What chemicals keeps meat looking fresh?

Harold Weiss

I've always been curious about this and asked a few butchers in the past, most of whom were reluctant to discuss in detail what chemicals were used.

One butcher was honest enough and said he used a mixture of Sulfur Dioxide and Onion powder for most of the meat on display.

What I'm really interested to know is how the supermarkets do this because their products usually have a longer shelf life. For example, I know pork products use Sodium Nitrate, some pork/beef products use Sodium Metabisulfite.

I've seen microwave meats use Sodium triphosphate.

I have googled a bit but I'm hoping someone here might have more insight into how most meat is preserved here in Ireland, what chemicals are used.

If this is the wrong forum, feel free to move it.

CJhaughey

Some use MAP packaging, Modified atmosphere packaging.

rubadub

This is not to keep it fresh, but you are probably interested in any additives. I know an ex butcher who said they added red dye to mince to make it appear to be mainly beef and mainly meat rather than fat. They added pork and lots of fat to the "beef mince".

This was a chain of butchers who I have seen recommended. I always find it strange how people have this bizarre trust in butchers, you will hear them go on like all butchers are saints and all supermarkets are the devil. This was even more evident during the horsemeat issue.

loveisdivine

rubadub wrote: »

This was a chain of butchers who I have seen recommended. I always find it strange how people have this bizarre trust in butchers, you will hear them go on like all butchers are saints and all supermarkets are the devil. This was even more evident during the horsemeat issue.

This has always amused me too. As soon as you start talking about the ethics of meat eating, people are quick to declare they only buy meat from local butchers. As if thats somehow a seal of approval that the meat/practices are ethical and sound.

Harold Weiss

I'm wondering should there be a law to label the ingredients of meat being sold by butchers.

Most people assume beef is just beef, but obviously that's not the case if it's laced with chemicals to prolong shelf life or look more appealing to consumers.

I read a little about Modified Atmosphere packaging and although some websites asserted meat treated with carbon monoxide to prevent bacterial growth was harmful for human consumption, I couldn't find any scientific evidence to support it.

It's being used to deceive consumers who judge quality of meat by color and could be used to sell spoiled meat.

People don't really know what they're eating these days.

CJhaughey

Carbon Monoxide is illegal as a MAP gas, also quite a few of the ingredients that you listed earlier aren't for appearance or shelf life they are for water retention.
Some are used to prevent bacterial growth such as Nitrates in cured meats.
If you are buying unpacked meat that has no marinade its unlikely to have any extra ingredients.
Its when you buy prepacked meats that have been "basted" or in a marinade that you will find additives.
Loose meat at the counter will generally have nothing used apart from a special fluoroescent lamp to give it a red colour.

rubadub

I have seen the butchers near me getting deliveries of chicken fillets. They are in prepackaged 25 packs, they cut them open and dump them out and sell 10 for 10. I didn't think this was unusual, thought it would be fairly standard. -maybe CJhaughey was talking more about beef.

Some butchers do not seem to do much "butchering" they are more like small supermarkets or "packaged meat retailers". So I would not be surprised if the meat at the counter in these is the same as the ones in the packets

I used to go to one very well known butchers in stillorgan and often got partially frozen "fresh" chicken fillets.

As if thats somehow a seal of approval that the meat/practices are ethical and sound.

I always figured a small owner run butchers would be more likely to sell suspect meat past its best than a supermarket. Just as I would suspect an owner run chipper would be more likely to sell burgers or fish past its best compared to say mcdonalds. -the person throwing out the food has a vested interest vs. the worker who is just following legal guidelines with not much concern about lost profits.

hfallada

As another poster said most supermarkets use MAP. Meat discolours due to it reacting with the air. Thats why red meat turns to the dull grey, but is perfectly fine to eat.

Ask your butcher where his meat is from. My local butcher will tell you he uses Irish meat. But I asked where his chicken was and its was either Dutch or Northern Ireland. You call meat factories unethical etc etc. But at the end of the day, they are generally spotless and are far more regulated and monitored than your local butchers. There is nothing stopping your local butchers changing the dates on his meat, but Lidl cant do that with their prepacked meat.