Consumer Groups Urge Meat Producers to Put Proper Labels
January 4, 2009
Washington - Following the massive recall of beef products last December, some consumer groups had urged US meat manufacturers to label their products if these have undergone mechanical tenderization, a process which has been said to promote the growth of E. coli bacteria.
In a statement, consumer groups Safe Food Coalition and the Consumer Federation of America said mechanically tenderized meats are prone to E. coli contamination as the process use hundreds of needles to break up muscle fibers which may transfer the bacteria from the surface of the meat to its core.
The process is also used to inject marinades into meat products like pork and beef.
Meanwhile, the American Meat Institute (AMI) said the process of tenderization for meat products is generally safe as long as consumers will follow proper handling and cooking instructions from the labels.
To prevent E. coli bacteria contamination, the meat should be cooked to at least 160°F (71°C).
“Several studies, including the one conducted by the FSIS, suggested that tenderization process does not significantly increase the risk of food-borne contamination, prompting us to believe that special labeling declaring if the meat has been mechanically tenderized will not provide meaningful information to consumers”, AMI officials said in a statement.
Recently, the Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), which is under the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), has recalled more than 248,000 lbs. of mechanically tenderized beef products manufactured by Oklahoma-based National Steak and Poultry after these were linked to 21 food-borne illnesses from 16 states.
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