FSIS Proposes Labeling Mechanically Tenderized Beef Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) has issued a proposal that would require beef products undergoing
a mechanical tenderization process be labeled as such and include new
cooking instructions to ensure proper handling. According to an agency
spokesperson, “Ensuring that consumers have effective tools and information
is important in helping them protect their families against foodborne illness.”
Some cuts of beef are apparently pierced by needles or sharp blades to break
up muscle fibers and increase tenderness. With the possible introduction
of pathogens into the interior of such products, FSIS notes that they “may
pose a greater threat to public health than intact beef products, if they are
not cooked properly.” Public comments will be requested within 60 days of
publication in the Federal Register. See FSIS News Release, June 6, 2013.