‘Meat Glue’ Given to Russians Amid Shortage, Defended by US FDA

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said “meat glue” is safe to eat following reports it was being used in Russia despite a national ban.

Transglutaminase, also known as “meat glue,” is an enzyme that can be used to increase the volume of food products by binding pieces of meat together to form larger pieces and to improve the texture of some foods.

Its use in food production has been banned in Russia since 2020, as well as by the European Union in 2010, according to Food Safety NewsHowever, it is approved for use in foods produced and sold in the United States, primarily in meat, dairy, and seafood products.

According to a report by the Russian newspaper Izvestia, data provided by the state agricultural safety agency Rosselkhoznadzor and the public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor revealed 25 cases of use of substances in the production of meat and dairy products in 2023, which is twice as many as in the previous year. In the first half of 2024, 28 cases of “meat glue” have already been recorded in food.

Russia has imposed a two-year ban on imports from EU countries, including products such as cheese, fish and meat. Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Newsweek reported several cases of food shortages and high prices due to inflation caused by international sanctions.

Why is transglutaminase used in America?

Despite some risks, “meat glue” is commonly used in products manufactured and consumed in the United States, primarily in processed foods including, but not limited to, chicken nuggets, yogurt, and cheese.

An FDA spokesperson said Newsweek Transglutaminase is a “protein that is an enzyme naturally present in humans, animals, and plants. The FDA regulates the use of transglutaminase in foods as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).” It was first recognized as GRAS by the FDA in 1998.

“Like most enzymes, transglutaminase will be inactivated or denatured by heat during food processing (e.g., cooking, pasteurization) or baking at the consumer level,” the spokesperson said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also stipulates that the presence of transglutaminase in a product must be disclosed in the product name, such as “Formed Beef Tenderloin” or “Formed Turkey Leg Roast.”

According to Healthline, transglutaminase increases the risk of bacterial contamination of foods in which it is used. When multiple pieces of meat are glued together to form a single piece, it increases the risk of introducing bacteria into the food.

According to WebMD, it has also been linked to worsening symptoms of celiac disease.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said in 2022 that transglutaminase was “used to deceive consumers.”

“Because binding two pieces of food together allows all the bacteria that were on the outside of one piece and are therefore easily killed during cooking to be placed in the protected center of the meat or seafood,” he said. “That’s why we consider this ingredient, which is safe in itself, to be a potential safety risk.”