For many steak lovers, nothing says summer like a tender slice of beef seared to a dark gloss on the outside while remaining juicy red on the inside. But when it comes to steaks and roasts labeled " blade tenderized" or "mechanically tenderized," rare is not the best option, says Northeastern food policy expert Darin Detwiler. People who consume mechanically tenderized steaks rare are more susceptible to developing food-borne illness from E.
coli or salmonella contamination, he says. Consumers can't tell by looking at beef products whether they are blade or mechanically tenderized unless they read the package label, which the U.S.
Department of Agriculture started requiring in 2016. There is no requirement for restaurants to inform customers whether their steak has been tenderized in the food production process, says Detwiler, an assistant teaching professor. "Mechanically tenderized beef is beef that has been pierced with blades or needles to break down the muscle fibers and make the meat more tender," he says.
Dozens or even hundreds of needles can be used, Detwiler says. "This process is also known as blade tenderization or needle tenderization. The process allows stores to sell cuts of meat that might otherwise be tough and less desirable.
" "Mechanically tenderized beef can pose a food safety risk because the process of piercing the meat with blades or needles can push surface bacteria into the interior of the meat," Detwiler says. "This can include harmful bacteria like .
