When some people hear about hormones and food in the same sentence, they start to panic. But the truth of the matter is, hormones occur naturally in all foods, even beef.
As many know, hormones are present in every living body, acting as messengers to regulate a wide variety of metabolic processes.
Hormones tell animals when to reproduce and plants how to grow. For example, hormones tell a hen when it should lay an egg. Like animals, humans have hormones circulating in their bodies as well.
The use of growth hormones is used by some beef producers to help cattle – mainly calves and yearlings – grow faster and more efficiently, leading to benefits for both the producer and the environment. However, consumers often have questions about the safety of hormones in the beef products they buy.
Hormone implants used in beef production come in the form of a small pellet which is injected into the ear of a calf or yearling. Hormones are released slowly over a designated period of time, and they are strategically administered so all of the hormones are spent before the cow goes to slaughter.
Similar to antibiotics, blood is tested prior to slaughter, and if elevated hormones are found, the carcass is condemned.
Ear implants have been approved for safe and effective use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1956, and the agency has established safe maximum tissue residue levels for these hormones.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service regularly monitors and tests for potential contaminants in meat products to ensure food safety.
I recently read an article published by the Nebraska Corn Board, and it did a good job of telling the story of hormones in our food.
The article said, “Hormones serve essential functions in their respective organisms, regulating various processes and contributing to their growth, development and overall well-being.”
Take estrogen, for example.
There is estrogenic activity in several common foods. Soybean oil is one of the highest, with one million nanograms (ng) of estrogen per 500 grams of oil. Cabbage has 12,000 ng per 500 grams; eggs have 17,500 ng per 500 grams; peas and wheat germ are lower at 2,000 ng per 500 grams and milk has only 65 ng per 500 grams.
Per 500 grams of beef, a non-implanted steer has eight ng, while an implanted steer has 11 ng. To me, this is not much of a difference.
Excessive hormone levels have been found in cattle from countries in Central America where there are no restrictions or regulations on the use of cattle implants, causing consumers to have concerns about U.S. beef
Some of this misinformation has been spread by those who want to rid the nation of cattle production and ranching.
In reality, hormone levels present in beef are far below natural levels found in other foods we consume daily, such as dairy products, vegetables and even certain fruits.
Just remember, U.S. beef is the safest in the world.
Dennis Sun is the publisher of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, a weekly agriculture newspaper available online and in print. To subscribe
