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Pink Slime

edited March 2012 in Science
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/70-percent-of-ground-beef-at-supermarkets-contains-pink-slime/

So there's been a lot of chattering about this "pink slime" thing recently. As a professional food safety scientist, I'd like to weigh in on things.

I've done some researching, and while I can only draw tentative conclusions, here's what I've found:

1) "Pink slime" is 90% lean, and consists largely of beef trim that has been reclaimed via centrifugation, after the fat has been removed by simmering. The reclaimed meat is ground and then treated with a weak ammonium chloride gas to reduce the bacterial load in the meat, extending shelf life and improving product quality.

2) This ties back to the ammonia in beef thing. The rate of exposure to ammonia is low and has produced very good results. It's really a non-issue. Ammonia is present in beef naturally, and the rates used in gassing are very low.

There's some controversy about the exemption that BPI was granted, but that was revoked anyhow, and I've read conflicting information about the nature of the exemption. Nothing in the US exempts any ground beef manufacturer from having a beef HACCP, though.

3) As far as I can tell, the USDA Labeling Policy Book:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/larc/Policies/Labeling_Policy_Book_082005.pdf

would permit the addition of "pink slime," provided it was of skeletal, esophogeal, or diaphragm (skirt) origin. This also only applies to products labeled as "ground beef."

It seems that "beef patty mix," or "100% beef patties," can contain more of it. So, y'know, those cheap pre-formed patties are full of cheap meat. And "meat patties" are even worse, allowing the presence of partially defatted beef fatty tissue (PDBFT). Though, the processes there are fine - it's just that your "meat patties" are less "meat" than you probably think.

"Ground chuck" and "ground round" have to come from the chuck and round, respectively, but may add some portion of shank meat as well. They may not use skeletal meat. This would mean that pink slime cannot be present in "ground chuck" or "ground round."

4) As for "organic" food not being able to use pink slime, that is TECHNICALLY true. However, the only reason they can't use something like the BPI slime is because it's treated with ammonia. An organic beef producer would be allowed to, say, centrifuge beef to separate the lean from the fat, then grind the lean into that fine pink paste and add it to their beef. The only thing they're not allowed to do is use ammonia to make it safer.

This is only if they're labeled as "organic." If it's "made with organic beef," it can still contain the ammonia-treated pink slime.

But here's the list of stuff they CAN add:
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=bc046b5d4859099a23b78e86e74dca67&rgn=div8&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7.354.6&idno=7

And here is the text about the processes which can be applied:
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=bc046b5d4859099a23b78e86e74dca67&rgn=div8&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.3.354.16&idno=7

And even then, I'm not sure if the ammonium chloride treatment would actually be prohibited:


(c) The handler of an organic handling operation must not use in or on agricultural products intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)),” or in or on any ingredients labeled as organic:

(1) Practices prohibited under paragraphs (e) and (f) of §205.105.

(2) A volatile synthetic solvent or other synthetic processing aid not allowed under §205.605: Except, That, nonorganic ingredients in products labeled “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))” are not subject to this requirement.

I'm not really sure if ammonia gas is considered a "volatile synthetic solvent," though it's probably a "synthetic processing aid." But a nonsynthetic might very well be allowed.

So, an organic food production place could put "pink slime" sans ammonia into their ground beef and you still wouldn't know.

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In summation:

1) Any establishment that adds so-called "pink slime" to its beef is still subject to the same USDA regulations as every other ground beef manufacturer in the country.

2) The ammonia treatment is harmless and effective as far as we know. Recent evidence suggests that it is not as effective as we had thought, but it's still a very effective pathogen control technique. This does not preclude the need for testing and monitoring of this product.

3) USDA has strict regulations about the labeling of products based on ingredients. "Ground beef" may contain pink slime; "ground round" or "chuck" may not.

Now, there is an issue where this is showing up in schools, and people are concerned about their children being exposed to it. Setting aside the fact that it's no less safe than other beef (as far as we can tell), I can see the concern about feeding our kids the equivalent of table scraps.

The solution? Stronger funding for public schools. Teach kids to respect food at home by eating out less and avoiding cheap fast food. Start there.

