I Wish Ammonia Didn't Taste so Good...

The New York Times recently reported that one of the countries main suppliers of processed beef fillers, Beef Products Inc., has been actively fighting to kill E. Coli as well as salmonella.

Oh yeah, by the way, they're using ammonia. The very same chemical found in fertilizers, household cleaners, and fuel.

The company takes many of the inedible pieces of the cow carcass, pieces that contain most of the dirty outer parts, often times including the skin. These parts are ground down, and blasted with ammonia to kill bacteria. The mess of "meat" is then mixed with ground beef in order to make the meat more cost effective.

Unfortunately, this process makes the meat taste terrible, so ultimately they decided on using less ammonia.

Here's the clincher: the USDA exempts Beef Products Inc. from inspection, knowing the ammonia will kill the bacteria efficiently.

What?

By the way, Beef Products Inc. supplies Burger King, McDonalds, and the vast majority of schools across the country.

If that doesn't get you, this may: