Food Prices and Crappy Waterlogged Meat

[AbbyTC]

I know all this but they do inject and that is a fact. No one was talking about what the natural content of water was in meats and that does not change the fact that more is injected. Now move on and quit trying to purposely twist what I said.

Me, do you actually read anything that is posted or do you just like speaking out of your ass?  Look back a few posts.  First Ex posted this:

That should be pretty easy to do since there are no stores that do that.  Meat is already 75% water; why would they need to add more?

and you posted this to his post: 

Now that is a figure you picked out of your ass. If meat were 75% water you'd have nothing left after cooking. 

Look!  You and Ex were talking about the water content in meat!      Which is why I posted how much water is in meat before and after cooking. 

[AbbyTC]

I know all this but they do inject and that is a fact. No one was talking about what the natural content of water was in meats and that does not change the fact that more is injected. Now move on and quit trying to purposely twist what I said.

If you really knew all this, we wouldn't be on page 7 trying to explain it to you.   

[me]

If you really knew all this, we wouldn't be on page 7 trying to explain it to you.   

No, if you had listened to what I'm trying to tell you and quit arguing about it we wouldn't be on page 7 of you trying to dispute what I'm saying. If it were only natural water content they wouldn't have to list it on the label of the prepackaged meat would they?

[AbbyTC]

No, if you had listened to what I'm trying to tell you and quit arguing about it we wouldn't be on page 7 of you trying to dispute what I'm saying. If it were only natural water content they wouldn't have to list it on the label of the prepackaged meat would they?

Of course they don't have to put that on the label.  You're the one who claimed you got bacon "shot full of water" that wasn't listed on the label.  You also claimed that hamburger you bought had added water (which, to reiterate, is illegal). I'm pointing out your misinformation and providing you with facts.   

Have you not noticed that you get less content and more liquid for that lower price.  The quality of what you get is also not as good even in the name brands. I paid over $5 for a lb of good bacon, it was on sale at the time, and the meat had been shot so full of water it wouldn't fry right and had almost no flavor. A can of Hormel corned beef hash is so runny and tasteless it is no longer worth the money, plus it's mostly tiny little potatoes and very little meat. No I don't call things like that cheaper.

If you read what I posted I stated they have always done that but they are adding more now and sometimes the when the meat is cut or ground at the store they add more before cutting or grinding for the extra weight it adds. Canned goods also list liquid but have added more liquid and less procuct to the same size can so you actually get less for your money. Start paying attention.

[me]

Of course they don't have to put that on the label.  You're the one who claimed you got bacon "shot full of water" that wasn't listed on the label.  You also claimed that hamburger you bought had added water (which, to reiterate, is illegal). I'm pointing out your misinformation and providing you with facts.   

No you are calling me a liar and I did get bacon which had extra water added to the meat before slicing. Hope you get ahold of some 'cause it is tasteless and doesn't fry right. I got two coupons for free packages because of what happened and didn't bother to use them and the person I talked to on the phone said they were trying different ways to keep the cost down for consumers and she would pass what I had said about my experience to the people in that dept. The product info was needed to identify which batch it was and what had been done to it during processing so they could make adjustments. You can either believe me or not it matters not to me but it did happen. The hamburger I referred to was some I got at a good, or what I though was a good, sale a few years ago. I haven't bought hamburger at that particular store when they've had their sales again. It would not hold together and shrunk up to nothing when I fixed it and very little grease came out of it, it was mostly water. Oh, water was added to the label on the bacon, I expect that 'cause it's been done for years, just not the amount.

[Exterminator]

Sorry, Ex, but we aren't 90% water.  From the USGS site:  "Babies have the most, being born at about 78%. By one year of age, that amount drops to about 65%. In adult men, about 60% of their bodies are water. However, fat tissue does not have as much water as lean tissue. In adult women, fat makes up more of the body than men, so they have about 55% of their bodies made of water."

I stand corrected!     Fat contains more oils than muscle and oil is lighter than water which is why a pound of fat has more mass than a pound of muscle.   

[Exterminator]

You can either believe me or not...

Oh, water was added to the label on the bacon, I expect that 'cause it's been done for years, just not the amount.

Bacon is cured, typically by brining.  That would be the only time water (with salt) is introduced into the process.

[me]

Bacon is cured, typically by brining.  That would be the only time water (with salt) is introduced into the process.

Well duh, who doesn't know that? The cut of pork the bacon comes from is also cured by smoking. All I know is my message was passed on to quality control so they could check that run and see what was done to try to keep the cost down for consumers.  If Plumrose bacon is normally dry brined and they went to wet for the extra weight that may have made the difference. The package I bought was hickory smoked.



How much water is really in your food?

by ANGELA DOWDEN, Evening Standard

When you shell out for succulent scallops and large prawns - at £1.10 each and £31 a kilo respectively - you could be paying for added water.

According to a Food Standards Agency report published last week, your favourite shellfish could contain up to 50 per cent added water.

Food labelling law states that products containing more than five per cent added water must declare it, but because of a loophole some foods don't have to.

Seafood sold loose at fish counters, or hams with added soya or starch, do not have to state their percentage of added water.

And water added to rehydrate a dried ingredient - such as powdered egg - also doesn't need to be labelled. Similarly, frozen prawns don't have to spell out their water content.

Surprisingly, there are virtually no restrictions on the maximum amount of water a food can contain.

