Canada's New Labeling Requirements For Mechanically Tenderized Beef

By Isaac Fletcher, contributing writer, Food Online

In an effort to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses, Canada is now requiring mechanically tenderized beef products should be labeled to identify that the beef is mechanically tenderized and provides safe handling and cooking instructions

Made effective on August 21, Canada now requires all mechanically tenderized beef (MTB) products to be labeled as such and provide safe cooking instructions for the product. The aim of the new legislation is to provide consumers with a proper and accurate knowledge of what they are buying and how to handle and cook the product in a way that prevents foodborne illnesses. The new labeling legislation will apply to all industry sectors that sell fresh or frozen MTB to other industry members or consumers in a solid, uncooked form. However, it does not apply to ground beef or any other beef product that has been subject to grinding, chopping, mincing, fine texturing, etc.

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The mechanical tenderization of meat is used by food processors, food service establishments, and retailers for years. Its sole purpose is to improve the tenderness and flavor of beef products. The process involves the use of instruments — such as needles or blades — to break down, penetrate, or pierce the surface of the meat to disrupt the muscle fibers. Another method of tenderization is to inject the meat with a marinade of tenderizing solution to achieve a similar effect.

While tenderness and flavor are important factors for most consumers, the process of mechanical tenderization raises some concerns. In most cases, the internal temperature of steak, or other solid cut of beef, is not typically a major concern, as harmful bacteria would normally only be present on the meat’s surface and taken care of during cooking. However, the mechanical tenderization process creates the opportunity for surface bacteria to be transferred into the center of the meat, which could cause issues if the meat is not cooked to a high enough temperature.

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This poses a clear and obvious threat to consumers, as they will not necessarily be able to discern whether or not a product has been mechanically tenderized. Even with such knowledge, many may be uninformed of the increased risk of pathogens that comes along with the tenderization process. During 2012, 18 cases of foodborne illness caused by E. coli O157 were reported in Canada in association with contaminated beef. Investigation into these cases revealed that five were very likely associated with beef that had been mechanically tenderized. In May 2013, Health Canada completed a health risk assessment of E. Coli O157 in MTB, the findings of which indicated a five-fold increase in risk compared to intact cuts of beef.