Enhanced Meat and Poultry Products

Stores are offering meat and poultry products with flavoring solutions.  These ‘enhanced or value-added products’ are raw products that contain flavor solutions added through marinating, needle injecting, soaking, and more.   

Enhanced Meat and Poultry Products
By Pierre Mouchette | Bits-n-Pieces

Many grocery stores now offer meat and poultry products with added flavoring solutions.  These ‘enhanced or value-added meat and poultry products' are raw products that contain flavor solutions added through marinating, needle injecting, soaking, and more.  The flavor solution must be stated on the front of the package to prevent confusion. 
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The presence and amount of the solution should be stated as part of the product name.  Ingredients of the flavor solution must be prominently identified on the label, and typically this information will be on the principal display panel or the information panel.
The labeling term ‘marinated’ can only be used with specific amounts of solution.  Marinated meats can contain no more than 10% solution; boneless poultry no more than 8% solution; and bone-in poultry no more than 3% solution.
 
Natural Products
All raw single-ingredient meat and poultry qualify as ‘natural.’  However, certain products labeled as natural may also contain a flavoring solution provided the solution contains ingredients that are minimally processed and not artificial (e.g., natural flavoring).  The amount of solution added to products bearing natural claims is not limited.  All products claiming to be natural should be accompanied by a brief statement that explains what is meant by the term ‘natural.’