PRINTThe Good, The Bad & The Ugly
February 21, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
The Good: Tofu to Go
Vegetarians in New York can now enjoy meatless burgers, hot dogs and chicken tenders without the wait. A new vegetarian fast-food restaurant named Zen Burger has opened in the Big Apple, and its owner has dreams of making it a national chain. The menu’s vegetarian versions of comfort foods come with the message, “You think you’re eating junk food, but you feel like you’re in heaven.” Do you want low-starch fries with that?
The Bad: Metal-mouths
Sometimes love hurts. Last week, two Florida customers found metal fragments in their Pokémon Valentine’s Day lollipops. The Maryland candy company that imports the suckers from China pulled the pops off shelves after consumers reported that pieces of metal seemed to have been cooked inside their candy. The FDA is investigating whether the metal was placed intentionally. We’re disappointed in you, Pikachu.
The Ugly: The Beef With Beef
The USDA recalled 143 million pounds of beef on Feb. 17, the largest beef recall in U.S. history. A USDA representative said there was a “remote probability” that the meat could cause human illness. For the past two years, diseased or injured cattle that had lost the ability to walk — also known as downer cattle — were abused and slaughtered by a California company without being examined for chronic illness.
