AMA Seal of Quality: Ensuring Quality in Grilled Products

Products with the AMA seal of quality as a quality feature

Vienna (OTS) – “Barbecuing is a man’s business”, said only 17 percent of around 1,300 respondents to a RollAMA motivational analysis*. Chicken and turkey are particularly popular with women, while men like to grill pork and beef. But no matter who is at the grill, it depends on the quality of the ingredients.

A third of those surveyed grilled at least once a week in the summer. A special occasion is usually not required for this. “Especially when grilling, the meat quality is of great importance,” emphasizes AMA Marketing Managing Director Christina Mutenthaler-Sipek. The demand for pre-marinated grilled food is falling, most (53 percent) marinate their meat themselves. Grilled sausages are most often placed on the hot grid (74 percent), followed by pork (73 percent) and chicken (57 percent). In general, pork and beef are more popular with men than with women.

Pay attention to the quality of the meat

In general, any type of meat can be used. The rule is: Anything that can be pan-fried can be grilled. “Regardless of whether it’s beef, pork, veal or poultry, consumers can be sure that products that carry the AMA seal of approval are of tested quality with traceable origins,” says Mutenthaler-Sipek. Because quality can be measured. For example, the pH value is measured for every pig and beef carcass. In addition, the weight, the fat content and the meat filling are determined and divided into quality classes accordingly. Only meat that meets the highest quality standards is marked with the AMA seal of approval. An important quality feature, for example, is the color of the meat. Aged beef is intensely red in colour, pork should be a deep pink, veal should be soft pink and lamb should be a bright red. Extra tip: take the meat out of the fridge an hour before eating, then it cooks more evenly and the juice stays in the meat.

Young generation and women like to grill vegetables

But it can also be vegetarian. Vegetables such as courgettes, peppers, potatoes or mushrooms are ideal for grilling. Especially women and those under 29 like to grill vegetables and meatless alternatives. Bread is the most popular side dish, with 83 percent eating pastries frequently when grilling. Closely followed by fresh salads, which 75 percent often eat, and potatoes, which 69 percent serve as a side dish. In general, women use fresh barbecue side dishes more often than men. 28 percent of the women also use raw vegetables as a side dish for the barbecue.

Mostviertler Grillerladies are state champions in grilling

The Mostviertler Grillerladies prove that barbecuing is feminine. Christa Eppensteiner, Karin Kronschachner, Sonja Illich, Ingrid Müller and Petra Eder won the state championship title in grilling at the end of June. They had to compete against 42 teams and prepare meat from donauland beef, donauland pork or donauland veal rosé that had been awarded the AMA seal of approval. The five women completed their AMA grill trainer training in 2014 and have hardly missed a championship since then. The ladies are also all part of the seminar farmers, whose task it is to provide information about agriculture and Austria’s culinary treasures at trade fairs, events and school performances. The focus is on information about the AMA seal of approval on food packaging. But now they want to go even higher and win the world championship title in Stuttgart in 2024.

Images:

Caption: With AMA grill trainer Jenny Gruber, meat and vegetables are a must on the grill.

Fotocreditcredit: AMA-Marketing

* About the RollAMA
The RollAMA (rolling agricultural market analysis) is carried out in cooperation with GfK and KeyQUEST market research. It is a household panel in which 2,800 Austrian households keep records of their food purchases. Meat and poultry, sausage, milk and milk products, cheese, fruit, vegetables, eggs, potatoes, frozen products, ready meals are recorded, but not bread and pastries. The purchase quantities and expenses of these representative households are extrapolated to the total number of Austrian private households and various key figures are calculated from this. The data thus provide information about the purchases made for the household. Individual purchases and out-of-home consumption are not included.

Questions & contact:

Christian Lastra
corporate communications
Mobil: +43 664 837 64 20
E-Mail: presse@amainfo.at