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The following are the most frequently asked questions about beef received by the Beef Information Centre. If you can't find the answer to your question here then contact us.
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Buying
Cooking
Storage
Safe Food Handling
Raising Cattle
Ground Beef
What are Canada's top beef grades?
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Canada's top beef grades are Canada Prime, Canada AAA, Canada AA and Canada A. The difference between the four grades is the degree of marbling with the Canada Prime grade having the most marbling. The three A grades account for over 75% of beef produced in Canada. Canada Prime is mostly sold to restaurants or exported. Look for these grades in your retail flyer and at the beef counter or ask your meat department manager.
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Is colour an indication of beef’s freshness?
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The majority of consumers select beef based on its bright red colour. However, variations in colour can be due to many factors, including the type of packaging and is not necessarily an indicator of freshness. The best indicator of freshness is the "packaged on" date or the "best before" date.
See Colour.
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Can I age my beef in my refrigerator? I have heard that aging improves beef's tenderness.
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Beef's tenderness improves with age, but aging cannot be accomplished safely in a home refrigerator. See Aging of Beef.
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I saw a TV program that showed retailers often changing the best before dates on a package of meat in order to make if look fresh. Could they be doing this in my local store?
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It is mandatory for retailers in Canada to put the packaging date or a "best before” date on fresh meat that has been packaged. This is monitored through the federal government’s Canadian Food Inspection Agency. In the United States, this practice is voluntary.
Retail-packaged foods must be labelled with either a durable life date (Best Before) and any necessary storage instruction, or a packaging date and accompanying durable life information, on the label or on a poster next to the food. (B.01.007 of the Food and Drug Regulations and in Section 94 of the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990.) This includes fresh meat.
CFIA inspectors review food labels for accuracy, investigate complaints and lay charges against offenders.
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Do retailers repackage meat to make it look better?
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Retailers may often re-cut a cut of beef in order to meet consumer demand. For instance they may re-cut a roast into steaks. However, the date on the package of the re-cut beef must be the same as the original date on the original cut of beef.
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How do you know that these processes are working?
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The Beef Information Centre has a strong working relationship with Canadian retailers and we have faith in the industry to abide by their own quality and safety standards, as well as government regulations.
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What is a Tri-Tip Steak or Medallion?
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Tri-Tip is a portion of the bottom sirloin. The muscle is triangular in shape, hence the name "tri-tip". It is about 5 cm (2 inches) thick and weighs about 750 grams to 1.5 kg. The section may be cut into strip-like steak portions, or the piece may be formed into medallions.
Tri-tip steaks have a wonderful beefy flavour, which marries well with marinades. Visit the virtual counter for cooking instructions, nutrition information and recipes. Try Prairie-Style Tri-Tip Steaks - the beef is marinated to further enhance the flavour.
Tri-tips are listed with most major retail banners. If it's not available, speak with your local meat manager, or call the customer service department of your retail chain requesting that the store in your area carry this cut.
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How can I make my beef more tender?
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The less tender cuts of beef can be tenderized by marinating the meat before cooking either with a homemade or bottled marinade, or a store-bought quick marinade mix. Cooking the cut of beef according to the proper cooking method for that cut also will give you maximum tenderness. Stewing beef and pot roasts should be cooked in liquid for a long period of time.
Order FREE marinating booklet.
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What cuts of beef should be marinated?
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Check your meat label for the cooking method. If the label reads “marinating steak,” then this steak should be marinated to enable you to get the eating satisfaction you desire. The most common marinating steaks are: inside, outside and eye of round, sirloin tip and flank steaks. For cooking instructions see Marinating Steaks. Other cuts of beef can be marinated for 15 to 30 minutes to enhance their flavour.
Order a copy of Canadian Beef Marvellous Marinades.
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I recently marinated some beef in vinegar -- when cooked, the meat had a rainbow sheen on the outside surface. What caused this?
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This is called iridescence. It is a natural phenomenon that is often seen in sliced deli roast beef, corned beef and ham and occasionally in sliced fresh meat, as well. Iridescence does not indicate decreased quality nor does it compromise the safety of the meat.
