Injected Meat: How Manufacturers Add Water and Whether It Is Legally Allowed.

Some manufacturers claim that injecting (where water or various solutions are introduced into the meat with a syringe) serves the same purpose. However, this is often done merely to add extra weight and appealing volume to the meat. Additionally, it naturally serves the function of retaining necessary moisture. There are, however, manufacturers who abuse this process to the extent that the volume increases by 20-40%.

It is one thing when the packaging honestly states that the product is culinary or has added water (this can be seen from the label), and quite another when this is only discovered during cooking. Because such meat decreases in volume in the pan and releases a lot of moisture. And the buyer feels deceived - they paid for meat but received water. And if they choose products from another manufacturer next time, without 'stitches' in every sense of the word, the consumer will think back to this loophole even with natural moisture loss when cooking.

To answer the question of whether all manufacturers add water to the meat, we asked Anna Suzova, the chief technologist of MHP (TM 'Nasha Ryaba').

- Natural poultry meat should not undergo any treatment - that is the main principle of TM 'Nasha Ryaba'. Unlike our culinary products, which are deliberately treated with a brine or marinade. In 2019, the Center for Independent Consumer Experiments 'TEST' sampled chicken from the most famous brands in Ukraine, including TM 'Nasha Ryaba'. The products were tested for compliance with food standards, quality indicators, packaging, and labeling. And in all these criteria, TM 'Nasha Ryaba' received the highest rating.

For the company, this was an expected result, as the strictest judges for us are ourselves. The health of our consumers and future generations comes first.

On August 6, 2019, the law 'On Information for Consumers about Food' came into force in Ukraine. The norms of this law stipulate, among other things, that if water (even in minimal amounts) has been added to the meat as an ingredient (as is the case with injection), this information must be clearly indicated on the label.

But in any case, the product will reveal itself! It's a pity that this can only be checked after it has already been purchased - you can poke it or evaluate it while cooking.

Therefore, one can only trust the brands whose reputation and beliefs do not encourage them to deceive buyers, or seek high-quality products through personal experience.

This article discusses the practice of injecting meat with water or solutions to increase the weight and volume of the product. The opinion of the poultry meat manufacturer 'Nasha Ryaba' on the naturalness of the products, as well as the new food labeling law that mandates the indication of added water in meat, is mentioned. This information is important for consumers who have the opportunity to choose high-quality products without fraud and deception.