Tyson Foods Inc. said it’s among companies exploring the possibility of labeling ground meat that contains lean, finely textured beef, reports Bloomberg News. The company submitted a labeling request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for Tyson, said in an e-mail.

“The number of customers requesting non-LFTB product increased substantially following the media’s inaccurate portrayal of LFTB, but we have recently seen an increased interest in purchasing ground beef containing LFTB as customers and consumers gain access to more accurate information,” Mickelson said.

“Several companies have chosen to voluntarily pursue a new claim on their product labels that will allow them to clarify the use of” the meat product, Dirk Fillpot, a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. The “USDA has received this type of application for the first time through the normal label approval process and the department has determined that such requests will be approved.”

Source: Bloomberg