Only 30% Meat

Pudding · 06 Jun 2008, 01:19

Just read this and nearly barfed

The minimum meat content of a pork sausage is only 42%. The equivalent figures for most other sausages are around 30%.

The definition of meat is based on new regulations which came into force in 2003. Broadly, pork can contain up to 30% fat and 25% connective tissue and still be described as meat. Beef and lamb meat can contain up to 25% fat and 25% connective tissue.

The minimum meat content of a burger is much higher at 67% (or 50% for economy burgers).

So use your loaf and check the meat content before buying.

Pud

djfierce · 06 Jun 2008, 01:49

yep unfortunatly its true, i used to eat loads of sausages before i saw a report on it a couple of years ago, now if i have sausages i buy a from a company called 'the black farmer' 100% pork meat, the difference in taste is amazing, theyre bloody expensive though so dont have them too often.It's just another reminder to read the label.

SamCat · 06 Jun 2008, 02:22

They are taste testing sausages on This Morning tomorrow(Friday) and one lot cost 2p each, which is slightly worrying!!

Pudding · 06 Jun 2008, 02:40

I'd rather pay twice as much for a good sausage than buy cheap and end up with gut rot

Pud

wolfy35 · 06 Jun 2008, 02:50

Richard Hammond did a good program about sausages a bit ago in the "Should I worry about" series. He had sausages from loads of places like supermarkets, hospitals, schools and butchers tested.

Two things that came out of it surprised me most.

The sausage that was supplied to the NHS as standard was the lowest meat content and the highest levels of fat salt and rusk. Of the 30% meat in this sausage only 10% was what I would recognise as meat the rest was skin or mechanically recovered.

Other slightly surprising bit was the cheapest sausage (supermarket own budget brand) had the 2nd highest meat content but the lowest levels of fat and salt.

LucyK! · 06 Jun 2008, 11:49

Agree with everything said here! I saw the Jamie Oliver thing last year about the sausages and it really bothered me, and a few years before I think it was Gillian McKeith (pardon the spelling, the divvy one from You Are What You Eat) who gave a rather graphic description of what's in burgers...killed me! Couldn't eat them for months!!

I really can't stand anything other than 'proper' meat though, I can't stand the thought of the fat in my mouth

Up in the NE my Mum now only buys sausages from a butcher that sells only fresh meat...in fact if you go past at the right time of day you can still see the animals out the back

Like Anji says, expensive but well worth it

**RadioMaster** · 06 Jun 2008, 12:02

the ingrediences of sausages and fast food is one of those things I rather dont like to think about.

daveake · 06 Jun 2008, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy!

.. and a few years before I think it was Gillian McKeith (pardon the spelling, the divvy one from You Are What You Eat)

She's worse than "divvy" - she's a fraud. She's not a medical doctor, she bought her PhD, and she's been censured for selling unlicenced medications. She claims to diagnose by looking at people's tongues and excrement, which is slightly ironic with the amount of excrement that her tongue helps her produce.

Can you tell I don't like her?

Dave

LucyK! · 06 Jun 2008, 12:54

lol I'm with you, I can't tolerate her, I can't cope with the way she bullies people into doing things. Some of the people on her show are unhealthy and do need the shock tactics kick up the arse to make them realise how unhealthy they are, but I think her methods are just awful

Paul191 · 06 Jun 2008, 13:18

I think it's the guests, themselves, who apply to be on her show. Surely they should know, before the cameras are switched on, what they are letting themselves in for. Her tactics are harsh but it seems to work...

LucyK! · 06 Jun 2008, 13:22

Oh absolutely, obviously for some people her methods are spot on, but I'm not one of them lol I find her diets really odd too, there's plenty of ways to have a healthy diet whilst still eating 'normal' things, I couldn't live on seeds and lentils! I need meat!

**Monstro** · 06 Jun 2008, 14:48

<<<<<fighting the urge for a sausage sandwich!!!!!!

LucyK! · 06 Jun 2008, 14:49

Can go wrong with a good sausage sarnie...so long as they're decent sausages!!

**The Flying Mouse** · 06 Jun 2008, 15:25

If you want to enjoy your dinner, NEVER wonder ponder theorise or enquire where it came from.

Sapphire Lady · 06 Jun 2008, 15:31

I'm glad I'm vegetarian

~Helen~ · 06 Jun 2008, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapphire Lady

I'm glad I'm vegetarian

Yes, I was going to say something similar...on the lines of...it's when I hear information like this that I realise the benefits of being vegetarian!

