# Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - McDonald's won't use Pink Slime Anymore **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384 "2012-02-01T03:17:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/1 "2012-02-01T03:17:54Z")
Jamie did a truly disgusting demo of how Meat product is created using meat trimmings in a centrifuge and ammonia. He calls it Pink Slime. yummy 😉 Its approved by the FDA as a filler for hamburger meat. These same meat trimmings are often used for dog food, After a lot of bad press McDonald’s announces they won’t use Pink Slime in their burgers anymore. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing if other burger places are using it. We all owe Jamie Oliver a big thank you for exposing this disgusting practice. There’s a youtube video in this article with Jamie’s Pink Slime demo. [http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/\_news/2012/01/31/10282876-mcdonalds-drops-use-of-gooey-ammonia-based-pink-slime-in-hamburger-meat?chromedomain=vitals](http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/31/10282876-mcdonalds-drops-use-of-gooey-ammonia-based-pink-slime-in-hamburger-meat?chromedomain=vitals) > [@](#): > > The company denied that its decision was influenced by a months-long campaign by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to get ammonium-hydroxide-treated meats like chicken and beef out of the U.S. food supply. But it acknowledged this week that it had stopped using the unappetizing pink goo — made from treating otherwise inedible scrap meat with the chemical — several months ago. > > Besides being used as a household cleaner and in fertilizers, the compound releases flammable vapors, and with the addition of certain acids, it can be turned into ammonium nitrate, a common component in homemade bombs. It’s also widely used in the food industry as an anti-microbial agent in meats and as a leavener in bread and cake products. It’s regulated by the U.S. Agriculture Department, which classifies it as “generally recognized as safe.” ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/2 "2012-02-01T03:26:32Z")
Some of my favorite foods involve chemical baths in sodium chloride and acetic acid! ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/3 "2012-02-01T03:32:06Z")
Jeez, I sure hope you never drink decaffeinated coffee… ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/4 "2012-02-01T03:39:32Z")
Chemical treatment of various unappetizing and/or toxic substances to make them edible is nothing at all new. Every culture has them. Further, aren’t the crunchy granola assholes always holding Indians and such up to us as a paradigm of naturalness because they ate the whole buffalo? Why aren’t they happy we are eating these bits and pieces of a cow? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/5 "2012-02-01T03:40:37Z")
I realize the Ammonia is an anti-microbial agent that makes the meat trimmings safe to eat. Its considered safe by the FDA. But, when we pay over $5 for a hamburger shouldn’t it be all ground beef? Why add that 15% of meat filler? I’d pay 50 cents more for a burger that didn’t have meat filler in it. They should require something on the label that tells us meat filler has been added. Heck, from what Jaime said, the ground beef we buy at the grocery store often has fillers in it. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/6 "2012-02-01T03:56:51Z")
Methinks all this outrage over pink slime is tremendously overblown. People get hysterical over the silliest things. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/7 "2012-02-01T04:05:40Z")
Getting upset over the way the stuff looks, or the name that it’s called, is totally stupid. The only criteria should be whether it is good for you or not. If it is _healthy_ for you (in moderation) and _safe_ to eat, I don’t care what it looks like in its uncooked form. If the stuff is indeed bad for you, then I’m all in favor of getting rid of it. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/8 "2012-02-01T04:28:48Z")
Mmmm, pink slime. Throws head back, mouth agape, tongue wagging, and starts gurgling Homer Simpson-style. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/9 "2012-02-01T04:45:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > But, when we pay over $5 for a hamburger shouldn’t it be all ground beef? A McDonald’s hamburger usually goes for about a buck and it is 100% USDA-inspected beef. > [@](#): > > Why add that 15% of meat filler? Meat filler made of meat? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/10 "2012-02-01T04:50:45Z")
In Jamie’s video he explains that meat trimmings made with Ammonia is called Meat Product, extenders, or filler. That’s what the FDA calls it. They allow up to 15% in hamburger. So a hundred pounds of burger yields 115 pounds with the filler in it. Its nothing new. They’ve done it for a long time with canned meats. I was surprised to hear fast food burgers were doing it to. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/11 "2012-02-01T05:03:09Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > In Jamie’s video he explains that meat trimmings made with Ammonia is called Meat Product, extenders, or filler. Called that by who? What point in the video did he say that? > [@](#): > > That’s what the FDA calls it. Cite? If that were true, I think they would have got on McDonald’s case years ago for claiming on its menus that their patties are made of 100% USDA-inspected beef and spices. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/12 "2012-02-01T05:11:52Z")
