Continuing the Biltong Saga

Now that we’ve covered the common additives – why they’re used and their potential health implications – let’s compare how a conventional store-bought biltong differs from a clean-label pasture-raised biltong in terms of ingredients. The table below highlights key differences:

Comparison: Conventional vs. Clean-Label Biltong Ingredients

Ingredient Aspect	Conventional Store-Bought Biltong	Clean-Label Pasture-Raised Biltong
Beef Source	Grain-fed beef from industrial feedlots. May be given growth hormones and routine antibiotics for fast growth and disease prevention. The meat tends to have a higher total fat content (with more omega-6 fatty acids) and potentially contains residues of hormones or antibiotics (within legal limits).	Pasture-raised beef from cattle that roam on grass. No added growth hormones, and minimal antibiotic use (only if the animal is ill, rather than routine dosing). Meat is leaner and richer in omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) due to the grass diet. Also free of any hormone or antibiotic residues by default.
Preservation Method	Relies on added chemical preservatives to ensure long shelf life. For example, additives like TBHQ, BHA/BHT, or sodium nitrite might be used to prevent spoilage. High levels of salt may be used, and the product is often packaged with oxygen absorbers. The focus is on achieving many months of shelf stability in varied conditions.	Relies on natural preservation techniques. Salt and vinegar are the primary preservatives – salt draws out moisture (curing the meat) and vinegar (or other acidic ingredients like Worcestershire sauce) creates an acidic environment, both of which inhibit bacteria. The meat is air-dried in a controlled environment. No synthetic preservatives are needed when traditional curing is done properly. Shelf life is still good, though truly “clean” biltong might be sold fresher or in vacuum packs to ensure quality without chemicals.
Color and Appearance	May include artificial colourants to maintain a red or deep brown color. For instance, a coloring agent might be added so the beef doesn’t look grey. The product’s appearance is engineered – each piece looks uniformly dark and “fresh.”	No artificial colors – the biltong’s appearance is purely a result of the drying process and natural spices. It may be a darker brown on the outside and reddish-brown inside. Slight color variation piece to piece is normal. Traditional spices like roasted coriander seeds can also add a natural dark speckle or hue (no need for dyes).
Flavoring	Uses flavour enhancers and artificial flavorings for intensity. Commonly contains MSG or yeast extract to amplify umami. May also use artificial flavor compounds (for example, a “smoke flavor” additive or lab-made flavor to simulate spices). The spice blend might rely on spice extracts instead of whole spices, for a strong but cheaper flavor impact. Overall, the flavor is scientifically formulated for maximum punch (and to mask any blandness of the base meat).	Uses real herbs and spices for flavor. A classic pasture-raised biltong might include coriander seeds, black pepper, cloves, and vinegar for that signature taste. The flavors come from these whole ingredients (often visibly coating the meat). No MSG or artificial flavors needed – the natural taste of grass-fed beef and quality spices is allowed to shine. The result is a more nuanced, authentic flavor profile, rather than an artificially boosted one.
Additives and Fillers	Likely to contain starches and sugars as fillers in the seasoning. Ingredients like corn flour, maize starch, or maltodextrin are added to bulk out the product, reduce costs, or modify texture (as discussed earlier). Might also include emulsifiers or anti-caking agents to manage consistency in mass production. In some cases, a bit of sugar or corn syrup is added for taste and moisture retention. These additives mean you’re getting slightly less meat per gram and more “other stuff.”	No fillers – just meat and seasoning. A clean-label biltong’s ingredient list is short and recognizable: for example, Beef, Salt, Vinegar, Coriander, Black Pepper, Cloves. You won’t find cheap fillers or unpronounceable additives. Every ingredient has a culinary purpose (nothing is there just to pad weight or extend shelf life artificially). You’re essentially getting pure beef and spices, the way biltong was traditionally made.
Fats and Oils	Often includes added vegetable oils. As noted, oils like sunflower oil, canola, or palm kernel oil might be tumbled with the biltong. These make the product a bit greasier but can enhance mouthfeel and help seasonings stick. The presence of these refined oils increases the calorie count and introduces fats that weren’t originally in the meat.	Typically no added oils. Properly made biltong doesn’t require extra fat beyond what’s in the beef. In fact, many traditional recipes trim excess fat off the meat before drying to avoid rancidity. Pasture-raised beef tends to be lean, and any fat on it is natural and flavorful. You won’t see added vegetable oil on the label of a truly clean biltong. The texture is dry but tender, achieved by technique rather than an oil coating.
Overall Ingredient List Length	Long – often 10+ ingredients, many of which sound like chemicals or processed components. For example: Beef, Salt, Corn Starch, Sugar, Flavour Enhancers (MSG, disodium inosinate), Spice Extracts, Maltodextrin, Vinegar, Preservative (TBHQ), Colourant (Caramel), etc. The list combines beef with a host of E-numbers or additive names. This reflects a product designed for mass production, long shelf life, and potent taste at low cost.	Short – often just 3–6 ingredients, all of which you might find in your kitchen. Example: Beef, Salt, Vinegar, Coriander, Black Pepper, Cloves. This simplicity reflects a product made in a traditional way. Fewer ingredients mean fewer potential health concerns. You know exactly what you’re eating, and it’s closer to whole food.

