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Some steaks off the menu over labeling issues

"Since so many people are concerned about our beef's safety, we'll withdraw the products until they pass the health authorities' examination."

Lobo Lee, general manager of Wang Group

Three steak house chains have pulled chuck steak from their menus yesterday amid public concerns that the meat is prone to bacteria contamination if not cooked properly and questions about how they are labeled.

Midrange steakhouses Tasty, Tao Ban House and Noble Family Steak House decided to stop selling chuck steak after they were accused by Chinese-language media yesterday of cheating consumers by advertising "restructured meat" as steaks on their menus.

"Since so many people are concerned about our beef's safety, we'll withdraw the products until they pass the health authorities' examination," said Lobo Lee (李森斌), general manager of Wang Group, which owns 13 Tasty and 10 Tao Ban House outlets nationwide.

Lee argued that his company's products are "pressed" -- but not restructured by dicing -- to form the shape of a steak after they have been processed to have tendons removed and soybean protein added to hold the meat together.

Lin Shih-chin (林士欽), chairman of the 180-outlet Noble Family, echoed Lee, saying that the processing makes the meat easy to chew without destroying its nutritional composition.

The negative news reports had not affected business so far, the restaurants said.

Restructured ham or other food products have long been available in supermarkets in the West, offering customers an alternative to more expensive meat products.

But restaurant operators sometimes cheat consumers by not providing accurate information about their products, said Chen Lu-hung (陳陸宏), director of the Department of Health's Food Safety Bureau.

He urged the public not to panic over pressed or restructured meat as long as operators do not violate the regulations stipulated in the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法). Chen said the health department is not aware of any food poisoning cases caused by these beef products. But he nonetheless cautioned that that all foodstuffs must be cooked well.

Cheng Jen-hung (程仁宏), the Consumers' Foundation's secretary-general, said that processed meat stands a higher chance of being contaminated. He said consumers who feel sick after eating such meat can file a complaint with the foundation.

The foundation will also probe restaurants to discover whether they charge higher prices for cheap chuck meat -- a practice that would constitute criminal fraud and carry a maximum sentence of five years in jail, Cheng said.

The Consumer Protection Commission is slated to hold a meeting this morning, requiring the three steakhouse chains to clarify their sales and preparation methods and offer clear and accurate information on the menu.

"I think the market demand for pressed or restructured beef products does exist, but restaurant owners must be honest with labeling to avoid misleading consu-mers," said Liu Chin-fang (劉清芳), the commission's director of supervision and coordination.
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