Ground beef actually contains "pink slime"

[cornflake]

When I cook my grass fed burgers, I cook to just barely medium, as opposed to grain fed where I want well done. The reason is, grain fed cows ALL have ecoli in their gut. Grass fed cows (make sure your cow is grass finished as well) don't have anywhere near the same issues.

Aside from the above poster's experience in the lab - this sounds like it can't be true. I mean don't most humans have e-coli in their intestines?

I can't believe that grass-fed cows somehow don't but corn-fed do, that sounds like marketing hype at best and confusion more likely maybe. Also, the issue with e-coli as pathenogenic in meat for consumption is in burgers, not steaks, no, as the heat on the outside of steaks kills it even if the meat is all contaminated on the slaughterhouse floor with intestinal contents, but burgers are ground and the pathogen gets into the interior of the burger which, if not cooked through...

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My beef is the mischaracterization of the process including Oliver's statement that they 'wash' the beef in ammonia and that e doesn't know how mug they use (glut, glut, glut). It's stupid yellow journalism at its worst.

This happens all the time in news stories.

Other than experts in the field, I highly doubt most want such minute details anyway.

And in this particular field, I don't even know if details on the "washing" process are published. Last I checked a court order had to be obtained to to analyze data that was found during scientific research.

But maybe this article will explain it better. http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_650f64f4-60a3-11e1-84e3-001871e3ce6c.html

 

[princessmom29]

Aside from the above poster's experience in the lab - this sounds like it can't be true. I mean don't most humans have e-coli in their intestines?

I can't believe that grass-fed cows somehow don't but corn-fed do, that sounds like marketing hype at best and confusion more likely maybe. Also, the issue with e-coli as pathenogenic in meat for consumption is in burgers, not steaks, no, as the heat on the outside of steaks kills it even if the meat is all contaminated on the slaughterhouse floor with intestinal contents, but burgers are ground and the pathogen gets into the interior of the burger which, if not cooked through...

I think we have a terminology issue here. there are many different strains of ecoli, most of which are harmless. A few particular strains of ecoli are harmful, and I assume when most people say ecoli, these are what they are referring to. Yes, most animals, including humans, have ecoli in their gut. Most don't carry the deadly kind however. Free range animals are exposed to a wider range of environments and a larger number of pathogens, so they are more likely to carry the harmful strains.

 

[MolonLabe]

this is actually untrue, and you are playing with fire only cooking grass fed burgers to medium. in my lab, we found twice the incidence of bacterial contamination in free range animals. Their environment is far less controlled and they are exposed to a much wider spectrum of pathogens. Grain fed beef actually doesn't always have ecoli. In fact, they are tested and if te number of positive animals is high enough, an entire herd can be rejected for processing.

Not according to UCLA and dozens of other respected Universities.

Wikipedia has a good section of the differences between cattle and grain and grass fed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_feeding It also touches on the dangers of ecoli, specifically the hardier strains found in grain fed cows.

The idea that a grain fed cow, that spends it's life standing in 6-12" of feces for it's entire life is somehow better because it's a "controlled environment" is laughable at best.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Aside from the above poster's experience in the lab - this sounds like it can't be true. I mean don't most humans have e-coli in their intestines?

I can't believe that grass-fed cows somehow don't but corn-fed do, that sounds like marketing hype at best and confusion more likely maybe. Also, the issue with e-coli as pathenogenic in meat for consumption is in burgers, not steaks, no, as the heat on the outside of steaks kills it even if the meat is all contaminated on the slaughterhouse floor with intestinal contents, but burgers are ground and the pathogen gets into the interior of the burger which, if not cooked through...

Humans do harbor EColi in their intestines, but EColi 0157:H7 comes from animal intestines. It does no harm to animals, but is an adulterant to humans. It is a shiga producing bacteria that, when ingested, can release its shiga toxin into the bloodstream of humans that can cause many problems, including seizures, kidney failure and death.

Since this didn't seem to be much of a problem prior to the 1980s or so, some theorize that the trend toward feeding beef cows a cheaper diet primarily of corn or grain (as opposed to more natural, grass) and keeping them corralled (as opposed to free range, which takes land and money, time, etc.) has caused an alteration of the chemistry of their intestines that has encouraged the growth of 0157 (as well as spread it easily via crowded, unsanitary conditions), hence the cases we've seen in the last couple of decades. (This is the theory, not necessarily my opinion.)

Beef cows are not the only animal that harbor the deadly bacteria - other farm animals do as well.

 

[cornflake]

Thanks for the info, both. I'm still sortof confused though (borne of ignorance of the specifics obviously). Not to derail the thread into the specific details but weren't there fairly recent outbreaks of e-coli (pathenogenic to humans so I'd have guessed was the bad kind) in spinach or lettuce or tomato or some such produce, more than once, linked to human defecation in the fields of the producers? I think there was also one linked to a pig farm being nearby but I *think* also humans?

