Where's the Beef?

Urban legends for years have tried explain what exactly Taco Bell beef is. Growing up reports swirled about it being grade-d, or below that of of meat product used in dog food. Now a lawsuit out of Montgomery, AL has stepped up with allegations over false advertising, asserting that Taco Bell has no legal right to declare their "beef", beef.

According to the USDA beef is defined as the "flesh of cattle", and ground beef as "chopped fresh, and/or frozen beef with or without seasoning and without the addition of beef fats as such, shall not contain more than 30 percent fat, and shall not contain added water, phosphates, binders, or extenders". Fair enough since Taco Bell themselves label their "beef" internally as "Taco Meat Filling". Well, it appears that the USDA has that covered too, as they stipulate that "taco filling" must have a minimum of 40% meat, and that meat must be defined. So, how much meat is in Taco Bell's "Taco Meat Filling"? According to the lawsuit 36%.

So if 36% of this filling is meat (beef?) what the hell is the rest? Water, oat product, soy lecithin, corn starch, anti-dusting agents, maltodextrin, etc. GROSS.

Apparently, the urban legends in my hood gave the Bell more credit than it deserved by incorrectly hypothesizing that what we were being served was actually meat.

Happy lunching.

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=13885025