[ALUmnus]

Seeing as Taco Bell is clearly the most beloved restaurant on FlameFans, what do you guys think of this? They're basically saying when you eat a beef taco or burrito, a majority of what you're eating is oats and not actual meat.

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

"The complaint alleges that what Taco Bell calls "beef" doesn't meet the minimum requirements set by the USDA to be called "beef" or "seasoned ground beef" or anything of the kind.

"Rather than beef, these food items are actually made with a substance known as "taco meat filling," according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states that Taco Bell should refer to its product as "taco meat filling" because it contains mostly "extenders" and other non-meat substances.

What are these substances? The document lists water, "Isolated Oat Product," wheat oats, soy lecithin, maltodrextrin, anti-dusting agent, autolyzed yeast extract, modified corn starch and sodium phosphate as well as beef and seasonings.

The USDA defines "beef" as "flesh of cattle."

The definition as read in the lawsuit states "Ground beef" "shall consist of chopped fresh and/or frozen beef with or without seasoning and without the addition of beef fat as such, shall not contain more than 30 percent fat, and shall not contain added water, phosphates, binders, or extenders."

The USDA policy book requires food labeled as "taco filling" to contain "at least 40 percent fresh meat," and the label must show the true product name.

In containers shipped to Taco Bell stores, not seen by consumers, the label reads: "Taco Meat Filling."
Beasley Allen law firm adds that what Taco Bell is marketing as beef only contains 36% meat.

[SuperJon]

Whatever it is tastes good so I don't care what they call it.

[Cider Jim]

If it's got OATs, maybe Super and company are eating healthier than they thought they were.

Didn't that kind of thing come up with Pringles a few years ago, and the FDA wouldn't get them call their product "potato chips" because it is some kind of pressed potato product and not an actual "chip"cut off of a whole potato?

[From the class of 09]

yeah thats pretty messed up...I mean you already figure you're getting the ground beef that is a step above cat food and it turns out it's not even beef This is definitely not good for business.

[RubberMallet]

its the same stuff in all your processed foods that are usually in the freezer sections.

[jbock13]

Whatever it is tastes good so I don't care what they call it.

100% agree!!!

[SuperJon]

This is definitely not good for business.

It probably doesn't really hurt business. Let's be honest, people who eat at Taco Bell aren't going to get premium ground beef. They're going to get cheap food that tastes pretty good and as long as those two things are still there, people will keep eating there.

[From the class of 09]

This is definitely not good for business.

It probably doesn't really hurt business. Let's be honest, people who eat at Taco Bell aren't going to get premium ground beef. They're going to get cheap food that tastes pretty good and as long as those two things are still there, people will keep eating there.

Then why would they fight to keep advertising "beef filling" instead of "taco meat filling". I'm not saying this will kill off Taco Bell but this is definitely not good for business.

[RubberMallet]

it made me hungry for taco bell.

[jbock13]

it made me hungry for taco bell.

+1

[prototype]

There's lots of things in food you wouldn't like if they were separated out or knew about it... BUT, it taste so good and they're not saying it's any less safe. Just had the Crunchy Beef Burrito this past weekend and the Taco Meat Filling was excellent and I got my oats. My hearts thanks me;)

[thepostman]

I went there today thanks to this thread so I guess it didn't change my mind at all...did anybody really think it was genuine beef? I mean really...its so freaking cheap there is no way it could be...but I love it no matter what!

[BJWilliams]

What an unbelievable waste of time...if I was a judge Id be like "seriously? youre suing for this? I should hold you in contempt for wasting my time with something this frivolous..."

[El Scorcho]

What an unbelievable waste of time...

In a legal sense, not at all. I am not a lawyer but...

USDA rules say that ground beef is defined as follows:

Chopped fresh and/or frozen beef with or without seasoning and without the addition of beef fat as such, shall not contain more than 30 percent fat, and shall not contain added water, phosphates, binders, or extenders.

So that means ground beef should be comprised of at least 70% meat. According the lawsuit, it was found that Taco Bell's "ground beef" for tacos contained only 36% beef. So they're under that percentage by quite a lot. They even label it "taco meat filling" on their own internal packaging. It's only advertised as ground beef.

Ironically, the USDA says that any food labeled as "meat taco filling" should at least have 40% fresh meat. Taco Bell's doesn't even make that grade, according to the law firm that has sued.

It should also be noted that their class action suit isn't seeking any money. Only for Taco Bell to stop advertising the stuff (whatever you want to call it) as ground beef.

[ToTheLeft]

Honestly, this is an upgrade over what most people who spread rumors about whatever they hear in a forwarded e-mail had to say.

The whole "Taco Bell uses meat that's not even good enough for Dog Food" or "Taco Bell uses Grade D meat" thing can be laid to rest. The only thing the Bell does is put in some fillers into perfectly good ground beef.... oh well. If they have to call it something else, then call it something else. It's still Taco Bell, and I still love it.

[jbock13]

Never guess where I just came from???

TACO BELL

[prototype]

I think we could save some money by eliminating the USDA, the FDA, The PTA... They should be able to use whatever they want to use - if we eat it - it's our choice and their business. If they are intentionally getting people sick - then file criminal charges against them. We eat a lot of crap - I know a hotdog isn't all pig, but hey i love myself some hotdogs. Taco Bell is consistant - you know what your getting, it's cheap, and most of the time it's pretty good - can't make that statement about some of the really nice restaurants in this town.

[jack_sparrow81]

They need a Tijuana Flats in Lynchburg bad. I used to eat taco bell at least 4 times a week and havent touched it for the past two years. They just built one in cary nc. Im honestly going to look into starting a franchise up there

[jack_sparrow81]

Wait so what is in the chicken quesdillas

[Innocent Bystander]

IT'S PEOPLE!!! TACO BELL MEAT IS MADE OUT OF PEOPLE!!!

[From the class of 09]

I think we could save some money by eliminating the USDA, the FDA, The PTA... They should be able to use whatever they want to use - if we eat it - it's our choice and their business. If they are intentionally getting people sick - then file criminal charges against them. We eat a lot of crap - I know a hotdog isn't all pig, but hey i love myself some hotdogs. Taco Bell is consistant - you know what your getting, it's cheap, and most of the time it's pretty good - can't make that statement about some of the really nice restaurants in this town.

ever read "The Jungle"?

[ATrain]

I just choose not to eat Taco Bell consistently but I get my oats from Quaker Whole Grain Oatmeal in the AM before work.

[jbock13]

I think we could save some money by eliminating the USDA, the FDA, The PTA... They should be able to use whatever they want to use - if we eat it - it's our choice and their business. If they are intentionally getting people sick - then file criminal charges against them. We eat a lot of crap - I know a hotdog isn't all pig, but hey i love myself some hotdogs. Taco Bell is consistant - you know what your getting, it's cheap, and most of the time it's pretty good - can't make that statement about some of the really nice restaurants in this town.

I love this statement.

[Sly Fox]

Why don't they just call it beefy taco filling? That avoids the USDA concerns and provides a more accurate (and somewhat more appealing) answer. Then again, what do I know?

[From the class of 09]

Why don't they just call it beefy taco filling? That avoids the USDA concerns and provides a more accurate (and somewhat more appealing) answer. Then again, what do I know?

Someone said that to even call it taco filling it has to have at least 40% beef. They don't even have that. The more I think about it the more impressed I am that they are able to make there filling with 30 something percent beef. And they said science in america is dead