What's really in the "meat" at Taco Bell?

[twitchy2.0]

This Is What Really Hides In Taco Bell's "Beef"


Taco Bell "beef" pseudo-Mexican delicacies are not made with USDA ground beef. They use a gross thing called "Taco Meat Filling" as shown on their big container's labels—which customers can't see. The list of ingredients is gruesome:

Water, isolated oat product, salt, chili pepper, onion powder, tomato powder, oats (wheat), soy lecithin, sugar, spices, maltodextrin (a polysaccharide that is absorbed as glucose), soybean oil (anti-dusting agent), garlic powder, autolyzed yeast extract, citric acid, caramel color, cocoa powder, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent), natural flavors, yeast, modified corn starch, natural smoke flavor, salt, sodium phosphate, less than 2% of beef broth, potassium phosphate, and potassium lactate.

All that plus 36% beef. Thirty-six percent—plus all the above making up for the other 64% of the party in your mouth.
According to the USDA, they can't call their mixture "beef" at all. Beef is defined by the USDA as "flesh of cattle", and ground beef is defined as:

Chopped fresh and/or frozen beef with or without seasoning and without the addition of beef fat as such, shall not contain more than 30 percent fat, and shall not contain added water, phosphates, binders, or extenders.

Which is certainly nothing like the mix that Taco Bell is using in their products. That's the reason why an Alabama law firm is presenting a lawsuit for false advertising, claiming that what Taco Bell claims is "beef" in their commercials is just the aforementioned processed clustermass of disgust. It seems that they have a very good point.
The fact is that the containers in which the taco meatmud arrives to their establishments is labeled as "taco meat filling," which is exactly how it should be labeled in all advertising and packaging according to the USDA. Of course, the All-New Double Decker with Two Times More Taco Meat Filling will not sound very good on TV.
The irony is that not even if Taco Bell used Taco Meat Filling in their packaging and ads they would be right: The USDA says that any food labeled as "meat taco filling" should at least have 40% fresh meat. According to the Alabama law firm, their stuff only has 36% meat. Perhaps they should call it Almost Taco Meat Filling.
In any case, thank you, Corporate America, for yet another episode of food fun. [WTOL]

Source: This Is What Really Hides In Taco Bell's "Beef"

[darksithbunny]

Well we don't call it Taco Hell for nothin!

[MohandasKGanja]

I've noticed that the meat in a lot of Taco Bell stuff actually has a consistency similar to texturized soy protein.

[msdeb]

i worked at Taco Bell for a bit years ago, and they have their meat in bags, which they boil. blech

[SHELLEE]

Well, I for one, love taco bell. I don't have one by me so when I go to Miami is the only time I get to have it, which is hardly never.

[Grimmlok]

Enjoy your snouts, hooves and silicon dioxide.. otherwise known as sand.

[cupcake]

Ventricles, veins, you name it. And then they dye it brown. I can happily say I have never eaten Taco Bell or most other fast food places. And I can happliy say I never will

[MohandasKGanja]

Silicon Dioxide in Food
Silicon is an indispensable part of the food that we eat daily. As silicon plays a major role in development of the bones, it becomes necessary to include silicon food sources in our diet. In order to maintain healthy strong bones and joints, silicon dioxide in foods is very much essential. Along with calcium and vitamins, silicon dioxide is equally important for proper bone growth, strength and density. Deficiency of silicon can cause osteoarthritis and arthritis. Another important health benefit of silicon is that it minimizes aluminum effects on the body, thereby preventing Alzheimer's disease. Some of the foods that contain silicon are as follows:

Fruits: Fruits also contain good amount of silicon dioxide. Silicon naturally occurs in fruits so this can be an added advantage for eating fruits. Following are the fruits that are considered to be high in silicon:

• Oranges
• Apples
• Plum
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Raisins

Vegetables: Vegetables are a great source of silicon, especially the green vegetables (beans and peas) are known to contain high amount of silicon. One can enhance silicon intake by consuming the following vegetables:

• Cucumber
• Celery
• Raw Cabbage

[Brookie]

... which is why I haven't eaten at Taco Smell in years and years. And won't.

[Grimmlok]

Silicon Dioxide in Food
Silicon is an indispensable part of the food that we eat daily. As silicon plays a major role in development of the bones, it becomes necessary to include silicon food sources in our diet. In order to maintain healthy strong bones and joints, silicon dioxide in foods is very much essential. Along with calcium and vitamins, silicon dioxide is equally important for proper bone growth, strength and density. Deficiency of silicon can cause osteoarthritis and arthritis. Another important health benefit of silicon is that it minimizes aluminum effects on the body, thereby preventing Alzheimer's disease. Some of the foods that contain silicon are as follows:

Fruits: Fruits also contain good amount of silicon dioxide. Silicon naturally occurs in fruits so this can be an added advantage for eating fruits. Following are the fruits that are considered to be high in silicon:

• Oranges
• Apples
• Plum
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Raisins

Vegetables: Vegetables are a great source of silicon, especially the green vegetables (beans and peas) are known to contain high amount of silicon. One can enhance silicon intake by consuming the following vegetables:

• Cucumber
• Celery
• Raw Cabbage

A show of hands from anybody who thinks sand is added to fake meat paste as a dietary supplement and NOT pure filler.

*notes the lack of hands*

[gas_chick]

What did anyone expect? It's not called Chez Taco Gourmet or anything. It's good for those times when you are super drunk and it is super late or you are just super broke. Fake meat is cheap!

[baked_tater]

Whats the gruesome part? Most of it looks like spices and flavoring.

[twitchy2.0]

To me, it's more that it's mostly filler and is not advertised as such.

[MohandasKGanja]

To me, it's more that it's mostly filler and is not advertised as such.

I agree. And quite frankly, the more filler and less beef the better, probably. But they should be upfront about it.

[CornFlakegrl]

Whats the gruesome part? Most of it looks like spices and flavoring.

That's what I thought. Oats and spices. Frankly, it's better than I thought it would be.