Beef Has Less Hormones Than Other Common Foods
AUSTRALIA - Customers wishing to buy food free of hormone growth promotants, have been told by the Australian Beef Association (ABA) that beef should be the least of their worries.
22 February 2011
1 minute read
ABA Chairman Brad Bellinger said: “The promotion of Coles Supermarket in advertising hormone free needs to be put into perspective for those consumers wishing to avoid Hormone Growth Promotants (HGPs).
The marketing gimmick overlooks the fact that many everyday items found in the shopping trolley contain higher levels of hormones than beef.
When compared with 500 grams of beef from HGP treated cattle the amount of oestrogen in 200 ml of milk is about seven times, a 375 ml of beer (stubbie) 10 times, a hens egg 150 times or the common cooking ingredient of 10ml soybean oil is 1800 times.
Mr Bellinger stated: "For consumers to avoid oestrogen in their grocery list would result in a very dull diet devoid of many staple products in our diet."
The hormones in beef are natural and are safe to eat and consumers should be aware that they are at much lower levels than commonly consumed foods.
Beef producers are still waiting for premiums to be paid for cattle by Coles for hormone free beef. Tasmanian producers have been waiting for over 20 years for a premium for their cattle following a ban on HGPs in their state.
Mr Bellinger said: "I suspect beef producers will be left out of the chain of increased returns promised by Coles."
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