pink slime meat product in burger meat?

And the response from Rednar's......
 
Dear Joe,
    Thank you for writing.  As one of our valued customers, your comments, both positive and negative, are important to us.  You may be assured that Mr. Redner personally reads every letter and then passes it on to the appropriate staff person.  We will try to address problems as quickly as possible and we will share all of your comments with the appropriate employees.
    Redner's take a great deal of pride in all the products we sell and we maintain a high standard when selecting our vendors and manufacturing partners.  Only quality products are used in the manufacturing of a product that bears the Redner name or is used for our fresh meat/poultry and seafood products.  Maintaining this high quality of our product is imperative for our continued success and anything that is not to such standards is not offered within our stores. Redner's has and always will provide a safe, high quality product for our consumers. Our products are all USDA approved and contain only natural ingredients.
  Some recent media reports have created a troubling and inaccurate picture of ground beef, particularly in their use of the colloquial term "pink slime."  The correct term for this product used within some ground product is, boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT).  According to the American Meat Institute; "Boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT) is a safe, wholesome and nutritious form of beef that is made by separating lean beef from fat.  To make the product, beef companies use beef trimmings, the small cuts of beef that remain when larger cuts are trimmed down.  These trimmings are USDA inspected, wholesome cuts of beef that contain both fat and lean and are nearly impossible to separate using a knife.  When these trimmings are processed, the process separates the fat away and the end result is nutritious, lean beef.  It's a process similar to separating cream from milk."  For more information on this product, you may reference the following website;http://www.meatmythcrushers.com. Boneless lean beef trimmings it is used by our supplier of raw ingredient for ground beef and commonly used by all major beef suppliers to many national grocers.  Our stores produce fresh ground beef each day and may utilize course ground beef raw ingredients that contain boneless lean beef trimmings.  I can affirm that boneless lean beef trimmings is not used within the manufacturing of Redner's, frozen ground patties.  I wanted to present this information to you so that you can make the correct choices surrounding your food purchases.  If at any time you wish to have a whole piece of beef, freshly ground for you, please inquire with our meat manager or store director and they would be happy to accommodate your request.
    We always stand behind the quality of our products and will work to ensure you are 100% satisfied.  If at any time you are not satisfied with any item purchased from our store please return it with proof of purchase and we will be more than happy to exchange the item for another item of equal or lesser value or issue you a full refund.  Should you not be provided with prompt and courteous service from an associate, please find our store director and she or he will rectify the matter immediately.
    We will continue to work hard and serve you with the best groceries, prices and service we have for over 42 years.  Thank you again for your comments.  If you wish to discuss your concerns please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Eric B. White
Consumer Communications Specialist
Redner's Markets, Inc.
#3 Quarry Rd.
Reading, Pa. 19605
484-248-5730-ph
610-926-6327-fx
 
Troubling and inaccurate?  If the stuff is so damned good for you, PUT IT ON THE LABEL!

Thank you Joe............good information ................pnwc

Aren't there enough dogs in this vast, wealthy nation to eat that sh*t?
 
I was SHOCKED to see that our favorite grocer, Wegman's, adds it.  One can only imagine what those oh, so neat & tidy, bloodless 1# packages at Wal-Mart contain.
 
Or, just what is flowing through the "meat hoses" at Taco Bell?
 
PUT A G.D. LABEL ON IT!!!  Twenty three labels on a ladder and they can't put ONE on sh*t I'm supposed to EAT!
 
In the meantime I won't be eating ANY ground beef ANYWHERE unless the butcher at Whole Foods grinds it before my eyes from a piece of sirloin I pick from their case.  Any other meat I consume will have a friggin' bone in it!
 
Thank you.  I'll have my meds now.

More double-talk from Wegman's.....
 

"Dear Joseph:

In response to your e-mail reply,  Pink Slime is a sensationalist term used to describe ammonia treated meat trimmings in a bright "Pepto Bismol" shade.  While our supplier does use Finely Textured Beef (FTB) it is not treated with ammonia.  Cargill Meat Solutions does not treat any of its FTB with ammonia which is what the media has been reporting about the pink slime.  Wegmans ground beef does not contain any ammoniated meat trimmings or pink slime as being reported in the media.


Michelle Berry
Consumer Services Specialist"

 

It appears they are more upset with the term "Pink Slime", than the fact that they are putting it in their ground beef.

 

HaHa!!  Well said Jim.  Skip the meds, you're perfect.
 
I think it's great that we're all waking up to the fact that there's a lot of poison out there masquerading as food.  
 
Outrage is definitely justified.  I hope that grows into discernment, demand for respect, and people taking responsibility for their own well-being in general.
 
Some people don't care and don't want to know, they can continue to fuel the profit-centric big-ag, cheap food, medical, pharmaceutical, cancer, and funeral industries.
 