Meat contains iron, fat and other components. When light hits a slice of meat, it splits into colours like a rainbow. There are various pigments in meat that can give it an iridescent or greenish cast when exposed to heat and processing. Wrapping the meat in airtight packages and storing it away from light can help prevent this situation.
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How long can I store beef?
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Storage times vary by beef cut. The larger the cut, the longer the storage period. Store in the original wrapper in the coldest part of the fridge. Overwrap for freezer storage. See Beef Storage Chart.
Order FREE booklet with refrigerator storage chart included.
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The power went out and my meat in the freezer is starting to thaw. Is it safe? What about the meat in the fridge?
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As long as your meat is still partially frozen, it can be safely re-frozen. If the meat has completely thawed, but is still very cold, cook it and freeze it as cooked beef. If the meat has thawed and is at room temperature it must be discarded.
Refrigerated meat and leftovers should be safe as along as power is out no more than 6 hours. Otherwise it must be disgarded.
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Is it safe to eat rare roast beef or steak? I have heard so many conflicting reports about what is safe to eat.
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Beef roasts and steaks can be enjoyed rare because if bacteria are present they are found only on the surface of the meat. The high temperatures reached on the surface of roasts or steaks during cooking will kill any bacteria.
However, in the grinding process, any bacteria on the surface of meat are spread throughout. Therefore, ground beef (e.g. hamburgers and meatloaf) must be cooked thoroughly to 160°F (71°C).
Visit our virtual counter for a selection of beef roasts and roasting times.
Order FREE booklet with temperature rules for safe doneness.
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I left a steak on the counter to defrost and forgot about it. Is it still safe to eat?
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The Beef Information Centre recommends that you always defrost meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
Order your FREE guide to safe handling and preparation of foods at home.
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Is vCJD in Canada?
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There has been one case of variant CJD reported in Canada. Health Canada has confirmed that this person lived and traveled extensively throughout the United Kingdom during the height of the BSE (Mad Cow) epidemic and had eaten beef in the U.K. during that period. There is no indication the individual contracted the disease anywhere other than the United Kingdom.
To ensure that any cases of vCJD are detected immediately Health Canada has set up a CJD Surveillance System, which began in 1998. The Canadian surveillance unit screens approximately 90 samples that are suspected of having sporadic CJD (sCJD) each year. Of these between 30 and 35 cases are diagnosed as sporadic CJD (sCJD). These numbers are consistent with the one person per million worldwide occurrence of sCJD per year.
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What is variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)?
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vCJD is a slow degenerative human disease of the central nervous system. vCJD belongs to a group of fatal neurological diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). vCJD is classified as a TSE because of the characteristic spongy degeneration of the brain that occurs as the disease progresses. The disease is fairly new, and was first described in March 1996.
In contrast to the traditional forms of CJD, vCJD has affected younger patients (average age 29 years, as opposed to 65 years), has a relatively longer duration of illness (median of 14 months as opposed to 4.5 months) and is strongly linked to exposure, probably through food, to a TSE of cattle called BSE (often referred to as “Mad Cow Disease”).
More information available from Health Canada.
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Is there a need to rinse off beef cuts prior to cooking?
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We recommend that people do NOT rinse meat (or poultry) before cooking. In fact, the meat would become waterlogged, making it soggy and less flavourful. Meat (and poultry) is ready to use right out of the package.
If there was any bacteria on the outer surface of the raw meat or poultry, the rinsing procedure could potentially cross-contaminate your sink. This would be especially problematic if you then washed fruits and vegetables in the sink (without sanitizing it first) and ate them raw.
The high temperature reached during cooking destroys any bacteria that is potentially on foods. The best way to tell if meats and poultry have reached proper doneness temperatures is to use a digital rapid-read thermometer to check the internal temperature in the centre of the food.
For more information, refer to the safe food handling section of the site.
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I've heard there's a case of Mad Cow disease in Canada. Is Canadian beef safe to eat?
