Pink Slime

[richardm]

Jamie Oliver's wonton douchebaggery

My god, is he having a go at Chinese food now too?

 

[phunk]

It's doubtful the suit will be successful. It's free speech circumstances, not libel or slander circumstances.

I wouldn't be so sure that it's not slander. Did you see him pouring ammonia into the beef? He was lying about the way that LFTB is produced in order to make it seem more disgusting.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I wouldn't be so sure that it's not slander. Did you see him pouring ammonia into the beef? He was lying about the way that LFTB is produced in order to make it seem more disgusting.

He would have had to say very specifically that he was recreating the exact process. If he merely used the ammonia to illustrate a point, it wouldn't be slander.

The defamation laws in the US differ from those in the UK. People have successfully sued the tabloids for gossip stories that said things like they were alcoholics, or pregnant or cheating when they weren't. Those are personal claims that caused harm.

But news reports on things like this are much more likely to fall under the First Amendment (free press) right.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

The tendons are removed before it even gets to BPI. The vast majority of experts in academia who have been quoted say that you are wrong, it is 100% beef. You tried to use a study about connective tissue until I posted a statement from the author stating your conclusions were wrong, and you still kept using it.

I'm definitely done with you on this subject forever.

Apparently you're not done.

Sure, "100% beef" includes everything from the hide to the gut. Tendons and connective tissue are technically "beef" therefore adding ground up trim sans any significant amount of muscle meat, you can make that misleading claim.

How much "muscle" meat is in LFTB and please cite your source?


BTW, the author you speak of didn't refute the report's findings, only how the information was used to criticize LFTB. Are you claiming the author refuted the findings that LFTB was ~70% connective tissue (aka not muscle meat)?

Are you refuting the fact that hamburger is generally ~30% or less connective tissue?

 

[Joey McGee]

My god, is he having a go at Chinese food now too?

bahahahahaha

 

[Joey McGee]

BPI sued ABC for 1.2 billion dollars for over "200 false and misleading and defamatory statements", that's the lawsuit to watch here. In it they make a compelling case that it was the original statements by ABC that led people to believe the lie that there are intestines or tendons in this product.

http://www.beefisbeef.com/2012/09/13/defamation-claim/

They also make the two former employees look pretty bad. For example,

First, Zirnstein and Custer were not “whistleblowers.” “Whistleblower” is defined as: “a person who informs on someone engaged in illegal activity” by Oxford Dictionary; “a person who reports or informs on a wrongdoer” by Collins Dictionary; and “one who reveals wrongdoing within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority” by American Heritage Dictionary. Zirnstein and Custer were not “whistleblowers.” Zirnstein and Custer did not uncover any illegal or improper conduct at the USDA or by BPI. The USDA’s approval of LFTB is a matter of public record, and no misconduct occurred during the approval of LFTB.

Second, Jo Ann Smith did not approve LFTB. LFTB was approved in summer 1993, and the use of ammonium hydroxide was approved in 2001. Jo Ann Smith was not at the USDA when it approved LFTB for inclusion in ground beef or approved the use of ammonium hydroxide. She left in January 1993. Custer and Zirnstein knew Jo Ann Smith was not involved in these decisions based on their employment at the USDA. The ABC Defendants interviewed Zirnstein and Custer and therefore either knew Smith was not involved or acted with reckless disregard when claiming she was involved.

Oooh that smarts!

Yeah they will win something from this case, I'm pretty sure.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

ABC News has asked a federal judge in South Dakota to throw out a $1.2 billion defamation lawsuit filed against it by Beef Products Inc. (BPI), the maker of lean finely textured beef.

Lawyers for ABC and its journalists contend BPI has failed to state a claim for which relief can be granted, a common argument in seeking to throw out a complaint early on in litigation. ABC also has alleged two of the plaintiffs, BPI Technology, Inc. and Freezing Machines, Inc. are not "real parties in interest" and therefore have no right to assert the claims in the 257-page complaint.

Judges rarely throw out an entire case of this magnitude early on in complex litigation, and such a decision would almost certainly face an appeal. An attorney representing the plaintiffs said the motions to dismiss the case will be challenged....

In voluminous memorandums, ABC sets forth a number of reasons why the case should be dismissed. For instance, the media giant's lawyers declare BPI cannot state a claim under South Dakota's Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act because ABC didn't question the safety of BPI's meat product. ABC also wants the court to dismiss claims of disparagement of an agricultural food product, libel and tortious interference with business relationships.

"Although the complaint is lengthy and seemingly complex, ... ABC lawyers wrote in a memo to the court. "... libel claims directly challenge free speech, and the mere pendency of these cases threatens to inhibit additional speech."

... The South Dakota-based meat company claims ABC launched untruthful and vicious attacks against it in a series of broadcasts and online reports that have hurt its bottom line and relationships. Lawyers who practice media law have said BPI faces many hurdles proving its case given the broad protections offered by the First Amendment and higher standard of proof that applies in such cases. ...

(emphasis mine)

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

@Joey:

.... Are you claiming the author refuted the findings that LFTB was ~70% connective tissue (aka not muscle meat)?

Are you refuting the fact that hamburger is generally ~30% or less connective tissue?

