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70% of all Ground Beef Contains "Pink Slime" ... and USDA Bought 7 Million Pounds of the Stuff for School Lunches

George Washington's picture




 

By Washington’s Blog

ABC news notes:

“Pink slime,” a cheap meat filler, is in 70 percent of the ground beef sold at supermarkets and up to 25 percent of each American hamburger patty, by some estimates.

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The USDA just bought 7 million pounds of pink slime to add to school lunches (up from 5.5 million pounds in 2009).


Jamie Oliver gave a must-watch demonstration on the subject a year ago:

But at least we know where the real meat part of ground beef comes from ... right?

Nope ... the World Trade Organization struck down American laws requiring labeling of beef to disclose the country of origin:

But at least beef is being tested for horrible diseases like mad cow disease, right?

Negatory: the government does very little testing ... and prohibits private citizens such as ranchers or meat packers from testing it themselves.

What Should We Do?

So what's the answer?

You could cook a pot roast or other cut of meat and grind it yourself. That way, you'll be sure there's nothing but real meat.

Or you could buy grass-fed beef. Organic, grass-fed usually contains no pink slime.

And all grass-fed beef - organic or not - has a much lower risk for mad cow than other types of beef.

Why?

Because mad cow disease is most commonly caused by feeding animal products to cows. For example, Wikipedia notes:

A British inquiry into BSE [the scientific abbreviation for mad cow] concluded that the [disease] was caused by cattle, who are normally herbivores, being fed the remains of other cattle in the form of meat and bone meal (MBM), which caused the infectious agent to spread.

If they are fed grass - their natural food - they are much less likely to get sick.

Stores like Trader Joe's label grass fed, so it is easy to find.

Grass-fed beef contains more Omega 3s than beef from cows fed corn, meat or other “modern” feeds. See this and this.

Why is this important? Because eating Omega 3 rich foods can increase gray matter in adults and boost neurological development in children. Conversely, low dietary levels of Omega 3s in mothers can reduce their kids’ IQ. (This is not entirely surprising, given that (1) our brains are about 60% fat, and (2) leading nutritionists say that humans evolved to consume alot of Omega 3 fatty acids in the wild game and fish which they ate (more), and that a low Omega 3 diet is a very new trend within the last 100 years or so).

And if you think that asking for organic beef is a counterculture hippy thing, note that Ronald Reagan insisted on organic meat.

 

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Sun, 03/11/2012 - 21:02 | 2246103 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

they shove crap down our throat in the classroom so why not the lunch room?

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 05:18 | 2244478 Nobody For President
Nobody For President's picture

Articles like this remind me that it was a good thing (for me - I don't prostelize) to become a vegatarian 42 years ago. Seemed to serve me well, got a banged up body from doing fun things and some stupid stuff, but can still swing a chain saw and keep the place together - was out doing the last of the spring fruit tree pruning today - the dwarves, no damn ladder.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 21:07 | 2246109 Sir Edge
Sir Edge's picture

Yes Sir...

Today I had Italian Pasta with Almond Oil... with a Side Salad of Romaine Lettuce, Tomatoes, Corn, Ripe Avocadoes and a light Russian Vinaigrette dressing...

on the side was steamed fresh from the Garden: Zucchini, Summer Squash and Baby Carrots with melted cheddar cheese and fresh sliced olives on top...

Added a small cup of homemade minestrone soup and some sour dough bread...

30+ Years as a Veg Head and still counting...

May The Bankers Die Screaming... :o)

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 10:09 | 2244704 AN0NYM0US
AN0NYM0US's picture

Vegan? if not

Eggs, dairy products etc come from the same factory farms and are loaded with all sorts of crap

and even if you are  GMO produce is everywhere

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:47 | 2245364 banksterhater
banksterhater's picture

my wife says grass-grazing/fed not safe if sheep grazed on the land before.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 13:27 | 2245078 MrBinkeyWhat
MrBinkeyWhat's picture

Got chickens? I love my girls...they eat leftovers. Just saying.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 16:09 | 2245417 FreudianSlip
FreudianSlip's picture

Hens in a corner of your backyard are easy and wonderful for healthy eggs.  And they make fun pets for the kids too.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 17:14 | 2245588 RafterManFMJ
RafterManFMJ's picture

 

 

Child: "Where's Bebe? I couldn't find her?"

