Thursday, April 14, 2011

Pink Slime

Here is an email response I just received.

Hello Jo,
Your recent inquiry which you submitted to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website was forwarded to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) because of the CFIA's role in food safety.
Ammonia processing for meat products is not approved for use in Canada. All food sold in Canada, domestic and imported, must meet Canadian food safety standards.  These standards are established by Health Canada and enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The Food and Drug Regulations establish standards for ground beef and other meat products that look like ground beef.
B.14.078. No person shall sell a food that consists of a mixture of meat product and meat product extender and that resembles regular ground beef, medium ground beef or lean ground beef, unless that food
(a) has a total protein content of not less than 16 percent;
(b) has a fat content of
(i) not more than 30 per cent, as determined by official method FO-33, Determination of Fat in Meat and Simulated Meat Products, October 15, 1981, in the case where the product is represented as being regular,
(ii) not more than 23 per cent, as determined by official method FO-33, Determination of Fat in Meat and Simulated Meat Products, October 15, 1981, in the case where the product is represented as being medium, or
(iii) not more than 17 per cent, as determined by official method FO-33, Determination of Fat in Meat and Simulated Meat Products, October 15, 1981, in the case where the product is represented as being lean; and
(c) in respect of the meat product extender, meets the requirements of paragraphs B.14.073(a) to (c).
B.14.015. [S]. Regular Ground Beef shall be beef meat processed by grinding and shall contain not more than 30 per cent beef fat, as determined by official method FO-33, Determination of Fat in Meat and Simulated Meat Products, October 15, 1981.
B.14.015A. [S]. Medium Ground Beef shall be beef meat processed by grinding and shall contain not more than 23 per cent beef fat, as determined by official method FO-33, Determination of Fat in Meat and Simulated Meat Products, October 15, 1981.
B.14.015B. [S]. Lean Ground Beef shall be beef meat processed by grinding and shall contain not more than 17 per cent beef fat, as determined by official method FO-33, Determination of Fat in Meat and Simulated Meat Products, October 15, 1981.
Here is a link to the Food and Drug Regulations:
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/C.R.C.,_c._870/index.html
Thank you for using the CFIA web site.

I can keep my ground beef.

Jo

6 comments:

  1. Thank you very much for your work on this.

    I had emailed Costco to ask what they do at their locations.

    Dear Shamir,

    We appreciate you taking the time to email Costco Wholesale.

    The ground beef comes from the Chuck (forequarter) and Round (hindquarter) sections.

    In regards to your question regarding the use of ammonia/ammonia treated raw material in ground beef. Costco does not use any ammonia based treatment to reduce the bacterial levels in ground beef nor do we use any raw material that have been treated with ammonia.

    Please let us know if you need any further assistance. Have a great day!

    Thank you,

    Toby
    Costco Wholesale Corporation

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  2. Thanks you so much Shamir for passing this on. I am assuming this applies to both Costco Canada and Costco USA, do you know any differently?

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  3. I just saw Jamie's explanation/demonstration of "pink slime" on tv last night and was also completely grossed out. I just wanted to thank you for your work on this, and posting the response you receive from both the CFIA and Costco. You made it really easy for me to relax about what I'm feeding my family!
    Kathy

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  4. I'm glad you found my blog helpful Kathy - pink slime does sound dreadful doesn't it?

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  5. Hi Jo,

    I found your comments about this topic really interesting. I've been looking into this as well and would really like to talk to further about this offline if possible.

    Here is my email address:
    girlie_gyal@hotmail.com

    Please contact me as soon as possible and we can chat.

    Thanks.

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  6. Why didn't Toby list his last name? Looks fishy

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