Meat Safety and the Handling of Meat

Meat safety and the handling of meat in packaging plants have changed dramatically over the years. The way meat was handled and packaged for human consumption is disturbing and illustrated in Upton Sinclair’s book, The Jungle. Food safety regulations have been enforced since this time period and meat consumption has become much safer due to these policies. Meat inspection began in 1906 which made inspection mandatory to ensure the meat was safe to consume. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) are in charge of the inspection of most meats which was triggered by the publication of The Jungle. The book highlights all the unsanitary conditions that were present in the meatpacking industry in the early 1900s, specifically in Chicago, the world’s largest meat packer. The book captured a lot of people’s attention and caused a public outcry against the unhealthy standards in the meatpacking industry which led to the Food and Drug Administration in 1906. The act provided federal inspection of meat products and prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of contaminated food products. In Upton Sinclair’s book, The Jungle, readers get an insight on the harsh treatment of workers, trade within jobs during that time period, and the food safety that harmed so many people with illness and even death.

The book describes several issues that people faced during this time period. Sinclair points out the conditions that immigrants and workers faced and how they were treated in society. Owners of the meatpacking plants had no concern whatsoever for neither the safety of their employees nor the safety of the public. Immigrants were mistreated and the idea to start a life in America was almost impossible. The book portrays a Lithuanian man named Jurgis who traveled to America in hopes of finding a better life for his family. However, upon arrival the family suffered several hardships once arriving to Chicago. They probably never expected to endure the lifestyle they faced upon arrival to America. Along the way, Jurgis and his family find that the plants of Packingtown, which employ the working class of Chicago, are manipulating the citizens to purchase and eat unhealthy food. The discovery of this evidence is clearly important for the understanding of the great influence this book had on society which will be discussed later. The search to find jobs to earn money to provide a living for his family was tough but upon arrival few of the family members obtains job. It will prove difficult later on the book to secure their positions and jobs due to several reasons including health, arriving late due to weather, etc.

After a few weeks of living in America, the family begins to realize that they are taken advantage of in numerous different circumstances. An example, when Ona and Teta Elzbieta try to purchase there first place to live and later realize the deal is a scam. It is not