Attorneys question whether what Taco Bell calls ‘beef’ is actually beef By Brett Michael Dykes http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelo...er-what-taco-bell-calls-beef-is-actually-beef EmailPrint..By Brett Michael Dykes brett Michael Dykes – Tue Jan 25, 1:04 pm ET The late-night crowd knows all too well the allure of Taco Bell's piping-hot creations. But is it really ground beef they're putting in that beef meximelt? That's the question at the heart of a lawsuit filed recently by the Montgomery, Alabama-based law firm Beasley Allen. The standard for what constitutes beef as defined by the USDA is pretty straightforward: "flesh of animals." In the "Food Facts" section of its website, Taco Bell says the following about its beef: "Our taco meat is made from USDA-inspected beef and is subjected to quality check points. It tastes great because it's simmered in 12 authentic seasonings and spices and is never frozen. Moreover, our taco meat is leaner than what you'll find in a restaurant-cooked hamburger because of the unique way that we prepare our taco meat and remove fat." But Beasley Allen contends that the company's claims are untrue. "Rather than beef, these food items are actually made with a substance known as 'taco meat filling,' " the lawsuit says. The firm contends that that Taco Bell shouldn't market the taco meat filling in question as beef because their testing shows that it only contains 36 percent ground beef. If that's true, Taco Bell's meat filling product would fall below the already generous USDA standard for it to qualify as meat -- the present standard demands it consist of at least 40 percent meat. This inspired Gizmodo's Jesus Diaz to crack, "Perhaps they should call it 'Almost Taco Meat Filling.'" The remainder of the Taco Bell's meat filling product consists of "extenders" like water, "Isolated Oat Product," wheat oats, maltodrextrin, soy lecithin, maltodrextrin, anti-dusting agent, autolyzed yeast extract, modified corn starch, sodium phosphate and silicon dioxide. Taco Bell actually addresses its use if silicon dioxide in the "Food Facts" section of its website under the question, "I heard a rumor that there's sand in your taco meat?" It then goes on to explain that silicone dioxide is "a safe, common food ingredient" that's "primarily used in food to prevent ingredients from sticking together." In response, Taco Bell has issued a statement insisting that the suit is unfounded: "Taco Bell prides itself on serving high quality Mexican inspired food with great value. We're happy that the millions of customers we serve every week agree. We deny our advertising is misleading in any way and we intend to vigorously defend the suit." In any event, the lawsuit's appetite-squelching accusations are likely to provide plenty of unadulterated fodder for late night comedians. "Late Show with David Letterman" head writer Eric Stangel was already making Taco Bell jokes on his Twitter page this morning, cracking that because of the lawsuit we're all finally "about to find out where the Taco Bell Chihuahua went." UPDATE: Taco Bell President and Chief Concept Officer Greg Creed contacted The Lookout with a strongly worded amended corporate response to the lawsuit: At Taco Bell, we buy our beef from the same trusted brands you find in the supermarket, like Tyson Foods. We start with 100 percent USDA-inspected beef. Then we simmer it in our proprietary blend of seasonings and spices to give our seasoned beef its signature Taco Bell taste and texture. We are proud of the quality of our beef and identify all the seasoning and spice ingredients on our website. Unfortunately, the lawyers in this case elected to sue first and ask questions later -- and got their "facts" absolutely wrong. We plan to take legal action for the false statements being made about our food."
lol...there was some uproar in australia in the 90's i think regarding the 'meat' contents in a meat pie. i remember biting into a pie at the footy and getting some grissly tendon bits that turned me off the pie for the rest of my life. The meats allowed by FSANZ in a meat pie are beef, buffalo, camel, cattle, deer, goat, hare, pig, poultry, rabbit and sheep. Kangaroo meat, a leaner alternative, is also sometimes used. However, most pie manufacturers specify 'beef' in their ingredients list; typically, those using other types of meat will simply put 'meat' in the list instead. FSANZ's definition of meat includes snouts, ears, tongue roots, tendons and blood vessels. Only offal (such as brain, heart, kidney, liver, tongue, tripe) must be specified on the label. Wild animals ("slaughtered ... in the wild state") may not be used
So I happened upon this thread while stalking Saty's posts. I just started working at a Taco Bell as a cashier last month (STFU). And at a meeting my general manager's boss brought this up. He said our beef is a higher quality than any other "quick serve restaurant" and they posted a paper with a list of ingredients in our beef (mexican spices etc) and I've read it and I didn't see anything suspect. I don't really understand some people, I mean, if you don't like/trust the food then don't buy or eat it. It's very simple, really. :smt023 And I can say that our beef does not come to us frozen, it comes refrigerated, heh.
someone is a corporate man. LOL Look when the story came out Im sure everyone became suspect of the fast food industry...it is just you got exposed first. besides everyone has been suspect of the fast food industry and Im sure this report is not going to kill ya. At least not with me. I go to TB and arby's. Mickie D's too. ok all of them that is within a stones throw and is cheap
I looked again at the ingredients list. It's 88% USDA inspected beef and the rest is "secret recipe" like the spices and stuff to protect flavor. I don't remember all of them though, but everything sounds good to me. A couple weird things I saw is that they put "a little oats" and cocoa in it. I don't know what those are for, heh. You can't see or taste them. And hey! Some whole grain and chocolate never hurt anybody! :smt036 I don't really like the mexican pizza, heh. I don't like the pizza sauce. But once and a while I've gotten the mexican pizza and have them put sour cream and guacamole on it, gotta keep my girlish figure. Right. I'm not trippin'
I know. you be cool. LOL. I will say I always wondered why soon after coming from Taco bell I would get the anus rumble.
