Congress is holding hearings on the use of carbon monoxide by retailers in meat. American stores routinely inject carbon monoxide into meat to make it look fresh. Even two year old meat filled with e-coli can look pink and fresh when treated with carbon monoxide. Various countries have banned the practice, but the Bush Administration has refused to take action. For the full story, click here Putting aside health questions, it is a dishonest practice meant to hide the age of meat. The practice recalls other techniques such as dipping meat that has been the subject of litigation. In the Food Lion v. ABC case, the store was shown in an undercover segment engaging in unsanitary techniques and accused Food Lion of selling rat-gnawed cheese, meat that was past its expiration date and old fish and ham that had been washed in bleach to kill the smell.