You may have heard about it, or better yet seen a picture of the stuff online that the media refers to as “pink slime”. In the industry, it’s called lean finely textured beef.
Davey Griffin, an Extension Meat Specialist, said it is lean extracted from fat off the animal and is both safe and nutritional. He said the process gives meat companies the ability to use the most beef possible off of one animal.
Griffin also said using lean finely textured beef keeps our beef prices down.
Many people are concerned with the fact that lean finely textured beef is treated with ammonium hydroxide. Griffin said this chemical is produced in our bodies and found in many other foods such as chocolate, caramel and baked goods.
Griffin said in one pound of ground beef at the grocery store, about 15% could be lean finely textured beef. He also said it is used in many chain restaurants across the country.
Since beef is beef, the product is not considered an artificial filler and meat companies do not have to indicate whether or not lean finely textured beef is in their products.
WTAW’s Chelsea Reber Visits with Davey Griffin, March 23, 2012