What are the meatballs in hot pot made of? Don’t buy these three types!

Expert in this article: Wang Silu, National Senior Food Inspector, Internal Auditor of HACCP Food System of the People’s Republic of China

This article was reviewed by Liu Shaowei, Deputy Director and Professor of Food and Drug Regulatory Research Center, East China University of Science and Technology

Recent Temperatures

What a word

cold

What food to talk about

Best for this season

It must be hot pot

In everyone's "hot pot list"

In addition to various meats and vegetables

Meatballs are also a common dish in hotpot.

Beef balls, fish balls, shrimp balls

…

This is the kind of food that many people love.

Many people are skeptical

What are meatballs made of?

Are beef balls made entirely of beef?

What is the truth?

today

Let's talk about it nicely.

Are “beef balls” filled with beef?

Many people think that beef balls must be made of beef, however, this is not the case.

The ingredient list of beef balls is clearly marked, and they will contain a certain amount of pork, chicken, and duck meat. Some will also add fish meat, meat powder and other ingredients. Beef is not necessarily the largest ingredient in the beef balls.

So, meatballs should only contain meat, why are there other ingredients?

Regarding this issue, the industry standard "SB/T 10379-2012 Quick-frozen Prepared Foods" clearly stipulates:

For minced meat products containing chicken, pork, fish and shrimp, the content of pork, chicken, fish and shrimp should be ≥10%; and for minced meat products containing crab meat, beef and mutton, the content of crab meat, beef and mutton should be ≥8%.

The industry standard "Meatballs" (SB/T 10610-2011) stipulates:

Poultry meat should account for the first place in poultry meatballs, and aquatic meat should account for the first place in aquatic meatballs. This standard also grades the meat content in meatballs, with ordinary grade requiring a meat content of ≥45%, superior grade requiring a meat content of ≥55%, and special grade requiring a meat content of ≥65%.

The industry standard "Frozen Surimi Products" (SC/T 3701-2003) clearly stipulates:

The starch content of the product is ≤15% (except for simulated crab meat, which requires a starch content of ≤10%), and there is no regulation on the amount of surimi added. High-quality fish balls and shrimp balls usually have the fish (shrimp) content indicated on their labels.

Therefore, meat balls, fish balls and shrimp balls are not entirely meat, they may contain starch and certain food additives that are allowed.

Please note that what is mentioned here is food additives, not "illegal additives". As long as food additives are added and used in accordance with national standards and there is no excessive addition or over-limit, their safety can be fully assured.

Possible health risks of eating meatballs frequently

1. High fat content

Compared with homemade meatballs, meatballs sold on the market are mostly soft, tender, and full of meaty aroma, which is closely related to the fat content.

The ingredient list of general meatballs will indicate the presence of substances such as beef fat, lard, chicken skin, shortening, etc., and their positions are relatively forward (high in content).

The high fat content makes the meatballs delicious, but eating too much will undoubtedly increase the risk of obesity, dyslipidemia and other problems.

2. High sodium content

The sodium content of meatballs on the market is generally above 500mg/100g. Eating such meatballs frequently will increase the risk of excessive sodium. From a health perspective, there are many potential threats to the body (increased blood pressure, increased risk of calcium deficiency, etc.).

How to choose meatballs?

1. Choose pre-packaged meatballs

Relatively speaking, meatballs produced by big brand merchants have more complete inspection and quarantine mechanisms, and label information is more trustworthy. It is not recommended to buy individual handmade meatballs or "unique" foods sold by small vendors.

2. Pay attention to the meat content

Read food labels carefully and buy products that contain higher amounts of beef, fish, and shrimp.

3. Pay attention to the composition of "meat"

In addition to the meat content, the "composition of meat" is also crucial. Take the beef balls that young people like as an example. Some beef balls are not necessarily made of beef. The first few ingredients in the ingredient list are mostly chicken, pork and other ingredients. You can choose according to your needs.

4. Pay attention to calories and sodium content

When purchasing meatballs, you should pay attention to the energy (calories) and sodium content in the Nutrition Facts Table. From a health perspective, meatballs with low calories and low sodium content are healthier and can be given priority.

These three kinds of meatballs are not recommended to buy

1. Don’t buy cheap meatballs sold on the street. If you don’t know their production information, the risk is high.

2. Don’t buy meatballs that are sold exposed. The industry standard “Meatballs” implemented in 2011 clearly stipulates that meatballs should be placed in refrigerators or freezers during sales and should not be sold exposed. Meatballs sold exposed have a higher risk of product deterioration.

3. "Handmade meatballs" sold by friends or individuals. There is no inspection and quarantine mechanism, and the safety risk is relatively high.

In summary, no matter what kind of meat the meatballs are made of, it is okay to taste them occasionally, but be careful not to overeat; pay attention to the quality of the meatballs when purchasing, choose higher quality meatballs, and taste them healthily.

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