Foods pretending to be something they’re not is a well-known phenomenon in American grocery stores. Instead of ice cream, the packaging may read “frozen dessert”; instead of juice, “juice drink”; instead of chocolate, “chocolate product”, and the list goes on.
Now, a Sam’s Club customer has called out another product that, according to him, has a suspicious label: the Sam’s Club Beef Steak Strips.
What’s Suspicious About Sam’s Club’s Beef Steak Strips?
In a TikTok clip that has garnered over 2,800 views, Washington-based TikToker @thewhiteloaf films while shopping in the store.
“So I’m in Sam’s Club trying to find some healthy snacks and stuff like that,” he says, before flipping the camera to film the product in his hand.
He’s holding a package of Member’s Mark Steak Strips, noting they are reasonably priced at $11.98 for 12 ounces.
However, something about the packaging bothers him. “The verbiage has me very concerned. Steak strips, beef snacks,” he says. “Is there, like, some kind of legal thing preventing them from… saying that they are beef jerky?”
This is enough to deter him from purchasing the product. “Beef snacks seems a little bit weird,” he says. “I don’t know if I want to put that in my body.”
What Could Explain The Label?
While the term “beef snack” may sound vague to some shoppers, the issue might actually be category- or label-related. It’s not necessarily a sign that something is wrong.
Beef jerky is a heavily regulated product under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) because it’s a naturally shelf-stable meat product.
As such, there are specific preparation guidelines manufacturers must follow, such as heating the meat to a high temperature before dehydrating it to kill bacteria that may cause foodborne illnesses.
Additionally, according to USDA guidance cited by the American Association of Meat Processors, jerky should have a moisture-protein ratio of 0.75:1 or less.
What could be happening here is that Member’s Mark’s beef products may not fall under this category, meaning the brand may not be able to use the label.
However, all meat products are scrutinized by health authorities and have to be considered safe before they are allowed on shelves.
For customers who are unsure, the most useful place to look if you’re trying to find out what you’re eating is the ingredients list and nutrition panels.
Commenters Offer Up Theories
In the comments section, users tried to guess why the company didn’t use the term “jerky.”
“It’s just not as dehydrated as jerky. It has less protein per serving because of its higher moisture content but it’s not as chewy as jerky,” one user wrote. “It’s softer.”
“Beef Jerky is Jerk Beef. ‘Jerk’ is a process, the manufacturer is likely not using that fairly expensive process (why jerky is so expensive),” another said. “So they get to sell their product for ‘jerky’ prices at much higher profit.”
“Had those the other day and they’re great,” chimed in a third. “I think they don’t use the word jerky because they’re technically not jerky. If you try them I think you’ll know what I mean.”
@thewhiteloaf is there some kind of legal framework that prevents new brands from using the word jerky when referring to beef jerky products?
BroBible has reached out to Walmart via contact form and @thewhiteloaf via TikTok messages for comment.