Chains Stop Use of Chemical Beef

Several of the largest fast-food chains in the US—including McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Burger King—have announced that they will no longer be using ammoniated beef, also known as “pink slime” in the industry. McDonald’s made the decision partially in response to a campaign by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who drew attention to the chain’s practices and denounced the controversial substance. “Pink slime” is made by adding ammonia and water to fatty beef trimmings in order to kill bacteria, and the subsequent product is then sold for use as hamburger filler or pet food. Food Safety News reports that at one point, ammoniated meat was used in roughly 70 percent of ground beef in the US.