Aged meat, increasingly popular with the food industry and restaurants, does not pose any greater health risk to consumers than fresh meat if aged under controlled conditions, according to a scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published on Thursday 19 January.
Ageing of meat is a controlled process in which microbes and enzymes work to break down connective tissue, making the meat more tender and flavourful.
EFSA experts have identified pathogens and spoilage bacteria that may develop and survive during the ageing process and that could be hazardous to health.
They believe that aged meat is no more dangerous provided that the specific combination of time and temperature they have identified is respected during the ageing process. According to them, for example, dry-aged beef can be considered as safe as fresh beef if it is aged for a maximum of 35 days at a temperature of 3°C or less.
EFSA points out that the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and prerequisite programmes used to ensure the safety of fresh meat are also applicable to aged meat.
See the EFSA opinion: https://aeur.eu/f/4ys (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)