Genetically modified meat

[Renee Profile]

I bought pork chops in a pack from Sainsbury and enjoyed them very much. They were tender and with a good flavour. I read the information on the pack and noticed that they had been genetically modified. Is this a common practice?

[Suffs Profile]

The pork will not have been genetically modified Renee ... it may be that the pig could’ve been fed on imported GM soya meal.

https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/gm-free-pork ... t-the-feed

[Renee Profile]

Thanks for the interesting article Suffs. I've just checked the wording and it says
"Our exclusive pigs are bred using unique genetics to ensure the consistent delivery of tenderness, succulence and flavour. The meat is carefully matured to develop depth and distinction." They are Hampshire Cross pigs.

[Suelle Profile Website]

Thanks for the interesting article Suffs. I've just checked the wording and it says
"Our exclusive pigs are bred using unique genetics to ensure the consistent delivery of tenderness, succulence and flavour. The meat is carefully matured to develop depth and distinction." They are Hampshire Cross pigs.

It sounds as if it's just selective breeding - a form of genetic modification that's been around since before people knew what genes were!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

The science bit
When people say genetically modified, often abbreviated to GMO they mean artificial, laboratory introduction of genes, mainly to plants such as maize and tomatoes

But everything has genetics and farm animals have been selectively bred for centuries to make them bigger, smaller, tamer, tastier even prettier - think of race horse pedigrees!

I think the wording on the package is totally ridiculous, and possibly worth feeding back to Sainsbury’s that they are idiots and they are worrying people with stupid jargon. But I think it just means they are a slightly unusual cross-breed pig, two or more different distinct breeds in the pedigree. But farm bred ( admittedly probably using artificial insemination) in the usual way, as Suffs says

[Renee Profile]

Thanks so much for all of the information!

It didn't worry me, but I was a bit curious. I would definitely recommend them and will certainly buy them again!

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro ... rence-550g

[Suelle Profile Website]

Thanks so much for all of the information!

It didn't worry me, but I was a bit curious. I would definitely recommend them and will certainly buy them again!

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro ... rence-550g

Did you cook them as instructed Renée? 24 minutes sounds a long time for a pork chop, even allowing for slower cooking in the oven for part of the time.

I usually buy boneless loin steaks which only need about 8 minutes in a frying pan.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I think the wording on the package is totally ridiculous, and possibly worth feeding back to Sainsbury’s that they are idiots and they are worrying people with stupid jargon.

Quite agree!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I usually buy boneless loin steaks which only need about 8 minutes in a frying pan.

I buy those too they quite often put big packs on offer so there are usually some in the freezer. Both Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s sell premium Hampshire pork at a decent price

I cut up the smaller ones for stir fries

[karadekoolaid Profile]

( Courtesy of the artist Karsten Schley)

geneticall modified....jpg (9.92 KiB) Viewed 3829 times

[Stokey Sue Profile]

That's a Douglas Adams joke! The Dish of the Day at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe in Hitchhiker's Guide

https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Ameglian_Major_Cow

[Renee Profile]

Yes, for once, I did follow the instructions Suelle, browning them first and then finishing in the oven. They turned out well.

[Suelle Profile Website]

Yes, for once, I did follow the instructions Suelle, browning them first and then finishing in the oven. They turned out well.

Thanks for getting back to me! I'll look out for them when I shop next week.

[Renee Profile]

I think that being on the bone, the cutlets needs a slightly longer cooking time.

I hope that you enjoy them Suelle.

[Pampy Profile]

I could well be wrong here but I always thought that if meat was on the bone, it cooked faster as the bone conducts heat to the inner portions of the meat.

[Suffs Profile]

That's the theory, as I understand it Pampy ... and in my experience it works in practice too.

[jeral Profile]

That's what I thought, assuming it had logical validity. I suppose an exception might be chicken thighs for some reason that take 35 rather than 20-25 mins if without bone. I suppose it's explicable, but I know not how.

PS: I though GM food was illegal in the UK, or is that just soil-grown stuff?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

But when you compare the standard pork loin chop/cutlet on the bone with the loin steaks Suelle and I mentioned they are usually a fair bit thicker; they seem to be about 280g each

Also baking and frying times aren’t likely to be identical, as Suelle says

And finally, pork is the most forgiving of meats, with the eye of lean surrounded by fat and bone, even if it’s slightly more cooked than it really needs to be, I doubt you’d notice after resting

[Suffs Profile]

It is illegal in the UK and EU to genetically modify animals for meat production.

Some farmed animals are fed on food which includes GM soya and other foodstuffs of vegetable origin.

All the info is here

https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/ ... ing-eaten/

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/ ... fied-foods

https://www.gov.uk/food-safety-as-a-foo ... fied-foods

[Renee Profile]

I could well be wrong here but I always thought that if meat was on the bone, it cooked faster as the bone conducts heat to the inner portions of the meat.

I didn't know that, so I've learned something today!