Should brine-injected meat be labeled?

If you buy brine-injected meat, you could be paying for a product that is composed 40 percent salt water.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture thinks you should probably know this and so today it announced a proposed rule that would require companies to tell you this.

“Currently, raw meat and poultry products that contain added solutions such as water, teriyaki sauce, salt, or a mixture thereof may have the same name on their labels as products that do not contain added solutions,” according to a USDA statement released today. “For example, a single-ingredient chicken breast and a chicken breast with added solution both may be labeled as “chicken breast,” even though one package contains purely chicken breast and one may be comprised of 60 percent chicken breast and 40 percent solution. “

If the proposed rule passes a label might read something like this: “chicken breast – 40% added solution of water and teriyaki sauce.”

Supporters of the rule say it could help consumers make better financial and health decisions when it comes to their meat purchases.

“Who wants to pay $4.99 a pound for the added water and salt?” asked Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest in a Thursday statement. “Besides cheating customers financially, ‘enhancing’ meat and poultry delivers a stealth hit of sodium. Better labeling would help consumers concerned about high blood pressure, stroke, or heart disease avoid products that contribute to those diseases.”

Once the rule is entered into the Federal Registry, consumers will have 60 days to share their comments.