Posted on 05/10/2012 6:22:54 PM PDT by thecodont
The American Meat Institute is striking back at reports that “meat glue,” a binding agent often used to patch together pieces of beef and other protein, is unsafe and unnatural.
In an occasionally touchy conference call Thursday, the trade group said that the USDA considers such substances to be safe and requires its presence to be noted on retail labels. The product, however, isn’t always disclosed when it’s served at restaurants and other food service outlets, experts said.
But using the binding substance to weave together high-quality cuts such as filet mignon with lower-priced meat such as chuck steak is “patently illegal,” said Mark D. Dopp, the institute’s general counsel.
Such "Frankenstein" meat would be easily discernible to diners and not condoned by the industry, he said.
Not long after the “pink slime” outcry and the reemergence of mad cow disease, concerns about meat glue have the industry back on defense.
California state Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) recently called on the USDA to investigate such products, including options made by Fibrimex and Ajinomoto North America.
Ajinomoto uses transglutaminate, a “ubiquitous enzyme found in nature, basically every animal, in our tissues, in plants, trees and vegetables,” the company's Senior Vice President Brendan Naulty said on the conference call. Besides its meat applications, it is also used in products such as bread, yogurt and imitation crab.
Fibrimex uses fibrinogen and thrombin proteins, which company representative Christiaan Penning said was “designed by nature … but used in a more intelligent way.”
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Same here. I hardly eat out anymore and when I do, it’s best not to think about what’s going on in the kitchen. LOL
I think there is a huge difference between the present system of legalistic lying through omission and an unregulated food market. If there is a whole government system there to assure the public that everything is safe and hunky dory, it is open to corruption from within the system, as people manipulate regulations to hide the truth from the public.
Whereas in a free market, it is known by the consumer that they are the ultimate authority as to what is safe and not safe to eat, and competition will ensure those who lie and cheat will be forced from the system by attrition by those who do not.
Will some people be harmed in this system? Sure. It happens, life has risks. But I've never heard of a system that suffers from a smarter and more aware consumer.
Or Spam, as a extremely common canned pressed meat.
I was thinking cyanoacrylate.
I’m sorry, but could you actually define what ‘Organic’ is? Because under current regulations, there is an entire book full of exemptions that most common people wouldn’t imagine as being ‘organic.’ Again, the fault of the USDA getting into the ‘organic’ game.. Once they start defining things, anyone with connections can get their favorite shortcut in as an exemption. Such as genetically engineered vegetables being sold as certified organic.
I was thinking of Spam too. I once bought a package of “red hots” just to see how good they were. As near as I could tell they were fat and grease contained in some red fabric.
I imagine hot dogs are right up there too.
And there’s no reason the glue can’t be equally “organic.”
I think there is a confusion here between “minimally processed” and “organic.”
“Wait until the supermarket shelves are empty; many people (a lot here) will eat damn near anything. “
Good point. People want go off half cocked about the latest scare
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Siege of AR-558 (#7.8) (1998)
Quark: "Let me tell you something about Hew-mons, Nephew. They’re a wonderful, friendly people, as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those same friendly, intelligent, wonderful people... will become as nasty and as violent as the most bloodthirsty Klingon. You don’t believe me? Look at those faces. Look in their eyes."
Most people know the most frightening words ever heard by a person are: 'I'm from the government and here to help.' Yet they are the same ones who are eager to have that same government define what is safe, and not safe, to eat.
Dog will start sounding pretty good.
Dog will start sounding pretty good.
Does it stick to your ribs?
Went whole food vegan several years ago. By far, the best decision I ever made for myself.
>> Dog will start sounding pretty good.
“Would you mind if I take your dog for a wok?”
I’m not going to get into a drawn out conversation. I understnd what you mean.
Forget it.
Right.
“I never thought I’d hear a compelling argument for vegetarianism but between pink slime and meat glue, not to mention tuna scrape, pass the broccoli.”
I see it completely the other way around. I like to see a complete (efficient) use of the animal, and as long as it is not toxic I have no problem with it. Rather, it’s good stewardship, stretching the dollar, feeding the most people.
We pound meat, roll pickles in it, stick it together with toothpicks, dredge it in flour and fry it in oil and call it “rouladen.” It’s a great use of a cheap cut of meat, but it’s not “natural.” We mess with it like crazy. So what?
“Seeing the term “meat glue” in a headline always makes me stop and ponder. Wa... WHAT?”
They just use that term to bother you. There’s “cake glue,” usually fondant, sometimes frosting. It’s used to hold cakes together. So what?
“People with full Stomachs are easily offended and appear to be very civilized.”
Agreed. What is a salad but a “Vegetable Innovation.” The veggies get all cut up and mixed together.
I think many on this board are a bit spoiled.
When you lived on the farm, you used the hoof to the horn for something. They ate the brain. The intestines. They made blood sausage. Now we need only intact cuts of muscle?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.