Father: "You're eating her."

Seriously, one of my most cherished memories was watching my sister cry as she ate Jolly the cow - we raised and butchered her, and Jolly became steaks, as cows are wont to do.  After this report no more untraceable meat for me. Back to the farm.  And 2 doe licenses next year.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 14:48 | 2247995 Jason_1sandal
Jason_1sandal's picture

Reminds me of the day when I went hunting with my daughters who were 8 & 10 years old. We stopped by my mom's house on our way out. She asked the girls what we were doing that day. She was horrified when the girls piped up enthusiastically saying "we're gonna go kill Bambi." Hmmmm wonder where they got that notion.....? 

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 20:29 | 2246052 wee-weed up
wee-weed up's picture

As a youngun' I saw many a chicken, duck, and turkey get the axe and flop crazily around the backyard spewing blood from the neck stump. We grew up with reality back then... there was none of this namby-pamby shielding the children from real-lfe we have these days. No wonder we're overrun with so many dumb sheeple!

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 09:25 | 2246897 FrankDrakman
FrankDrakman's picture

wot evver are you talkin about? Everywun noes chickens are born on white styrofoam platters, and when they die, we put Saran Rap on them.

It's the American way.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 20:18 | 2246023 KickIce
KickIce's picture

lol, rule #1 don't name the livestock.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 11:46 | 2244800 Mr Lennon Hendrix
Mr Lennon Hendrix's picture

Just buy all your food from local farmers and you'll be fine.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 14:37 | 2245229 devo
devo's picture

That's not true at all. Local farmers use all sorts of fertilizers and pesticides (and who knows what else).

Opening your own farm is the only way to be safe.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:50 | 2245373 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

with respect, not all "local farmers" are dependent on harmful fertilizers and pesticides, but yes, it's important to pay attention to where one sources their food, including having a good conversation with the grower.

also becoming more popular is finding a good farmer and then supporting their methods locally, be it through CSA (community supported agriculture) or simply "sponsoring" a larger animal being raised healthily, then sharing the meat when butchered.  if a farmer knows that the food they raised is desired free of chemicals, and can sell this food with little effort, they'll do it - it's their livelihood.

this is where "community" comes in - however one defines it - buying in bulk through groups of people maintains a source of income for local farmers, and one can shape their locally sourced foods in this way, to desired specs.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 19:42 | 2245962 devo
devo's picture

Yes of course, some local farms are 100% organic. But, I was saying you can't trust a farmer solely because they are a small operation and/or local.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 01:58 | 2246495 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

indeed, one should never trust anything until it satisfies your own criteria!

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 12:00 | 2244820 Kali
Kali's picture

Yup!

Some other good stuff "added" to meats:  (sorry weblink no good anymore)

If You Liked Bovine Growth Hormone, You'll Love Beta Agonists

By MARTHA ROSENBERG

While researchers and scientists investigate the cause of our diabetes, obesity, asthma and ADHD epidemics, they should ask why the FDA approved a livestock drug banned in 160 nations and responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown and 10 percent mortality in pigs, according to angry farmers who phoned the manufacturer.

The beta agonist ractopamine, a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis, was recruited for livestock use when researchers found the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular says Beef magazine.

But unlike the growth promoting antibiotics and hormones used in livestock which are withdrawn as the animal nears slaughter, ractopamine is started as the animal nears slaughter.

As much as twenty percent of Paylean, given to pigs for their last 28 days, Optaflexx, given to cattle their last 28 to 42 days and Tomax, given to turkeys their last 7 to 14 days, remains in consumer meat says author and well known veterinarian Michael W. Fox.

Though banned in Europe, Taiwan and China--more than 1,700 people were "poisoned" from eating Paylean-fed pigs since 1998 says the Sichuan Pork Trade Chamber of Commerce-- ractopamine is used in 45 percent of US pigs and 30 percent of ration-fed cattle says Elanco Animal Health which manufactures all three products.

How does a drug marked, "Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask" become "safe" in human food? With no washout period?

The same way Elanco's other two blockbusters, Stilbosol (diethylstilbestrol or DES), now withdrawn, and Posilac or bovine growth hormone (rBST), bought from Monsanto in 2008, became part of the nation's food supply: shameless corporate lobbying. A third of meetings on the Food Safety and Inspection Service's public calendar in January 2009 were with Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly--or about ractopamine.

