Nicole Merbach
SPIEGEL: Ms. Merbach, the pork neck steak is part of the barbecue for many Germans. What about the quality?
Merbach: Actually quite good. We looked at 15 chops and steaks and came to the conclusion that every second piece of meat can be rated "good". These included inexpensive neckpieces from supermarkets and discounters and more expensive ones with an organic seal.
SPIEGEL: What do you understand by good quality?
Merbach: The test consists on the one hand of a tasting in which we evaluate the appearance, smell and taste of the steaks in their raw state and after preparation. Then we check the microbiological quality, i.e. whether it contains germs. The proportion of connective tissue and muscle meat protein also plays a role. Overall, you have a good chance of getting a decent piece of meat.
Read the complete test by Stiftung Warentest including the test table here and also browse through the extensive test database .
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SPIEGEL: How high is the proportion of organic pork in the supermarket?
Merbach: Only 1.6 percent of pork has an organic seal. This is very little, but typical of meat. The proportion is hardly higher for poultry and beef either. Nevertheless, we included four organic steaks in the test because consumers always want to know how organic products differ from conventional products. Two organic steaks were also among the test winners: the steak from the Pichler organic butcher's shop, a Bavarian family business, and that from the organic supermarket chain Denn's. They convinced us in two ways: in terms of the quality of the meat and also in the test in which we examined the production conditions.
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