Meat industry defends itself over 'pink slime' controversy - by pointing out that same chemical is also used in cheese

Caustic cleaning chemical is also used to turn milk to cheese
Similar chemicals used in chocolate and baked products
Kraft admits chemical is used in some of its foods

PUBLISHED: 14:26 GMT, 5 April 2012 | UPDATED: 14:28 GMT, 5 April 2012

The controversy over ammonia-treated beef - or what critics dub ‘pink slime’ - broadened this week as it was revealed that the caustic cleaning chemical is also used in cheese.

Related compounds are also used in baked goods and chocolate.

Ammonia, known for its noxious odor, became a hot topic with the uproar over what the meat industry calls ‘finely textured beef’ and what a former U.S. government scientist first called ‘pink slime’.

The meat industry has been trying to raise awareness of other foods that contain ammonia, in response to what it has characterized as an unfair attack on a safe and healthy product.

For example, ammonia compounds are used as leavening agents in baked goods and as an acidity controller in cheese and sometimes chocolate.

‘Ammonia's not an unusual product to find added to food,’ Gary Acuff, director of Texas A&M University's Center for Food Safety, told a recent press conference hosted by Beef Products Inc. ‘We use ammonia in all kinds of foods in the food industry.’

After critics highlighted the product on social media websites and showed unappetizing photos on television, calling it ‘pink slime,’ the nation's leading fast-food chains and supermarkets spurned the product, even though U.S. public health officials deem it safe to eat.

FULL STORY: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2125617/Pink-slime-M...

Favorite

1 member favorited this

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by truth on January 11, 2014 at 2:34pm: “Pink Slime” Producer Attacks Free Speech and Food Freedom

Comment by DTOM on April 6, 2012 at 2:53pm: I spent today planting fruit trees, bite me NWO :D

Comment by DTOM on April 6, 2012 at 2:52pm: Government cheese?

Comment by Maria De Wind on April 6, 2012 at 3:07am: Lol

Comment by Ragnarok on April 6, 2012 at 3:03am: They dont have crappy diets so they will do fine. We can make sausages outta em. Smoke em under a fire made of money and bonds.

Comment by Maria De Wind on April 6, 2012 at 2:59am: I wonder how banksters will taste like, I guess they are well fed

Comment by Maria De Wind on April 6, 2012 at 2:50am: @ H0llyw00d

Yum Foods also owns KFC

Comment by Ragnarok on April 6, 2012 at 2:44am: My great grand mother had to eat weird things here right after WW2 cuz when the 'allied' left they forgot the and the Jerries and themselves kinda ate and destroyed most of Europe. Lots of cannibalism going on back then in eastern Europe in the afflicted areas.

Comment by Maria De Wind on April 6, 2012 at 2:38am: @ Vincent

... and basically not live in a city, have enough land and water to do so, plus the time involved

... or trust the stuff you are buying is the real thing.

@ Daniel

Rats are already food, as are ants and grasshopers but I loose my appetite just thinkng about that

I guess we'll better learn how to become Breathers and hope Prana is not polluted already too

Comment by Ragnarok on April 6, 2012 at 2:28am: Yea Vince! And if you want to save a lot of money you can take out and dry the seeds from the organic veggies. And you also know how they taste and smell so you dont get disappointed and have wasted your time and money.