Pink Slime

As Pink Slime (English for pink mucus, even mud or mush ) is the colloquial term for some products produced industrially from cuts of beef that are preserved with preservatives. As a trade name is " lean, finely textured beef " used ( engl. lean finely textured beef ).

Origin

The term goes back to the microbiologists Gerald Zirnstein which these products in 2002 examined on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in 2004 this term used in personal messages. In 2009, the New York Times reported in the context of questions about food safety. After the TV chef Jamie Oliver described it in one of his shows and posed simplified the concept was known in various ways such as other TV shows and reports on social networks.

Composition

Pink Slime is originally from beef, the procedure is however also suitable for other types of meat. The manufacturing process used production residues such as sections, otherwise unsaleable meat and mechanically separated. This is mechanically chopped and the meat fibers are separated from the fat. The fibers are similar in color and consistency then sawn mincemeat of muscle meat. The mass of ammonium hydroxide ( ammonia ) is processed so that it is more durable, and will look fresh by a redness.

Use

Due to the low production costs Pink Slime has been widely used for allowable stretch of ground beef, which was then offered as a commodity in trade, or prepared as mince dishes such as hamburgers, meatballs and sauces in the catering and caterers ( eg school feeding ). By labeling requirement and the ban on the use of mechanically separated beef Pink Slime is not widespread in the EU. According to the general publication and the wide criticism in the population, many users have completed the application in food production.

Criticism

As a criticism of the animal material used is often referred to as offal, which is not equivalent to its legal definition. Similarly, the use of ammonium hydroxide as a preservative by Pink Slime is criticized. Proponents point out that it is an approved food additive ( E527 ). In particular, the frequent use as detergents and cleaning agents is called as an argument to the unsuitability of food production.

Quotes

The food expert Marion Nestle said about Pink Slime:

" The meat mucus solves a huge problem for the meat producers. Only about half of the meat of around 34 million cattle slaughtered annually, is suitable for consumption by humans. The rest is burned, buried or used as a cheap dog and cat food. Meat mucus makes it possible that up to twelve pounds of this meat for people to be edible, and thus saves around 1.5 million cattle life. "