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Community Corner

'Pink Slime' in School Lunches Sparks Concern

The recent concern over the use of pink slime was instigated by the USDA's plan to ship seven million pounds of this meat to schools across the nation; approximately 6.5 percent of this meat will have ammonium-hydroxide added.

Would you want your child to eat "pink slime"? 

“Pink slime” is scraps and bits of meat and muscle recovered from slaughterhouse floors and treated with a pink chemical to kill dangerous pathogens. The pink substance is regulated by the U.S. Agriculture Department and is classified as “generally recognized as safe.”  The recent concern over the use of pink slime was instigated by the USDA’s plan to ship seven million pounds of this meat to schools across the nation; approximately 6.5 percent of this meat will have ammonium-hydroxide added.

Would you knowingly eat food containing pink slime? Are you concerned about plans to serve this product in schools? Tell us in the comments.

According to an article, “Partners in Slime,” posted in The Daily on Monday, March 5, the meat described as pink slime “is made by grinding together connective tissue and beef scraps normally destined for dog food and rendering." Trimmings are then treated with ammonia hydroxide as part of a process that kills pathogens such as salmonella and E. Coli. The resulting product is then blended with ground beef.

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In response to the “pink slime” debate, ABC News recently traveled across the country to grocery stores to find out where “Pink-Slime Free Meat” can be purchased.  At most stores, it is impossible to tell for sure whether beef contains pink slime since labels are not required to include this information. ABC News reports Costco, Publix, Whole Foods and Kroger do not use pink slime. Furthermore, according to ABC News, meat stamped USDA Organic is your best bet -- it is pure meat with no filler.

Recently, concerned citizens have started an online petition requesting the U.S. Government stop serving “pink slime” in schools and have collected over 150,000 signatures.  If you oppose the use of pink slime meat in schools, you can find the petition online by clicking here.

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