Natural Beef- Natural what?

We’ve all seen the surge of new Natural selections at the meat counter from chicken & pork to beef and lamb.  With each visit to local stores, I see more companies offering additional Natural meat options.  But what is Natural when it comes to beef?  Some market their product as Hormone Free, Antibiotic Free or just plain All Natural. In general, “Natural” refers to products not containing chemical preservatives, artificial ingredients or coloring ingredients. From my experience with the USDA, the proper labeling on beef with a Natural claim is “No added Antibiotics, No Added Hormones”.  This is what the USDA handed down for my product labeling. Think about it, it’s physiologically impossible to those who claim their beef Hormone-Free, .  All of us reproducing beings have hormones naturally within our bodies, so, Hormone-Free, to me, is a false claim. If you are interested in reading more on Natural claims stated by USDA visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/Natural_and_Organic_Claims/index.asp   As for “Organic”, that term still has not been defined by the USDA.  So, before you grab a Natural item from the meat counter, read the fine print on the package for more information.

 

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