Don’t use the foam. Get ready to read about beef.

  Using ammonia hydroxide to treat lean beef trimmings will kill pathogens.  This has been the norm for quit sometime.  The food additive NH₄OH, is a widespread antimicrobial utilized by major fast food companies such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell restaurants.  The Food and Drug Administration has cited the pathogen killer to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS).  Studies found that replacement of sodium phosphate, used prior to the fact; with “…ammonium hydroxide would allow processors to significantly reduce the sodium content of injected fresh meat. ( J Food Sci. 2011 Jan-Feb)” The pink slime has been in use for around 20 years.
     The additive isn’t the safest additive to use.  Customers that take in beef like a vacuum on dirt don’t want to hear that.  Isn’t the customer always right?

     Beef treated with ammonium hydroxide can still be found on grocery shelves, but the listed fast food chains have discontinued its use.  The product additive won’t completely disappear, though, the slime will just get slick about where it is.  The foods with the additive will be labeled, “LEAN FINELY TEXTURED BEEF”.  Soon you will be able to qualify for a degree to shop for the healthy foods.    
In recent headlines, “Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said the campaign against the beef filler called “pink slime” by food activists is a “vicious smear” and called for a congressional probe after more than 200 Iowans lost their jobs. (Bloomberg News, By Chappatta and Brennan on 4/4/ 2012)”
     The alternative that has been mentioned to take the place of the foul sounding additive is citric acid.  This has been accepted.  In the process, there is no foam produced.  The slime is left over after the beef tissue on the slab has been heated to about 100 degrees.  After heating, the product is spun to separate the fat from the lean meat.  The ammonia functioned to kill bacteria during the heating process. Pink slime, the unwanted meat filler, was used as a low-cost additive that was added to fattier meat in order to produce a leaner overall fat content.
     How do you say in brat-terminology? “Ew.”
     Let’s all thank the fast food restaurants, that produce value meals which will stop the heart of any known human being, for not using pink slime.  In the grocery stores, you have to avoid that slime ball yourself.