McDonald's scraps "pink slime" from burgers

By: Monica DyBuncio
Topics: News ,; Food and Drink

(CBS) McDonald's is axing "pink slime" from its burgers, after receiving heat from celebrity chef and food activist Jamie Oliver, CBS This Morning reported.

What is pink slime? It's the name Oliver has given to fatty beef trimmings soaked in ammonium hydroxide, which removes bacteria and makes the beef taste better.

"We're taking a product that would be sold in its cheaper form for dogs," Oliver said on his TV show, Food Revolution, where he demonstrated the practice. "After this process, we can give it to humans."

The technique is approved by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.

Last week, McDonald's announced it's no longer using the beef product, although the chain said in a statement that this decision "was not related to any particular event." Taco Bell and Burger King have also agreed to stop using the additive, according to the Huffington Post.

Oliver isn't the only one to raise issue with the controversial "slime." The New York Times questioned the safety of the process in 2009.

Watch Oliver uncover "pink slime" in the video clip below:

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by liberalmike February 7, 2012 1:02 AM EST: Ok what do you call an anorexic with a yeast infection?

A quarter pounder w/cheese!; Reply to this comment


by Eric_Starson February 2, 2012 8:44 AM EST: I first found out about it in this video where Cleveland Clinic researchers dissect fast food burgers:
http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/whats-in-a-burger/; Reply to this comment

by Bigonza February 2, 2012 2:00 AM EST

This explains why so many people vote for liberals. They're poisoned and their brain isn't working correctly.

Reply to this comment


by liberalmike February 7, 2012 12:59 AM EST: Actually this goes AGAINST what repubs advocate.............We need MORE govt. regulations on the food industry.

Wouldn't you agree?

by jtdev1 January 31, 2012 9:09 AM EST

They should make it mandatory for everyone to watch Food Inc.

That's the only way out food market will change to be healthy.

You'd be surprised at what they are doing to out food chain all in the name of profits.

Reply to this comment


by Nate650 January 31, 2012 4:27 PM EST: Problem is many people have watched Food, Inc. and haven't changed a thing.


by omnibus66 January 31, 2012 8:24 AM EST: Beef fat soaked in ammonium hydroxide. Sounds disgusting but probably wouldn't hurt you in small quantities. It could possibly raise your stomach pH levels which could lead to poor digestion in the short term. But I'm sure Homer Simpson would love it.; Reply to this comment


by longtree-2009 January 31, 2012 2:26 AM EST: interesting the dept of agriculture and the food and drug administration, the people's watch dogs, approved of the process thus authorizing the meat for the people's consumption. some watch dogs.; Reply to this comment


by rwsmith29456 January 31, 2012 1:07 AM EST: I'm glad I guit eating this stuff.; Reply to this comment


by JDAD2 January 30, 2012 9:34 PM EST: i knew that burger tasted fonny today...; Reply to this comment


by Nate650 January 30, 2012 8:23 PM EST: Thank God for people like Jamie trying to make a difference. Good food is incredibly underrated. It seems people would rather quickly grab a meal at Burger King and use the saved time to watch TV. Where has the priority of eating well gone? Another issue is that cooking at home isn't enough to eat healthy because the supermarket contains many of the highly processed stuff that the majority of fast food restaurants use. The key is to cook with only whole fresh ingredients that will eventually rot.

Is the show still running?; Reply to this comment