A rule requiring the mandatory labeling of mechanically tenderized meat was delayed due to slow government action.
The rule was proposed because of the higher food safety risk associated when meat is tenderized using blades or needles. The blades or needles can force bacteria deeper into the meat, and so this meat then needs to be cooked a little more in order to destroy those backer and thus ensure safety. That is, you don't want to serve mechanically tenderized meat rare or medium rare....it needs to be cooked to 155F internal versus 145 F as is done for intact meat (straight cuts of steak). Of course, many people do not know this, and cook those mechanically tenderized steaks like they would intact steaks.. Labeling would indicate to people that these steaks need to be cooked to 155F internal temperature.
Food Safety Magazine
http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/news/mandatory-labeling-for-mechanically-tenderized-meat-delayed-until-at-least-2018/
Mandatory Labeling for Mechanically Tenderized Meat Delayed Until At Least 2018
News | January 5, 2015
By Staff
According to a final rule by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), mechanically tenderized beef products will not require special safety labels for at least another three years. The tenderization process softens the meat with tools and devices that are known to cultivate pathogens that can lead to foodborne illness.
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Don't overlook safe turkey-handling practices for a happy holiday
Penn State News - November 20, 2013
http://news.psu.edu/story/295976/2013/11/20/dont-overlook-safe-turkey-handling-practices-happy-holiday
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Thanksgiving is a time for sharing: good food, family time, friendship and memories. But one thing you don't want to share, warns a food-safety expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, is pathogenic bacteria.
"As you prepare your Thanksgiving dinner, it is important to remember some key food-safety rules when it comes to cooking and serving turkey," said Martin Bucknavage, extension food-safety specialist. "We don't want to spread pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter."
He offers some advice to keep cooks, helpers and guests safe when preparing a turkey:
--There is no need to wash the outside of your turkey. Proper cooking will take care of any pathogenic bacteria that may be present.
"The only thing you will achieve by washing the outside of the turkey is spreading bacteria in your kitchen. This can occur as the water splashes or drips across your kitchen counter, potentially carrying bacteria with it," Bucknavage said.
--Clean as you go when handling raw turkey.
"As people move the raw turkey around in the kitchen, they treat it more like a football than a raw piece of meat, in that it touches a lot of surfaces including the hands," he said. "Because of this, there is the potential to get pathogenic bacteria on our hands, on the counter and on the cutting board. Therefore, clean these surfaces immediately after coming in contact with the raw bird."
-- Cook it to the right temperature. UDSA suggests that the bird gets to at least 165 F, (best if over 172 F for chewing). So Bucknavage recommends the use of a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
"Check the temperature of the bird in a number of spots, including the breast meat and the thickest part of the thigh," he said. "Allow time for further cooking if the temperature is not met."
-- Cook your stuffing separately. If you stuff the bird, the temperature of the stuffing must also get to 165 F.
"In order to get the stuffing to the right temperature, the bird will reach much higher temperatures, often over 185 F, making it very dry. Too often, people will stop cooking once the bird is at the right temperature, but unfortunately, they end up having undercooked stuffing," Bucknavage said.
"Because this stuffing was inside the raw bird, it absorbed turkey juice potentially carrying pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Undercooking the stuffing lets those bacteria survive. It is much better, and safer, to cook them separately. You will get the right temperature in the turkey without having to overcook it, and you'll get the right temperature in the stuffing."
If you want the look of a stuffed turkey on your table, stuff it before serving, after both have been properly cooked, he advised.
-- Handle leftovers immediately after dinner. Do not allow the turkey to sit on the table for hours after everyone is done eating.
"Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus can grow on meat items if left out for a long period of time," Bucknavage said. "To prevent that from occurring, it is important to handle leftovers right away. Cut up the turkey, put it in a container or sealable bag, and then refrigerate or freeze."
http://news.psu.edu/story/295976/2013/11/20/dont-overlook-safe-turkey-handling-practices-happy-holiday
"As you prepare your Thanksgiving dinner, it is important to remember some key food-safety rules when it comes to cooking and serving turkey," said Martin Bucknavage, extension food-safety specialist. "We don't want to spread pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter."
He offers some advice to keep cooks, helpers and guests safe when preparing a turkey:
--There is no need to wash the outside of your turkey. Proper cooking will take care of any pathogenic bacteria that may be present.