In fact, in 2002, three years after Paylean's approval, the FDA's
Center for Veterinary Medicine's Office of Surveillance and Compliance accused Elanco of withholding information about "safety and effectiveness" and "adverse animal drug experiences" upon which ractopamine was approved, in a 14-page warning letter.

"Our representatives requested a complete and accurate list of all your GLP [Good Laboratory Practices] studies involving Paylean® (Ractopamine hydrochloride), including their current status as well as the names of the respective study monitors. In response, your firm supplied to our representatives multiple lists which differed in the names of the studies and their status. In addition, your firm could not locate or identify documents pertaining to some of the studies. This situation was somewhat confusing and created unneeded delays for our representatives," wrote Gloria J. Dunnavan, Director Division of Compliance.

Where was mention of the farmer phone calls to Elanco reporting, "hyperactivity," "dying animals," "downer pigs" and "tying up" and "stress" syndromes, asks the FDA letter. Where was the log of phone calls that included farmers saying, "animals are down and shaking," and "pig vomiting after eating feed with Paylean"?

But, not to worry. Despite ractopamine's dangers and the falsified approval documents, the FDA approved ractopamine the following year for cattle--and last year for turkeys.

According to Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, the "indiscriminant use of Paylean (ractopamine) has contributed to an increase in downer non-ambulatory pigs," and pigs that "are extremely difficult to move and drive." In Holsteins, ractopamine is known for causing hoof problems, says Grandin and feedlot managers report the "outer shell of the hoof fell off" on a related beta agonist drug, zilpateral.

A article in the 2003 Journal of Animal Science confirms that "ractopamine does affect the behavior, heart rate and catecholamine profile of finishing pigs and making them more difficult to handle and potentially more susceptible to handling and transport stress."

Nor can we overlook the effects of "adding these drugs to waterways or well water supplies--via contaminated animal feed and manure runoff-- when this class of drugs is so important in treating children with asthma," says David Wallinga, MD of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

The FDA's approval of a drug for food that requires impervious gloves and a mask just to handle is reminiscent of the bovine growth hormone debacle.

Like rBST, ractopamine increases profits despite greater livestock death and disability because a treated animal does the work of two in a macabre version of economies of scale.

Like rBST, food consumers are metabolic, neurological and carcinogen guinea pigs so that agribusiness can make a profit.

And like rBST, "Mothers Of Growing Children" was not marked as a visiting group on the Food Safety and Inspection Service's public calendar next to the ag lobbyists.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:41 | 2245351 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

great information Kali, hard to keep up with all the new drugs they're feeding the "fud" nowadays. . . hardly surprising though, given how embedded Monsanto is with the FDA. . .

For a mere grand, you can attend the entire 3-day Food Safety Summit set for April 17-19 in Washington, D.C. There you'll get to hear Monsanto-lobbyist-now-Obama's-Food-Safety-Czar, Michael R. Taylor, wax tyrannical about how federal and state regulators will manage the inspection requirements of the boondoggle Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

As Deputy Commissioner for Foods of the US Food and Drug Admin, Taylor also promises to whine about the lack of funding for his FSMA vision of stopping natural food production in the US during his April 18 workshop.

He's seeking a $3 billion budget to "modernize" our food system. By modernize, he means to hyper-regulate the small producer out of existence, while criminalizing natural food production and trade.

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242765-Monsanto-FDA-s-Michael-Taylor-t...

of course, if one wants to eat supermarket fud, then obviously this is hysterical non-sense and of no real importance. . . feeding crap to children does tend to explain some of diseases and subsequent medical interventions, in the form of pill 'n' potions for life, however long that might be. . .

either grow your own foods, source them from known growers. . . or roll the dice.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 21:03 | 2246061 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

I think you've heard me plug a "radical" early century doctor named Max Gerson and an ORGANIC plant based diet that basically cures cancer along with many other diseases. The medical establishment trashed him after he addressed congress and the major media started gaining attention. In fact, if you look him up on Wikipedia, its pretty negative. His daughter continues his work but has to do it in Mexico.

