Taco Bell sued

[BobTheDonkey]

That's not the USDA or FTC opinion about what Taco Bell is doing, that's someone's interpretation of the regulations in general. Not even close.

And again, you're wrong.

Those are the official representatives of the USDA and FTC, respectively. As they were speaking in their official capacity, the USDA and FTC have both deemed Taco Bell to be operating legally. It's not just those individuals' opinions, it's the official statement from the regulating bodies.

In other words, both regulating bodies have deemed Taco Bell's practices to be either not illegal or outside of their jurisdiction (still not illegal).

 

[Arus808]

Actually no. I looked up the definition and while the list isn't set in stone the addition of Oats conflicts with the primary definition:

DEFINITIONS:

1. SPICES - General Definition - Aromatic vegetable substances, in the whole, broken, or ground form, whose significant function in food is seasoning rather than nutrition. They are true to name and from them no portion of any volatile oil or other flavoring principle has been removed.

UM, why did you use "spices"?

The act of seasoning - to add, enhance, or improve flavor .

ANYTHING can be used to SEASON food. From salt to sugar, from ketchup to wine; oats can be used as seasoning if its adding or enhancing flavor to a food item. the side effect of Oats is that it is a binding element to mix flavors together.

(and yes, some people can actually taste the "oats" used in their ingredients)

Since the oats are added as a filler they don't meet the definition of "seasoning".

IN
YOUR
OPINION

You've never cooked in a day of your life have you?

 

[Furcifer]

Your local grocery store indoor butcher runs under the same rules as meat processors. So I don't know why you are using this at all.

Title 9 303, read it, it's been cited several times. You're wrong.

 

[Arus808]

Try to keep on topic, are you seriously trying to claim oats are added to the taco meat filling as a seasoning?

You've never cooked a day in your life, have you?

If you did, you know how useful oats are in preparation for many types of meals, INCLUDING hamburgers.

 

[Arus808]

That's not the USDA or FTC opinion about what Taco Bell is doing, that's someone's interpretation of the regulations in general. Not even close.

wow did you EvEN READ The article?

But that requirement applies to raw meat sold by manufacturers. The USDA doesn't regulate what companies such as restaurants can describe to their customers in advertisements as "beef," "chicken" or "meat," said USDA press officer Neil Gaffney.


The Federal Trade Commission is the agency that regulates whether or not advertising is deceptive. The FTC has no specific rules that define what can be advertised as meat or beef, said Betsy Lordan, an FTC spokeswoman.

 

[Furcifer]

UM, why did you use "spices"?

It's the FDA definition, not something you're making up from watching too much Bobby Flay.

You've never cooked in a day of your life have you?

lol, wrong again. I've cooked professionally (catering, not fine dining or anything) with a 4 Star chef who did his training in Ireland and work as a chef at the Banff Springs Hotel.

I'll let him know oats are the latest seasoning trend. Star Anise was so yesterday.

 

[Furcifer]

wow did you EvEN READ The article?

AND WHERE DOES IT SAY TACO BELL IS DOING NOTHING WRONG?

The FTC or USDA haven't made any comment about this case. You're lying.

 

[Arus808]

AND WHERE DOES IT SAY TACO BELL IS DOING NOTHING WRONG?

The FTC or USDA haven't made any comment about this case. You're lying.

Wow... just wow.....unbelievable the amount of floundering you're doing when you've been shown to be wrong.

 

[Furcifer]

If you did, you know how useful oats are in preparation for many types of meals, INCLUDING hamburgers.

lol, everyone knows it's as a binder, not a seasoning. I suspect you're the one that's never cooked.

Have the fine dining restaurants you've been to brought the Oat Grinder to your table?

 

[Arus808]

It's the FDA definition, not something you're making up from watching too much Bobby Flay.

wow, just wow. FDA determines what are seasonings now? Wow, I should go back to my culinary friend and tell him that he's been wrong, despite 15 years of work as a chef.

lol, wrong again. I've cooked professionally (catering, not fine dining or anything) with a 4 Star chef who did his training in Ireland and work as a chef at the Banff Springs Hotel.

seems that you didn't learn a thing in that time.

I'll let him know oats are the latest seasoning trend. Star Anise was so yesterday.

Oats has been a seasoning ingredient for the better part of 200 years.

 

[tesscaline]

Wow... Umm... Okay, so i've been following this thread for a while now, waiting for the discussion to turn to anything relevant to the actual situation at hand.

So far, I've seen very little, and what little there was has gotten steamrolled by someone who obviously can't read pushing some weird agenda that a restaurant has to abide by laws in regards to raw food packaging...