Table: Key differences between a typical conventional biltong and a clean-label pasture-raised biltong. The conventional version uses various additives (preservatives, colorants, flavor enhancers, fillers, and refined oils) to achieve long shelf life and intense flavor in a cost-effective manner. The clean-label version relies on high-quality beef and simple pantry ingredients, avoiding artificial additives. This often means a cleaner taste and potentially healthier profile.

Health and Ethical Benefits of Pasture-Raised Beef Biltong

Why does pasture-raised beef matter? In this section, we highlight how biltong made from pasture-raised cattle (and minimal additives) can benefit your health and align with ethical and environmental values.

No Growth Hormones & Fewer Antibiotics (Cleaner Beef)

One major difference with pasture-raised beef is what isn’t in it. In industrial feedlot farming, cattle are commonly given growth hormones to speed up weight gain and may receive continuous low-dose antibiotics to prevent disease in crowded conditions. These practices leave residues in the meat and have raised food safety concerns. The European Union, for instance, has banned hormone-treated beef for decades – and scientific research commissioned by the EU concluded that several of the hormones used in U.S. cattle pose health risks to consumers (including potential developmental and carcinogenic effects). Even tiny residual amounts of some hormones (like estradiol) were deemed to carry an inherent cancer risk, with experts unable to identify any safe threshold. By choosing pasture-raised beef, you automatically avoid these added hormones. Pasture-raised cattle are typically hormone-free, so you don’t have to worry about ingesting hormonally active substances that could disrupt your own endocrine system. This is particularly reassuring for vulnerable groups like children or pregnant women, who might be more sensitive to hormonal effects.

Similarly, because pastured cattle live in open space and cleaner conditions, they are less likely to require antibiotics. Feedlot cattle often need antibiotics to stave off infections (due to high stress, grain-rich diets that can cause illness, and unsanitary conditions). Pasture-raised cattle, by contrast, live in their natural environment eating grass – they stay healthier and usually only get antibiotics if they truly need medicine for an infection. That means the beef from them has no antibiotics in it by the time it becomes biltong, and raising cattle this way may help in the broader fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria (since it avoids the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture). In summary, pasture-raised beef is a cleaner, more “pure” protein: no hormone implants, no routine antibiotic cocktails – just beef as nature intended. Many people find this aspect alone a compelling reason to opt for pasture-raised biltong, for peace of mind about what they’re (not) putting into their bodies.

Better Fatty Acid Profile (More Omega-3s and Nutrients)

Pasture-raised (grass-fed) beef isn’t just avoiding negatives; it also has nutritional positives compared to conventional grain-fed beef. One of the most notable is the fatty acid profile. Cows that graze on grass have been shown to accumulate more omega-3 fatty acids in their meat, as well as more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a fat some studies suggest might have health benefits. Grain-fed cattle, on the other hand, end up with higher omega-6 fatty acids and more total fat. Multiple studies and reviews have confirmed these differences. For example, research published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that grass-fed beef consistently had higher levels of omega-3 fats and a healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, compared to grain-fed beef. In fact, grass-fed meat can have two to four times the omega-3 content of feedlot meat. Omega-3s are the kind of polyunsaturated fats we associate with fish, flaxseed, and heart health – they’re anti-inflammatory and beneficial for cardiovascular and brain health. While beef isn’t a huge omega-3 source even at its best, every bit helps, especially if you’re eating biltong as a regular snack. The improved omega-6:omega-3 balance in pasture-raised beef is thought to be more in line with what our ancestors ate and possibly better for controlling inflammation in the body.

Additionally, grass-fed beef tends to be leaner overall. This means fewer calories from fat and often lower saturated fat per serving. Some studies have also noted higher levels of certain vitamins in grass-fed beef – particularly vitamin E and beta-carotene (the latter can give the fat a more yellowish hue). These antioxidants come from the grass diet. There may also be more minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium in grass-fed beef. While the differences in vitamins and minerals aren’t enormous, they tilt in favor of pasture-raised meat being a bit more nutrient-dense.

In the context of biltong: if you’re going to eat dried beef, choosing pasture-raised beef biltong means you’re getting a snack with potentially more heart-healthy fats and nutrients. It’s a small improvement that can add up if biltong is a frequent food for you. And if you’re on a diet that values omega-3s (like a paleo or anti-inflammatory diet), grass-fed biltong aligns nicely with your goals.

Animal Welfare and Ethical Considerations

It’s not just about human health – ethical concerns are a big part of why many choose pasture-raised beef. Pasture-raised cattle live much more natural and humane lives than their feedlot counterparts. They graze on open land, engage in normal behaviors, and aren’t confined in crowded, stressful feedlot pens. For consumers who care about animal welfare, this is a compelling point: your biltong came from an animal that was raised with a decent quality of life. No feedlot mud, no standing in their own waste, no being fed an unnatural diet of corn and soy in a tiny pen. Instead, picture cattle on green pastures, which is a far more ethical image. Some pasture-based farms are even certified for high animal welfare standards. By supporting these products, consumers “vote with their wallet” for more humane farming practices.

Environmental Impact: Pasture vs. Feedlot

Another aspect is the environmental impact of how the beef was raised. This topic can get complex, but there are a few clear points. Large industrial feedlots (Confined Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs) concentrate thousands of cattle in one place. This results in enormous amounts of manure in a small area, which often becomes a pollution problem. Runoff from feedlots can contaminate rivers and groundwater with nutrients and bacteria, contributing to algae blooms and ecosystem damage. Air pollution is also an issue – ammonia and methane from dense herds and manure lagoons affect air quality and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Essentially, feedlots externalize some costs as pollution problems for surrounding communities and the planet.

Pasture-raised systems, in contrast, spread the animals out on the land. Manure is naturally deposited and recycled as fertilizer for the fields, rather than accumulating as toxic waste. Well-managed grazing can actually improve soil health: as cows graze and move, their droppings return nutrients to the soil, and their trampling can help seeds contact soil (some regenerative agriculture practitioners use planned grazing to rejuvenate grasslands). There is even evidence that good grazing practices can sequester carbon in the soil – the grasses pull CO₂ from the air and store carbon in their roots and soil, potentially offsetting some emissions. Some case studies (for instance, a life-cycle analysis of a regenerative farm in Georgia) have suggested that grass-fed beef operations can be carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative when soil carbon gains are accounted for. While not all grass-fed beef is managed in a climate-friendly way, supporting those who do practice sustainable grazing encourages a shift in that direction.

Additionally, pasture-raised beef doesn’t rely on intensive crop agriculture to feed the cattle. Feedlot cows eat tons of corn, soy, and other grains, which require fossil fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, and often irrigation to grow, not to mention land (sometimes leading to deforestation for croplands). With pasture-raised, the cows harvest their own feed from grasslands, which are often lands not suitable for crops. This can be a more efficient use of certain ecosystems and can preserve prairies or savannas from being converted to plowed farmland. There’s also greater biodiversity on a pasture-based farm – birds, insects, and other wildlife can coexist on grazing lands, whereas a feedlot is a biological desert (and the croplands that support it are usually monocultures).

To sum up, choosing pasture-raised beef biltong supports a farming system that, when done responsibly, has a lighter environmental footprint and can even have environmental benefits compared to the conventional system. It’s not to say grass-fed beef has no impact (cattle still produce methane, a greenhouse gas), but many ethical meat proponents argue that holistic management of grazing animals can be part of a sustainable food future, whereas the feedlot system is inherently problematic in terms of waste and resource use. So from an eco-conscious perspective, pasture-raised biltong aligns with concerns about water, soil, and climate.