I know there are other deals that affect produce, listeria, salmonella, etc., but I think there have been e-coli - mainly because I don't eat meat so generally don't care about e-coli warnings or recalls (except in a general cross contamination in a restaurant way) but noticed those.
'

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I am also going to take a middle of the road stance between princessmom29 and MolonLabe and say that I couldn't state which one is more contaminated - grass fed or grain fed beef cows. I won't go as far as to say I don't care, either, because I do, but it's really a moot point, IMO, because BOTH can be contaminated. Heck, we can pick up EColi 0157:H7 at petting zoos, in cookie dough and on produce now - of course we can also get it from "humanely raised and slaughtered beef" (or whatever term you want to use) as well. One should use as much caution handling and eating that type of beef as any other.

A few years ago Whole Foods had an EColi 0157 outbreak. They swore up and down it couldn't be from them. But DNA analysis from the people infected and their own beef did confirm that their meat was the source, much to their chagrin. Turns out there was a problem with their nice, clean slaughterhouse and it was closed, so they sent their free range cows to a slaughterhouse that had been shut down by the USDA not too long before, for slaughter. Customers were none too happy learning the beef they were paying big bucks for had the same germs as the cheap stuff from the local supermarket.

 

[princessmom29]

Not according to UCLA and dozens of other respected Universities.

Wikipedia has a good section of the differences between cattle and grain and grass fed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_feeding It also touches on the dangers of ecoli, specifically the hardier strains found in grain fed cows.

The idea that a grain fed cow, that spends it's life standing in 6-12" of feces for it's entire life is somehow better because it's a "controlled environment" is laughable at best.

sorry, but the UCLA research is biased. they went in looking to prove their point. i don't take it as prof positive any more than the one study I participated in. I never claimed that grain fed beef was "better" whatever that means, just that we found more evidence of harmful bacteria free range animals. not all grain fed animals are kept knee deep in poop. that is an extreme example, and not the norm. My inlays raised grass fed cattle, and they poop too, everywhere. Staning in their own poop, and eating thier own poop while eating grass is a part of life.

 

[Planogirl]

I bought ground beef at Target today. Until I see a better option and understand a reason for concern, I'm going to stick to what I know. For now.

 

[princessmom29]

Thanks for the info, both. I'm still sortof confused though (borne of ignorance of the specifics obviously). Not to derail the thread into the specific details but weren't there fairly recent outbreaks of e-coli (pathenogenic to humans so I'd have guessed was the bad kind) in spinach or lettuce or tomato or some such produce, more than once, linked to human defecation in the fields of the producers? I think there was also one linked to a pig farm being nearby but I *think* also humans?

I know there are other deals that affect produce, listeria, salmonella, etc., but I think there have been e-coli - mainly because I don't eat meat so generally don't care about e-coli warnings or recalls (except in a general cross contamination in a restaurant way) but noticed those.
'

people don't generally carry harmful strands, but in places where sanitation conditions are poor, they can because they build up resistance over time because they are exposed via contaminated water, ect. what is not harmful to them is to us. Also, they could have been exposed and sick, but still working.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

people don't generally carry harmful strands, but in places where sanitation conditions are poor, they can because they build up resistance over time because they are exposed via contaminated water, ect. what is not harmful to them is to us. Also, they could have been exposed and sick, but still working.

There's a genetic element to this, oddly enough. Just as an anecdotal example, I'm wonderfully resistant to parasites and bacteria (let's not go into the nasty details, but I've shaken intestinal parasites without medical attention more than once), but catch any cold that meanders by, had chicken pox twice and, of course, have an extremely high risk for diabetes.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

sorry, but the UCLA research is biased. they went in looking to prove their point. i don't take it as prof positive any more than the one study I participated in. I never claimed that grain fed beef was "better" whatever that means, just that we found more evidence of harmful bacteria free range animals. not all grain fed animals are kept knee deep in poop. that is an extreme example, and not the norm. My inlays raised grass fed cattle, and they poop too, everywhere. Staning in their own poop, and eating thier own poop while eating grass is a part of life.

Cows won't eat the grass that grows over their own patties, at least not for quite a while. Go look at a cow field that hasn't been turned over in a while. Little dark circles of fertilized grass that the cows won't eat! OTOH, it makes for great stuff in human gardens. (And it's fun to use in cow patty wars when you're a kid!)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks for the info, both. I'm still sortof confused though (borne of ignorance of the specifics obviously). Not to derail the thread into the specific details but weren't there fairly recent outbreaks of e-coli (pathenogenic to humans so I'd have guessed was the bad kind) in spinach or lettuce or tomato or some such produce, more than once, linked to human defecation in the fields of the producers? I think there was also one linked to a pig farm being nearby but I *think* also humans?

