PLEASANTON, Calif., March 21 (UPI) -- Safeway, the second-largest U.S. supermarket chain, says it will no longer sell meat containing low-quality scraps of beef
The move came in response to consumer concern about what the meat industry has called "lean, finely textured beef" and some others have labeled "pink slime," ABC News reported.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the filler is not an additive and meat containing it does not have to say so on the label. But critics say the filler is less nutritious than pure ground beef.
The filler is made from low-quality scraps of meat once used for dog food and cooking oil and is treated with ammonia.
"It's not fresh ground beef. It's a cheap substitute being added in," microbiologist Gerald Zirnstein said.
"While the USDA and food industry experts agree that lean, finely textured beef is safe and wholesome, recent news stories have caused considerable consumer concern about this product," the Safeway statement said. "Safeway will no longer purchase ground beef containing lean, finely textured beef."
Publix, HEB, Whole Foods and Costco have said their ground beef is free of additives, ABC News reported.
