WASHINGTON - U.S. meat packers asked U.S. Agriculture Department on Friday to change processing regulations to allow small amounts of water in animal carcasses.
The request by the American Meat Institute linked the proposed change to better food safety procedures, an issue that has been pushed to the top of USDA's agenda because of a series of recent food poisoning outbreaks.
In a petition to the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the meat packers said they want to use the same kind of water immersion systems that poultry processors use to cool carcasses.
Currently, red meat packing plants must use cold air chilling and cold water spray systems because USDA regulations do not allow additional moisture or water to be absorbed by the carcasses. Poultry processors use a water immersion system because the birds are permitted to absorb water under the regulations.
As the poultry is processed into boneless breasts and other products, the moisture is shed.
"The use of water in chilling products is vital to safe meat and poultry products. Clearly, the food safety benefits of the process outweigh any economic concerns associated with unavoidable and incidental water absorption," said Patrick Boyle, president of the AMI.
The meat group also asked the USDA to revise its rules so that no labeling is required for products that absorb small amounts of water during the chilling process. Those that exceed the limits should be required to indicate the added water on the products label, the AMI said.
In August, USDA forced Hudson Foods Inc to order the largest hamburger recall in U.S. history because of several Colorado residents became ill from a strain of E.coli found in the beef. The Clinton Administration has asked congress to give the USDA broader power to order meat and poultry recalls, and is separately seeking tougher measures to prevent contaminated fruits and vegetables from entering the U.S.
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