"meat label" news and stories

Nutrition Labels (with Calorie Counts) Mandated for Meat In 2012

by Jessie Cacciola, Posted Dec 30th 2010 @ 12:00PM

meat labels nutrition guidlines Photo: jarito, Flickr

The first nutrition labels entered our supermarkets in 1993, with the exemption of meat. That was left up to the producers to decide if they felt like stamping their product with calories, sodium, fat, saturated fat and protein percentages. Instead, you'll find things like "70% lean meat," but who knows what that means?

Wednesday morning, the USDA enacted new mandatory rules that will require ground, chopped and whole cuts of beef, poultry, pork and lamb to display complete nutrition information beginning on January 1, 2012. Chopped and ground meat will need to bear the label right on the package, while whole cuts need to have the facts displayed on a counter or at the point of purchase. Small producers -- those on a single facility, producing less than 100,000 pounds annually -- will only need to provide information for whole cuts, which will be available upon request or online with no burdensome fee for these small businesses.

USA Today got an early look at the labels and notes that "a 4-ounce serving of regular ground beef that is 73% lean meat contains 350 calories, 270 of them from fat, according to the USDA, making up 60% of the suggested daily intake of saturated fat in a 2,000-calorie diet."

Are we surprised by the numbers? The full report can be viewed at the Federal Register.

And see our story "Where's the Good Beef?" for recent news on labels for meat produced from humanely raised animals.

Filed under: Health & Medical, Food News, Food Politics

US Meat labels to show origin

COMMENTS 1

by Jonathan M. Forester, Posted Jul 24th 2007 @ 12:01PM

I'm a big proponent in truth and origins in product labeling, so when I heard that finally the House Agriculture Committee had voted last Thursday night to require country of origin labels on meats beginning next year I was pretty pleased. This law has been on the table for many years, most recently back in 2002 the law came close but didn't make it because of political delays. Now it becomes law in 2008, partly because of all the food scares and problems with China. Because the law also pertains to seafood, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, it became law much easier than the meat labeling section. Several states have already required labeling laws, but now it will be much more widespread.

I like to buy local and regional whenever possible, but at least like to know where my food is coming from. Some meat products I'll buy from other areas such as New Zealand or Australian lamb because the rib chops on the rack are smaller and more full flavored than the much larger US lamb. So they are better for lamb chop 'lollipops' for hors d'ourves, while for a lamb roast I prefer the milder and larger US lamb.

I'm also glad that fruit, vegetables, and seafood will now require the origin label. Some countries fish or farm safely, and with sustainable agriculture and fishing methods; while others are known for less safe and more damaging methods. Now we will have the ability to make the choice on where we want our food dollars to go, whether for political or economical reasons, or just plain 'ole taste.

Source

Filed under: Farming, Business, Trends, Stores & Shopping, Did you know?, Ingredients

Deciphering meat labels

COMMENTS 19

by Nicole Weston, Posted Aug 17th 2006 @ 10:04AM

No additives, no hormones. no chemicals... do these phrases mean what you think they mean? The Diet Detective has a little guide to help you figure out what these designations mean, and it isn't always what you think.

No antibiotics - Some antibiotics are given to treat sick animals, and given to the whole herd when one animal is ill. The "subtheraputic" use of drugs to boost animal growth is the main concern here, and labeling usually differentiates between the two. Organic farmers cannot use any animal for organic products that has been treated with antibiotics, so they are simple separated from the herd if they must be treated.
No chemicals - This label means nothing (or anything at all), since there is no USDA or FDA definition of the term.
No additives - There are 2,800 potential additives for meat in the US and the labeling applies to what was added to the meat, such as colorings and flavorings - not what was fed to the animal in the first place.
No hormones - Hormones are not allowed in the production of pork and poultry. Period. Cows can be given hormones to speed their growth, though, so if the label specifies that "No hormones [were] administered," the cow probably lived a healthy and natural life.

The Detective notes that because the regulations are in place, doesn't mean that they are always followed. In many cases, there is little in the way of follow-up to prove that all producers are living up to their labels. Many suppliers, however, do live up to the standards set by law, if not to a higher standard of their own. Labeling may not be fail-safe, but it's still more reliable than the alternatives of no labels or completely unsanctioned ones.

Source

Filed under: Business, Stores & Shopping, Ingredients, How To