okay so he could purchase the equipment from? Usually when you disregard advise is when you have a dog in the fight.

  7. Jerry 2013.11.05

    Good stuff to speculate on as there is really no one accountable. The former governor says, nope it wasn't me, ole Joop says nothing and we got a dead guy who tells no tales. As our politics are so corrupt here, it is just another day in paradise. So corrupt here that we may have to go to China to get the truth or have Dennis Rodman find out for us.

  8. Amy 2013.11.05

    From the first-hand observor's perspective... he did only what he himself decided; regardless of expert commentary. Purchase decisions didn't exactly go thru a process beyond his desk. All his "answering to" was to people off site and essentially in secret. Chew on that. :s

  9. Allen 2013.11.05

    Nobody there had the experience after Denise H. Sold the plant to the koreans. Dave Palmer had never designed a plant, built a plant, managed a plant or started a plant from ground floor before. He could not even hold a job in the meat industry, he was hired from a job he had working for the boyscouts, and that is a true story. Which leads to another story of corruption and waste of money regarding this plant. Song (sp) the main owner should be held accountable for keeping dead wood on the pay roll when there were good people with experience available. The steel is only one item, how about the refrigeration, the boning room mess, the water, the storage, the basement augers, the poor slaughter floor steel work and the list goes on. It will take an additional 30 million to begin to make it kill cattle. They even messed up the lagoons by filling them with water for testing after lining them and then did not drain them again before adding waste water to them, contaminating them so as not to be able to pump them to the creek, they now have two full lagoons that have to go through city waste water, another waste of money. This lack of keadership doomed the pkant even before the lack of money. Even when they started they did not start with kess expensive cattle to train people and work up to the better cattle as the people got better, hell no, they started with some of the best cattle around, butchered them and produced such poor quality product that even the discout buyers did not want it, what a shame and waste. Someone should be held accountable and it should be the main owner and his main man because this was far more of a crime than anything else has been. You can fix everything in the plant but you can't fix stupid!!!

  10. Amy 2013.11.05

    First hand truth. And Allen above ↑↑ meant "Dennis", not Denise. ;)

  11. Bree S. 2013.11.05

    This plant was doomed from the first day Rounds had the dumb idea to build it. There's a reason these plants don't get built. And its highly unlikely it sells at auction. Only someone big could afford the losses, someone like Cargill - who just shut down a similar plant in Texas because guess what it was losing money.

  12. caheidelberger Post author | 2013.11.05

    Allen, Amy, it sounds like you've got better knowledge of the plant than anyone else this conversation, in the press, or in the SDRC or GOED. How could a plant get built that badly? If the scheme is all about making money, don't they make more money by hiring at least a couple experts and making sure they have a working asset that can crank out product and sell for top dollar at auction? If the plant is as poorly built as Allen suggests, then, following Bree's point, is anyone going to bid?

  13. Bree S. 2013.11.05

    I think Rounds should buy it. He's the one that wanted it.

  14. Amy 2013.11.05

    The scheme was all about making $. For the Club, as I refer to it. I never saw a genuine intelligent effort to make this thing work. It was about money. Fast and easy. There WERE experts onsite. Who were fired by Palmer. Who, coincidentally, never hurt financially for a moment thru all of this saga. And still drives up to the front door of NBP every day now. Doing what? Sweeping the floor? The place has never generated enough income to even pay the light bill. Yet he continues to collect a check, along with his select (non-meat-industry buddies.) Ok, speculation on the collecting a check. But let's not kid ourselves. As for bidding... people who are informed and DO know the industry (unlike Palmer) - know what they are getting into. And yes, I do believe some interest remains. It will be interesting. The sad part of that is --- there is such a negative stigma to that place, it hurts my head to even think of going near it at this point. On the other hand, what a colossal waste it would be if everyone just walked away from it forever. The community deserves something good to happen from this.

  15. Kurt Evans 2013.11.08

    Bree S. writes: "I think Rounds should buy it. He's the one that wanted it."
    ————
    Boom.

  16. Anne Beal 2014.02.17

    If any of you had ever been inside a packing plant you wouldn't be getting all indignant. Just where do you think food comes from? Do you know what's in those hot dogs you feed your children? Do you know what chorizo really is? Do you think the plants are all shiny stainless steel and the employees wear clean clothes everyday under their lab coats? Haha

  17. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.02.18

    Anne, are you just disagreeing for the sake of disagreement? I enjoy a good hot dog, pig brains and anus and all. But are you excusing bad construction?

Comments are closed.