09 Oct Pink Slime: Is it Safe to Consume?

In March 2012, an ABC News series reported that around “70% of ground beef sold in US supermarkets at that time contained ‘pink slime’, a controversial meat additive”. They then proceeded to claim that “‘pink slime’ had been used as pet food and cooking oil before being approved for public consumption”. Following the report, some companies and organizations stopped offering ground beef with the product. These claims were later disputed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Beef Products, Inc. (BPI), the largest US producer of the additive. In September 2012, BPI filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC for false claims, seeking $1.9 billion in damages. The lawsuit was settled in June 2017, with ABC reportedly paying at least $177 million, making it the largest amount ever paid in a media defamation case in the US. Despite BPI winning the case, public opinion stands that pink slime is dangerous and unsafe for human consumption. 

As a Food Scientist, with the majority of my background pertaining to meat science, I’m often bombarded with the question “Have you seen pink slime?”. After explaining what pink slime is and that it’s generally safe to consume, their bias is so engraved that there’s no convincing them away from their current thoughts. In their defense, pink slime does not look appetizing at all. I, like most people, want a burger made from a whole-muscle beef blend of chuck, short rib, brisket, and oxtail. Ground, lightly seasoned, and charred on the grill. But sometimes I also crave a McDonald’s burger. It’s cheap, quick, and meets my expectations for the price per value. By no means am I planning on implying that McDonald’s is healthy for you. I also do not plan on convincing most of the people reading that pink slime is okay to eat. But it’s my duty to simply educate the world of the food science industries in hopes of reducing fearmongering in our society.

What is Pink Slime?

Pink slime is a meat by-product used as a food additive to ground beef and beef-based processed meats, as a filler, or to reduce the overall fat content of the product. It is also a colloquial term for Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB), which refers to smaller pieces of lean meat that are added to ground beef to produce a leaner product utilizing as much of the meat from an animal as possible. 

How is Pink Slime Made?

Pink Slime is made by heating boneless beef trimmings, which are the last traces of skeletal muscle meat scraped, shaved, or pressed from the bone, to a specific temperature. The trimmings are then treated with ammonia gas or citric acid to kill bacteria. The process involves removing the melted fat using centrifugal force and flash-freezing the remaining product.

Is Pink Slime Safe?

Pink Slime is safe and regulated by the USDA and is made using ammonium hydroxide or citric acid as an antimicrobial treatment. Despite its safety, there has been consumer concern about pink slime, and some companies have responded by labeling their products that contain it.

Ammonium hydroxide is a compound made by mixing ammonia and water. Both ammonia and water are naturally produced in the human body. Ammonia is a waste product during the metabolism of various compounds. is primarily processed in the liver and eliminated from the body through urine. While high levels of ammonia in the blood can be dangerous, the amount of ammonium hydroxide consumed through pink slime is minimal and considered safe for consumption by regulatory authorities. 

Nutritionals & Ingredient Statement

Pink Slime is typically 95% lean, 5% fat, 14% protein, and 78% moisture. While it is true that Pink Slime may contain up to 400–500 ppm of ammonium hydroxide, the actual amount of ammonia in a typical 3.5-ounce beef patty, before cooked, would only be 0.018 grams. It is important to note that ammonia is already naturally found in fresh beef products regardless of whether pink slime is added. Moreover, after cooking, nearly all of the ammonium hydroxide evaporates. 

Pink Slime is listed as Lean Finely Textured Beef on ingredient statements. The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences provides a comprehensive FAQ section about Pink Slime, including its nutritional value and ingredient statement.

Sustainability

Pink slime can be seen from two perspectives when it comes to sustainability. On one hand, utilizing all parts of the animal can be considered a form of waste reduction. However, on the other hand, there are concerns about the environmental impact of the chemicals used and the energy-intensive production process, which raises questions about its overall sustainability.

So What’s The Beef With Pink Slime?

If you’re a fan of Jamie Oliver, you may have seen his show, “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” in which he depicts the manufacturing process of pink slime. The clip shows British food celebrity Oliver dragging a cow on stage to demonstrate the beef trim-making process, which involves the beef being doused with ammonia and spun in a washing machine. While it’s true that ammonia is used in the production process of pink slime, the level and process of ammonia depicted by Jamie Oliver are not accurate.

Fearmongers, including Jamie Oliver, are criticized for pointing out the use of ammonium hydroxide and comparing it to cleaning materials as “proof” that pink slime is unsafe for consumption. If we were to judge “safe” based on that logic, common household items like salt, vinegar, and water would also be considered unsafe for consumption. Salt is used for many purposes, including as a floor agent to prevent slipping on ice. It is made of sodium chloride, which on its own is toxic for human consumption. Should we stop using salt then? What about vinegar? It is commonly found in all-purpose cleaners, yet it is the same vinegar used for cooking. Should we stop drinking water because it is also found in cleaning products?

Fearmongers like Jamie Oliver use fear tactics devoid of logic to push an agenda that ultimately does not benefit society. As long as enough people see or hear about the “dangers” of pink slime, the majority of society will not take the time to verify the accuracy of the information they are being fed. Even when the truth comes out, such as ABC paying over $177 million for spreading lies, the damage has already been done. Pink slime will forever remain a toxic villain that is blamed for causing health issues in children and contributing to weight gain. 

There will always be beef with Pink Slime.