(as opposed to when I'm trying to eat out or explain to a friend hosting a dinner party that I'm also allergic to tomato [I developed the allergy after I became veggie, ok] - then being vegetarian feels less beneficial!!

)

And lentils and seeds aren't always bad Lucy...!

I'll agree they're not always good either - couldn't eat just those all the time, that'd be very boring. One of the benefits (another one, although also not such a benefit when I'm feeling lazy) of being vegetarian is that you have to be so much more imaginative and inventive when planning meals!

Pudding · 07 Jun 2008, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

If you want to enjoy your dinner, NEVER wonder ponder theorise or enquire where it came from.

That depends on what crap you eat for dinner.

Pud

~Helen~ · 07 Jun 2008, 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

If you want to enjoy your dinner, NEVER wonder ponder theorise or enquire where it came from.

I'd presumed most people don't...I know Alex works off the theory that if it's packaged up and sold as food then it must be edible. So he eats it. I would dearly love to take that approach but I just can't, which is why I'm veggie.

LucyK! · 09 Jun 2008, 12:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pudding

That depends on what crap you eat for dinner.

Pud

Indeed, obviously we indulge in the odd Chinese or a pizza but more often than not we cook with fresh meat and all fresh ingredients, so no worries about what's going in there!

daveake · 09 Jun 2008, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy!

more often than not we cook with fresh meat and all fresh ingredients, so no worries about what's going in there!

Same here. I'm on an enforced diet on account of being diagnosed with stratospheric blood pressure a few months ago. Aside from my daily dose of pills, the biggest difference is that I now cook every day (pretty much), from fresh meat 'n' veg, and no processed food whatsoever. Amazing how much crap (salt especially) they put in those things. So rather than spend hours in Tesco reading all the labels, I just skoot past to the fresh stuff.

Oh, and Chinese food and pizzas are just about the worst salt-wise!

Dave

SamCat · 09 Jun 2008, 14:16

Unfortunately that and the fat content is what makes them taste so good!!

On the plus side the passata on a nice fresh pizza can count as one of your 5 a day cos of the tomatoes!!

LucyK! · 09 Jun 2008, 14:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveake

Oh, and Chinese food and pizzas are just about the worst salt-wise!

Oh but it's so worth it!

I have IBS and really processed food just kills me. We were in London a couple of weeks back, stood in Piccadilly Circus at 12.30am and starving after a concert we needed something instant which ended up being McDonalds as it was the only thing open...fine at the time but the next day I could tell my body was attempting to digest something resembling plastic

daveake · 09 Jun 2008, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamCat

Unfortunately that and the fat content is what makes them taste so good!!

It's entirely possible to make food taste as good as or better though, without salt and lots of fat. Just ask Mrs Dave what she thinks of my cooking

That said, if anyone knows of a low-salt low-fat cheese that doesn't taste like a car tyre, just let me know

Dave

daveake · 09 Jun 2008, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy!

Oh but it's so worth it!

Indeed, so I make my own

. The problem though, as you say, is when eating out. That can get quite tricky.

Dave

LucyK! · 09 Jun 2008, 16:09

If we're eating out we don't do badly as we've usually got time to go to somewhere decent, it's when we're on the motorways using services that we crack! With Springsteen and Meat this year we've made the effort to make sure we have bread and fresh meats in the house to make our own before we set off...takes a little extra time but it's worth it, not to mention the cost of services

06 Jun 2008, 01:19	#1
Pudding I'm A Prize Fight Lover... Join Date: 22.10.2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,532	Only 30% Meat Just read this and nearly barfed The minimum meat content of a pork sausage is only 42%. The equivalent figures for most other sausages are around 30%. The definition of meat is based on new regulations which came into force in 2003. Broadly, pork can contain up to 30% fat and 25% connective tissue and still be described as meat. Beef and lamb meat can contain up to 25% fat and 25% connective tissue. The minimum meat content of a burger is much higher at 67% (or 50% for economy burgers). So use your loaf and check the meat content before buying. Pud

06 Jun 2008, 01:49	#2
djfierce Mega Loafer Join Date: 15.06.2005 Location: Posts: 3,596	yep unfortunatly its true, i used to eat loads of sausages before i saw a report on it a couple of years ago, now if i have sausages i buy a from a company called 'the black farmer' 100% pork meat, the difference in taste is amazing, theyre bloody expensive though so dont have them too often.It's just another reminder to read the label.

06 Jun 2008, 02:22	#3
SamCat Hello Harry!!!! Join Date: 12.09.2006 Location: London Posts: 3,086	They are taste testing sausages on This Morning tomorrow(Friday) and one lot cost 2p each, which is slightly worrying!!

06 Jun 2008, 02:40	#4
Pudding I'm A Prize Fight Lover... Join Date: 22.10.2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,532	I'd rather pay twice as much for a good sausage than buy cheap and end up with gut rot Pud

06 Jun 2008, 02:50	#5
wolfy35 Dangerous on a full moon Join Date: 14.03.2007 Location: Standing on the outside, Looking in on you Posts: 751	Richard Hammond did a good program about sausages a bit ago in the "Should I worry about" series. He had sausages from loads of places like supermarkets, hospitals, schools and butchers tested. Two things that came out of it surprised me most. The sausage that was supplied to the NHS as standard was the lowest meat content and the highest levels of fat salt and rusk. Of the 30% meat in this sausage only 10% was what I would recognise as meat the rest was skin or mechanically recovered. Other slightly surprising bit was the cheapest sausage (supermarket own budget brand) had the 2nd highest meat content but the lowest levels of fat and salt.

06 Jun 2008, 11:49	#6
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Agree with everything said here! I saw the Jamie Oliver thing last year about the sausages and it really bothered me, and a few years before I think it was Gillian McKeith (pardon the spelling, the divvy one from You Are What You Eat) who gave a rather graphic description of what's in burgers...killed me! Couldn't eat them for months!! I really can't stand anything other than 'proper' meat though, I can't stand the thought of the fat in my mouth Up in the NE my Mum now only buys sausages from a butcher that sells only fresh meat...in fact if you go past at the right time of day you can still see the animals out the back Like Anji says, expensive but well worth it

06 Jun 2008, 12:02	#7
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	the ingrediences of sausages and fast food is one of those things I rather dont like to think about.

06 Jun 2008, 12:54	#9
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	lol I'm with you, I can't tolerate her, I can't cope with the way she bullies people into doing things. Some of the people on her show are unhealthy and do need the shock tactics kick up the arse to make them realise how unhealthy they are, but I think her methods are just awful

06 Jun 2008, 13:18	#10
Paul191 Mega Loafer Join Date: 26.11.2005 Location: Posts: 1,530	I think it's the guests, themselves, who apply to be on her show. Surely they should know, before the cameras are switched on, what they are letting themselves in for. Her tactics are harsh but it seems to work...

06 Jun 2008, 13:22	#11
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Oh absolutely, obviously for some people her methods are spot on, but I'm not one of them lol I find her diets really odd too, there's plenty of ways to have a healthy diet whilst still eating 'normal' things, I couldn't live on seeds and lentils! I need meat!

06 Jun 2008, 14:48	#12
Monstro Promoted to Wario's spellchecker Join Date: 17.09.2005 Location: London Posts: 12,947	<<<<<fighting the urge for a sausage sandwich!!!!!!

06 Jun 2008, 14:49	#13
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Can go wrong with a good sausage sarnie...so long as they're decent sausages!!

06 Jun 2008, 15:25	#14
The Flying Mouse Armed ba$tard and Jo's other half. Join Date: 06.08.2002 Location: In the middle of nowhere near the end of the line. Posts: 16,104	If you want to enjoy your dinner, NEVER wonder ponder theorise or enquire where it came from.

06 Jun 2008, 15:31	#15
Sapphire Lady Mega Loafer Join Date: 21.04.2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,213	I'm glad I'm vegetarian

09 Jun 2008, 14:16	#21
SamCat Hello Harry!!!! Join Date: 12.09.2006 Location: London Posts: 3,086	Unfortunately that and the fat content is what makes them taste so good!! On the plus side the passata on a nice fresh pizza can count as one of your 5 a day cos of the tomatoes!!

09 Jun 2008, 16:09	#25
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	If we're eating out we don't do badly as we've usually got time to go to somewhere decent, it's when we're on the motorways using services that we crack! With Springsteen and Meat this year we've made the effort to make sure we have bread and fresh meats in the house to make our own before we set off...takes a little extra time but it's worth it, not to mention the cost of services