I know there are other deals that affect produce, listeria, salmonella, etc., but I think there have been e-coli - mainly because I don't eat meat so generally don't care about e-coli warnings or recalls (except in a general cross contamination in a restaurant way) but noticed those.
'

It'll make your head spin, but here you go: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/produce-farming-on-the-brink/

There have been so many outbreaks of things not previously contaminated, it's pretty concerning.

 

[npmommie]

You are fooling yourself if ou believe organic meat processors don't use MDM.

not fooling myself as it makes no difference to me. we don't eat beef here. vegetarian, almost vegan family. except for hubby who calls himself flexitarian. he occasionally will want beef, and when that comes up I buy from a local farmer right down the road who raises the grass fed beef.
the cows are raised and butchered right there. and its usually steak hubby is craving so no pink slime worries

Humans do harbor EColi in their intestines, but EColi 0157:H7 comes from animal intestines. It does no harm to animals, but is an adulterant to humans. It is a shiga producing bacteria that, when ingested, can release its shiga toxin into the bloodstream of humans that can cause many problems, including seizures, kidney failure and death.

Since this didn't seem to be much of a problem prior to the 1980s or so, some theorize that the trend toward feeding beef cows a cheaper diet primarily of corn or grain (as opposed to more natural, grass) and keeping them corralled (as opposed to free range, which takes land and money, time, etc.) has caused an alteration of the chemistry of their intestines that has encouraged the growth of 0157 (as well as spread it easily via crowded, unsanitary conditions), hence the cases we've seen in the last couple of decades. (This is the theory, not necessarily my opinion.)

Beef cows are not the only animal that harbor the deadly bacteria - other farm animals do as well.

This

 

[princessmom29]

Cows won't eat the grass that grows over their own patties, at least not for quite a while. Go look at a cow field that hasn't been turned over in a while. Little dark circles of fertilized grass that the cows won't eat! OTOH, it makes for great stuff in human gardens. (And it's fun to use in cow patty wars when you're a kid!)

we spends lot of time in cow pastures actually, and I have seen them eating from their own patties,because my husba d pointed out that ey are dumb enough to eat their own poop. never seen what you are talking about, sorry.

 

[sbell111]

not fooling myself as it makes no difference to me. we don't eat beef here. vegetarian, almost vegan family. except for hubby who calls himself flexitarian. he occasionally will want beef, and when that comes up I buy from a local farmer right down the road who raises the grass fed beef.

The mere fact that the farmer down the road from you doesn't use this product doesn't prove your statement that all organic processors don't use it. That being said, I suspect that organic processors don't use it because they would need to buy organic 'slime', which I doubt is offered.

 

[npmommie]

The mere fact that the farmer down the road from you doesn't use this product doesn't prove your statement that all organic processors don't use it. That being said, I suspect that organic processors don't use it because they would need to buy organic 'slime', which I doubt is offered.

"A viewer, Miles Herbert, wanted to know, “Is there any evidence that organic meat contains this pink slime?”

It turns out there isn’t. If your meat is stamped USDA Organic, it’s pure meat with no filler."

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/where-you-can-get-pink-slime-free-beef/

 

[snarlingcoyote]

we spends lot of time in cow pastures actually, and I have seen them eating from their own patties,because my husba d pointed out that ey are dumb enough to eat their own poop. never seen what you are talking about, sorry.

Usually, if you don't see that the cows either don't have enough pasture or the farmer is turning the pasture over on a regular basis so that you don't see that. Or the poop is being collected to be sold. (It's ORGANIC and that makes it better, at least to beginning farmers. Not that I wasn't sent out plenty to gather cow chips and my family's been organic gardening since WWII. Luckily, my folks preferred cotton seed mill. Man, even today, I can get a whiff of that stuff and I'm taken back to early spring and planting season.)

 

[princessmom29]

The mere fact that the farmer down the road from you doesn't use this product doesn't prove your statement that all organic processors don't use it. That being said, I suspect that organic processors don't use it because they would need to buy organic 'slime', which I doubt is offered.

that is not how it works. the MDM is made in the same plants that turn out the ground beef, from the same cows. buying it from another processor would not be sound business. Some massive processors do, but for a smaller outfit like and organic processor it wouldn't make sense.

 

[princessmom29]

Usually, if you don't see that the cows either don't have enough pasture or the farmer is turning the pasture over on a regular basis so that you don't see that. Or the poop is being collected to be sold. (It's ORGANIC and that makes it better, at least to beginning farmers. Not that I wasn't sent out plenty to gather cow chips and my family's been organic gardening since WWII. Luckily, my folks preferred cotton seed mill. Man, even today, I can get a whiff of that stuff and I'm taken back to early spring and planting season.)

neither is true of my inlays farm. they have a little less than 4 acres per cow and don't turn over often. cows will still eat any grass they find.