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Fortified meat is meat that has been enhanced with a solution, such as salt and sodium phosphate, to add flavor and moisture. It can also be marinated or injected with seasonings. The meat must be properly labeled according to FDA guidelines. Organic meat can still be considered fortified if it has been marinated or injected with flavorings.
Fortified meat, sometimes referred to as value-added meat, is any meat product that has been “enhanced” by the addition of a solution. In the United States, enriched meat must be properly labeled according to Food and Drug Administration guidelines. There are a couple of different methods in which meat can be improved.
Typically, enhanced beef is simply a cut of meat that has been injected with a water solution that contains salt and sodium phosphate, a solution that is supposed to add flavor and moisture to leaner cuts of meat. Such improved meat products are labeled accordingly and often in plain words similar to “enriched with up to 10% of a solution”. According to the FDA, beef animals are bred to be leaner than in years past, and adding a solution, which makes up improved meat products, helps make the meat contain less fat and have more flavor.
Enriched beef can also be a cut of meat that has been marinated or injected with seasonings or flavorings such as teriyaki, lemon, or garlic. Again, such meat products must be clearly labeled with the type and method of curing used. The term marinated can only be used with a maximum percentage of flavoring solution added.
The three most common methods of creating an enhanced meat product are injecting, soaking, and marinating. Many times, a cut of meat that has been soaked is obvious because the meat has been packaged with the solution and the seasoning can be seen on the package. Meat enriched with an injected flavor solution is not always obvious, but the label must indicate the product’s additives.
Some people consider enhanced beef to be any cut of meat that has been modified from its natural state, including by adding preservatives or injecting hormones into the animal before it is slaughtered. Therefore some people believe that improved meat is not organic.
Although qualifications for organic certification vary from country to country, certified organic meat does not contain any chemical additives. However, contrary to the belief that improved meat cannot be organic, certified organic meat can still be considered an improved meat product if it has been marinated or injected with flavorings. While the solution for injection may not be chemical, an organic meat product can be flavor enriched and can still be certified organic.
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