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Chick-News.com Poultry Industry News, Comments and more by Simon M. Shane

Wholesomeness of Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat Questioned

01/23/2023

Dr. John Luchansky, Lead Scientist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, PA stated, “The confidence in the inherent safety of plant-based products is misplaced.”  He added, “In reality, plant-based meats are ultra-processed and contain numerous food-grade chemicals as ingredients.”  There is little information available on the time and temperature combinations required to prevent the outgrowth of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria and how to reduce these pathogens during cooking, according to Dr. Luchansky. 

 

Consumers have now been conditioned to thoroughly cook meat-burgers but the same cannot be said for plant-based material that is either undercooked or, in some cases, consumed raw.  A microbiologist at the USDA-ARS Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research Unit stated, “In reality plants are potentially contaminated with high levels of foodborne pathogens and as such, plant-based burgers should be considered and handled just like raw ground beef.

 

Despite the fact that there are no documented recalls or illnesses as a result of consuming plant-based meat alternatives, risks of infection are evident. The USDA Research Center advises consumers to handle plant-based products as they would raw meat, requiring cooking to 160F and avoiding cross contamination.


 
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