Return of 'pink slime': Customers flock back to controversial meat 2 years after sales plunged

The London Daily Mail ^ | June 16, 2014 | Bryan Keogh

[2ndDivisionVet]

The leftover beef trimmings derisively known as 'pink slime' is making a comeback two years after a series of graphic news broadcasts devastated sales.

Two of the largest makers of the ground beef product are reporting a rebound in customers thanks in part to rising prices of its higher-quality counterparts.

Average ground beef prices have jumped 10 per cent this year to an all-time high of $3.808 per pound in April, according to the Bureau of Labor.

Cargill Inc's sales of finely textured beef have tripled since March 2012, and the agriculture company now has about 400 customers for the product, which is made from trimmings that have been separated from fat and treated with ammonia or citric acid to kill pathogens, the Lincoln Journal Star reported on Saturday.

That's more customers than Minneapolis-based Cargill had before the controversy erupted after ABC News aired a series of reports on the meat, prompting a consumer backlash, according to Cargill director of communications Mike Martin. Sales, however, are still 40 per cent below their peak, he said.

Jeremy Jacobsen, a spokesman for Beef Products Inc, which dubs its meat 'lean finely textured beef', also confirmed a sales boost. Both companies didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mr Jacobsen said his lawyers advised him not to comment further pending the outcome of the Dakota Dunes, South Dakota-based company's $1.2billion defamation lawsuit against ABC, which accused the network of misleading consumers into thinking the product is unsafe....

[jonrick46]

With the ethanol from corn insanity, the beef we do eat is tough, tasteless and soaring in price. I don’t know how much more of our bonehead federal government we can take.

[Track9]

I prefer smoked tongue. Delicious

[headstamp 2]

You duct tape your spam to rice too I see.

[headstamp 2]

Yes they get it off the bones with a belt sander. LOL

[BenLurkin]

trimmings that have been separated from fat and treated with ammonia or citric acid to kill pathogensSounds like baloney to me.

[dalereed]

“before Obama finishes his second term a lot of people will be eating dog food.”

After school in the 1940s after school I would buy a box of 5s dog food and a quart of Good Humor ice cream and sit sown on the curb and eat them!!

[familyop]

"I told my wife a couple years ago,before Obama finishes his second term a lot of people will be eating dog food."

With the animal worshiping trend, dog food is not all that cheap.

[nascarnation]

before Obama finishes his second term a lot of people will be eating dog food.

Only if the markets puke up the fake money by then. Otherwise the entitlement army will continue to feast on EBT.

[txrefugee]

Rabbit, squirrel and raccoon have all been on the menus of families during hard times. They survived.

[JSteff]

"Scrapple" one of my all time favorite meats.. and yes I grew up in Philly also. Scrapple was a treat and I remember when we moved to California and we could get no more.

Then when we moved back 16 years later (actually Dad got transfered back to PA) we were all so happy. Scrapple on toast, Scrapple on toast with a runny egg, Scrapple mixed with hash browns (the shaved type and not the chunky style). Then I got my daughter hooked on them too. It really is a great tasting way to serve meat by-products. Really did appreciate moving from California and thinking the whole drive back to PA of the Scrapple.

Also I remember trying to explain it to the other kids in may class when I was in California. Tough concept to get the taste/consistency/ and aroma across to young surfer wana-bees what the experience of Scrapple was. Took a lot of ribbing for it, but who cared...I at least had enjoyed something they did not and most likely would never get to enjoy. i

[familyop]

FYI.

Hialeah Park sees increase in Flamingo population
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3168569/posts

[The stampede for protein begins.]

[jonrick46]

Loco Moco with Spam! Yummmmm!

[MediaMole]

Why should that be surprising? He ate dogs as food.

[SgtBob]

12 years is fine if distilled by The Glenlivet!

[Farmer Dean]

Rabbit and squirrel are excellent if prepared properly,but eating a raccoon.....

[MaxMax]

NY Strip Steaks 3.99LB Family pack at Fiesta until tomorrow 6/17...

I got mine this morning. YES!

[BobL]

I’d eat that stuff LONG BEFORE I’d ever get near a wheat product again - wheat is now (after hybridization), essentially, poison.

[1010RD]

Good. They really hurt the apple industry with that Alar scare. These MSM hit men are villainous scum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0znNiN0lYAQ

[2ndDivisionVet]

Brookshires, Kroger, HEB and Central Market all carry it here Texas.

[Enterprise]

What is pictured would not be considered sushi. It is much closer to spam musubi. Spam musubi would be a layer of rice, a slice of spam, another layer of rice, and wrapped with seaweed. The example shown lacks the second layer of rice.