# How does the steak truck scam work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623 "2013-07-16T01:21:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/61 "2013-07-18T15:22:57Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > [Here’s the beef filet](http://www.illeatyou.com/2011/05/adventures-in-suspiciously-cheap-meat.html) I found. Now that I look at it again, it doesn’t really look quite like eye of round either. Maybe it really is filet, just from older cattle or something? I have no idea. That looks like it’s just a composite of small trimmings from fillet ends - maybe the bits left over when you’ve cut as many nice steaks as possible. If that was eye of round, it wouldn’t have that torn look when cut. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/62 "2013-07-18T15:32:06Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > That looks like it’s just a composite of small trimmings from fillet ends - maybe the bits left over when you’ve cut as many nice steaks as possible. If that was eye of round, it wouldn’t have that torn look when cut. Yeah, in the article he said it was two pieces. The one I had was definitely a single piece, but I don’t recall it having the fine fat striations the one in the photo does. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/63 "2013-07-18T15:47:03Z")
Er, like I said, they use “meat glue” (transglutaminase) to seamlessly stick together scraps of meat. The weld is undetectable. Watch the YouTube video. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/64 "2013-07-18T15:59:37Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Er, like I said, they use “meat glue” (transglutaminase) to seamlessly stick together scraps of meat. The weld is undetectable. Watch the YouTube video. The video itself says that uncooked, it’s easy to tell the difference. (Pretty cool stuff, by the way. Would love to get my hands on some and play around with it.) ETA: Although I see towards the end of the video, they say it’s difficult to tell (with a more professionally put together piece of meat.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/65 "2013-07-18T16:09:58Z")
Plus for store-bought meat in the US, the USDA requires labeling of transglutaminase and words that say "“formed” or “reformed” meat. At least [according to this.](http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/iteam&id=8638238) So I don’t know what’s up with that Aldi filet. While mine sure as heck looked like one piece, the one linked to is not, so far as the writer can tell. And I don’t see anything about transglutaminase on that label or the word “formed” meat. Anyhow, looks like you can easily buy [transglutaminase](http://www.modernistpantry.com/activa-rm-transglutaminase.html) online. I thought it sounded familiar. My brother plays around with molecular gastronomy, and I’m pretty sure he’s got some in his pantry. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/66 "2013-07-18T16:37:49Z")
Well this site [http://thefoodwatchdog.com/05/food-news/use-of-meat-glue-is-uncontrolled/](http://thefoodwatchdog.com/05/food-news/use-of-meat-glue-is-uncontrolled/) says it’s usually not labelled. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/67 "2013-07-18T17:18:21Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Well this site [http://thefoodwatchdog.com/05/food-news/use-of-meat-glue-is-uncontrolled/](http://thefoodwatchdog.com/05/food-news/use-of-meat-glue-is-uncontrolled/) says it’s usually not labelled. That may be true, but it is [supposed to be disclosed by USDA labeling laws](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/searchhelp/sitemap/!ut/p/a1/zVPfb9owEP5b9hC_TEnsEkIyyZoYEoiuA7WwreQFGecSXMV2iB0G_etnQGgTWtdV4mF-uZ_-fN-dL8zCxzBTbCtKZoVWrDrYWbzE9zgm6QDfTlMyxOPJt_vp58EAj77chN_DLMy4srVdh4vCCONzrSwo62HhZKPAaZIJ5WGra8GNhwutc9-wAuzeh7zlx7c8XIL1mTI_oLnIKRi3vlkD2HOgYiuohCovzN8zD2XVrIQcjCjV0eIiDxcYRwRDh_mkSHp-lBapzxKc-rjoRXHBO3EBiWO9OLB-4fTxPzXlLylJdE54-YmFq6H3C2H0gAkeD2dzMup-In2HMHsjqVcA42sDdq8N2Lsy4PTtPbx9bfLu54inzSbru6U47MHOho__01Y4AmWlV8fNXvTVqpOUYdZAAQ00Qds499ra-oOHPWyANXwdtCZnQam3Z8fHutG7vbH7Co6YdDgbz5Bubd1aupPVUullbnPEK-H4nqKMczCG1kgA_Tof-gnSZ0XqHKgRsq4Abagt34N63ktAzCw155YytUeqlZTggyglRUZYOMEa3VjaQIXaiqmSIlFTkqYBiXBASBTcIFfApqH4JKVT2pwSZCxz9wg6EnHXNXPeP_VjrY0b30UfwlrK5Km4ix8S3OnW2-d5IeVyMvGzVbfa3vXf_QRP4hNk/?1dmy¤t=true&urile=wcm%3apath%3a%2Ffsis-content%2Finternet%2Fmain%2Ftopics%2Ffood-safety-education%2Fget-answers%2Ffood-safety-fact-sheets%2Ffood-labeling%2Fsafety-of-transglutaminase-tg-enzyme%2Fsafety-of-tg-enzyme). > [@](#): > > Products formed from pieces of whole muscle meat, or that have been reformed from a single cut, must disclose this fact on their label, as part of the product name, e.g., “Formed Beef Tenderloin” or “Formed Turkey Thigh Roast.” The enzyme must also be listed in the product ingredient statement along with any other ingredients used in the product formulation. TG enzyme is not considered a processing aid that would be exempt from labeling. There are no exemptions to the USDA’s mandatory labeling requirement for this product. I’m confused by the article you linked to, though. It says they are required to label it, and the company says it does label it, right? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/68 "2013-07-18T17:29:15Z")
Never mind, I see. I was looking at the end of the article. The regulations clearly state there are no exemptions, and that they are not a “processing aid” (or at least TG enzyme is not), so, if true, there should be some action by the USDA on this. I don’t care about TG enzyme myself, but it should be disclosed. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/69 "2013-07-19T16:56:04Z")
[Homer] Mmmmm. Meat glue. Uh-uh-uh-uh. [/Hpmer] ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623/70 "2013-07-22T23:56:03Z")
The county adjacent to me is Miami County (Ohio). The Miami County Sheriff’s Office issued this announcement today: > [@](#): > > Please be on the lookout for a white Dodge Ram pickup with a freezer in the back. The vehicle is being operated by two white males selling meat. The vehicle was last seen at around 10:00AM today on the Montgomery County Line Road near Pansing Road. The vehicle is suspected of being involved in daytime burglaries in our county. If you observe the vehicle please call Miami County 911 at 937-440-9911 so a deputy can investigate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-steak-truck-scam-work/663623.md?page=3)