CLEVELAND – A national investigation recently revealed some grocery stores are selling ground beef that contains beef trimmings, also known as “pink slime.” So which northeast Ohio grocery stores are selling it?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said pink slime is a low-cost filler ingredient made from fatty bits of meat left over from other cuts and is treated with ammonium hydroxide gas to kill bacteria. It is also heated and spun to remove the fat, then shaped into blocks for mixing into conventional ground beef. Producers often mix it into fattier meat to create a cheaper, leaner product.
The pink slime has been on the market for years, but it doesn’t have to be labeled as an ingredient in your ground beef since it is a beef product. Federal regulators said it meets standards for food safety.
But the investigation left a lot of people seeking information about the ground beef they buy at their local grocery stores. “Pink slime” has been one of the most searched phases on online search engines. So, NewsChannel5 contacted the corporate offices of chains in our region to get some answers. Here’s what we found:
GIANT EAGLE: A company spokesman said, “For those interested in ground beef produced without Boneless Lean Beef Trim, Giant Eagle offers a variety of choices including our Market District and Nature’s Basket ground beef, as well as a number of branded beef products. Boneless Lean Beef Trim is government approved by both the USDA and the FDA and has been used safely for more than 20 years (see the attached Q&A from the American Meat Institute).”
Here is a link to that document referenced in the statement: http://on.wews.com/GKc8IU
HEINEN’S : The company wrote on its Facebook page in response to a customer’s question: “Absolutely not! There is no “pink slime” in Heinen’s ground beef!”
WHOLE FOODS: Whole Foods told ABC News it does not use pink slime.
ACME: A company spokesperson told ABC News: “Effective today, SUPERVALU has made the decision to no longer purchase fresh ground beef containing finely textured beef for any of our traditional retail stores. These stores include Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw’s/Star Market, Shop ‘n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy. We are currently working with our suppliers to implement this change. While it’s important to remember there are no food safety concerns with products containing finely textured beef, this decision was made due to ongoing customer concerns over these products. All current beef products in our stores meet strict safety and quality standards approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
BUEHLER’S: The company’s website said: “Buehler’s Fresh Foods announced today (March 13) that the fresh Certified Angus Beef ground beef and patties sold in their stores contains none of the ‘pink slime’ that has been discussed in the media over the last few days.”
FISHERS FOODS: A company spokeswoman said its stores do not use “pink slime,” and beef is ground up fresh at each store location by a butcher.
WALMART & SAM’S CLUB: A company spokesperson told ABC News : “We spend a lot of time listening to customers and adjusting our product assortment to ensure we have the right products at the right prices. Recently some customers have expressed concerns with lean finely textured beef (LFTB) and, while the USDA and experts agree that it is safe and nutritious, Walmart and Sam’s Club will begin offering fresh ground beef that does not contain LFTB. We’re committed to providing our customers with quality products at the right prices.”
COSTCO: A company spokesperson told ABC News it does not use “pink slime.” “Anything that we sell at Costco we want to explain its origins, and I personally don’t know how to explain trim treated with ammonia in our ground beef,” Craig Wilson, vice president of quality assurance for Costco, told ABC News. “I just don’t know how to explain that. I’m not that smart.”
DAVE’S MARKETS: NewsChannel5 left a message with a company representative and is waiting for a response. We’ll update this story when we receive more information.