4) "Pink slime" is meat - it's just been reclaimed through a process. Y'know how you make split pea soup with a ham hock in it? Or make soup stock with bones? Or throw meat trim into sausage? Meat processing is ugly. Sorry.

5) Once again, "organic" is not the answer to your concerns, since they can totally use finely ground beef scraps that HAVEN'T been treated with ammonia. In other words, they can REMOVE safety measures in their beef production, while still giving you meat with ground scraps in it. An organic certification is NOT a safety certification.

6) Finally, at its core, this is process that attempts to increase the yield per cow. It's making more efficient use of the resources we have, and that is something we need to do more and more. You could say that we should curb our appetite for beef - and maybe that's true - but in no way does that also preclude the need to make our resource production as efficient as possible. That'll mean we're using the fewest resources possible in our efforts to produce food.
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Comments

  • Don't you have work to do?
  • Don't you have work to do?
    I think that definitely counts as his work.
  • I don't have your scientific insight, but I can say that news readers we've talked with who are revolted over the pink slime (non) issue sure do love McDonald's, Twinkies, and soda.
  • edited March 2012
    Don't you have work to do?
    Right now, I'm compiling results for a QA summary due next week. I'm multi-tasking!

    EDIT: Also, this was a copy/paste from a comment I made on G+, so it took seconds.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • Don't you have work to do?
    I think that definitely counts as his work.
    Tru dat.
  • I'm multi-tasking!
    I call bullshit. You are incapable of that.

  • I'm multi-tasking!
    I call bullshit. You are incapable of that.

    OK, I'm switching between tasks quickly. Relatively quickly.

  • I'm multi-tasking!
    I call bullshit. You are incapable of that.
    OK, I'm switching between tasks quickly. Relatively quickly.
    So computer multi-tasking.
  • edited March 2012
    I'm multi-tasking!
    I call bullshit. You are incapable of that.
    OK, I'm switching between tasks quickly. Relatively quickly.
    So computer multi-tasking.
    Cooperative or Pre-emptive?

    Honestly, I think the real concern here is that he makes sure he's using proper memory protection. We don't want that pink slime info mixed with e.coli data.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • edited March 2012
    I'm multi-tasking!
    I call bullshit. You are incapable of that.
    OK, I'm switching between tasks quickly. Relatively quickly.
    So computer multi-tasking.
    Cooperative or Pre-emptive?

    Honestly, I think the real concern here is that he makes sure he's using proper memory protection. We don't want that pink slime info mixed with e.coli data.
    Cooperative, definitely. Whatever has Pete's interest has to release that interest before Pete do can something else.
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • I want syntehsized meat already.
  • How far off is the industry from just having mega vats that just grow meats. That's what I can't wait for.
  • How far off is the industry from just having mega vats that just grow meats. That's what I can't wait for.
    This sounds incredible. I am so hungry right now.
  • If it wasn't named pink slime this would hardly been an issue.
  • How far off is the industry from just having mega vats that just grow meats. That's what I can't wait for.
    I think they already have synthesized vats that can produce all the proteins and such that compose meat into meat-like substances. However, what makes it merely meat-like and not really meat is that because the generated muscle tissue has never been used by a living animal, it doesn't have the proper texture of meat and instead it's basically just gelatinous protein. The only way to get it to have the proper texture is for it to be exercised, if you will.
  • How far off is the industry from just having mega vats that just grow meats. That's what I can't wait for.
    I think they already have synthesized vats that can produce all the proteins and such that compose meat into meat-like substances. However, what makes it merely meat-like and not really meat is that because the generated muscle tissue has never been used by a living animal, it doesn't have the proper texture of meat and instead it's basically just gelatinous protein. The only way to get it to have the proper texture is for it to be exercised, if you will.
    So the job of "Meatwalker" will probably eventually become a reality.
  • @TheWhaleShark

    I just want to appreciate your input on the topic. It's never been of particular concern to me (I'd rather pay for whole cuts of beef anyway and if desired grind them myself), but it's good to see some insight.
  • edited March 2012
    If it wasn't named pink slime this would hardly been an issue.
    One USDA scientist called it "pink slime" in an internal e-mail, so that's how this got around.

