Decoding Label Claims on Meat Products: What is All-Natural?

Yes, ’tis the season to be grilling. It turns out, ’tis also the season for throwing preservative-filled meat on the BBQ (yearly supermarket sales of hot dogs alone – excluding Wal-Mart – top 1.6 billion dollars). If you’re trying to cut down the amount of processed foods in your diet – and who isn’t these days? – it’s time you started paying attention to the label claims on your meat.

According to a recent attitudes & usage study conducted by Harris Interactive for Coleman Natural Foods, over 60% of the 2,000 people surveyed were under the assumption that a ‘natural’ meat product contained no added hormones or antibiotics.

The survey shows there is a perception among consumers that ‘natural’ means antibiotic-free, however that is not always the case. There’s currently no regulatory requirement for meat products labeled ‘natural’ to clearly explain the presence or use of antibiotics, added hormones or growth modulators.

Certified Organic: Many people confused “organic” with “healthy.” While organic food arguably has some health benefits, an organic designation is not one-size-fits-all. In the US, anything made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods can be labeled “100% organic”. Products with at least 95% organic ingredients can use the word “organic.” Any products that include a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, can be labeled “made with organic ingredients”

Antibiotic-Free: Much of the country’s conventionally raised livestock are daily given feed laced with antibiotics to promote growth and prevent disease.  These continual doses of antibiotics  allow them to survive the stressful and often unsanitary conditions that make the animals susceptible to disease. Livestock that is kept in cleaner, safer, sanitary conditions does not need to be treated with antibiotics and can be marketed as such.

Free-Range: A term that in the United States applies to poultry, free-range means that the animal in question has been allowed access to the outside. Though it is typically a more humane way to raise chicken or other forms of poultry, it does not imply that the animal has been grass- or pasture-fed.

Sustainably Farmed: While it might sound nice, meat that is labeled to be sustainably-produced is not necessarily healthier than the alternative. Sustainable production of cattle, pork or poultry includes humane treatment of animals, natural diets (ie: grass-fed), and has little, if any, negative impact on the environment.

Hormone-Free: While hormones occur naturally in animals as they do in humans, it is estimated that over 90% of conventional cattle operations now use added growth hormones to increase the rate of lean muscle and promote water retention in their animals. Look for meat labeled “hormone free,” as these synthetic hormones do more than reduce flavor quality; they pose numerous concerns for human health, animal health and the environment.

(Photo Credit: Coleman Natural Foods)