With a nickname like "pink slime," it's got to be bad, right? Not so, say the U.S. Department of Agriculture and meat producers. But is it? How did simple (natural meat) fillers for ground beef get such a bad reputation anyway? Why do some meat packers use it and not others? Is it really slimy? Is it dangerous? First, the product: boneless, lean beef trimmings - remnants of butchered cows not otherwise used, added to ground beef as "filler." These parts are simmered at low heat to separate the fat from muscle. Then they're spun in a centrifuge and minced to a fine texture to become "lean, finely textured beef," or LFTB. Because pathogens (e.g., E. Coli and salmonella) are more likely found in such parts, LFTB is treated with ammonium hydroxide (gas) as it goes through a pencil-thin tube. Finally it's frozen and shipped to meat packers to mix with regular beef/Sholeh Patrick, CdA Press. More here. (AP/Beef Products photo: boneless lean beef trimmings are shown before packaging)

Question: Would you object if Coeur d'Alene schools used "pink slime" in school lunches?