Its official name is “Lean Beef Trimmings.” Some folks call the stuff “pink slime.” We call it gross.
It’s the fatty scraps and connective tissue left over after a cow is slaughtered. These unappetizing trimmings usually reserved for dog food are treated with ammonia to kill salmonella and E. coli bacteria. The resulting substance is then ground into a pink goo and mixed into ground beef that is destined for school cafeterias. In fact, the USDA plans to buy 7 million pounds of the ammonia-treated trimmings for the national school lunch program. Read the Daily’s report about this slimy partnership between the USDA and the meatpacking industry.
