Here’s a list of various ingredients that’s often found inside meat.
1. Antibiotics
It’s been suggested that farmers and ranchers administer antibiotics to animals because it helps animals gain as much as 3 percent more weight without food. Farmers want their animals to weigh more because it means more profit.
Antibiotics in animals can increase risk for humans. According to Dr. Glenn Morris, if humans ingest meat that has antibiotics, over time they can become resistant to antibiotic treatment. Because of this reason, the European Union and Canada have banned the use of antibiotics in meat animals.
2. Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Propionate and Benzoic Acid
These three chemicals are used as preservatives in meat. Sodium benzoate is also found in sodas and processed juices. When these chemicals are used with vitamin C, these chemicals can have carcinogenic effects.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is currently proposing to remove the use of these chemicals from meat and poultry products.
3. Ractopamine
Ractopamine is banned from 160 countries, but it’s not banned in the United States. Ractopamine is a meat additive that is used in 80% of pig and cattle population. It’s an asthma like drug that makes animals muscular and lean. It’s marketed as Paylean for pigs, Topmaz for turkeys, and Optaflexx for cattle.
Last year the FDA was suded by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) for withholding safety information of ractopamine. These organizations have found that ractopamine has effects on animal liver, kidney and thyroid, urethral and prostate form and function. Other affects of this drug on animals include stress, hyperactivity, rapid heartbeat, birth defects and enlarged heart.
In humans ractopamine has shown to affect the human cardiovascular system and cause chromosomal abnormalities.
4. Nitrites and Nitrates
Nitrites and nitrates are added to meat products to inhibit the growth of bacteria and to give meat a more “appealing” color. When nitrites are combined with specific amino acids, nitrosamines are formed and have carcinogenic effects in the body. Red meat consumption has been linked with higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Excessive levels of nitrates and nitrites can also increase risks of developing leukemic, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian, rectal, bladder, stomach, esophageal, thyroid and pancreatic cancers.
5. Sulphites
Sulphites are used as a preservative and help maintain coloring of meat products. Sulphites can trigger anaphylactic reactions. Other symptoms include headaches, irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and skin rashes. This preservative has been shown to destroy thiamine which meat contains.
According to Fedup.com avoid sulphites by avoiding these ingredients:
- Sulphur dioxide
- Sodium sulphite
- Sodium bisulphite
- Sodium metabisulphite
- Potassium metabisulphite
- Potassium sulphite
- Potassium bisulphite
- Sulphurous acid
- Sulphiting agents
Fedup.com listed other foods that Sulphites are found in:
- Alcoholic beverages Wine, beer cocktail mixes, wine coolers
- Baked goods Cookies, crackers, mixes with dried fruit or vegetables, pie crust, pizza crust, flour tortillas
- Beverage bases Dried citrus fruit beverage mixes
- Condiments and relishes Horseradish, onion and pickle relishes, pickles, olives, salad dressing mixes, wine vinegar
- Confections and frostings Brown, raw, powdered or white sugar derived from sugar beet
- Dairy product analogues Filled milk (skim milk enriched with vegetable oils)
- Fish and shellfish Canned clams; fresh, frozen, canned or dried shrimps; frozen lobster, scallops, dried cod
- Fresh fruit and vegetables Banned except for fresh pre-cut potatoes and sulphur dioxide used as a fungicide on grapes
- Processed fruits Canned, bottled or frozen fruit juices (including lemon, lime, grape, apple); dried fruit;
- Processed fruits (cont) canned, bottled or frozen dietetic fruit or fruit juices; maraschino cherries, glazed fruit
- Processed vegetables Vegetable juices; canned vegetables (including potatoes); pickled vegetables (including sauerkraut, cauliflower, and peppers);
- Processed vegetables (cont) dried vegetables; instant mashed potatoes; frozen potatoes; potato salad
- Gelatins, puddings, fillings Fruit fillings, flavored and unflavored gelatin, pectin, jelling agents
- Grain products and pasta Cornstarch, modified food starch, spinach pasta, gravies, hominy, breading, batters, noodle/rice mixes
- Jams and jellies Jams and jellies
- Nuts and nut products Shredded coconut
- Plant protein products Soy protein products
- Snack foods Dried fruits snacks, trail mixes, filled crackers
- Soup and soup mixes Canned soups, dried soup mixes
- Sweet sauces, toppings Corn syrup, maple syrup, fruit toppings, high-fructose corn syrup, pancake syrup, molasses
- Tea Instant tea, liquid tea concentrates
6. Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide is used to help preserve meat and poultry and make it look fresh.
According to Food & Water Watch, “CO is toxic because it sticks to hemoglobin, a molecule in blood that usually carries oxygen, even better than oxygen can. When people are exposed to higher levels of CO, the gas takes the place of oxygen in the bloodstream and wreaks havoc. Milder exposures mean headaches, confusion, and tiredness. Higher exposures mean unconsciousness and death, and even those who survive CO poisoning can suffer serious long-term neurological consequences.”
7. Heavy Metals & Vaccines
High residues of heavy metals like copper and arsenic can be found in meat products. Anti-parasitic vaccines and other drugs were also found in meat products according to the USDA Office of Inspector General 2010 report.
According to the same report, 23 high-risk pesticides were also found. Arsenic feed is given to animals to promote weight gain while controlling parasites. Companies like Pfizer stopped marketing arsenic feed because arsenic in its inorganic form is actually carcinogenic.
8. Viral Sprays
Viral sprays are given to animals to prevent listeriosis which is a bacterial infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The spray that is used is called LMP 102 and is made up of 6 different bacteriophages. The FDA also allows LMP 102 to be used as pesticides on crops.
Bacteriophages can cause allergic reactions.
9. Meat Glue
Meat glue is used to keep meat intake. It’s kind of like the pink slime that’s seen in chicken nuggets. It’s made of thrombin which is a coagulation protein taken from blood of cows or pigs. It’s scientific name is transglutaminase. Look at the labeling on the meat – if it says “formed” or “reformed meat” it means that transglutaminase was used.
The problem with using meat glue is that it promotes bacteria like E. coli, which can pose many risks including death.
The Health Couture Firm 