All foods naturally have a high percentage of water, but it can also be added to cheap foods to increase their weight so they can be sold for more profit.

"Consumers are being duped by manufacturers who are adding water to bulk up the size and weight of produce, and what's worse, it isn't possible to work out from the label how much water has been added,î says Ian Tokelove of the Food Commission.

Here we present the foods that have the highest amount of added water and show you how to spot this added ingredient.

Fresh scallops

Added water: Up to 54 per cent. A Food Standards Agency survey found that nearly half of all scallops tested had 10 per cent added water - some contained 54 per cent. Water is used in the preparation of shellfish, so it's impossible to avoid, but more than 10 per cent is not acceptable according to good manufacturing practice.

Frozen scampi and prawns

Added water: Up to 44 per cent. The FSA found that 86 per cent of samples of ice-glazed, peeled scampi exceeded 15 per cent, the maximum limit for water that is needed to keep them in good condition. Frozen prawns are labelled with their weight excluding glaze, which should give you a much better idea of how much ice you're paying for. But the net weight can still include water that was absorbed into the prawns before they were frozen.

Supermarket poultry

Added water: Up to 37 per cent. The EC limit for added water in a frozen, whole chicken is seven per cent, but nearly a third of samples contained more than that in an FSA survey. Chicken breast and thigh portions contained water levels from two to 37 per cent, with frozen portions being the worst offenders. In more than 10 per cent of the breast-and-thigh samples, the added water was not listed anywhere on the packaging.

Restaurant chicken

Added water: Up to 40 per cent. Some restaurants were found to be serving meat that contained only 54 per cent actual chicken, according to an FSA survey last year. Catering packs of chicken can be injected with water, salts, flavourings and hydrolysed protein, which retains moisture.

Bacon

Added water: Up to 25 per cent. Most bacon contains added water, which is introduced during the curing process when the meat is injected with, or immersed in, brine. Currently, uncooked bacon only has to be labelled when its water content exceeds 10 per cent. So bacon said to contain "not more than 15 per cent added waterî can legally contain up to 25 per cent.

Ham

Added water: Up to 30 per cent. By law, all added water should be listed on cooked ham unless other ingredients - such as gelatine, soya, starch and milk protein - have also been added. But even when added water is given on the label, the figure can be misleading as the amount is defined as the water content over and above what is in the meat when raw. As meat loses water when it's cooked - usually at least 10 per cent - manufacturers can add this amount without having to declare it.

How to spot bulked-up food
• Check for added water given as part of the name of the food. But if you're buying bacon or ham, bear in mind it could contain up to 10 per cent more water than stated.


• Check the ingredients list. Ingredients are listed in weight order. Look to see how near the top water appears.


• Look for net weights on frozen prawns and other ice-glazed products - although bear in mind that these may not be accurate.


• Look for "air-frozenî or "air-chilledî poultry. This means poultry hasn't been immersed in water during processing and so should contain less added water.


• Choose dry cured ham or bacon - it has no added water and won't spit or leak a salty white fluid into the pan.


• Avoid food with lots of hydrolysed protein, polyphosphates, salt, lactose or dextrose - they can all retain water.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-150904/How-water-really-food.html#ixzz4L0Dc52vK
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[Locutus]

Well this thread is certainly an interesting diversion from our usual political arguments. 

[Exterminator]

How much water is really in your food?

by ANGELA DOWDEN, Evening Standard

Uh, that article is in England (you know, where they can't grow grapes) and I know this will come as a shock to you but England doesn't have to follow USDA regulations (hint: US stands for United States).  How many times do you have to be told that it is absolutely illegal in this country to add water or anything else to meat without noting it on the label before you'll admit that you're full of shit and just making this all up?

[Purplelady1040]

Uh, that article is in England (you know, where they can't grow grapes) and I know this will come as a shock to you but England doesn't have to follow USDA regulations (hint: US stands for United States).  How many times do you have to be told that it is absolutely illegal in this country to add water or anything else to meat without noting it on the label before you'll admit that you're full of shit and just making this all up?

I don't know about England but in other parts of Europe, they also eat horses. I am sure they don't follow any type of food guidelines.

[me]

Ya know, if I said it was daylight at high noon I do believe ya'll would tell me it's dark just to argue. Same thing applies over here but this went into more detail.

[Exterminator]

I don't know about England but in other parts of Europe, they also eat horses.

It isn't common in most areas.  I lived in Germany for several years and never saw it for sale or was aware of anyone who ate it.

I am sure they don't follow any type of food guidelines.

This is absolutely false; if anything, their regulations are stricter than ours.  As an example, more than half of the EU has banned any type of GMO food which extends to meat that was raised on GMO grain.  Here, we aren't even allowed to know if the food is GMO.

[Exterminator]

Ya know, if I said it was daylight at high noon I do believe ya'll would tell me it's dark just to argue.

You've got that backwards; you are the one who will continue to argue even after it has been proven you're wrong.

[Purplelady1040]

It isn't common in most areas.  I lived in Germany for several years and never saw it for sale or was aware of anyone who ate it.

This is absolutely false; if anything, their regulations are stricter than ours.  As an example, more than half of the EU has banned any type of GMO food which extends to meat that was raised on GMO grain.  Here, we aren't even allowed to know if the food is GMO.

Okay, thanks on correcting that. I know they use to eat horse in certain parts of Europe. My husband was in Air Force and said when he was in it in the '80's, Belgium had horse meat that was served in places.