# Pink Slime: what's the issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332 "2012-03-09T21:57:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332/81 "2012-03-16T17:43:07Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Reported **paulrodriguez** who I now see has C&Ped **VOW** ’s post. [moderating] Spambot. All gone. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332/82 "2012-03-16T21:21:49Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > The last ecoli outbreak that made people sick around here was alfalpha sprouts. It seems most of the recalls I can think of are vegetables. The fact is, no food is perfectly safe. Not like you’ll get vegetarians to talk about this, though. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332/83 "2012-03-16T21:45:36Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Not like you’ll get vegetarians to talk about this, though. I already mentioned this, but meat is usually(!) cooked before being eaten, which will kill any bacteria, a big factor in the incidence of illnesses from meat vs vegetables. In fact ALL meat (unless precooked) tells you to cook thoroughly to avoid illness (which includes nasties like trichinosis), so what is the big deal over some E. coli in ground beef? If kept frozen and cooked properly, there shouldn’t be much risk of illness. Virtually all food will have bacteria and mold spores in it, whether cooked or not (yes, cooked food set out in the open immediately becomes contaminated with airborne bacteria and mold spores, just not enough to sicken you unless it sits out too long), unless processed and stored in a completely sterile enclosed environment (prepackaged/canned food, a lot of which advises you to refrigerate after opening). Even if you think you have a “sterile” kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332/84 "2012-03-16T23:22:08Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > So what? Ammonia isn’t inherently toxic at all concentrations, and you would certainly smell it at any concentration that is harmful. > Yes, I’m sure this thread will be filled with vegetarians giving their virtuous opinions. My virtuous vegetarian opinion is that if you’re going to raise animals for food, best practice is using the whole animal as far as possible. > [@Derleth](#): > > Not like you’ll get vegetarians to talk about this, though. When I’m not busy being virtuous about refraining from eating meat, I’m scrubbing my vegetables, because I know that they’ve likely come into contact with shit in one form or another. Regardless of where you come down on the issue of eating meat by-products, I have to think that more consumer information is better than less. And while I don’t subscribe to the notion that people should only consume what they themselves produce (I’m not really cut out to be a subsistence farmer), I think it’s a good idea to know where your food comes from and how it’s processed, whether or not that puts you off bean sprouts for life. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332/85 "2012-03-18T21:16:42Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > Regardless of where you come down on the issue of eating meat by-products, I have to think that more consumer information is better than less. Only if the ‘more information’ doesn’t come in the form of scare tactics and sensationalist garbage. Like what the whole concept of ‘pink slime’ is, presented as it has been presented. Especially if you make a habit of minimizing or outright ignoring the problems with other kinds of food, such as vegetables. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pink-slime-whats-the-issue/615332.md?page=4)