Thursday, 19 January 2023
EFSA scientific opinion on aged meat published
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a scientific opinion today that concluded that aged meat does not pose any additional risks compared to fresh meat if it is aged under controlled conditions.
Meat ageing is a process during which microbes and enzymes act upon the meat to break down the connective tissue, thereby tenderising the meat and giving it a richer flavour. This can be done through two main methods: wet ageing and dry ageing. Wet ageing is used for beef, pork and lamb that is stored and refrigerated in a vacuum package, while dry aged beef is refrigerated without packaging which results in a dry surface that is cut off before preparation.
Microbiological safety of aged meat
