Monday, July 21, 2014

Tenderized beef will need labels

A month from now, mechanically-tenderized beef will need to be identified on labels.

Health Canada has finally made the move after years of food-safety lobbying.

Mechanically-tenderized beef from the XL Foods Ltd. plant in Alberta has been blamed for sickening Edmonton consumers last year.

XL Foods had to take on the largest beef recall in Canadian history when its meat was found to be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

Mechanically tenderizing this type of meat shoves the bacteria from the surface to the interior and if the steaks or roasts are not cooked to 63 degrees C, the bacteria could cause food poisoning.

Some bacteria, such as E. coli 0157:H7 can be so potent that people end up in hospital, they could suffer permanent kidney damage and some people have died.

Given the risks, the Consumers Association of Canada says mechanically-tendering steaks and roasts ought to be banned.

Bruce Cran, president of the Consumers' Association of Canada, told reporters that the cooking requirements are too complicated for most people and he wants mechanical tenderizing banned outright.

"What average Canadian having a beer and a steak is going to measure the temperature of the meat?" Cran asked.


"This process has the potential to seriously sicken people or cause fatalities," Cran is quoted by Canadian Press news service.