Cargill To Label Finely Textured Beef

WICHITA, Kan.Cargill Beef will begin labeling its branded U.S.-made, fresh, ground beef products containing Finely Textured Beef prior to the 2014 grilling season, with the declaration Contains Finely Textured Beef." The announcement comes nearly 18 months after calls for companies to halt production of pink slime," as it was dubbed by the media and its critics.

Our research shows that consumers believe ground beef products containing Finely Textured Beef should be clearly labeled," said John Keating, Cargill Beef president. Weve listened to the public, as well as our customers, and that is why today we are declaring our commitment to labeling Finely Textured Beef."

The new labeling procedure is based on consumer research that consumers desire transparency and believe ground beef products containing Finely Textured Beef should be clearly labeled, providing them with choices when they make a purchase. Research also revealed that, upon learning Finely Textured Beef is 100% pure beef and 95% lean, and how it is made, consumers respond positively to its benefits. Cargill also has launched a dedicated Finely Textured Beef website that provides information about the product, including videos showing how Finely Textured Beef is made at its U.S. beef cattle processing plants.

The debate as to whether boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT) are safe for human consumption made headlines last year as media reports created a troubling and inaccurate picture of the form of beef made by separating lean beef from fat, particularly in their use of the colloquial term pink slime." The food additive is created by combining beef trimmings, heating them to remove most of the fat, and treating them with ammonia hydroxide gas to kill potentially dangerous bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella.

In May 2012, Beef Products Inc., the maker of lean, finely textured beef (LFTB) dubbed pink slime" by the media and critics of its use, and the target of the ABC News investigation, announced it would permanently shutter operations in three of its four operating plants. The announcement comes after the company could not recover from the media frenzy that resulted in decreased consumer demand for its product.

In September 2012, Beef Products, Inc. (BPI) sued ABC News and its journalists, contending the network misled consumers into believing its lean finely textured beef (LFTB) was unsafe. In July 2013, a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the $1.2 billion "pink slime" defamation lawsuit against ABC News, Inc. and its journalists including, Diane Sawyer, will be litigated in state court.

Retail labeling of beef products containing LFTB has been an option since it was first included in ground beef products more than a decade ago. Voluntary statements such as a label indicating ground beef does or does not contain LFTB is considered a claim. USDA regulations require claims to be verified for accuracy before use on product labeling prior to their use by industry.