Iowa lawmakers take aim at fake meat

"Iowa lawmakers take aim at meatless burgers and egg alternatives in bill headed to governor"

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...alternatives-veggie-burgers-pass/73268076007/

"The legislation requires meat and egg alternatives, including Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers, to include qualifying phrases like "meatless" or "imitation" if they're sold at Iowa stores.

Dubbed the "meat integrity act," Republicans have touted it as a way to protect Iowa farmers' products from unfair competition and increase transparency for consumers."


good for Iowa, next need to do this for Milk

 

I am fine if one doesn't want to eat meat or milk products, but don't create fake products with those names to confuse customers

 

I hope they do this with GMOs and high fructose corn syrup (the stuff that's keeping doctors FILTHY RICH) next!

 

I was not aware of consumer confusion about meat substitutes or alternatives. Same goes for milk: soy, almond oat, etc. I've always thought that the labeling was pretty clear, but perhaps there are too many of us who can't be bothered to read labels.

This seems to be more of a protection for Iowa's meat producers and packers than for consumers. That's just my take, considering who has promoted this new law.

 

Regardless of what the product and what state... Consumers should have a right to see clearly what is on the products that they are consuming.

I recently read a jar of Hellman's mayonnaise and instead of just saying that it contains GMOs it says.... Made with bioengineered ingredients.

I knew exactly what it meant when I read it but a decent amount of people might not connect that that is actually a GMO product

 

Ah yes. Fake milk. No cow udder ever carried an almond. I wonder which product has the most chemical additives. Probably the fake meat.

 

if there is no confusion, how could it be protection, people would still buy the same products

 

I too wasn’t aware people have been so confused. It’s pretty clear to me what is and isn’t meat.

 

exactly

https://thecounter.org/bpi-pink-slime-ground-beef-usda-reclassifed/

"Beef Products Inc. (BPI), the South Dakota-based meat processing company at the center of 2012’s “pink slime” controversy, just won a long-sought semantic victory. For years, the company has argued that its signature product is safe, wholesome, and not unlike everyday burger meat. Now, BPI has enlisted a powerful ally in its effort to recoup its image and reclassify its product: the federal government."

"After a months-long evaluation, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) determined in December that BPI’s signature product—the offering famously called “pink slime” in an ABC News exposé that got the network in a lot of trouble—can be labeled “ground beef.” Legally speaking, it’s now no different from ordinary hamburger, and could even be sold directly to the public."

 

why label it meat then, if it's not meat

call it "imitation meat" or something

 

I’m not familiar with any meatless brands that just says “meat” on the packaging. Do you know of any specific ones that do?

 

then the law should not be an issue

if people want to eat this stuff that is fine, just want people to know what they are getting in case they care for health reasons

"The New, Meatier Beyond Burger"

 

just saw these

 

At least it does clearly say made from plants.
But they really shouldn't be allowed to call an egg.

 

what really gets bad is when, like with butter, restaurants replace it with margarine and you do not know

 

I used to buy salted butter but I recently learned that the best butter to cook with is unsalted because it does not burn the same way that salted butter will.

I might be relatively poor but one thing on my grocery list I insist upon is real butter

 

No disagreement here. Tho it seems to me all that stuff is already pretty well labeled. Maybe not in Iowa I guess.

Printed and lab-grown products need to be labelled as well. Also GMO, tho its pretty safe to just assume if it doesnt say non-GMO certified organic, then its GMO.

 

Speaking of GMOs...... I don't want to eat anything that is bioengineered to the point where you can grow a crop of Roundup ready tomatoes and douse the entire field with Roundup and the only thing that won't die is the bioengineered Roundup ready tomatoes.

Hard and flavorless and never really become fully ripe and right now tomatoes are damn near $2 a pound at Walmart. That is absolutely insane.

 

Honestly I fail to understand why people would pay more for chemical laden factory food than they would with the natural product. I guess some people will buy something novel regardless of what it is. Want plant based food? Good, it's healthy. We call it fruits and vegetables and they should be part of everyone's diet. Want plant based protein? Consider legumes (beans.) They are close to being the perfect human food.

 

I have no problem with the law. Just find it odd so many people are confused. With the example you gave it’s painfully obvious it’s not meat what with “plant-based” patties right on the packaging. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

many think switching to almond milk is the same as drinking milk, etc.... I mean it says milk on the carton right....

 

It also say “almond”. Therefore shouldn’t be confused with milk from a cow. This is really simple stuff here. Amazed at how many people are so confused.

 

it's not milk though

but truth in advertising is important, we just want labels to say way it really is... for everything

 

But it does say what it is...ALMOND milk....hence made from ALMONDS. What is so hard to understand???

 

The thought of accidently eating fake meat, really makes me gag. I do like some vegetarian microwave meals--w/ cheese, beans and perhaps tofu. But in the same space will be an impossible salsbury steak meal, and one really has to look hard to read the "plant based", so you are dependent on knowing what "Impossible" means and it is just a branded word. A person who doesn't listen to Burger Kings impossible hamburger commercials might be clueless.

But I'm not sure that packaging stating "Plant Based, heme protein infused, meat substitute" has enough marketing strength or clarity---don't blame the company to want to brand a name that sounds palatable.