Meat

[KathiSharpe]

We were talking in another thread yesterday about meat not always being gluten-free. I said I was going to check while grocery shopping today at Aldi's to see.

I checked nearly all of the fresh and frozen meats, and just about everything was "enhanced" with "solution" or "broth".

No ingredients listed on most of the packages, and those that did list them were pretty inconclusive as to what they really are. ("broth solution" as an ingredient. Seriously?)

Even Perdue chicken had this on sort of labeling!!

It's all a scam anyway The only purpose of "enhancing" meat is to make less meat weigh more, to rip off consumers.

I tried to make some calls while in the store, but unfortunately the inside of that store is a dead zone. Once home I hopped on Perdue's website and found out that most of their stuff IS gluten-free, even if "enhanced".

The Aldi's meats, I'm just not sure about.

[Amyleigh0007]

There is a law (I'm sorry but I can't think of it) that says if there is a grain product in meat then it must be clearly stated on the label. When I called Cargill about the ground beef they supply to Wal-Mart they said the natural flavor was a rosemary tincture and did not contain any grains. Give me a minute and I will google and see if I can find the exact wording of the law....

[Amyleigh0007]

Okay, I couldn't find the wording but I did find out that if a plant protein is in meat it must be clearly labeled. So if you don't see wheat, rye, barley, or oats listed on the label it's gluten free.

[CeliacMom2008]

Thank you for posting this. I keep reading differing opinions on meat labeling and your post caused me to take the time to answer a question I've had for awhile. After much research online and 20 minutes of phone calls to various departments in the USDA, here's what I found out: ***Please be sure to read all of the information as it contradicts itself.***

Meat, poultry, and egg products are NOT required to have allergen labeling.

This is straight from the USDA (the government agency overseeing meat, poulty, and fish). Here's the link: Open Original Shared Link

Here's the wording:

"FALCPA applies to packaged foods subject to FDA regulation, including foods both domestically manufactured and imported. That includes all foods, except meat, poultry, and egg products regulated by USDA

[psawyer]

Even under FALCPA, allergen statements are voluntary. If the allergen is disclosed by its common name in the ingredients list, the label complies with FALCPA. It can be disclosed in a voluntary allergen statement as an alternative to clearly listing it in the ingredients.

As an example, imagine a product contains sodium caseinate. It can be listed in the ingredients as "sodium caseinate (milk)," or it can be listed simply as "sodium caseinate" and a separate notice can say "Contains: milk." The "contains" statement is not required if the word milk appears in the ingredient list.

[ravenwoodglass]

Assuming of course that they would include rye gluten and barley gluten in the above statement despite that they only list wheat.

Unfortunately they do not have to disclose anything but the wheat. If barley is used in a broth or as a flavoring agent it does not have to be disclosed. Same as with other foods. We have a long way to go for safe labeling regs for those of us with celiac.

[Amyleigh0007]

Right. The FDA and the USDA are different and have different regulations. The top 8 allergens do not have to be listed on meat products since meat is under USDA.

Open Original Shared Link

This is interesting and may answer more questions. It does state that if a vegetable protein is added to meat (i.e. wheat) it must be stated on the label. This is per a rule passed by the FSIS in 1990.

It really makes me not want to eat meat anymore. Yuk!

[Amyleigh0007]

Unfortunately they do not have to disclose anything but the wheat. If barley is used in a broth or as a flavoring agent it does not have to be disclosed. Same as with other foods. We have a long way to go for safe labeling regs for those of us with celiac.

Is barley considered a vegetable protein? I was told by a very knowledgeable person in my local support group that it is and it must be disclosed on meat/poultry labels per the 1990 FSIS rule. But, if you know differently please let me know.

[lovegrov]

Maybe items under the USDA do not have to list the top 8 allergens (although I doubt that) BUT they are required to list any grain added to meat. Period.

richard

[ravenwoodglass]

Is barley considered a vegetable protein? I was told by a very knowledgeable person in my local support group that it is and it must be disclosed on meat/poultry labels per the 1990 FSIS rule. But, if you know differently please let me know.

Not when it is in the form of barley malt, it is then considered a flavoring and flavorings do not have to be disclosed. If it was ground up and added as a filler then it would need to be declared but used as a flavoring it doesn't.

[ravenwoodglass]

Maybe items under the USDA do not have to list the top 8 allergens (although I doubt that) BUT they are required to list any grain added to meat. Period.

richard

This is true. It stems from the times before it was regulated and some companies would add grains to bulk up the meat. If a grain is ground up and added it must be declared. BUT if the barley is in the form of malt it is then considered a flavoring agent and it does not need to be declared on the label it can hide under natural flavors in the broth just as it does in other food items. If the meat is plain fresh meat it is safe as long as the processing is safe but if a broth is added to it we do need to check.

[KathiSharpe]

It does state that if a vegetable protein is added to meat (i.e. wheat) it must be stated on the label.

I can't remember if it was in the meats or not... but several of the McDonald's items in the ingredient list I found yesterday were like this:

sodium gezhundheit, nyet eathisite, dangerousite (derived from plant source), etc. (I can't recall any specific ingredients and don't have the link handy)

That made me wonder... "exactly what plants are they deriving from, because I can't eat all "plant" materials"

All of this makes me want to buy a couple of chickens, goats, and cows and live off on a farm somewhere...