Now that I've decided to ignore that inanity, would anyone care to discuss the actual case?

Personally, I find the subject interesting. Why would there be such a vast difference between what Taco Bell says the actual meat content of their filling is, and what a consumer says? I mean, the difference between 36% and 88% is fairly freaking huge. What might cause that sort of discrepancy? Has there been any testing done by unaffiliated third parties? If so, on what sort of sample sizes? Or, is it possible that there's confusion about what the percentages are referring to? Could it be that Taco Bell is saying they use 88% lean ground beef to make the filling, but the percentage that makes up of the filling is actually different?

Personally, i'm just having trouble reconciling how these two sets of numbers came about in regards to the (supposedly) same product...

 

[Arus808]

lol, everyone knows it's as a binder, not a seasoning. I suspect you're the one that's never cooked.

That is ONE of the uses. OMG. you really need things spelled out for you.

I make meat balls with whole oats all the time. Its not binding anything to the meat, but it does add a nice texture and flavor in addition to the other spices I use.

Have the fine dining restaurants you've been to brought the Oat Grinder to your table?

Do you pour wine on your stew when you're at a restaurant? I know a great recipe that uses wine to flavor stew. Yet I don't see wine as normal condiment at my table.

 

[Furcifer]

Personally, i'm just having trouble reconciling how these two sets of numbers came about in regards to the (supposedly) same product...

88% is pre-cooked, 36% is cooked as tested.

The fat and some water renders out, thereby decreasing the "beef" content.

 

[mortimer]

Since most of your arguments have been falsehoods I'm just going to assume you don't know any better. It's pretty bad when you have to lie to make an argument though. It's quite childish.

And every time you claim I am lying about your claim that salt cannot be added to ground beef, I'll repost your claim. I think everyone can tell who's lying here.

"Ground beef" has a specific definition under the law. "Ground beef" is ONLY "beef and fat" ground up.

And by your definition (which you claim is a legal definition), just about EVERY fast food burger chain is advertising falsely when they claim they use ground beef. Because almost every one of them adds something to their beef patties.

 

[Arus808]

Personally, I find the subject interesting. Why would there be such a vast difference between what Taco Bell says the actual meat content of their filling is, and what a consumer says? I mean, the difference between 36% and 88% is fairly freaking huge. What might cause that sort of discrepancy? Has there been any testing done by unaffiliated third parties? If so, on what sort of sample sizes? Or, is it possible that there's confusion about what the percentages are referring to? Could it be that Taco Bell is saying they use 88% lean ground beef to make the filling, but the percentage that makes up of the filling is actually different?

I find it highly curious that the said person who claimed to test the meat, will not release information on where they tested the meat, how they tested the meat and how they arrived at their "30%" figure.

and of course we have to question their "chain of custody" in this. did they "add" more stuff to the meat once they left the restaurant?

Personally, i'm just having trouble reconciling how these two sets of numbers came about in regards to the (supposedly) same product...

We dont know because the person who filed the law suit has not provided details on how they arrived at their figure.

 

[Furcifer]

I make meat balls with whole oats all the time. Its not binding anything to the meat, but it does add a nice texture and flavor in addition to the other spices I use.

woo.

The texture for sure, but you couldn't taste the difference between oats and bread crumbs in a meatball. Unless they are extremely bland to begin with. Starch is starch.

 

[Arus808]

88% is pre-cooked, 36% is cooked as tested.

The fat and some water renders out, thereby decreasing the "beef" content.

OMG..you did not just post this...

 

[Arus808]

woo.

The texture for sure, but you couldn't taste the difference between oats and bread crumbs in a meatball. Unless they are extremely bland to begin with. Starch is starch.

actually you can, and i'd seriously question your taste palette if you can't taste the difference or notice the difference that different types of starches provide.

different "starches" taste differently when cooked and combined with other flavors.

Using white bread in Hamburger has very big difference in taste than if you use Oats instead.

 

[Furcifer]

And every time you claim I am lying about your claim that salt cannot be added to ground beef, I'll repost your claim. I think everyone can tell who's lying here.

So you're lying and you've taken a single post out of context to try and prove a point? That's great.

Keep up the lying if you think it furthers the discussion. It's pretty sad, I've clearly stated seasonings like salt can be included in "ground beef".

But not oats

 

[Furcifer]

actually you can, and i'd seriously question your taste palette if you can't taste the difference or notice the difference that different types of starches provide.

different "starches" taste differently when cooked and combined with other flavors.

Using white bread in Hamburger has very big difference in taste than if you use Oats instead.

woo.

You've obviously not cooked professionally. This a Food Network woo if I've ever seen it. Foodie snobs and their "palettes" make cooks sick.