“Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets.” Baltasar Gracian (1601-1658). It never ceases to amaze me the way the more things change, the more they stay the same. Gracian wrote that line in the 1600’s . 400 years later and the statement he made rings true about many things.

A few weeks ago I came across an article in a Beef industry Publication called “Beef Central” . (here’s the link to the article - https://www.beefcentral.com/news/map-packagings-negative-impact-on-beef-tenderness-comes-as-a-bombshell/) . The article cites a Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) trial that was looking into the effects of packaging on meat. The trail was meant to prove that meat aged in Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP) has a positive impact on meat quality as it ages. It’s well known that dry ageing (temperature and humidity controlled ageing) and Wet ageing (Cryovac sealed meat) if done correctly will enhance flavour and tenderness in meat as the meat ages. MAP is the packaging format you see in most supermarket meat sections these days. Deep dish trays with a plastic sealed top. Inert gasses are injected into the tray to lengthen shelf life. The gasses decrease pathogen growth and maintain colour by stopping the oxygenisation effect that normally occurs.

Great idea, centralised processing and packaging, allow for increased distribution times as you need less processing centres and then watch the profits go up! Your meat might have been packed for up to 10days (it’s also been slaughtered and processed before that). What a sad day for the supermarkets when the results came back that meat actually toughens up and drops in quality in MAP packaging!

I’ll bet you don’t see any ads telling you that your meat is now tougher ! Drop by your local butcher and ask him how old the meat is as he wraps it in paper or glad wrap…better still 1888 Certified and a very few others elect butchers run a true paddock to plate model. It’s fresher and healthier ..That is guaranteed to stay the same.