I thought not.

 

[ZirconBlue]

A digression, but modern store bought tomatoes are grown to look nice as their primary feature, and good taste as a secondary feature. This is no secret.

In the US, Florida-grown tomatoes don't even have taste as a secondary feature. It's all about appearance and ability to survive transit to the market. Tomatoes are picked green and then "ripened" with ethylene gas to give them a red color. For a good look at the sad state of tomatoes (in the US, at least), I recommend the book Tomatoland.

 

[Joey McGee]

Back when the communists successfully brainwashed our soldiers to think communism was superior, we rescured the victims of brainwashing. **** off and good luck showing your lame movie to A&E

 

[Joey McGee]

I forgot to add, these people are scumbags, the amry sends the rejects here.

 

[Joey McGee]

Delusional trash usually does the drink, most of the complainers here couldn't fight themselves out of a wet paper bag yet they argue against females in combat roles. The vast majority of specia; forces accept that most women can win against thisi conspiracy theory

 

[GlennB]

 

[Aepervius]

The tendons are removed before it even gets to BPI. The vast majority of experts in academia who have been quoted say that you are wrong, it is 100% beef. You tried to use a study about connective tissue until I posted a statement from the author stating your conclusions were wrong, and you still kept using it.

I'm definitely done with you on this subject forever.

If it is truly lean beef by 97% like the industry says, care to explain :
1) why it cannot be sold directly to consumer ? If the USDA consider it meat, why not?
2) related to 1 why it is not made a 100% patty of the stuff ? After all it is cheap so why stop at 15% in the beef patty ? Why not say 45%... ?
3) ETA about the emat patty being too fat : nonsense. the meat patty are not exclusive 100% lean beef grounded, at least here (germany) the producer are allowed to add fat to the process, and they do it. If the producer were really concerned they would simply reduce the fat content they add.

 

[Joey McGee]

This has all been covered at least 7 times each questions further up the thread.

Why don't you email the USDA and ask them personally? It's such a lean filler there is no way you can make burger out of it, that's the main reason. As every USDA spokeperson, every BPI spokesperson, and almost every single independent academic has said, the nutrition is equal or even higher than normal beef.

That's what you find when you ask the experts. Go ahead, call the USDA right now and watch what they tell you. Or you can just think you're real smart and draw your own conclusions but you'll be talking to yourselves on this forum at least.

 

[Joey McGee]

I forgot to add, these people are scumbags, the amry sends the rejects here.

Delusional trash usually does the drink, most of the complainers here couldn't fight themselves out of a wet paper bag yet they argue against females in combat roles. The vast majority of specia; forces accept that most women can win against thisi conspiracy theory

whoaaaaaa I was so drunk last night I started posting in the wrong forum when I was sleepwalking! Yeah all of these guys were saying that there is this massive conspiracy where women in police, firefighters etc are putting people at risk and even allowing families to die when they are too weak to rescue them, just to be PC and give women "equal jobs." No like they literally said that they believe families have burned to death because woman firefighters are allowed. Both forums use the same software. Ok I'm just going to slink away now....

 

[GlennB]

Why don't you email the USDA and ask them personally? It's such a lean filler there is no way you can make burger out of it, that's the main reason. As every USDA spokeperson, every BPI spokesperson, and almost every single independent academic has said, the nutrition is equal or even higher than normal beef.

Connective tissue is mainly protein (collagen and elastin iirc), so what you say here is technically true.

Whether anybody wants to eat it or believes it's reasonable to call it "lean beef" is another matter.

 

[Joey McGee]

Sorry what are you talking about and what are your resources?

Defendants stated that LFTB’s protein came primarily from “connective tissues,” as opposed to muscle meat. Defendants stated that LFTB was more like “gelatin” than nutritious beef. These statements were intentional and knowingly false statements by Defendants. LFTB is lean beef, made from muscle meat, and it has significant nutritional value. Defendants had no reliable, scientific basis for stating and implying anything to the contrary.
...
Defendants falsely stated that LFTB’s “protein comes mostly from connective tissue.”
...
Once they arrive at a BPI facility, the beef trimmings enter a de-sinewer in which cartilage, connective tissue, and other pieces that may incidentally accompany the trimmings are removed, leaving only the muscle tissue and fat. This process, combined with the process used by beef processing plants before the beef trimmings are sent to BPI, helps ensure that the final product produced by BPI does not contain cartilage and connective tissues.
...
Defendants stated that LFTB’s protein came primarily from “connective tissue,” as opposed to muscle meat. Defendants stated that LFTB was “more like gelatin” than nutritious beef. These statements were intentional and knowingly false statements by Defendants. LFTB is lean beef, made from muscle meat, and it has nutritional value. Defendants had no reliable, scientific basis for stating and implying anything to the contrary.

 

[Joey McGee]

Thank your lucky stars you're not a major media organization hey Glenn?

 

[Joey McGee]

I appreciate the emotion behind the collective delusion. Therefore, in lieu of the normal ritual of eating your own hats, you should simply be made to eat a burger containing LFTB. Don't worry, it's a scientific fact there is no connective tissue in it. If you have any evidence to the contrary you should probably be forwarding that to ABC's legal team right now.