Not speaking here as a moderator, I am having a problem "digesting" this information as something conclusive that I need to be concerned about. Not saying that the info presented here is wrong, just saying that I would need to know some names of markets that are using "meat glue". From looking at the presented links it looks like some restaurants may be doing this, but that is still not conclusive to me and not something I feel I need to worry about. Is Costco doing this, Raleys, Safeway? I buy the blue packaged Sirloin (Prime grade) at Costco, and their choice grade Rib Eye steak, and Raley's will cut a juicy cut for me, it certainly seems ok, but what do I know, and who will tell me. If I missed something here in reading this thread, please enlighten me. Thanks,
Bill
Hi Bill,
I had the opportunity to speak with a friend of mine today who is a butcher and head of the meat department at our local food Co-op. Basically, I learned that most primary cuts of meat you buy at the average supermarket should be "real". However, some cuts of meat you will see on the shelf in the meat cooler are indeed "glued", and because of FDA labeling requirements it should state, "formed" or "reformed" on the package. Marketing people prefer to avoid the actual technical term "
restructured steak". These "formed" products, introduced in the 1970s have traditionally been lower priced steaks made with pieces of lower quality cuts, usually from different parts of different animals made to appear as higher priced cuts but still economically priced. Without these labels you would not be able to tell that the meat is "glued" together from parts. They look exactly like "real" steaks in the package. In supermarkets you will often find "butcher shops" with nice display cases full of traditional steaks and roasts that the butchers will cut to your preference and hand package for you along with premade "portion controlled" steaks as well as prepared "gourmet offerings" that come in spiral shapes with different colored layers, sometimes bacon wrapped and these are always "glued" but because of how they are sold in the meat case there will be no label. This would be the same with bacon wrapped scallops you may see in the fish department. My butcher friend seems very unhappy about the current trend of supermarkets purchasing chilled pre-butchered steaks already in styrofoam and shrink wrapped packaging that come this way direct from the meat processing plant. It cuts highly skilled people like him out of the loop, makes it hard to know what is "really" in the package and eliminates consumer preferences regarding trim and thickness but, all in all, a steak should be a steak.
It was explained to me that anytime you attend a banquet or large function such as a wedding or eat at a hotel that is catered by a food service, your filet mignon or prime rib, or chicken cordon bleu, or salmon fillet, or whatever, is quite likely to be "portion controlled", "glued" meat, poultry or fish. There are no labeling requirements at food service events or restaurants. This is becoming an industry standard and this is where the whole idea of making expensive looking filet mignon out of lower priced cuts or scraps of tenderloin came about. It is becoming popular with certain restaurant chefs as a way to maximize profits but many chefs won't touch the stuff.
Since launching this thread I've learned way more about this subject than I ever wanted to know but I guess it's better to be informed. I'm rather astonished to learn about how many items in the supermarket that I've been eating for years are glued. For example, pretty much all cold-cuts you see in the deli case are "glued". This is how turkey breast, ham, pastrami or roast beef can come in such perfect rounded shapes that can be easily cut to uniformed sizes. Of course, as previously stated, many bologna, sausages, salami, imitation crab meat, fish sticks, frozen fish portions and chicken nuggets are all "glued" and have been for more than thirty years now. The next time you see a ham in the deli case at the supermarket, you may notice that some parts of the sliced cold-cut face are darker than other parts. This is because that "part" is of lower quality "knuckle" meat. Generally, the more even and straight grained the product looks, the higher the quality of "components" that have gone into it.
I've learned that there are indeed some serious health questions but no definite answers as yet. For now, as previously stated, transglutaminase (an enzyme made from fermented bacteria) and thrombin (another "meat glue" made from bovine and porcine blood (fibrinogen), sold by the
Fibrimex Corporation) are considered
GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe).
This doesn't mean they ARE safe. Transglutaminase may in fact, have a role in disease. There are several primary health questions, aside from the bacterial contamination and oxidation that are associated with glued meat products. Apparently, there may be a connection with Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and Parkinsons. "Recent research indicates that sufferers from neurological diseases like Huntington's, and Parkinson's may have unusually high levels of one type of transglutaminase,
tissue transglutaminase. It is hypothesized that tissue transglutaminase may be involved in the formation of the protein aggregates that causes these maladies." The brains of Alzheimers victims have been also been found to have excess amounts of transglutaminase. Since transglutaminase is naturally occurring it is not known if consuming it in meat products has anything at all to do with the excess amounts found in the brains of victims of this disease but it is of serious concern and is under study
(see link) -
(see link). The other major health concern is the possible connection with autoimmune
celiac disease. "
Anti-transglutaminase antibodies are found in
celiac disease patients and may play a role in the small bowel damage and inflamation". Patients suffering from Coeliac disease (celiac) are advised to avoid consuming transglutaminase. Transglutaminase may also play a role in arthritis. While it is quite possible that the form of transglutaminase used as meat glue has nothing at all to do with these diseases, I guess that many of us who consume these products on a regular basis will eventually find out.
). Western countries (and especially America) put a lot of resources into producing and consuming meat in greater quantities than most of the world. The least we can do is efficiently use every part of the animal. 
