By Jesus Diaz / GIZMODO / January 24, 2011
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.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
No wonder it gives me the trots
Well, at least it wasn’t the stalins.
Actually in my experience, Trots were/ are a lot nicer than Stalinists.
As the former President of Stalinists for Peace, I disagree. (Note to Glen Beck: We’re not being serious here)
I’ll stick to Islands Burgers
I’m wondering how long after a cow is dead its meat is considered “fresh.” Then, on the other hand, as a vegetarian, why am I questioning meat at all? This must be a slow thinking day for me.
Good thing I never eat at Taco Bell……
How far are we from Soylent Green?
So it seems to me there is so little real meat in taco bells food that they might as well switch to all soy and get the vegetarian market!
I just don’t understand why people so easily believe what a lawyer says in their suit.
I don’t eat at Taco Bell but don’t trust this 36% number.
Has everyone tried Five Guys over in Liberty Station? Very good!