Summing Up the Benefits

When you opt for a clean-label, pasture-raised beef biltong, you’re getting a product that is simpler and more natural – just dried, spiced meat, as opposed to a chemistry lab of additives. Health-wise, you avoid consuming things like artificial preservatives, MSG (if you’re sensitive), and excess refined starch or sugar that might be in conventional biltong. You also get the minor nutritional advantages of grass-fed beef (better fats, potentially more micronutrients). Ethically, you support better animal welfare practices. And environmentally, you encourage a form of agriculture that can be gentler on the planet.

From a persuasive standpoint, consider this: Biltong was originally created as a natural way to preserve meat – early recipes were just meat, salt, and spices hung to dry. Do we really need all these modern additives to enjoy this age-old snack? The clean-label approach proves that we don’t. A piece of biltong made from pasture-raised beef, cured with salt and vinegar and flavored with real coriander and pepper, delivers on taste and nutrition without the chemical extras. It’s closer to what our ancestors would recognize as biltong. Your body likely prefers it that way too – free from potential irritants or questionable preservatives.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you’re a biltong lover, it pays to read the ingredients. The common additives in many store-bought versions (colourants, corn flour, TBHQ, flavor enhancers like MSG, vegetable oils, maltodextrin, etc.) each have a role in manufacturing but also come with possible health considerations. While regulatory agencies consider these additives safe at the levels used, a growing body of evidence suggests that a diet heavy in such ultra-processed ingredients can have cumulative negative effects – from raising your blood sugar and cholesterol to influencing gut health and even how much you eat. On the other hand, biltong made from clean, simple ingredients lets you enjoy this high-protein snack without those worries. Moreover, when the beef itself is pasture-raised, you gain additional health benefits (like a better fat profile) and contribute to more ethical, sustainable farming practices.

Next time you’re looking for a convenient snack, you might reach for biltong – and now you know what to look for. Choose a brand that proudly lists just beef and natural seasonings, especially if it mentions 100% grass-fed or pasture-raised beef. Your taste buds will get the rich, authentic flavor of real spices and quality meat, and your body will thank you for skipping the chemical cocktail. In a world of processed foods, such a choice is a small but meaningful step toward a healthier diet. Enjoy your biltong, responsibly and deliciously!

References:

1. Healthline – Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine) Overview: Studies linking artificial food colors to hyperactivity in children.
2. Healthline – Is Cornstarch Bad for You?: Cornstarch has a high glycemic index and can spike blood sugar; diets high in refined carbs like cornstarch linked to greater risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
3. Arnold et al. (2019) – Cell. Mol. Gastroenterol. Hepatol.: Consumption of maltodextrin promoted intestinal inflammation in research models, suggesting it may be a risk factor for chronic inflammatory diseases.
4. Healthline – The Potential Dangers of TBHQ: TBHQ is used to prevent rancidity in foods; high doses have been linked to tumors in lab animals and other adverse effects (liver enlargement, neurotoxicity).
5. NIH News Release (2019) – Ultra-Processed Foods & Overeating: People eating ultra-processed diets (with additives and flavor enhancers) consumed more calories and gained more weight than those eating minimally processed diets.
6. Mayo Clinic – Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) Q&A: FDA considers MSG safe to consume in typical amounts; no definitive proof that MSG causes serious reactions, though some individuals report mild, short-term symptoms.
7. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Seed Oils and Health: Some suggest omega-6 rich oils (like sunflower) might cause inflammation, but extensive research shows they can lower LDL cholesterol and do not generally increase inflammation.
8. GoodRx Health – Palm Oil and Health: Palm and palm kernel oils are high in saturated fat, which may raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and is not great for heart health.
9. Daley et al. (2010) – Nutrition Journal: Grass-fed beef contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and CLA, and a more favorable omega-6:omega-3 ratio, compared to grain-fed beef. These differences may confer health benefits (anti-inflammatory, etc.).
10. BMJ (1999) – EU Report on Growth Hormones in Cattle: An EU scientific review concluded that six growth hormones used in beef production posed risks of developmental, neurobiological, and carcinogenic effects in consumers, supporting a ban on hormone-treated beef.

EPA / Sustainable Agriculture Net – Feedlot Pollution: Industrial cattle feedlots create significant air and water pollution issues (ammonia, manure runoff, etc.), necessitating stricter environmental controls. This highlights the environmental advantage of pasture-