Doctor reminds: Restructured meat must be fully cooked to be safe, otherwise it may easily cause gastroenteritis
Quick Look
- Zhang Canxuan, an attending physician at the Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Department of Shin Kong Hospital, pointed out that the processing of recombinant meat brings surface bacteria into the interior.
- If it is not thoroughly heated until fully cooked, it is easy to ingest pathogenic bacteria and cause acute gastroenteritis.
- The risk is especially higher for the elderly and young children.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
When many people eat cheap steaks, hamburgers or skewers at night markets or breakfast restaurants, the meat is often tender but can easily cause stomachaches. They often mistakenly think that the meat is not fresh, but in fact it may be that the restructured meat is undercooked.
2026/09/13 08:19
Zhang Canxuan, an attending physician at the Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Department of Xinguang Hospital, said that when eating restructured meat, it is best to choose fully cooked meat, and you will feel at ease when it is cooked to the middle part. Schematic diagram, the characters in the picture have nothing to do with the news. (Picture taken from shutterstock)
[Health Channel/Comprehensive Report] I believe you also like to eat cheap steaks at night markets. Especially when the lid is opened, it will sizzle on the iron plate and need to be covered with paper towels to prevent splashing. This is the memory of many people. Zhang Canxuan, the attending physician of the gastroenterology and hepatobiliary department of Xinguang Hospital, said on Threads "Dr.chang.gi" that many people come to register with stomachaches after eating cheap steaks, thinking that the meat is stale and spoiled; in fact, it is often because they have eaten "reconstructed meat."
Not only cheap steaks, but also hamburgers in breakfast restaurants and skewered meat slices commonly seen in night markets are mostly processed minced meat products. If the center is not thoroughly heated and cooked, it is equivalent to swallowing a whole mouthful of live pathogenic bacteria.
Please read on...
Zhang Canxuan said that the bacteria on the original piece of meat mainly adhere to the surface, and it can be eaten half-cooked after being grilled at high temperature. However, the restructured meat is made of minced meat and pressed together. During the processing and mincing process, all the bacteria on the surface are brought into the deepest part of the meat. If the center is not thoroughly heated and cooked, it is equivalent to swallowing a whole mouthful of live pathogenic bacteria.
Zhang Canxuan gives everyone some advice on eating meat outside and avoiding acute gastroenteritis: As long as it is not a whole piece of meat, order "well done". Only when the center is thoroughly heated and cooked can the bacteria hidden deep inside the meat be eliminated. When eating out hamburgers or night market meat skewers, remember to make sure they are "thoroughly fried and grilled." If you bite open and find that the center is still pink or bloody, do not swallow it hard and ask the store to fry it again.
Zhang Canxuan said that the elderly and young children must be especially strictly monitored. The gastrointestinal immunity is weak. Once you eat undercooked reconstituted meat, you have a higher risk of severe gastroenteritis. Finally, Zhang Canxuan reminded: Restructured meat is a legal processing technology, and the key lies in "durability". Many cases of acute gastroenteritis in outpatient clinics are caused by this. When eating meat out, make sure the center is cooked thoroughly. Don’t risk your gastrointestinal health just for the sake of tenderness.
Open Questions
- What is the proportion of restructured meat in the Taiwan market?
- Are there current labeling regulations for recombinant meat?
- How do consumers identify recombinant meat when eating out?
