Scientists Warn Consumers About New Meat Substitute

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Saturday, April 06, 2002 8:01 PM

Scientists Warn Consumers About New Meat

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Scientists Warn Consumers About New Meat Substitute

 

 

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Scientists Warn Consumers

About New Meat Substitute

CBC News

4-3-2

 

Bob Jones

WASHINGTON - A group of scientists in the United States is warning

consumers about a new type of vegetarian product approved for sale this year.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest says the product, sold

under the name " Quorn, " hasn't gone through adequate testing. The CSPI also

finds fault with the way the product is being marketed.

Quorn is a fungus-based meat substitute. It's the leading meat

substitute in Europe and has been popular since it hit grocery shelves 17 years

ago. Quorn racks up $150 million U.S. a year in sales in the European Union.

Quorn can be sautéed, grilled, stir-fried, broiled or used in a

variety of dishes requiring meat.

The manufacturer bills it as " mushroom in origin. " The CSPI says there

are no mushrooms in Quorn.

Quorn is a fungus, known as Fusarium venenatum, and is fermented in

vats where it produces mycoprotein. It is then mixed with egg whites, flavoured

and shaped into foods resembling poultry and meat products.

Although the fungus comes from nature, the CSPI says the company can

not claim Quorn to be " made from natural ingredients. "

" A fungus has quietly found its way into grocery stores, without the

kind of government scrutiny a new food deserves, " says CSPI executive director

Michael F. Jacobson.

" Despite the deceptive labeling, Quorn has nothing to do with

mushrooms. It is a fungus and should be labelled as such. "

Company reports 90 adverse reactions a year

Jacobson says the protein is in fact created through a fermentation

process, it is an engineered food that could cause a number of allergic

reactions.

He says the company has reported 90 adverse reactions a year.

" The manufacturer of these products clearly has a marketing problem,

but that is no excuse to deceive consumers, " says Jacobson.

Quorn representatives say the criticism is unwarranted.

" The adverse reaction rates are infinitesimally low, about 1 in

146,000 people " much lower than soy protein, which is about 1 in 35,000, " notes

David Wilson, vice-president of Quorn Foods Inc.

Quorn products, an eight-item line of frozen and refrigerated chicken

and beef substitutes, are being rolled out in specialized supermarkets and

health food stores across the U.S.

Canadians can order the product " online " from a health food store. The

company is considering introducing its products to Canada based on the response

it gets in the U.S.

Written by CBC News Online staff

http://cbc.ca/stories/2002/04/02/Consumers/Quornmeat_020402

 

 

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