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The Real Definition LFTB Is Short for “Lean Finely Textured Beef”. BLBT Is Short for “Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings” . Yo

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The Real Definition LFTB Is Short for “Lean Finely Textured Beef”. BLBT Is Short for “Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings” . Yo The Real Definition LFTB is short for “Lean Finely Textured Beef”. BLBT is short for “Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings” . You will note that neither mention fillers as they are just as described; lean beef. In fact, as their correct names suggest, they are lean beef trimmings from 100% USDA inspected beef. Information about LFTB and BLBT LFTB and BLBT are categories of beef products that use high-technology food processing equipment to separate lean meat from fat. LFTB products prevent the waste of lean, nutritious and safe beef by using technology to do what cannot be done by hand. LFTB and BLBT are beef, and all beef products are strictly regulated and inspected by the USDA. When beef carcasses are processed into meat cuts used by consumers and restaurants, trimmings result. Trimmings are small pieces of fat which contain small portions of meat that are wholesome and nutritious. These trimmings are generally set aside for use in hamburger, sausage and other products. To make LFTB and BLBT, the beef trimmings are heated at low temperature and placed in a centrifuge, then spun to separate the muscle from the fat. The resulting beef product, which is very lean, is then “misted” with food grade ammonium hydroxide (BLBT) or other pH adjusting compounds like citric acid (LFTB), to reduce the risk of E.coli and Salmonella. Ammonium hydroxide (basically ammonia + water) is a naturally occurring compound which has an antimicrobial effect and plays a vital role in maintaining health of plants, animals and humans. Ammonia (a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen) is found naturally in the air, water, soil, all plants and animals and is produced by the human body. All living things need proteins, which are made up of twenty different amino acids. Plants and micro-organisms can make most amino acids from nitrogen in the atmosphere, but animals cannot. The process of using food grade Ammonium Hydroxide is not a “new” process, nor is it solely used by the meat industry. It is used to process a number of foods, including cheese, chocolate, pudding, relish, jams, fruits, vegetables, cereals, sports drinks and beer. Jellies and jams are produced by misting fresh-picked fruit with ammonium hydroxide to eliminate bacteria, then blending, cooking and packaging it in jars for sale. Prepackaged fresh salads are made by taking freshly picked lettuce or spinach, misting it with ammonium hydroxide to eliminate bacteria, and packaging it in plastic bags or containers. Ammonium hydroxide has been recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1974. It is also recognized as being safe by other countries, the European Union, the Joint Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA) of the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Experts such as Dr. Gary Acuff at Texas A&M University and Dr. John Floros at Pennsylvania State University say that both LFTB and BLBT are safe when produced in compliance with USDA regulations. Top 7 Myths about LFTB and BLBT, “Pink Slime” From http://beefisbeef.com-Posted on March 15, 2012 Myth 1: Boneless lean beef trimmings look like pink slime. Fact: The photo many media have used to represent pink slime is not boneless lean beef trimmings. Beef trimmings before processing into BLBT BLBT pellets prior to being added to ground beef Ground Beef after adding BLBT Myth 2: “Boneless lean beef trimmings” or “lean finely textured beef” which have recently been called “pink slime,” are just “fillers” and not beef at all. Fact: As their real names suggest, boneless lean beef trimmings are 100% USDA inspected beef. Imagine trimming fat from a roast or steak. There’s always some meat that is trimmed with the fat. It is this meat, trimmed from the fat, which becomes boneless lean beef trimmings. When you compare the nutrition analysis of this lean beef with 90% lean/10% fat ground beef, they are virtually identical. That’s because boneless lean beef trim is beef – period. Myth 3: Ground beef produced with boneless lean beef trimmings is less nutritious than other ground beef. Fact: A side-by-side comparison of nutrition labels for 90% lean/10% fat ground beef demonstrates this lean beef has substantially identical nutritional value as 90% lean ground beef. Lean ground beef is low in fat and is a good or excellent source of 10 essential nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins. Myth 4: Boneless lean beef trimmings are produced from inedible meat. Fact: Boneless lean beef trimmings are 100% edible meat. These trimmings are simply the lean beef removed from the meat and fat that is trimmed away when beef is cut into steaks and roasts. The meat in these trimming is nearly impossible to separate with a knife so, historically, this product only could be used in cooked beef products when the fat was cooked and separated for tallow. But now there is a process that separates the fat from the fresh lean beef, and it is this fresh lean beef that can be used in ground meat foods like hamburger and sausages. No process exists that could somehow make an inedible meat edible. Myth 5: Dangerous chemicals are added to boneless lean beef trimmings. Fact: This is a reference to ammonium hydroxide, essentially ammonia and water, both naturally occurring compounds that have been used to make foods safe since 1974, when the Food and Drug Administration declared it GRAS or Generally Recognized as Safe, the highest safety attribution the agency assigns to compounds. Boneless lean beef trimmings receive a puff of ammonia to eliminate bacteria safely and effectively. When combined with moisture naturally in beef, ammonium hydroxide is formed, which is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods, in our own bodies and the environment. Food safety experts and scientists agree it is an effective way to ensure safer ground beef. Myth 6: Food safety advocates are concerned about the safety of boneless lean beef trimmings. Fact: Scientists, advocates and plaintiff’s lawyers, who in many cases are critical of the beef industry, have all stepped forward to praise Beef Products Inc. and its efforts at food safety. Myth 7: Because ammonium hydroxide is an ingredient, ground beef containing boneless lean beef trimmings should be labeled. Fact: Ammonium hydroxide is not an ingredient added to the product – rather, the product receives a puff of ammonia to eliminate bacteria safely and effectively. When combined with moisture naturally in beef, ammonium hydroxide is formed, is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods including baked goods, cheese, chocolate, and puddings, in our own bodies and the environment. It is used in the production of each of these foods as a processing aid and not an ingredient, so not “on the label” of those foods either. It is safe and has been approved by FDA since 1974 and specifically approved for its food safety benefits in beef processing since 2001 Links for your use to learn more Statement in Response USDA Announcement on Lean Finely Textured Beef http://www.meatami.com/ht/d/ReleaseDetails/i/76164 Questions and Answers about Ammonium Hydroxide Use in Food Production http://www.foodinsight.org/Resources/Detail.aspx?topic=Questions_and_Answers_about_Ammonium_Hydroxide_U se_in_Food_Production Get the facts about lean beef trim http://beefisbeef.com/.
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