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  • With Mayo Clinic nutritionists

    Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

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  • Nutrition-wise blog

  • April 4, 2012

    Pink slime and red meat — What's the takeaway?

    By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

76 comments posted

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This past month has been especially noteworthy for meat news. First came the revelation that most ground beef contains a processed meat byproduct called "pink slime." More delicately known as "lean finely textured beef trimmings," this product is made from connective tissue (versus meat muscle) and fat, and is treated with ammonium hydroxide to kill salmonella and E. coli.

Currently the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers this process safe enough to allow the resulting product to be added to ground beef. However, current regulations don't require that companies disclose use of this ingredient on meat labels.

Speaking of meat labels, a new USDA rule requires that packages of ground or certain whole cuts of meat and poultry now carry Nutrition Facts panels on their labels. This means you'll be able to see the calories and the grams of total fat and saturated fat that a product contains. In addition, products that list a lean percentage will also have to list a fat percentage — for example 80/20. It's important to pay attention to the recommended serving size, usually 4 ounces raw (which cooks down to about 3 ounces).

The other big story was the release of findings from a huge study on red meat published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Harvard researchers have been tracking 37,000 male and 83,000 female health care workers since the 1980s and have found that one serving (defined as 3 ounces) of red meat a day — whole or processed — was associated with increased risk of total, cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Red meat was defined as beef (including hamburger), pork and lamb. Processed red meat included sausage, salami, bacon and bologna. Substitution of other healthy proteins, such as fish, poultry, legumes and low-fat dairy, lowered the risk.

Final estimates were that 9 percent of deaths in men and 7 percent of deaths in women could be prevented if individuals lowered their red meat consumption to no more than one-half serving (defined as 1.5 ounces) a day. Note that this is half of the serving size listed on the new Nutrition Facts label for meat.

The meat controversy continues to sizzle. To me, though, the message is clear: We should eat less red meat, less often. Choose your motivation — the "ick" factor or the medical research. What's your take on it?

- Jennifer

76 comments posted

blog index

  • April 12, 2012 11:55 a.m.

    Re fat content of meant -- Meat is about 70% water. So a fat content of "20%" means that 2/3 of the non-water is fat. Re "Pink slime" -- some compounds concentrate in fat, from which pink slime is centrifuged. How does pink slime compare to muscle meat in contents of adulterating hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides fed to animals?

    - Warren

  • April 12, 2012 11:44 a.m.

    How long have they been using "pink Slime" in the food industry for human consumption?

    - Fred

  • April 12, 2012 10:24 a.m.

    Good grief - unless we grow our own, whatever it is, we will never know what we actually consume. It's good to be informed but only the affluent can afford to eat healthy every meal. An occasional hotdog, or BLT is not going to do you in - be sensible but don't be afraid to LIVE.

    - Constancia P.

  • April 12, 2012 8:06 a.m.

    If you are going to eat a murdered animal, you may as well eat all of him, including the pink slime.

    - Hena

  • April 12, 2012 7:36 a.m.

    I am Canadian and am unaware if our meatpackers are using pink slime. My father was a butcher and he would always tell my mother that if she was buying ground beef to always buy the meat whole (round steak)and have the butcher ground it and this was 50 yrs ago! I too worked in a meat department of a chain grocery store when I was in highschool and am very careful of meats that I purchase there. I do not trust the chain stores at all! You do not explain too clearly what this pink slime is and what it does to our bodies. Our lifestyles are so different now that years ago I can understand the need to cut back on the amount of red meat that we are consuming. We don't need it anymore.

    - Barbara

  • April 12, 2012 7:09 a.m.

    Havard research: 1 x 3oz serving since 1980 ??? I don't think so!

    - Penny

  • April 12, 2012 6:49 a.m.

    I say trust your body. If it says "give me a double cheeseburger'", do so.

    - Ed

  • April 12, 2012 6:11 a.m.

    I've been a vegetarian for 15 years now. It was much harder in those days to go meatless,but it's easier now with the meat alternatives available these days.In response to Jack murd..we are made of meat..do you advocate cannibalism?...Joe

    - Joe

  • April 12, 2012 12:48 a.m.

    I never eat red meat. I always order it well done, and send it back if it has any pink remaining. Hot dogs are an exception. It is un-American not to consume Ice Cream, Hot Dogs and Apple Pie, as everyone knows. Finally, mankind has evolved over the millenia on a diet of poorly cooked meat. We haven't become extinct ...yet. Those who die off are unfit to survive and are weeded out, strengthening the gene pool. THAT is the natural way. In short, those who depend on sensationalist TV news bites and internet blog sites for nutritionist information deserve what they pay for it. If we are not supposed to eat animals, then why are they made of meat???

    - Jack

  • April 11, 2012 10:35 p.m.

    I agree with your readers about the lack of significant content in your article. You do not know who your readers are nor that they want specific detailed information. This is written for seven year olds.

    - H

  • April 11, 2012 8:54 p.m.

    I hope you pay attention to the mostly thoughtful comments posted above. The article has 2 paragraphs with no new or useful information about pink slime. Shame on you!

