PORTLAND, Ore. — At least three national supermarket operators have decided to stop buying ground beef that contains the filler now known as "pink slime."
Federal regulators say the filler, known in the industry as "lean, finely textured beef," meets food safety standards. But critics say the product could be unsafe and is an unappetizing example of industrialized food production.
Supervalu Inc. — which operates owns stores under the Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy banners — said Wednesday that customer concern prompted it to stop carrying products containing the filler.
The Food Lion chain, owned by the Belgian Delhaize Group, also said Wednesday that it plans to stop carrying fresh ground beef with either of two similar fillers. Both are made with beef trimmings left over from other cuts. Spokeswoman Christy Phillips-Brown emailed a statement saying that the company is working with suppliers to make the change — and that the company guarantees the "80 percent lean ground beef" it already sells doesn't contain the fillers.
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