EFSA gives opinion on MSM health risks
The European Commission asked EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) to deliver a scientific opinion on the public health risks posed by MSM derived from poultry and swine. It concluded that the microbiological and chemical risks were similar to fresh meat, minced meat or other meat preparations, although high-pressure production processes increased the risk of microbial growth.
“Concerning public health risks related to MSM, the microbial hazards that may be present in MSM depend on the hygiene of processing, the levels and types of contamination present in the raw materials and their storage history, so microbial hazards in pork and poultry MSM are expected to be similar to those in fresh meat, minced meat and meat preparations,” it stated.
“Nevertheless, the risk of microbial growth increases with the degree of muscle fibre degradation and the associated release of nutrients and more uniform spreading of contamination, thus high-pressure MSM, may provide a more favourable substrate for bacterial growth compared with low-pressure MSM.”
EFSA concluded that no specific chemical risks were expected, as long as maximum residue levels were respected.
European rules
According to EC rules, MSM from poultry and swine can legally be produced in Europe as long as it is labelled and does not count towards the meat content of a product. MSM from cattle and sheep is banned, due to increased risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
MSM derived with high-pressure techniques has a paste-like texture, which can be used in processed meat products, such as frankfurters. MSM derived with low-pressure techniques is more similar in appearance to minced meat.
In order to help food operators and inspectors differentiate MSM from other types of meat, EFSA’s scientific experts developed a model using levels of calcium, which is released from the bones during processing. EFSA recommended that specifically designed studies to collect data on potential indicators were needed to improve the differentiation between MSM obtained through low-pressure techniques and hand-deboned meat.
The high-pressure fabrication of MSM is unrelated to high-pressure processing (HPP), the post-packaging step in which ultra high water pressure (hydrostatic pressure) of up to 87,000 psi is applied to finished product to destroy pathogens and spoilage organisms.