    - Jerry

  • April 11, 2012 8:29 p.m.

    Saw the article title and thought I would learn something about Pink Slime...nothing different than in a news article. Was very, very disappointed that Mayo Clinic did not elaborate about Pink Slime or talk about how bad the stuff is for you but instead just used the title to pull you in to learn that consuming excess meat is bad for you...duh! They could do better than this.

    - Gin

  • April 11, 2012 8:28 p.m.

    the red meat article is a farce. poorly done and full of holes questionnaire. jeeze "what did you eat for lunch 4 years ago"? by the way t colin cambell should retire and be banned from ever publishing crap and lies such as the china study.

    - grok48

  • April 11, 2012 7:47 p.m.

    I don't believe any of this hype. I'm not pushing Christianity but anyone can read the Bible and find out what we are intended to eat. The problem lies in the additives, not in the natural product. Keep it natural and you will be fine.

    - kit

  • April 11, 2012 6:09 p.m.

    So if 100 people eat only a half serving of red meat per day, 9 of them will be immortal?

    - Rahwscoe

  • April 11, 2012 6:04 p.m.

    Vegans rule, any questios?

    - Kitty

  • April 11, 2012 5:46 p.m.

    What a disappointing read! I was interested in learning more about pink slime. You tricked us into reading otherwise. Change the title of your article please.

    - Mae

  • April 11, 2012 5:11 p.m.

    I'll be 63 in June. I recall a rural school field trip, probably to Dubuque Pack where a man said to stick our nose over the 55 gallon drum to smell what went into our hotdogs. It didn't smell so good! But then lots of farm smells aren't so good. We eat AK salmon, canned tuna, whole chickens and breasts, occasional ham, pork loin, beef. Try to eat a deck of cards worth. Before the slime came out CSPI had convinced me to stop buying any processed meat for grilling this year. 1 steak only so far. Bought one more steak meal. I'm gonna ask a small grocer with a guy behind the meat counter what is in his sausage. If it's OK I'll buy that pricier made on the premises stuff and pass on the meat at Rainbow or Cub or Aldi's. The story about Hormel's head blasting process and resulting damage to employee's health has me a bit put off on our favorite Hormel Little Sizzlers.

    - Stuart

  • April 11, 2012 4:56 p.m.

    Today the average American person eats a lot more meat than 75 years ago, moves less and weights more but in spite of that, we are living a lot longer. I have read the only sure diet that prolongs life is so calory restricted that energy, sex drive, ambition and other things that make life worth living cease to exist. Besides, we have to make room for the coming generations. I am 74 years old and worry we are exhausting resources and using up the space. ait is the quality, not the lentgh of life that matters to me.

    - Marie

  • April 11, 2012 4:36 p.m.

    I was very interested to read about the "pink slime", and very disappointed with the article. It doesn't address the issues that concern many health oriented individuals. I was hoping to learn more than the sound bites I hear on the 6 o'clock news. Personally, I will not be consuming any meat with "pink slime".

    - Diane

  • April 11, 2012 4:18 p.m.

    I am an RD in the Philadelphia area and I get a lot of questions about whether red meat is healthy and whether it should be cut out of one's diet. I always remind my patients that many American's eat way more meat than they should/need. I tell them that it is important to keep proper portion sizes in mind: 1 portion = 3 oz = a deck of cards. Most patients, particularly men, are shocked at "how small" that is. Everything in moderation is key and moderation means red meat 1 x a week. Since this is usually much less than what patients are currently eating, I suggest starting out by making 1 day a week meatless. Directing them to some good online recipe sites that offer vegetarian recipes is helpful too. Unfortunately, unless you work directly in the meat packing industry, it's hard to say what is really happening with our meat. It's tough to know who to trust and who to believe. Particularly since the meat industry has a huge financial connection with our government. I like the idea of buying a chuck roast and having the butcher grind it for you. I used to work for a butcher and that is how we made our ground beef - we cut up chuck steak and put it through the grinder - zero filler, chemicals, by products, etc. Now THAT, made an awesome tasting burger, totally worth the calories and fat - occasionally, of course :)

    - Heather

  • April 11, 2012 4:18 p.m.

    I choose to eat red meat sometimes. They should be required to label if it contains pink slime. We deserve a choice.

    - Jane

  • April 11, 2012 4:09 p.m.

    Well, that was perfectly devoid of useful information.

    - Unimpressed

  • April 11, 2012 3:57 p.m.

    If you want some evidence based research putting food as medicine to the test, take time to order and review the video "Forks Over Knives"..including longitudinal studies done with humans. This will influence your meal planning including whether or not to include animal protein and dairy products at all The researchers are highly respected professionals: Dr T Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell and Dr Caldwell Esselstyne a former top surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. I challenge you to check it out. You owe it to yourselves adn your families!

    - Bev

  • April 11, 2012 3:54 p.m.

    Well, Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., what IS your take on "Pink Slime?" You did not say. Please tell us.

    - Dee

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