The juicing system makes a lot of "medical" sense for those whose system is already weak. THe nutirents enter your system immediately, in a concentrated and organic source and your body needs very little energy to put in your bloodstream. Check out the guy who invented the Norwalk juicer. Another pioneer. Lived to a hundred. Check out the BBC documentary on the oldest living people and check out a common trend in their diet.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykr71knXk4w

good nutrition makes a lot of sense, but it doesn't make a lot of dollars for the drug and medical industries

nutrition is the cheapest and most effective medical procedure you will ever buy

Funny thing, if you look up a guy named Colin Campbell (not the oil expert) on Wikipedia, turns out he's a heavyweight world nutrition expert who was behind "The China Study" one of the largest human diet studies ever. He essentially concludes the same thing as Gerson and to this day, when asked, says Gerson was right. Guess Wikipedia forgot to trash him too. Censorship is a tricky task . Campbell also thinks cows milk is a major major problem. You can find some good lectures by him on youtube

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study_(book)

 There are two great documentaries on youtube that touch on most of this plus the utter horrors of GMOs and our completely corrupt FDA

Food Matters

The Future of Food

 

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 01:57 | 2246493 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

aye, did a bit of research on Gerson based on one of your posts ages ago - he had a major "backlash" from the medical priests, so his methods must have had some truth to them, hmm. . . 

the whole AMA is a pretty heady subject to dig into, how they formed cliques to "outlaw" others practicing healing modalities outside their revered monetary grip. . . really it's just a big lobby to keep costs high, and the privileged few rewarded.  if everyone were made "healthy" - doctors would be out their monied lifestyles.

thankfully they're beginning to lose their grip, as people seek alternatives to toxic med maintenance of ill-health. . . but the way the world appears headed, not so sure even accessing good food will prevent the coming illnesses.

FYI, agree about the cow's milk - goat milk is easier for many, and particularly good for children.

here's a link that might interest some of the guys here:

A new study finds that Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup Bioforce® as well as glyphosate alone reduced testosterone levels in testicular cells at very low concentrations; and at higher concentrations – still 10 times below agricultural use – the cells died in 24-48 hours.

http://farmwars.info/?p=7951

take care Davey - always read your posts!

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 13:10 | 2247649 Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef's picture

Hate to butt in here, but...

...just wanted to point out that the AMA was brought to you by the Rockefellers.

Those lovely Rockefellers, always looking out for the common man, god bless 'em.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 16:08 | 2248241 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

yup, Rockefellers and their cohorts at the Carnegie Foundation managed to "corner the market" quite well by investing heavily in pharma, then "ranking" the various medical schools - with the result that most who admitted students other than white men (ie blacks, women, etc.), and schools teaching healing methods other than using pharma (ie homeopathy, herbalism, naturopathy) didn't pass the Foundation's tests for "qualified" status.

and here we are, pills in most pockets, plastic bottles lining the cupboards. . . managed ill health.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 10:38 | 2247110 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

same

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 13:46 | 2245129 Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef's picture

And the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision makes all those Ag lobbying funds "Free & Protected Speech." I wonder if billions of $$$ in "speech" could somehow influence the FDA?

Look forward to more horror shows, America.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 19:36 | 2245945 LetThemEatRand
LetThemEatRand's picture

And just because it bears repeating, the Supreme Court decided Citizens United on strict party lines.  The Conservatives voted in favor of legalized corporate bribery and buying of elections.  Pubic Hair Thomas dissented against the part that requires disclosure of where the money comes from -- he wanted it to be totally secret.   It's those fucking judicial activists at work.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 20:42 | 2246067 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

it's the last branch finally falling, open and ugly for everyone to see

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 00:51 | 2246436 bigkahuna
bigkahuna's picture

agenda 21.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 04:46 | 2244457 Gubbmint Cheese
Gubbmint Cheese's picture

But the ammonia they use on the meat makes it safe to eat right?

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 16:25 | 2245450 Silver Bug
Silver Bug's picture

Sadly this doesn't surprise me at all. Look up how chicken nuggets from mcdonalds are made!

 

http://jamesturkblog.blogspot.com/

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 19:31 | 2245933 Conrad Murray
Conrad Murray's picture

That's where that "pink slime" picture came from, the chicken nugget filler stories of last year.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 09:24 | 2244645 Hannibal
Hannibal's picture

Ofcourse, eat all you want, yumie,...medium pink please!

