Since beef color is no longer a reliable freshness indicator, buyers need to be aware of other signs of spoilage, such as surface slime and foul odors. MATTHEW T. STALLBAUMER

This pork tenderloin was injected with “up to 30 percent of a flavoring solution.” In addition to high levels of sodium, the solution also contains many additives and preservatives. MATTHEW T. STALLBAUMER

Meat packed with gases, including carbon monoxide, isn’t labeled as such, but you can spot it through the packaging--it tends to be sturdier, with a clear plastic overwrap that doesn't touch the meat. While this package is labeled “All Natural” and "100% Fresh," the meat has been gas-packed. MATTHEW T. STALLBAUMER

Not long ago, most of our fresh meat was handled by butchers in local supermarkets and meat shops. Beef was dry aged in coolers for up to four weeks, which made it more tender and flavorful. Aging also allowed water to evaporate, intensifying the flavor and reducing the meat’s weight by up to 20 percent. But skilled butchers were expensive, and the dry aging process required lots of cooler space. So, dry aging is becoming a thing of the past, and that, as well as other cost-cutting aspects of industrial meat production, have brought about major changes in the way beef, pork and chicken are handled before reaching our kitchens.

Two of the biggest trends reshaping America’s meat supply are gas packaging and brine injection systems. Manufacturers save millions of dollars in lost meat turnover with these technologies, which make meat appear fresh longer and pump “flavor” into factory-farmed meat, in the form of salt water and broth. Companies also save on labor costs, since these “case-ready” meats can go straight from the cold truck to the retail shelf. Consumers are left paying for meat pumped up with saltwater solutions that may be spoiled by its expiration date. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of these new practices. Here’s what you need to know to be a smart shopper.



HISTORY OF CASE-READY MEAT

A few case-ready meats, such as bacon, frozen turkey and packaged cold cuts, have long had a place on the nation’s supermarket shelves. But until recently, most fresh meat was packaged by butchers in the store. Now, Wal-Mart is leading the change, converting to 100 percent case-ready meats in 2001. (Interestingly the company’s decision came just a month after meat cutters in a Jacksonville, Texas, store voted to unionize.) Other discount retailers, such as Aldi and SuperTarget, are close behind, and many other supermarket chains now stock pre-packaged meats. In fact, case-ready meat accounted for 60 percent of fresh meat sold nationwide in 2004, up from 49 percent in 2002.







MEAT INJECTION SYSTEMS

Previously used for specific items such as whole turkeys and pork tenderloins, brine injection now has spread throughout meat selections. Injection systems, also known as pumping, use needles to add solutions of up to 30 percent water, laced with salt and flavorings, to extend shelf life and provide “juiciness and tenderness” to cuts of meat that might otherwise cook up to be tasteless, dry or tough.

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This trend has everything to do with the larger transformation of meat production over the past 30 to 40 years. Meat without character or taste comes from livestock developed for rapid growth rather than flavor, fed grain instead of grass, given growth hormones, cooped up indoors, harvested young, and sold without traditional aging. Concerns about bacterial contamination — again exacerbated by industrial production methods — have led the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to advise thoroughly cooking meats, making it more likely that consumers will overcook their steaks and chops, hence the need for added “moistness.” And today’s pressed-for-time home cooks are less likely to employ the slow-cooking techniques that work best with less-expensive cuts.







GAS-PACKAGED MEAT

Like injection systems, what the industry calls “modified atmospheric packaging” (MAP), has been around for a while, but has only recently come into widespread use. The process involves removing regular air from meat packages and replacing it with specific blends of gases, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen. The objective is to control and “enhance” the natural color changes that freshly cut meats undergo as they’re exposed to regular air. This is especially true for beef, which under normal conditions changes from dark purplish red, to bright red, to brownish over a period of several days. Market research has taught retailers that customers will almost invariably choose bright red beef over purplish red beef, even though the latter actually is fresher. Today, by manipulating the “air” in the package, manufacturers can preserve the bright red color for weeks or even months, saving money on lost turnover in the meat case.