 
 
 

Blissful Bite


HaHa!!  Well said Jim.  Skip the meds, you're perfect.

 
Thanks. 
 
I will quote you to Mrs. Metro the next time she questions my perfection!

Blissful Bite
I think it's great that we're all waking up to the fact that there's a lot of poison out there masquerading as food.  

 
While the idea of pink slime definitely presents  an "eeewwww" image, I have still not seen any scientific documentation on whether the stuff is actually dangerous to eat.  Jamie Oliver is not a scientist.   Calling it "poison" might not be accurate.  Is it actually poisonous or bad for us?    When I ask if it is "bad for us", I mean is it any any worse for our health than regular ground meat (which, of course,  vegetarians would call poison, anyway.).     ??
 
When the ammonia gas is used to treat it, does the ammonia gas remain with the food, and get digested?    Or, is it gassed off, and not present iat the end of the process?   
If it remains, it should be on the label.  
And, if it remains, is it actually dangerous to consume? 
 
The answers to these questions are what we should be seeking, in my opinion. 
  
Anyone know the real deal?
 
Thanks.
 
Glenn
 
   

Hey Glenn, the reason for the ammonia purification is because they are using a$$ meat.  So beside the ammonia and a$$ meat, there is a good chance of reinfection.
 
"The ammonia is added to kill dangerous microbes like salmonella and E. coli, which it initially does, Kantar said. But in the long run “it’s not very effective. The product is still at risk of being contaminated again.”

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/Meat_filler__gets_OK_for_lunch_program_03-09-2012.html?searchterm=pink+slime#ixzz1ow568WCL

joerogo


And the response from Rednar's......

Dear Joe,
  Thank you for writing.   ........................
Some recent media reports have created a troubling and inaccurate picture of ground beef, particularly in their use of the colloquial term "pink slime."  The correct term for this product used within some ground product is, boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT).  According to the American Meat Institute; "Boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT) is a safe, wholesome and nutritious form of beef that is made by separating lean beef from fat.  ...........

Sincerely,
Eric B. White
Consumer Communications Specialist
Redner's Markets, Inc.
#3 Quarry Rd.
Reading, Pa. 19605
484-248-5730-ph
610-926-6327-fx

Troubling and inaccurate?  If the stuff is so damned good for you, PUT IT ON THE LABEL!

'Pink Slime' is a term coined by Dr. Gerald Zirnstein in 2002 e--mail message to colleagues in the USDA which referred to the emulsified by-product of the oil rendering process of the beef previously 'not fit for human consumption' and was sold to pet food manufacturers.   .... Reading between the lines, this included 'Green Meat' from the packing plant.    It doesn't matter which process was used to make it safe to eat.   ... There is no way this stuff is a wholesome and nutritious form of beef.
 
 

Glenn1234


......
When the ammonia gas is used to treat it, does the ammonia gas remain with the food, and get digested?    Or, is it gassed off, and not present iat the end of the process?   

 
Yes it does. The ammonia raises the ph of the meat and the concentration level of the ammonia.    BP markets their product as a filler with the benefit of disinfecting fresh ground beef.  Many Grocery stores (large chains) buy this when they need extra fat & filler.
 

Glenn1234
   .....
If it remains, it should be on the label.  
And, if it remains, is it actually dangerous to consume?  

   If it was labeled, I would not be buying it.    ... I don't think it to be dangerous (but who knows). It does change the taste of the beef.    And, if labeled, I think enough people would not buy to the point this beef would be sold much cheaper or its use would be discontinued.  
 
I grind my own beef anyway, because of the poor taste of the store ground beef.   this is how I found out about this product last year and learned it was from the additives (ie ammonia)

Glenn1234

The answers to these questions are what we should be seeking, in my opinion. 
 
Anyone know the real deal?

Thanks.

Glenn
 

   ... If you want to eat beef that otherwise was 'not fit of human consumption' (ie: dog food)   go right ahead.
 

MetroplexJim


Aren't there enough dogs in this vast, wealthy nation to eat that sh*t?     ....

Dog food doesn't sell for $4 & $5 bucks a pound; and I'll sure if you knew this stuff was mixed in, you wouldn't either.
 

MetroplexJim

Or, just what is flowing through the "meat hoses" at Taco Bell? 

 
Good point.   Made me think a few days ago that Taco Bell taco meat might be 100% FTLB (finely textured lean beef, ie: pink slime).

This is a great discussion!
 
