Safety of Beef Processing Method Is Questioned

[undeterred]

By MICHAEL MOSS Published: December 30, 2009

Eight years ago, federal officials were struggling to remove potentially deadly E. coli from hamburgers when an entrepreneurial company from South Dakota came up with a novel idea: injecting beef with ammonia. The company, Beef Products Inc., had been looking to expand into the hamburger business with a product made from beef that included fatty trimmings the industry once relegated to pet food and cooking oil. The trimmings were particularly susceptible to contamination, but a study commissioned by the company showed that the ammonia process would kill E. coli as well as salmonella.

Officials at the United States Department of Agriculture endorsed the company’s ammonia treatment, and have said it destroys E. coli “to an undetectable level.” They decided it was so effective that in 2007, when the department began routine testing of meat used in hamburger sold to the general public, they exempted Beef Products.

With the U.S.D.A.’s stamp of approval, the company’s processed beef has become a mainstay in America’s hamburgers. McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food giants use it as a component in ground beef, as do grocery chains. The federal school lunch program used an estimated 5.5 million pounds of the processed beef last year alone.

But government and industry records obtained by The New York Times show that in testing for the school lunch program, E. coli and salmonella pathogens have been found dozens of times in Beef Products meat, challenging claims by the company and the U.S.D.A. about the effectiveness of the treatment. Since 2005, E. coli has been found 3 times and salmonella 48 times, including back-to-back incidents in August in which two 27,000-pound batches were found to be contaminated. The meat was caught before reaching lunch-rooms trays.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us/31meat.html

[Demeter]

1. Barf! That's Disgusting! Where Are We? Red China?

Okay, I've now sworn off fast food burgers for life. Time to get out the meat grinder again. I used to do all my hamburger at home, and although the present kitchen is too small, I can go back to it.

Couple of humungous lawsuits and all these bastards will be out of business. It's about time.

[northernlights]

2. has anyone ever considered the impact of filling our bodies with ammonia

Yes, we produce some naturally and our kidneys use it as needed and get rid of the excess. But...seriously....ammonia is toxic. :puke: :puke: :puke:

And all they're worried about is it impacting the taste? :puke: :puke: :puke: