Entry #9 Food Perspective Video: Pink Slime

We could blame our government for not requiring beef producers to disclose their practice of using chemicals such as ammonia to "kill bacteria" in the ground beef product. We could blame billion-dollar chains like McDonalds for feeding 69 Million people per day products that contained this so-called "safe chemical" (ammonia). But the one who should actually get the "finger" is me AND you.

Sure it is easier to blame our government and greedy corporations for keeping us in the dark. But can we honestly say we wanted to know where our food really came from? Aren't we a society that wants instant gratification and is "too busy" to cook? If you missed it before, here it is again, 69 MILLION people PER DAY are fed by McDonalds. That does not include how many people visit other chains such as Wendy's, Jack-in-the-Box, Carl's Junior, etc. If nobody asks the questions, companies do not volunteer the information.

For 20+ years, "pink slime" has been used as a filler in ground beef  in order to sell more product by the pound at a lower price. The Huffington Post writes: "The product is made using a process in which butchered cow trimmings are heated, lean meat is separated from fat, and ammonia gas is applied to the meat to kill bacteria". The pink color comes from the blood. The USDA argues that since it ALL comes from the cow, it is a beef products, therefore, they do not need to disclose how the product is made. Additionally, the USDA argues that Ammonia is safe for human consumption. Watch here. 

Since ABC News first aired the "Pink Slime" story on March 8, 2012 the image to the right went viral on social media. People became outraged that this product was being sold to humans to consume. Although McDonalds admittedly denies that this image came from their factory, they did admit using USDA-approved beef filler in their burgers. Because of the negative press, McDonalds voluntarily changed the way they processed their beef and chicken, and shown in the video below:




Again, who is to blame? As a culture, we need to start asking questions and stop relying on food manufacturers to feed us. The affects of eating poorly-processed, nutritionally-barren food is nobody's fault but our own. Companies like McDonalds are merely providing a product that IS in demand (69 Million people a day). If there was no demand, there would be no McDonalds. For many people, we choose to turn our head and figure, "what we don't know won't kill us".  That statement simply isn't true. Other countries have actually BANNED American meat products because of our processing techniques. Doesn't that say something? It is time to wake up, get in your air conditioned car, drive to your local grocery store to shop for whole foods you can prepare yourself. MAKE THE TIME!

I realize McDonalds makes it almost irresistible to grab a $99 value meal you can inhale, while driving, to satisfy your hungry belly; but are you really saving money in the long-term? How much is your health worth to you? I am going to state right here and now that I am with Johnny Cash on this sentiment and say "screw you, USDA" my health is PRICELESS! #askquestions