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Yes, Canadian beef is safe to eat. Canada's food safety system is among the best in the world. Detection of the case in Alberta is proof of the effectiveness of Canada's surveillance and monitoring systems. The BSE positive animal did not enter the food chain.
This one case appears to be an isolated incident. BSE is not contagious. Extensive research has shown that it is not transmitted horizontally - that is from animal to animal. Risk of maternal transmission is considered to be low.
Even in an infected animal, skeletal muscle (i.e. muscles used for support and locomotion) in products such as steaks, roasts, and products labelled as ground beef, pose little risk. The potentially infective parts - the spinal cord, brain and parts of the eye - are not found in skeletal muscle.
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What is BSE? Is it contagious?
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BSE or "Mad Cow Disease" is a fatal disease of the nervous system of cattle. It is known as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or TSE. Other TSEs include, scrapie in sheep, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, and Creutzfelt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. Although the exact cause of BSE is unknown, it is associated with the presence of an abnormal protein called a prion. There is no treatment or vaccine currently available for the disease. For more information, download the BSE factsheet.
BSE is not contagious. It is transmitted through infected central nervous tissue, i.e., brain, spinal cord and parts of the eye. This is why, in 1997, Canada banned the feeding of these rendered materials from ruminants - such as sheep, goats, cattle, deer and elk - to be fed to other ruminants. This eliminates the major transmission method of BSE and other TSEs, between animals.
Clinical signs of BSE and infectivity in the brain and spinal cord tissue does not occur until 30 months after infection. Since the majority of Canadian beef comes from animals younger than 22 months of age, the risk of any infective material being present Canadian beef is very remote. In addition, Canada has strong systems in place to stop the potential spread of this disease to other animals and to the human food chain.
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When was this case discovered?
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In late January 2003 a cow, thought to be eight years old, was sent for slaughter. An Alberta meat inspector noted that the animal was sick and condemned the carcass as unsuitable for human consumption. As part of Alberta's routine surveillance program for BSE, the animal's brain was submitted for testing. Because BSE was not suspected, and because the animal hadn't entered the food chain, testing was not a high priority. Alberta testing, completed May 16, 2003, was positive for BSE and confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on May 18, 2003. The tissue underwent further testing by scientists in the United Kingdom, who confirmed that the sample was positive for BSE on May 20th. For additional information see the CFIA media release.
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Are there genetically modified beef cattle?
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There are no genetically modified beef cattle in commercial production in Canada. Whether there ever will be depends on acceptance by both the beef producer and the consumer. The Canadian regulatory system ensures that before any genetically modified product is made commercially available, it must be evaluated for safety and effectiveness.
For more information, download the genetically modified organisms factsheet.
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What is the difference between organic and regular beef?
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While there are differences in the way organic beef is produced and in the retail price, both organic and conventional beef are of high quality, nutritious and safe. Lab tests have not found substantial nutritional differences and blind taste tests found consumers generally cannot tell the difference between organic and conventionally produced foods.
For more information, download organic beef factsheet.
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Why is ground beef sometimes dark in the centre of the package? Is colouring added to meat or is this old meat in the centre?
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Government regulations prohibit the use of colouring, additives or preservatives in fresh beef. See Colour.
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What is the difference between extra lean, lean, medium and regular ground beef?
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The difference is in the fat content. According to government regulations all ground meats are defined as follows:
- extra lean - no more than 10% fat
- lean - no more than 17% fat
- medium - no more than 23% fat
- regular - no more than 30% fat.
For answers to frequently asked questions about purchasing, handling and storing ground beef, order Your Complete Guide to Ground Beef.
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How do you handle a large (10 lb/4.5 kg or less) frozen sausage-like tube of ground beef?
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* Cut the frozen block into family-sized meal portions using a clean serrated knife - this is tricky but it can be done. Wrap the pieces and freeze.
* OR cook the entire block (from frozen) all at one time - ideally, cutting it into manageable chunks first. Cook in a heavy covered canning kettle over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Divide the cooked ground beef into portions and freeze.
