The Swedish Consumers’ Association has joined politicians in criticising the government’s approval of thrombin, known colloquially as ‘meat glue’, claiming that the public could be misled about the properties of the product. “We do not want this at all – it is meat make-up,” said the Association’s Jan Bertoft.
A coagulation protein, thrombin is combined with an additional fibrous protein called fibrin to make an enzyme which is used for sticking various pieces of meat together. Last week the EU nations voted in favour of the use of the meat glue enzyme.
Although meat products containing the meat glue will be clearly labelled, there exist concerns that the final appearance of the product would fool consumers who would be unlikely to be able to identify different meat pieces. An example is pork tenderloin, which can have numerous small parts fused to produce what appears to be a whole fillet. “The problem is that it looks like real meat. It is the dishonesty in it that makes us think that it is not okay,” stated Bertoft.
Swedish politicians have also lambasted the approval of thrombin according to The Local. “To use Thrombin in meat is a way of misleading consumers, to present something as better than it actually is,” said Social Democrat MEP Asa Westlund. “If it had been in force today, then this would not have been allowed. That is my view,” Westlund added. The approval was made by a Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health, with only one country voting against the plan and one abstention. Sweden voted in favour.
Products containing Thrombin, which is made from pig or cow blood, will be labelled a “composite meat product” and prohibited from use in commercial kitchens.
I really do not see the importance of this regulation. Is there really a need to glue meat pieces? Is it to make meat manufacturers to charge higher? Is money involved here again? I think consumers should not patronize glued meat
I agree wholeheartedly with Asa Westlund. I don’t see the need for such a product and it seems to me it’s only purpose is to deceive the public… make something appear better than it is.
Besides, when we tamper with food we almost always make it worse.
Well, there was a documentary on TV here a while ago that showed how North America allows meat packing plants to treat off cuts of meat with a bleach, then centrifuge the “meat” from the “fat” by spinning it, then the resulting “meat mash” is mixed with regular ground beef & sold as hamburger.
And it’s legal even! I’d much rather ingest some Thrombin than a bleach residue!
You said – “An example is pork tenderloin, which can have numerous small parts fused to produce what appears to be a whole fillet. “
I actually don’t see what the problem is, as Thrombin is a naturally occurring substance derived from a pig or cows blood. It’s not as if they were using a chemically produced compound.
Oh it sounds awfull! Jakespeare said it all! Its Nasty!
Meatglue? It already sounds awfull! I don’t even wanna know about it! it’s definetly on the DO NOT EAT LIST like shakespare said!
It sounds rather revolting. Meat Glue? Yuck!
The average consumer wouldnt be able to differentiate the differences in most cases.
I agree with Jakespeare; nasty!
[…] leave a comment » Swedish consumer groups and politicians are united in alarm over the approval of thrombin, known as “meat glue,” an animal-derived additive that processed food manufacturers can use to combine varying meat products into a single piece of “meat.” Thrombin is an enzyme comprised of a coagulation protein from pig or cow’s blood and a fibrous protein called fibrin, but the head of the Swedish Consumer’s Association Jan Bertoft calls it “meat make-up.” […]
lambasted!
Thrombin begets Thrombosis. Nothing more needs to be said. Put it on your Do Not Eat list.