And trust me, you will drop your fork as soon as you hear the horror story playing out behind the scenes.
Believe it or not, this terrifying tale didn't come to light because of some tofu-loving tree-huggers. It was actually Tyson Foods that spilled the beans.
And what we're learning is about a despicable practice that leads to thousands of cattle dying, some unable to even walk as their feet were literally "falling apart."
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A cash cow
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Unless you were in the ranching business -- or worked for the FDA or the USDA, you wouldn't have heard a thing about Zilmax or the terror behind it.
That is, until one day last year when Tyson had enough, and told its suppliers that it would no longer be buying any cattle that was given this drug.
So Merck, the company that makes Zilmax, said it would remove it from the market. But that didn't last very long.
Now Merck is working hard to convince ranchers, big companies like Tyson -- and even you and me -- that Zilmax is safe.
But trust me, you do not want to be eating traces of this drug along with your steak or burger. Because this cattle feed additive started life as an asthma medication -- and a very dangerous one at that.
Cattle, however, don't get Zilmax because they're sick or have trouble breathing. It's given to healthy animals for one reason -- to make them fatter. Zilmax can add around 33 pounds to a cow. And of course, heavier animals are worth more when they go to market.
And even from the get-go, when the drug was first approved for cattle by the FDA in 2006, experts were suspicious.
Other countries didn't like it either, and refused to take our beef if the cattle have been given Zilmax. Countries like South Korea, Russia, the EU, and even China -- have all banned U.S. meat from Zilmax-fed cattle.
Zilmax is in a class of drugs called beta-agonists that are used to treat asthma. And many of the side effects found in people who use these types of meds (like Advair) are very similar to those being noticed in the cattle -- especially weight gain.
It turns out that three full years before Zilmax was approved by the FDA, experts were concerned that these types of drugs were being used illegally to fatten up food animals.
You see, residues of the meds found in animal tissue had caused "intoxication outbreaks in several countries." And eating meat with those residues can increase your risk of heart disease.
Of course, the FDA would never allow "illegal" drugs to be used in food animals...
So it fixed the situation the only way it knows how... by giving Zilmax and other drugs in its same "family" the big "APPROVED" stamp, making them perfectly legal in the U.S.
Problem solved!
At least for Merck anyway.
After all, during the Zilmax heyday a few years ago, this cash cow took in around $160 million in sales in a single year. So Merck has gone back to promoting the drug -- big time. There's a website for ranchers -- and even one for consumers.
The website directed at us has photos of delicious steaks and happy people gathered around the table. It says that we should learn more about Zilmax and that Merck wants us to "feel good about beef choices."
I don't know about you, but I sure won't "feel good" until this drug is long gone from our food supply.
Until that day comes along, the only surefire way to make sure you're not eating traces of a risky asthma med with that burger or steak is to buy only organic beef.
Not too long ago, buying organic beef would mean having to look for some specialty store. But now, it can be purchased in almost all big chain supermarkets.
So there's no reason to consume one more drop of this dangerous drug. Or to let Merck think that we believe one word of what it's telling us about Zilmax.As Always Stay Informed!
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