    EDIT: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OFFICIAL STANCE OF ANY LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, OR INTERNATIONAL AGENCY. I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY FOOD MANUFACTURING OR PRODUCTION FIRM.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • There's a hilarious episode of a now-canceled ABC sitcom called "Better Off Ted" that tackles the synthesized meat deal from a comedy aspect (not a scientific one at all). The whole series is streaming on Netflix. No laugh track. I recommend it. Watch first, then tell me whether Pete is Phil or Lem.
  • That series was incredibly funny. I agree, watch it immediately.
  • I'll probably be buying ground chuck/round from now on purely cause I don't feel like padding their profits while they put filler in my meat.
  • edited March 2012
    If it wasn't named pink slime this would hardly been an issue.
    One USDA scientist called it "pink slime" in an internal e-mail, so that's how this got around.

    EDIT: THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT REFLECT THE OFFICIAL STANCE OF ANY LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, OR INTERNATIONAL AGENCY. I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY FOOD MANUFACTURING OR PRODUCTION FIRM.
    I think Jamie Oliver made "pink slime" famous.

    Here is a guy that agree with Pete: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/rob-lyons/jamie-olivers-pink-slime_b_1240983.html
    Post edited by Wyatt on
  • He is wrong about this:

    "However, no more than 15% of the finished product can be these 'beef trimmings' and they must be labelled. "

    That holds for products made with "beef trimmings," but I don't believe that "finely textured beef" is the same thing:
    “ALL or 100 PERCENT BEEF (Patty Mix)”:
    Beef patty mix may be labeled —all,“ —pure,“ or —100 percent beef,“ when the only added ingredients are partially defatted chopped beef or finely textured beef. An ingredients statement would be required on bulk packed product but not retail packages. —All,“ —Pure,“ or —100 percent,“ may not be used if partially defatted beef fatty tissue (PDBFT), is used or mechanically separated species (MSS), are used.

    GROUND BEEF:
    May not contain added fat. Maximum total fat 30 percent. Cheek meat is permitted up to 25 percent and must be declared in the ingredients statement. For more than 25 percent, show as —Ground Beef and Cheek Meat,“ all the same size.
    Beef of skeletal origin, or from the diaphragm or esophagus (weasand) may be used in the preparation of chopped beef, ground beef, or hamburger. Heart meat and tongue meat as organ meats are not acceptable ingredients in chopped beef, ground beef, or hamburger.
    See: Policy Memo 027 dated June 15, 1981

    GROUND BEEF CHUCK AND ROUND:
    Product to be labeled —Ground Beef Chuck“ or —Ground Beef Round“ must comply with the following guidelines:
    1.
    —Ground Beef Chuck“ must be derived from all or part of the primal part of the beef carcass commonly referred to as the —Beef Chuck,“ except as provided for in 3. The product must comply with the fat requirements of 9 CFR 319.15(a).
    2.
    —Ground Beef Round“ must be derived from all or part of the primal part of the beef carcass commonly referred to as the —Beef Round,“ except as provided for in 3. The product must comply with the fat requirements of 9 CFR 319.15(a).
    3.
    Generally, shank meat may be added but may not exceed the natural proportion of the beef carcass, which is considered to average 6 percent. Higher quantities of shank meat may be used if the shank meat remains attached during the cutting and boning of the boneless chuck or round, or if the processor can demonstrate that a higher percentage is applicable.
    See: Policy Memo 091 dated September 16, 1985
  • Jamie Oliver is home-grown food hippy in case you didn't already know that.
  • If you're against pink slime, you're against eating toe to tail, and I take issue with that. If you don't want as much of the animal as possible to be used, don't contribute to the meat industry. And even if you don't eat meat, logic will reveal that ARM meat is fine.
  • edited March 2012
    When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was about this:
    image
    image

    I am kinda disappointed.
    Post edited by chaosof99 on
  • edited March 2012
    When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was about this:
    I am kinda disappointed.
    Well, aren't we Mr. Negativity? Stop with your bad vibes!
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • If Ghostbusters 2 was a meat it would defintley comprise of pink slime. Congealed into a hotdog filled with processed cheese inside.
  • When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was about this:
    I am kinda disappointed.
    Well, aren't we Mr. Negativity? Stop with your bad vibes!
    MORIARITY! What did I tell you about those negative vibes?!
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