WASHINGTON — The leaders of two Congressional committees have asked Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway to defend the practice of selling meat treated with carbon monoxide, a gas that retards spoilage and causes meat to appear fresher longer. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations sent letters to Safeway, as wells as Tyson Foods, Pactiv Corp. and Precept Foods, “demanding that Safeway Stores and three major meat packaging companies respond to concerns about the public health risks posed by meat treated with carbon monoxide,” according to a release issued by the congressmen. The use of carbon monoxide to treat fresh meat products was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration three years ago.

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