American Meat Institute (AMI) recommended FSIS withdraw its proposed rule on mechanically tenderized beef product naming. The group says the rule, Descriptive Designation for Needle- or Blade-Tenderized (Mechanically Tenderized) Beef Products, which requires mechanically tenderized products to include that information in their name, would not improve food safety and would confuse customers.

“The existing labeling scheme for products that have been needle injected or blade tenderized, with appropriate qualifying statements or other label information, provides open and transparent information based on recognizable common and usual product names and should be kept,” the comments say. AMI says information on mechanical tenderization could be included on labels without changing product names.