Friday, March 30, 2012

Should Beef Buyers be Bothered of “Pink Slime”?

grassfed beef
Grass Fed Beef Burger from Naturally Grass Fed

If you are a meat buyer and you find out that the meat you are purchasing in laden with ammonia and was scraped from the bones of the beef mixed with trimmings from the spine, rectum, and intestines, would you dare to buy it?

The term “pink slime” is causing a national motion, and many people are calling to stop the production of this meat product which according to scientists are putting the health of consumers into peril. Recently, schools from different parts of the country are strictly banning meals filled with “lean finely textured ground beef” in their respective canteens. Not only that, but the beef business is also being boycotted, causing the demand of ground beef to fall off the chart.

Pink Slime” is the term used for the food additive which is consisted of low quality beef trimmings that is treated with ammonia to kill E.Coli and other pathogens that can be dangerous to health. The product is not sold to consumers directly, but are filled in ground beef to serve as meat stretcher—the goal is lessen the cost of ground beef sold to millions of meat consumer across United States.

Though 70% of the ground beef in supermarkets (as reported by ABC News) are mixed with “pink slime,” the meat packages are not labeled to have the content of this substance. Thus, more people who eats ground beef meals without being aware that they are consuming a product which once is just fed for the dogs. Gerald Zirnstein, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture microbiologist stated that “pink slime” is a cheap substitute. It is indeed. Not because it can be bought in a lesser price, but for the reason that it takes the people away from their right to buy food coming from an honest source. Consumers are buying ground beef, so they must be sold ground beef that is pure not trimmings from other parts at all.

Food chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Burger King, stopped the usage of ground beef with fillers in their burger when the media attentively followed the issue. More people are now becoming particular of the kind of meat they purchase, and ground beef is taken a keen eye among the list of beef products.

Pink Slimeis not an issue to be worried about by consumers who choose to purchase ground beef from grass fed beef and other organic meals. Food which are naturally grown are absolutely good for the health of man. With the industrialized world humanity is living in, food is not an exemption in questionable maneuverings—a reason why nothing beats organic when it comes to your health.