DeLAURO URGES LABELING FOR MECHANICALLY TENDERIZED BEEF TO PROTECT CONSUMER HEALTH

Washington, DC— Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member on the Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack to label mechanically tenderized beef products to better protect the public from foodborne illness. A 2008 USDA study indicated that approximately 50 million pounds of mechanically tenderized beef products were sold every month. Consumers must know that mechanically tenderized beef products are non-intact cuts and should thus be prepared and cooked similar to ground beef, which includes a higher cooking temperature than intact, non-mechanically tenderized, whole cuts of beef. But, mechanically tenderized beef products are not currently labeled to inform consumers that they have been mechanically tenderized and are not intact, whole cuts of beef. This leaves consumers unaware and puts their health unnecessarily at risk. Congresswoman DeLauro asked USDA to accurately label these mechanically tenderized beef products so consumers may make informed purchase and food preparation decisions. "In order to safely prepare these products, consumers must cook them to the appropriate temperature – a temperature which they cannot determine if they are unaware that the product is not a whole, intact cut of meat." The letter notes that, "Continued inaction only places the public health at risk. It is imperative that the Agency act before another grilling season comes and goes, with tens of millions of pounds of mechanically tenderized beef products being sold to unaware consumers who unknowingly place themselves at risk." The text of the letter is below. April 05, 2012

Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

I am writing today to encourage you to review the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) practices in labeling mechanically tenderized beef products.

In this case, accurate and appropriate labeling is critical in enabling consumers to make informed purchase decisions and also in ensuring proper food handling and safety. It is clear that mechanically tenderized beef products must be labeled to accurately represent the product and to allow consumers to prepare them accordingly. The Agency recommends different cooking temperatures for whole cuts of meat and for meat products that are not whole cuts. The current USDA cooking recommendation for intact cuts of beef is 145°F while ground beef products need to reach 160°F. As you are aware, non-intact products have a higher recommended cooking temperature to kill pathogens that may have been introduced from the surface of the meat when the product was processed.

Mechanically tenderized beef, a non-intact product, should also be cooked to the higher internal temperature because surface pathogens may be introduced into the product by the mechanics of the tenderizing process, when blades or needles are inserted into the meat. Because these products are not appropriately labeled as non-intact or mechanically tenderized, consumers may purchase and prepare them as if they were intact. In order to safely prepare these products, consumers must cook them to the appropriate temperature – a temperature which they cannot determine if they are unaware that the product is not a whole, intact cut of meat.

With over 50 million pounds of mechanically tenderized beef produced each month, these products reach a large number of American consumers. But when consumers are unaware that these are non-intact products, the risk associated with these products is unnecessarily heightened. This was seen in the December 2009 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses across sixteen states associated with adulterated mechanically tenderized steaks. With proper awareness, provided in part by appropriate labeling, illnesses like those found in this outbreak may be prevented.

I was encouraged to hear Under Secretary Hagen indicate at the March 8, 2012 House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing that the Agency was working on this issue. But it has been working on the issue since at least 2009. Continued inaction only places the public health at risk. It is imperative that the Agency act before another grilling season comes and goes, with tens of millions of pounds of mechanically tenderized beef products being sold to unaware consumers who unknowingly place themselves at risk. Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Sincerely,

ROSA L. DeLAURO Member of Congress