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I've heard about rinsing cooked ground beef. How do you do it and why?
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Rinsing cooked ground beef can reduce the fat content. For example, rinsed Regular ground beef crumbles has less fat than that of Lean ground beef crumbles.
Simply pan-fry crumbles until well done. After draining fat, pour crumbles into a colander or strainer while holding over the sink. Using hot water, rinse the crumbles well. Shake the colander to remove excess moisture.
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Is irradiation of ground beef approved in Canada?
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NO. Health Canada completed the technological assessment of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association submission to irradiate ground beef in November 2000 and the submission received a favourable recommendation. The regulatory development process is moving forward and the submission has been published in Gazette Part I. Once the process, which includes a consultative period, is complete, consumers will have the option of choosing irradiated or non-irradiated ground beef.
See Health Canada's news release.
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What is food irradiation?
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Food irradiation is a food safety technology that can greatly reduce disease-causing bacteria from foods. Like pasteurization of milk and pressure-cooking of canned foods, irradiating food kills bacteria and parasites that could otherwise cause food-borne disease.
See Health Canada's backgrounder for more information.
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Does irradiated food contain radioactive particles?
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Irradiated food is not radioactive. Irradiated food has been exposed to radiant energy in order to reduce or kill harmful bacteria, much like the pasteurization of milk or the pressure-cooking of canned foods.
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If I could buy irradiated hamburger – would I be safe from E.coli?
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The risk from E.coli is signficiantly reduced as E.coli 0157:H7 is very sensitive to irradiation. But it is important to remember that while irradiation is a useful tool for helping reduce risk of food-borne disease, it is not a replacement for proper handling practices by producers, processors and consumers.
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How safe are irradiated foods?
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Irradiated foods have been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Worldwide, 38 countries permit irradiation of food. Irradiation is a regulated food process in Canada. Health Canada is responsible for determining which foods can be irradiated, and what levels of radiation can be used.
For more information, see Food Irradiation Factsheet.
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How can I tell if food has been irradiated?
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Government regulations state that all wholly irradiated foods in Canada must be clearly identified with both a written statement such as "irradiated" and the international symbol called the "radura".
See Health Canada's backgrounder for more information.
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What foods are approved for irradiation in Canada?
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Irradiated foods are not new in Canada. The first products were approved for irradiation more than 40 years ago. Currently potatoes, onions, wheat (including flour), and spices are approved for irradiation and sale in Canada.
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I recently made some meat pies and cabbage rolls using ground beef. Even though a thermometer indicated that they were thoroughly cooked, the meat inside stayed pink. What caused this pinkness?
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Ground beef products that are cooked to an internal temperature of 160ºF (71ºC) are completely cooked, regardless of colour. However, there are some factors that can influence the colour of cooked ground beef:
· Since fat influences heat conduction, lower-fat ground beef may take longer to reach 160ºF (71ºC) and can remain pink even after this temperature has been reached.
· Presence of nitrates/nitrites - Naturally-occurring nitrates found in water and vegetables such as celery, cabbage, radishes, turnips, spinach, parsley, etc. convert to nitrites which prevent raw beef from turning grey/brown when it is cooked. Similarly, cooked beef will also remain pink if ingredients such as cured meats (bacon, ham, etc.), hickory smoked products/seasonings or pickling/preserving compounds are added or come into contact with raw ground beef products.
· Muscle pigments called myoglobin carry oxygen and give meat its red colour. Meat from older cattle or from muscles that are used more often will remain red longer during cooking due to higher levels of myoglobin.
· Meat that is less acidic can also remain pink after cooking, as the pigments in meat are changed to their brown-coloured state more slowly in this case. This situation may occur in meat produced from cattle processed in the spring and fall when rapid temperature changes result in stress.
· Presence of carbon monoxide - Carbon monoxide will combine with the natural pigments in meat to produce a red/pink colour in cooked ground beef products. Minute amounts of carbon monoxide may be emitted by inefficiently burning flames in gas grills or ovens.
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© 2004 | Beef Information Centre
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