Ga. Ag Commissioner defends so-called pink slime

ATLANTA - Georgia's Agriculture Commissioner said the product that has come to be known as "pink slime" is perfectly safe and he says the controversy surrounding the beef filler has really hurt the industry.

Gary Black of Commerce said the proper name for the filler is "lean finely textured beef" and he said adding the by-product to ground beef actually makes the product more lean and more affordable.

"Sometimes you can get some of these labels that really cause significant havoc in the marketplace," he said.

He also pointed out that the ammonium hydroxide additive used in the filler is used in a number of other food products, including chocolates and baked goods.

Black pointed out that the filler is carefully inspected and completely safe for consumption.