http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us/31meat.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1262260844-QyuSdGZvBrzpurALZZq96Q
Eight years ago, federal officials were struggling to remove potentially deadly E. coli from hamburgers when an entrepreneurial company from South Dakota came up with a novel idea: injecting beef with ammonia.
The company, Beef Products Inc., had been looking to expand into the hamburger business with a product made from beef that included fatty trimmings the industry once relegated to pet food and cooking oil. The trimmings were particularly susceptible to contamination, but a study commissioned by the company showed that the ammonia process would kill E. coli as well as salmonella.
Officials at the United States Department of Agriculture endorsed the company’s ammonia treatment, and have said it destroys E. coli “to an undetectable level.” They decided it was so effective that in 2007, when the department began routine testing of meat used in hamburger sold to the general public, they exempted Beef Products.
With the U.S.D.A.’s stamp of approval, the company’s processed beef has become a mainstay in America’s hamburgers. McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food giants use it as a component in ground beef, as do grocery chains. The federal school lunch program used an estimated 5.5 million pounds of the processed beef last year alone.
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3. What is ammonium hydroxide?
Ammonium hydroxide is the combination of ammonia and water. It is naturally present in all proteins. Ammonia is essential for life and we have included information about its uses and benefits for your convenience.link Those benefits and uses vary significantly -based upon its strength or concentration.
For more information Click Here...
4. Does ammonium hydroxide occur naturally in beef?
Yes. Due to its antimicrobial benefits, BPI increases the naturally occurring levels of ammonium hydroxide a slight amount in order to assist in eliminating any harmful bacteria that could potentially be present in meats.
5. What is the difference between ammonia and ammonium hydroxide?
Ammonium hydroxide is the combination of ammonia and water. They each occur naturally in all foods.
6. Is ammonia or ammonium hydroxide used in any other foods?
Yes. It’s quite common to find foods processed using ammonia or ammonium hydroxide. It is used in production of other foods like grains, baked goods, condiments, pancakes, chocolates, caramels, puddings, cheeses.
7. Someone told me that there is ammonia in our bodies. Is that true?
Yes, your body naturally produces about 4,200 milligrams of ammonia every day and it is essential for life. We have included information about its uses and benefits for your convenience.
8. It sounds like ammonia. Why is it put in my meat?
Due to its antimicrobial benefits, BPI increases the naturally occurring levels of ammonium hydroxide a slight amount in order to assist in eliminating any harmful bacteria that could potentially be present in meats. BPI’s use of ammonium hydroxide has been approved by the Food & Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture and was implemented only after review with several of the most prominent consumer safety groups in the United States. Ammonia in its various forms is useful for a wide variety of food processing purposes, including a leavening agent in baking, caramel production, drinking water, and as an antibacterial agent.
What the Beef Industry says....(I'm amazed)
http://www.beefproducts.com/government_academic/faqs.cfm#three
3. What is ammonium hydroxide?
Ammonium hydroxide is the combination of ammonia and water. It is naturally present in all proteins. Ammonia is essential for life and we have included information about its uses and benefits for your convenience.link Those benefits and uses vary significantly -based upon its strength or concentration.
For more information Click Here...
4. Does ammonium hydroxide occur naturally in beef?
Yes. Due to its antimicrobial benefits, BPI increases the naturally occurring levels of ammonium hydroxide a slight amount in order to assist in eliminating any harmful bacteria that could potentially be present in meats.
5. What is the difference between ammonia and ammonium hydroxide?
Ammonium hydroxide is the combination of ammonia and water. They each occur naturally in all foods.
6. Is ammonia or ammonium hydroxide used in any other foods?
Yes. It’s quite common to find foods processed using ammonia or ammonium hydroxide. It is used in production of other foods like grains, baked goods, condiments, pancakes, chocolates, caramels, puddings, cheeses.
7. Someone told me that there is ammonia in our bodies. Is that true?
Yes, your body naturally produces about 4,200 milligrams of ammonia every day and it is essential for life. We have included information about its uses and benefits for your convenience.
8. It sounds like ammonia. Why is it put in my meat?
Due to its antimicrobial benefits, BPI increases the naturally occurring levels of ammonium hydroxide a slight amount in order to assist in eliminating any harmful bacteria that could potentially be present in meats. BPI’s use of ammonium hydroxide has been approved by the Food & Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture and was implemented only after review with several of the most prominent consumer safety groups in the United States. Ammonia in its various forms is useful for a wide variety of food processing purposes, including a leavening agent in baking, caramel production, drinking water, and as an antibacterial agent.