- A much-maligned beef product that was once frequently added to hamburger is making a comeback. Two years ago, beef processors cut back sharply on producing what they call "lean, finely textured beef" after the nasty nickname for it, "pink slime," caught on in the media. Now, higher beef prices are leading to increased demand for the product.
Are stores at least mandated to appropriately label hamburger that's been, er, enhanced with Cargill's Finely Textured Beef? 'Cause I'd really like to know if that was what I was putting on my grill...
With meat, I try to stick to "organic" and "free-range" whenever possible. Now, I realize that there could be some organic, free range pink slime added... but I highly doubt it. I don't eat a ton of meat so when I do, I make sure it's good eats. But I'm not sure if labeling as such is required? I doubt it.
The main problem is they want to be like GMO's, they don't want the consumer to know what's in their product because they are scared the consumer would choose something else that hasn't been chemically or altered in any way. This is why we need truth in labeling laws.
It's really not a huge issue. All "Pink Slime" is is just heavily ground meat. If this was fine dining, we would just call it Mousseline. Sure, I'd like to know if it's in what I'm eating, but otherwise, it's just exactly gross or unhealthy, it just looks unappealing. I don't see why we can consider whipped salmon on a cracker fine-dining, but can't accept whipped and ultra-ground beef in our fast food.
This feels like something that isn't horrible that they are doing, but it's horrible if they try to hide it. I wouldn't be completely against eating it myself, but I would definitely want to now if it was that that I was eating.