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“Meat glue” is a natural enzyme found in plants and animals that causes blood to clot. Scientists have recently figured out how to mass-produce the enzyme using bacteria, and that spreading it between two pieces of meat will cause the muscle fibers and protein to fuse together, almost as if they were a single cut. Chefs have used meat glue for all sorts of creative purposes, giving proteins all sorts of fancy shapes, like spaghetti made entirely of shrimp. The meat industry uses it to pass off leftovers as filet mignon.

The enzyme itself is not dangerous when used correctly and is labeled “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA. When used in reasonable amounts it breaks down and becomes inactive in the process of sticking meat, any heat of cooking will do it and the human stomach can break it down quickly with no ill effects as well. In its active powder form, it can be irritating to the skin and could harm the nose, mouth, or esophagus if inhaled or swallowed. But the same could be said for many household chemicals. If you’re worried that food producers might accidentally contaminate your steak with too much, well, there are plenty of things that food producers could accidentally contaminate it with. I don’t imagine the enzyme is especially harmful compared to the multitude of drug-resistant diseases in the world, and most food companies take this very seriously, as they are personally liable if their product harms anyone. I’ve also heard that you can tell if the enzyme is still working because it will smell like wet dog (yet another reason to always smell meat before cooking).

Those with celiac disease or any gluten sensitivity may want to pay attention to meat glue in the near future. The research appears to be preliminary, but it appears that the enzyme has an interesting response to gluten. Under certain conditions, the enzyme can make gluten even more allergenic, meaning gluten-free products with only trace amounts of gluten could become problematic. Other Research Says Meat Glue Can Be Used To Process Gluten Entirely No Allergenic In the meantime, my recommendation is to look out for your meat carefully for now and keep an eye on the news for more.

Finally, we come to the real meat glue problem, which has nothing to do with the enzyme itself and everything to do with its tricky nature and the fact that it puts the outside of the meat back on the inside.

Most of us know that steak is relatively safe to eat rare, but ground meat must be fully cooked to avoid food poisoning. That’s because bacteria and viruses don’t usually get into meats; they just sit on the outer surface. Ground beef and meatloaf products have surfaces that could have been exposed to disease all the way to the core and should be cooked accordingly. But because beef tail products look and are sold like regular steaks, consumers may not know that eating them raw could expose them to all sorts of serious foodborne illness. Steaks that have been reassembled from parts are now required to be labeled as such, but it’s left to the consumer to find that label, understand what that means, and cook accordingly. An even bigger potential danger comes from restaurants, which are not required to pass you that warning label. Most high-end and responsible restaurants understand the dangers involved in such products and will handle them safely if they choose to use them. But if you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask where the meat comes from, and ask nicely if in any doubt.

Final word: the glue itself probably won’t hurt you, but if you like your steaks bloody, absolutely make sure you get the genuine article.

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