I'm speaking more generally, and perhaps poison is too harsh a word, but everything is poison...it's just a matter of dosage.  However, I feel that a lot of mass produced food contains very unhealthy aspects and elements such as:
 
Agricultural chemicals in and on the raw ingredients;
Antibiotics, drugs, and hormones in amendments and feeds;
Contamination during shipment and processing;
Rancidity disguised by ingredients added to 'maintain freshness';
High temp processing, pasteurization, homogenization that denatures proteins and other molecules;
Chemicals leaching out of packaging;
...and all kinds of chemicals, fillers, varnishes, etc. that are not food, were not objectively tested, and are not going to be surrendered by the major power holders without a major signal from the people.
 
All this and more in favor of more and more profit at the expense of food quality and safety.
 
I don't expect that the fundamental changes our society deserves are going to come from the top down.  
 
Each person can only do their part, vote with their dollar, and participate in/share the discussion.
 
My farmer friend says, 'Pay your farmer or pay your doctor'.  I believe that wholeheartedly.

Glenn1234:
 
You miss the point. 
 
When I go to The Prime Rib on K St. I don't want to worry whether or not someone, regardless of it's being "safe", pi$$ed in my lobster bisque or "had their way" with my 2" ribeye.  I simply want to dine.
 
By the same token, if EVEN WEGMAN'S!!! (or any reputable grocer) is selling me ground beef with "FTB" in it - ammoniated or not - I friggin' have the %^&*-ing RIGHT TO KNOW!!! 
 
Dumb ass that I am, Wegman's marketing sold me on the proposition that they are simply trading as a larger version of Gilliland's Market back in New Wilmington, PA. 
 
But Jeff wouldn't try to bull-sh*t me with some prattle about "sanitary, non-ammoniated FTB's".  
 
Label it properly & honestly; so informed, I will direct my dollars as I see fit. 
 
My hysteria aside, "safety" is not the issue, honesty is; honor is all.
 
 

OK folks, here it is, right from the horses a$$ mouth...
 
'Pink slime' is good for America's schoolchildren, manufacturers claim

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/12/pink-slime-is-good-for-americas-schoolchildren-manufacturers-claim/#ixzz1owor8C3y

Just found an interesting article as to who approved the 'pink slime'.   http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/March/Pink-Slime-Waste-Added-to-Grocery-Hamburger-Meat-/
 

...
The person who approved the mix was former Undersecretary of Agriculture Joann Smith. After stepping down from the USDA, she was appointed to the board of directors of Beef Products, Inc. who makes the beef filler.
She's made more than $1 million while serving on the board over the past 17 years. 

MetroplexJim

  ....
I trust that he deals on the square.  .....

 
Is a level also involved, and will he act by the plumb too.:

edwmax

MetroplexJim

....
I trust that he deals on the square.  .....

Is a level also involved, and will he act by the plumb too.:

Clearly, you catch my meaning regarding the way business must be conducted in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

In matters such as these I always ask myself "WWJD", the "J" being for Mr. Jefferson.
 
Though it is just from scholarship and having attended his University I believe that Mr. Jefferson would be greatly pleased that fora such as Roadfood, wherein Citizens might be informed about and actively discuss such issues, exists.
 
Thank you, Mr. Jefferson, for your part in enabling it.

 
Thanks all for the replies.   I think some of you missed the point of my questions, though.   I was not asking if the manufacrueres are dishonest.  They are dishonest.   I was not asking if it should be labeled.   If it has ammonia, it definitely should be labeled. 
I was trying to find out if I am in any immediate or long term danger, as I do love hamburgers. 
 
A big thanks to those who have contacted your local grocers.  More info is never a bad thing.    
 
Thanks for the replies.   
 
 
Glenn
 
 
 
 
 
 

Glenn1234,
 
School kids have been eating it for more than 10 years; as well as most of us. Most of them (sch kids) are fat and over weight  .......  ???? ... immediate or long term danger ... who knows ...

edwmax


Glenn1234,

School kids have been eating it for more than 10 years; as well as most of us. Most of them (sch kids) are fat and over weight  .......  ???? ... immediate or long term danger ... who knows ...

 
 
Not condoning pink slime here, but it seems it would be hard to point to pink slime as the reason kids are obese, unless it was a major component of their diet.   Now, if the ammonia is toxic to people, that's another whole different risk factor, but probably not a cause of the obesity.    I would think that their overall diet, and lack of exercise (computers, video games, TV) are the main reasons for childhood obesity.  
 
Glenn
 
 
 
 

Good assumption, but can you prove it???    I was getting more at, if the pink slime was of immediate or long term danger; the kids would be showing signs of that.   ... Being fat & over weight is probably has more to do with flavor enhancers, salt & sugar included in their food to make 'crap' taste good.

edwmax


Good assumption, but can you prove it???   

