The idea of using uncured ham or smoked meat in a lunch meat dish seems silly to most people. I get this because many people believe that meats are inherently carcinogenic, which is clearly not true. Even when meat is cured, there are certain chemicals that aren’t removed from cured meats. For example, the nitrate content is reduced (because of the curing process) and the fat is removed naturally.
However, I find the idea that meat might be safe to eat in all its original form to be completely ridiculous. After all, if you can eat cured meat, why can’t you eat uncured meat? At the very least, uncured meats have more fiber, vitamins, and minerals in them.
According to the FDA, there is a low chance of food-borne illness with uncured meats, however, it would not be wise to eat them unless you were planning on eating them for a very long time.
This is a good thing, because if you’re planning on eating meat for a very long time you may not want to take the time to cure it. Meat may take much longer to cure then an egg, and even longer to cure than a piece of fruit. However, the FDA notes that there is a low chance of food-borne illness with meat.
The FDA has issued a warning about the possibility of Salmonella poisoning from uncured meat. However, the Food and Drug Administration’s website goes on to say that uncured meat can be safely eaten. “This does not mean that uncured meat is safe for eating, but that uncured meat will not be hazardous to health.” Sounds good, except it doesn’t.
The FDA notes that if you’re eating meat that has been “uncured,” you are at risk of salmonella poisoning. That’s because there is a low risk of food poisoning from uncured ham. The FDA further notes that uncured meat can be eaten safely. In fact, uncured meat is a common choice in restaurants these days.
So, what does the FDA have to say about how uncured meat can be safely eaten? If you’ve read any of my reviews on Amazon.com, you will know that I have a pretty strong faith in the FDA. I’m not saying that you should eat uncured meat, but that you should be sure that you are eating meat that has been tested and meets legal safety standards.
As it turns out, the FDA is actually quite strict when it comes to safety. Any meat that has undergone more than six months of “natural” aging has to be tested for bacteria and other organisms that could cause an illness. I’ve been on the receiving end of some bad news from a lab recently, and its kind of unsettling to think that a product that is supposed to be safe is actually unsafe.
I think your average consumer would probably agree. It seems like the FDA could be doing a lot more to make sure that consumers are getting the safest possible meat. In fact, I’ve noticed that a lot of products on the shelves of grocery stores are labeled “natural, whole, grass-fed free range.” If you look at the ingredients list, you’ll see that these products have been tested and labeled by the FDA.
So it seems as if it isnt just the FDA that is running around and trying to make sure that meat is safe, but the entire industry that is making sure that meat is safe. I have found that the more you know about the ingredients in meat, the less you like it.
