Missouri Sues Meat Processor Over Hamburger Content

When you shop for meat products, you more or less have to trust what the label says. But Missouri's attorney general has accused a St. Louis area meat retailer of grossly violating that trust.

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has sued John's Butcher Shoppee in Overland and Festus, Mo., charging the business with selling meat products that he alleges have been intentionally mislabeled and contain animal organs not allowed by state and federal law.

Allegedly contains cow hearts

According to Koster, the company has has fraudulently sold products labeled as “ground beef” and “sausage” that actually contain cow hearts as an ingredient. In some tested samples, heart muscle is the primary ingredient.

Koster said he is asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order to stop John’s Butcher Shoppee and the two brothers who operate the businesses from the practice.

“Consumers should be able to trust that the products they buy are what the manufacturer has advertised,” Koster said. “In no area is this more important than in the food Missourians feed their families. The introduction of cow hearts into ground beef products is an unacceptable misrepresentation to local shoppers.

Six tests

Koster said sixteen separate tests on products sold by John’s Butcher Shoppee by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)and the Missouri Department of Agriculture confirmed that products advertised as “ground beef” and “sausage” contained heart muscle. Further tests on the company’s sausage also found the product contained soy.

Koster’s suit names Michael Kolish, the President of John’s Butcher Shoppee, Inc., and his brother, Thomas Kolish, Secretary of the business, as defendants.

In his civil suit, Koster is seeking full restitution for customers as well as penalties. In addition, Koster wants a restraining order to prevent the business from continuing this practice.