 
I'm not sure which assumption you mean, but there are no doubts that exercising less burns fewer calories.    However, I can't prove that kids are exercising less.  It is a general obrservation of mine that kids play outside less, and they spend more time staring at computers and video games, etc.  Sorry, no proof.  Just my observations.  
Another observation of mine is that what was once  a large drink at FF restaurants is now  a "small".  Large portion sizes and super-sizing is prevalent.  Again, no proof they are finishing those huge drinks and portions, but I see kids (and adults) ordering those huge things. 
  
 
Glenn
 
 

Score one for Price Chopper!
 
"Dear Mr. Rogo - Thanks very much for writing. We do not use this item in any of our products. I hope that is helpful! Best Regards - Ellie Wilson"

joerogo, thank you for your efforts in this matter.
 
glenn1234, thank you for your assurances that the product in question is "safe". 
 
I am beginning to see the ancient wisdom in "Kosher" and "Halal".  My cherished wife, a Semite, has our beef ground to order from whole "organic" meat she picks from the case.  She does this not for her religion or its "Halal", but from instinct. 
 
I mocked this until now; laughed at the price we pay at Whole Food vs. what Wal-Mart charges for its tidy, bloodless, convenient packages marked so carefully for the %-ages of fat. 
 
What a fool I now feel myself to be in this regard:  "et tu, Wegmans!"
 
Frankly, I had thought the work of Upton Sinclair and the legislation that ensued therefrom under Teddy Roosevelt had settled such matters.  Clearly, I was/am naive.
 
I have no doubt that Pink Slime (Soylent Pink) is "safe"; otherwise, how could my loving government allow it to be sold for human consumptio?. 
 
As a Free Citizen of the United States of America, I just do not care either to purchase or consume it.
 
LABEL THAT SH*T; have restaurants that "serve it" disclose such!
 

Please, do not in any way construe my "rants" in this matter to be that I am in any way in favor of a "nanny state".  Quite the opposite.
 
One of the few functions of the Federal Government that has withstood a Constitutional test is the provision of information that I may use (or disregard) in the course of living my life as a Free Man in our Blessed Nation.
 
So ...
 
LABEL THAT SH*T; have restaurants that "serve it" disclose their use of such!
 
Then, it will be up to me, an informed Citizen, whether or not to consume it.

MetroplexJim wrote:
 
<<....."glenn1234, thank you for your assurances that the product in question is "safe"."...>>
 
 
Excuse me?  I'm sorry, but where the heck did I give assurances that pink slime is "safe"?   In fact, I was ASKING if pink slime is safe.  After it was apparent that a couple people did not understand that I was ASKING questions about its safety, I reiterated again that I was asking questions  about its safety.  Nowhere did I give assurances to its "safety". 
 
Please point to where I gave assurances of its safety.  
 
I'm in no way inclined to want to eat the pink slime, but as I asked earlier, is it actually poisonous (a question, not a statement), and asked if it is actually dangerous to eat? (again ... a question, not a statement)    As I asked earlier, I want to know if, given my love of hamburgers, pink slime is endangering me (meaning endangering me beyond the usual risk of eating red meat.).   (again, ... a question, not a statement).  I asked if the ammonia remains in the product (again, ...  a question, not a statement).   I DID state that if it has ammonia, it SHOULD BE LABELED!    
 
Metroplex Jim, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe you were in a hurry and only skimmed my postings briefly, and inadvertantly missed that I was asking questions, and not giving assurances about pink slime.   I've rushed through reading postings, and I'm guilty of it, too.  We all miss stuff occaisionally.  It's a busy world.   But, if you truly believe that I was giving assurances that pink slime is safe,  please point out where. 
 
Thanks.
 
Glenn
 
 

As I understand it, it is not beef but beef trimmings which usually means connective tissue. That is not harmful but it also isn't tasty or nutritious. If a product is labeled 100% beef, that is what it must be. READ your labels. 90% lean ground round from 100% beef or 85% lean hamburger from 100% beef are both fine. The key is 100% beef; if it doesn't say that, it will have your pink slime in it. Any beef that has it in it cannot call itself 100% beef 'cause it ain't. I'd let the butcher or owner know that you won't buy ground beef if it doesn't say 100% beef and the problem might solve itself.

I don't believe that's correct, MilwFoodlovers.  I think pink slime is considered beef, so 100% beef can contain it.  That's really the gist: because it's considered beef, there's no need for any special labeling.

Let this be a wake up call, if your buying meat in Chubs or from stores that don't process their own ground beef, chances are it has Pink Slime in the mix. Everyone on this site has a choice on what goes on the family table. Buy a 1/4 or 1/2 side of beef and get your own meat processed the way you want it processed. If you can't use all the meat, go half with a family member or friend. The Pink Slime is only one reason, what about 2/3 of the beef raised by farmers have Hormones/Steroids . You can have some one raise a grass feed cow for you or you can share with others. Get sick and tired of this process, don't wait until you get sick and tired by eating the end results.....................pnwc