U.S. Ag Secretary Says Beef Fillers Safe

Officially its called "boneless lean beef trimmings" and now its known as 'pink slime', a low cost filler made from fatty bits of beef and treated with ammonia. Its used in some hamburger meats and locally, major grocers indicate they've either discontinued selling ground beef that includes the product or they offer a slime free option.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, says School Lunch Programs have the option to choose based on what's in the best interest of their program.

"We have reiterated on numerous occasions that there's no safety concern associated with this product. If there were, we obviously would not be providing that choice."

Agriculture officials note that some companies use the product to suppress the growth of E-coli bacteria in ground beef.