Animal product

 

Slaughterhouse waste is defined as animal body parts cut off in the preparation of carcasses for use as food. This waste can come from several sources, including slaughterhouses, restaurants, stores and farms. In the UK, slaughterhouse waste is classed as category 3 risk waste in the Animal By-Products Regulations, with the exception of condemned meat which is classed as category 2 risk.

The leftover pieces that come from the process of stripping meat from animals tends to get used for different purposes. One of them is to put these parts into pet food.^[11] Many large, well-known pet food brands use animal by-products as protein sources in their recipes. This can include animal feet, livers, lungs, heads, spleens, etc or an admixture in the form of meat and bone meal. These organs are usually not eaten by humans depending on culture, but are safe and nutritious for pets regardless. By-products can also include bad-looking pieces. They are always cooked (rendered) to kill pathogens.^[11] Some pet food makers advertise the lack of by-products to appeal to buyers, a move criticized for contributing to food waste and reducing sustainability.^[12]

 

Animal husbandry has a significant impact on the world environment. Both production and consumption of animal products have increased rapidly. Since 1950, meat production has tripled, whereas the production of dairy products doubled and that of eggs almost increased fourfold.^[13] Meanwhile, meat consumption has nearly doubled worldwide. Developing countries had a surge in meat consumption, particularly of monogastric livestock.^[14] Animal husbandry drives climate change, ocean acidification, and biodiversity loss, and kills 60 billion animals annually.^[15] It uses between 20 and 33% of the world's fresh water,^[16] Livestock, and the production of feed for them, occupy about a third of the Earth's ice-free land.^[17] Livestock production contributes to species extinction, desertification,^[18] and habitat destruction.^[19] and is the primary driver of the Holocene extinction.^{[20][21][22][23][24]} Some 70% of the agricultural land and 30% of Earth's land surface is involved directly or indirectly in animal husbandry.^[25] Habitat is destroyed by clearing forests and converting land to grow feed crops and for grazing, while predators and herbivores are frequently targeted because of a perceived threat to livestock profits; for example, animal husbandry causes up to 91% of the deforestation in the Amazon region.^[26] In addition, livestock produce greenhouse gases. Cows produce some 570 million cubic metres of methane per day,^[27] that accounts for 35 to 40% of the overall methane emissions of the planet.^[28] Further, livestock production is responsible for 65% of all human-related emissions of nitrous oxide.^[28][29][30]

Since the 18th century, people have become increasingly concerned about the welfare of farm animals. Possible measures of welfare include longevity, behavior, physiology, reproduction, freedom from disease, and freedom from immunosuppression. Standards and laws for animal welfare have been created worldwide, broadly in line with the most widely held position in the western world, a form of utilitarianism: that it is morally acceptable for humans to use non-human animals, provided that no unnecessary suffering is caused, and that the benefits to humans outweigh the costs to the livestock. An opposing view is that animals have rights, should not be regarded as property, are not necessary to use, and should never be used by humans.^{[31][32][33][34][35]} Live export of animals has risen to meet increased global demand for livestock such as in the Middle East. Animal rights activists have objected to long-distance transport of animals; one result was the banning of live exports from New Zealand in 2003.^[36]

• Carmine, derived from crushed cochineal beetles, is a red or purple substance commonly used in food products.^[37] It is common in food products such as juice, candy, and yogurt.^[38][39] The presence of carmine in these products has been a source of controversy.^[40][41] One major source of controversy was the use of carmine in Starbucks frappuccinos.^[42][43] Carmine is an allergen according to the FDA.^[44] It takes about 70,000 female insects to produce a pound of dye.^[45]
• L-cysteine from human hair and pig bristles (used in the production of biscuits, bread and dietary supplements)
• Rennet (commonly used in the production of cheese)
• Shellac (commonly used for food dye, food glaze and medicine glaze)
• Swiftlet's nest (made of saliva)

• Extensive list identifying animal-derived and vegan ingredients
• FDA Consumer Magazine: The Lowdown on Labels
• Heinz, G. & Hautzinger, P. "Meat Processing Technology" Archived February 7, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, Food and Agriculture Organization, 2007, accessed March 30, 2012.
• Leoci, R., Animal by-products (ABPs): origins, uses, and European regulations, Mantova (Italy): Universitas Studiorum, 2014. ISBN 978-88-97683-47-6
• Mian N Riaz, Riaz N Riaz, Muhammad M Chaudry. Halal Food Production, CRC Press, 2004. ISBN 1-58716-029-3
• Tsai, Michelle. "What's in a can of dog food?, Slate, March 19, 2007.
• Earthly Origin of Materials, is a material animal, vegetable, or mineral?