American Meat Institute Launches New Consumer Information Initiative ‘Meat Matters’

The American Meat Institute (AMI) today announced a new consumer outreach initiative called “Meat Matters,” a series of brochures that can be downloaded and printed from a new, centralized web site MeatMattersInfo.org.

The Meat Matters series of brochures is designed to be easily printed for use by consumers, retailers and foodservice operators. The seven brochures in the new “Meat Matters” series include:

 Case Ready Meats: This brochure details the growing trend in packaging meat at the plant under federal inspection for direct placement into the retail case without further cutting or handling. The brochure details the benefits of each system and explains the impact that meat packing may have on meat freshness and meat color.

 Product Dating: An invaluable guide for consumers, the brochure explains the different types of dates that appear on packages including use-by dates, sell-by dates and “best if used by” dates. The brochure also features a chart detailing storage times for fresh and processed products.

 Safe Handling of Meat and Poultry Products: This brochure details recommended handling and cooking practices to ensure meat and poultry safety all the way to the table.

 Meat and Poultry Nutrition: The value of animal protein in the diet is detailed in this brochure. Consumers can find a quick reference guide to the amount of protein they need and how to determine ─ with their eyes ─ how many ounces they are consuming.

 Livestock Cloning: The emerging science of livestock cloning is explained in understandable terms in this brochure, which details the level of scientific review the technology has undergone.

 Animal Welfare in the Meat Industry: This brochure explains the regulatory requirements for ensuring that livestock handled by meat plants are treated humanely. The brochure also details voluntary efforts by the meat industry to go above and beyond regulatory requirements.

 Consumer’s Guide to Enhanced Meats: This brochure details how the meat industry is using enhancing solutions in lean meat cuts to maintain juiciness, prevent overcooking and ensure good eating experiences.

AMI sought comments from government, industry and academia in the development of the brochures. The Institute plans to add to the series over the next year with brochures addressing other timely and emerging topics.

“The fact is – meat does matter. We are proud of the products we produce and decided it was time to speak more directly to the consumer. We cannot rely on the media alone to communicate important messages about food safety, nutrition, animal welfare and meat quality,” said AMI President J. Patrick Boyle. “We believe that these brochures and their companion download site can be a valuable resource to our customers.”

AMI will be providing these materials to reporters nationwide to ensure that they have consumer-friendly information they can use in preparing stories. The Institute will alert consumers to their availability through syndicated media services.

The “Meat Matters” series is available, and downloadable, at http://www.meatmattersinfo.org. Electronic files are available to retailers and foodservice operators who wish to customize brochures by adding their logos.

Visitors can subscribe to receive alerts when new brochures are released or to be notified when existing brochures are updated.