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 11:42 | 2244795 Zero Govt
Zero Govt's picture

pink is very sexist, any chance of blue slime for me please

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:25 | 2245317 Sudden Debt
Sudden Debt's picture

Sorry, we're out but if you mix the green slime with the red slime you'll get the blue slime with extra flavor!

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:32 | 2245332 CompassionateFascist
CompassionateFascist's picture

Who cares. I'm still waiting for the next iteration of McD's pork sandwich: "no pigs were killed or injured during the production of this port product".

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 20:04 | 2245995 SgtSchultz
SgtSchultz's picture

....pork themed product.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 04:59 | 2244465 George Washington
George Washington's picture

Of course it's safe! What do you think they made the MBS, CDS and CDO squareds out of??

Moody's, Fitch and S&P have rated it AAA

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 14:36 | 2245225 Pool Shark
Pool Shark's picture

 

 

So, George,

Are you saying you want this government that you don't trust to enect new regulations over ground beef?

Which is it George: do you like nanny government or not?

 

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 05:58 | 2246664 Confused
Confused's picture

Perhaps you missed the part saying that government BOUGHT it for school lunches. Or has made it illegal for farmers to test it themselves. 

 

They should just get the fuck out of the way. 

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 13:45 | 2245126 resurger
resurger's picture

lol AAA

ill eat chicken from now onwards!

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 09:06 | 2246865 krispkritter
krispkritter's picture

That pink goo in the first pick IS mechanically separated chicken. Or at least it's associated with all the articles on it. I'll stick to my free-range eggs, chicken, and fish I raise in aquaponics tanks, thank you. Having worked on a commercial chicken farm, I can tell you that chicken is no safer than beef coming from such an environment...the conditions are generally REALLY bad...

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:29 | 2245327 Obadiah
Obadiah's picture

My guess is that the chicken is even worse.  No doubt those are filled with antibiotics

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 15:23 | 2245309 Sudden Debt
Sudden Debt's picture

Not to alarm you but chicken fillet is mostly treated with bleech to make it look pink. Otherwise it turn greys/ greenish after 2 days.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 16:18 | 2245437 Jena
Jena's picture

I didn't know about the bleach but that's interesting.  

From a January 2010 Consumer Reports survey on the bacterial count of chicken available in major grocery stores:

1)  Campylobacter was in 62 percent of the chickens, salmonella was in 14 percent, and both bacteria were in 9 percent. Only 34 percent of the birds were clear of both pathogens. That's double the percentage of clean birds we found in our 2007 report but far less than the 51 percent in our 2003 report.

2)   Among the cleanest overall were air-chilled broilers. About 40 percent harbored one or both pathogens. Eight Bell & Evans organic broilers, which are air chilled, were free of both, but our sample was too small to determine that all Bell & Evans broilers would be.

3)  Store-brand organic chickens had no salmonella at all, showing that it's possible for chicken to arrive in stores without that bacterium riding along. But as our tests showed, banishing one bug doesn't mean banishing both: 57 percent of those birds harbored campylobacter.

4)  The cleanest name-brand chickens were Perdue's: 56 percent were free of both pathogens. This is the first time since we began testing chicken that one major brand has fared significantly better than others across the board.

5)  Most contaminated were Tyson and Foster Farms chickens. More than 80 percent tested positive for one or both pathogens.

6)  Among all brands and types of broilers tested, 68 percent of the salmonella and 60 percent of the campylobacter organisms we analyzed showed resistance to one or more antibiotics.

http://bit.ly/ytpMTe  The brand quality may have changed by now so I just view them all with suspicion.

 

For all meat in general:  Pay attention to the 'sell by date', make sure to fully cook what you intend to eat, refrigerate it immediately after cooking and don't risk food poisoning by eating any meats that are more than three days past their cook date.

Mon, 03/12/2012 - 13:03 | 2247622 Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef's picture

Time for some free-range pigeon, I guess. Tastes just like chicken & easy to catch.

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 16:05 | 2245407 Badabing
Badabing's picture

 

Ill have none of this, ill eat that little cracker soyent green.

 

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 16:42 | 2245495 john39
john39's picture

how many ways do you think they can hide inflation?

Sun, 03/11/2012 - 22:12 | 2246216 Hacked Economy
Hacked Economy's picture

Soylent Pink.

It's like 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' for Soylent Green.  Now we know how it'll all start.

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