 Unfortunately, the suppliers of the beef (which were the major Chicago based meat packing companies) provided beef of inferior quality treated with preservatives, compounded by the fact that the canning process had yet to be perfected, so that the vast majority of the beef supplied overseas was inedible when it was received.Soldiers who ate the beef were afflicted with diarrhea and dysentery.This was widely reported in the press, created great embarrassment for the Army and resulted in a Congressional investigation.