Jack Link's ingredients: what's banned overseas?

About Jack Link's

Jack Link's is the best-selling beef jerky and meat snack brand in the US, headquartered in Minong, Wisconsin. The brand sells beef jerky, steak strips, beef sticks, and other high-protein meat snacks at virtually all US grocery chains, club stores, and convenience stores. Jack Link's controls a significant majority of the US beef jerky market.

Common concerns with Jack Link's products

Jack Link's beef jerky contains sodium nitrite as a curing and color-retention agent — a preservative flagged by IARC in the context of processed meats. The brand also uses hydrolyzed soy protein and yeast extract, which are natural sources of glutamate similar in function to MSG. Various flavored varieties contain artificial flavors and high sodium content. Consumers sensitive to processed meat carcinogens should check labels across the product line.