It starts at 04:00 in the video. He explains the FDA allows 15% and its in 70% of the ground beef on the market. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/13 "2012-02-01T05:20:50Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It starts at 04:00 in the video. He explains the FDA allows 15% and its in 70% of the ground beef on the market. You said _"he explains that meat trimmings made with Ammonia is called Meat Product, extenders, or filler._ He didn’t say that. He said \*“you’re allowed 15% of this product” in any patty, in any mince meat, so basically what I’m telling you is it’s a thinner." \* Remember, that “product” is 100% beef. He never used any of the words you used (“Meat Product, extenders, or filler”) and you didn’t cite that that’s what the FDA calls it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/14 "2012-02-01T05:24:00Z")
I’m not upset about this. Just surprised. I’ve known for most of my life that potted meats, Spam etc. were made from hearts,lungs, tongue and everything else. I still bought it and ate it. But, I foolishly thought a burger from Wendys, McDonalds or those other places had 100% real ground round. Turns out its not. If you want to read about all the different words for meat products. I find it very confusing. [http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E16.htm](http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E16.htm) ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/15 "2012-02-01T05:31:00Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > But, I foolishly thought a burger from Wendys, McDonalds or those other places had 100% real ground round. Ground round is the lean meat near the rump of the animal. It would make a very dry patty. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/16 "2012-02-01T05:34:40Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > If you want to read about all the different words for meat products. I find it very confusing. > [http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E16.htm](http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E16.htm) Not relevant here; again, McDonald’s patties are made from 100% USDA-inspected beef and doesn’t use any extenders or fillers mentioned in that link or anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/17 "2012-02-01T10:09:32Z")
You got to love these guys at Wikipedia. 😉 Wikipedia already has an article on Pink Slime. A term just coined by Jamie Oliver a few months ago. It looks well written with sources. The Washington Post Article they source is very complimentary of the process. Maybe Jamie Oliver was making a big noise about nothing? I just don’t know. > **[Pink slime](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_slime)** > > Lean finely textured beef (LFTB)—also called finely textured beef, boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT), and colloquially known as 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 ground beef. As part of the production process, heat and centrifuges remove the fat from the meat in beef trimmings. The resulting paste, without the fat, is exposed to ammonium hydroxide or citric In March 2012, an... > [@](#): > > These production processes have received accolades from consumer safety experts for their cleanliness, safeguards, hold and test programs, and overall sanitation. A former buyer for major consumer brands, John Hayes, was quoted by the Washington Post as saying, “There is no better sales tool than Beef Products Inc’s plant” because of the focus on stainless steel and sanitized air [WP]. Bill Marler, noted food safety advocate and plaintiff’s lawyer has expressed similar sentiment. After touring the BPI plant, he described it as “the Willy Wonka of meat factories—lots of dials and whirling stuff, all stainless steel and immaculately clean.”[7] ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/18 "2012-02-01T14:22:07Z")
I wonder how many people who have a problem with stuff like this also have no problem eating blue cheeses, natto, or other spoiled-foods-turned-delicacy. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/19 "2012-02-01T14:46:03Z")
I don’t have a big problem with efficiently using food scraps (as long as it’s safe, of course). The more useful meat per cow we can get, the fewer cows we need for the same amount of food, and therefore the better off we are environmentally. As far as being worried about what I put in my body, it’s the over-anti-biotic-ed and over-hormoned meat to begin with; I’m less concerned about the ammonia-treated bits. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384/20 "2012-02-01T15:13:37Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Methinks all this outrage over pink slime is tremendously overblown. People get hysterical over the silliest things. I agree. My father-in-law saw some documentary (maybe it was the Jamie Oliver one in the OP) and is now convinced that every menu item sold at every chain restaurant – sit-down and fast food alike – is nothing but a mysterious paste that is flavored and shaped to resemble the food it purports to be. His new buzz-phrase is “processed food”, and “processed food” is evil, evil, evil. I tried to explain the meaninglessness of this term by pointing out that _cutting_ is a process – if you cut a chicken breast in half it is now literally “processed food” – and that it’s all just a matter of degree, but he chose not to get it. He’s generally a smart man but he can be willfully ignorant about things like this sometimes. **sigh** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamie-olivers-food-revolution-mcdonalds-wont-use-pink-slime-anymore/611384.md?page=2)