"The only thing you will achieve by washing the outside of the turkey is spreading bacteria in your kitchen. This can occur as the water splashes or drips across your kitchen counter, potentially carrying bacteria with it," Bucknavage said.
--Clean as you go when handling raw turkey.
"As people move the raw turkey around in the kitchen, they treat it more like a football than a raw piece of meat, in that it touches a lot of surfaces including the hands," he said. "Because of this, there is the potential to get pathogenic bacteria on our hands, on the counter and on the cutting board. Therefore, clean these surfaces immediately after coming in contact with the raw bird."
-- Cook it to the right temperature. UDSA suggests that the bird gets to at least 165 F, (best if over 172 F for chewing). So Bucknavage recommends the use of a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
"Check the temperature of the bird in a number of spots, including the breast meat and the thickest part of the thigh," he said. "Allow time for further cooking if the temperature is not met."
-- Cook your stuffing separately. If you stuff the bird, the temperature of the stuffing must also get to 165 F.
"In order to get the stuffing to the right temperature, the bird will reach much higher temperatures, often over 185 F, making it very dry. Too often, people will stop cooking once the bird is at the right temperature, but unfortunately, they end up having undercooked stuffing," Bucknavage said.
"Because this stuffing was inside the raw bird, it absorbed turkey juice potentially carrying pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Undercooking the stuffing lets those bacteria survive. It is much better, and safer, to cook them separately. You will get the right temperature in the turkey without having to overcook it, and you'll get the right temperature in the stuffing."
If you want the look of a stuffed turkey on your table, stuff it before serving, after both have been properly cooked, he advised.
-- Handle leftovers immediately after dinner. Do not allow the turkey to sit on the table for hours after everyone is done eating.
"Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus can grow on meat items if left out for a long period of time," Bucknavage said. "To prevent that from occurring, it is important to handle leftovers right away. Cut up the turkey, put it in a container or sealable bag, and then refrigerate or freeze."
Monday, June 10, 2013
Proposed rule for labeling of injected meat
USDA has issued a proposed rule that would require the label ‘mechanically tenderized” on labels of raw or partially cooked needle or blade tenderized beef. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FRPubs/2008-0017.pdf
Meat products that are needle injected or blade tenderized should be cooked to a higher temperature than intact beef because in the process of injecting or blade tenderizing (as in chopped steak), the needles or blades can push pathogenic bacteria deep into the meat. So like ground beef, the heat has to penetrate further into the meat to kill the bacteria.
Processors inject meat in some cases when they want to marinade the product, or in other cases when they have a cheaper cut of meat that they want to inject solution to help the meat retain more moisture during cooking. Blade tenderizing is done to help break the connective tissue in the meat to make it easier to chew. Unfortunately, too many people cook this meat rare or medium rare, just like regular cuts of steak. But for safety, consumers should cook this type of meat to an internal temperature of 160 F.*(155 F for foodservice.) By requiring meat to be labeled as mechanically tenderized, and by having validated cooking instructions, it is more likely that this meat will be identified as meat that should be cooked to a higher temperature.
*or other temperature that is scientifically validated by the processor.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to require the use of the descriptive designation ‘‘mechanically tenderized’’ on the labels of raw or partially cooked needle- or blade-tenderized beef products, including beef products injected with marinade or solution, unless such products are destined to be fully cooked at an official establishment. Beef products that have been needle- or blade-tenderized are referred to as ‘‘mechanically tenderized’’ products.
Meat products that are needle injected or blade tenderized should be cooked to a higher temperature than intact beef because in the process of injecting or blade tenderizing (as in chopped steak), the needles or blades can push pathogenic bacteria deep into the meat. So like ground beef, the heat has to penetrate further into the meat to kill the bacteria.
Processors inject meat in some cases when they want to marinade the product, or in other cases when they have a cheaper cut of meat that they want to inject solution to help the meat retain more moisture during cooking. Blade tenderizing is done to help break the connective tissue in the meat to make it easier to chew. Unfortunately, too many people cook this meat rare or medium rare, just like regular cuts of steak. But for safety, consumers should cook this type of meat to an internal temperature of 160 F.*(155 F for foodservice.) By requiring meat to be labeled as mechanically tenderized, and by having validated cooking instructions, it is more likely that this meat will be identified as meat that should be cooked to a higher temperature.
*or other temperature that is scientifically validated by the processor.
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