The Serious Problems with Ammonia-Laden Beef

This NYT investigative article focuses on the serious problems that have stemmed from a large beef producer’s (Beef Products, Inc.) innovation of using ammonia to treat ground beef product, in an attempt to eliminate serious bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. The thorough piece details how the company developed the technology as a way to utilize fatty beef trimmings into their product - trimmings which typically contain higher amounts of bacteria. However, the article implies that the uniformity of ammonia levels used is not concrete – too high a percentage makes the product unpalatable, while too small a percentage does not eliminate the bacteria, making it potentially lethal.

This serious problem of ammonia-infused beef (which is not required to be labeled as such), was discussed over a year ago in an op-ed by GAP Public Health Associate Amanda Hitt.

Also in food safety news today, there is a serious E. coli outbreak, the cause of which has been traced back to an Oklahoma meat company (WashPost). That company, National Steak and Poultry, has recalled nearly a quarter-million pounds of beef.  

 

Comments

[Murray]

After reading or watching a program on the beef industry and next on the bacteria on our fresh vegetables and produce, I would bring my produce home and immediately scrub them items in soapy water and rinse. Recently, after washing some tangerines from Walmart, I noticed some rather strange "white" spots appeared on all of the fruit. I showed some to friends and they said it was probably due to the soap bath, but I prefer to believe it had something to do with the sprays which were used on the farm and maybe some later sprays intended to preserve the fruit.