Iowa State professor debunks myths about beef product

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Dr. Jim Dickson, professor at Iowa State University, doesn’t blame consumers’ reactions to recent media hype surrounding Lean Finely Textured Beef. He does want to separate myth from reality.

Dickson, an animal science professor, separated fact from fiction about Lean Finely Textured Beef in an interview on AgriTalk Wednesday morning. He doesn’t blame anyone for wanting to do what’s right for their family, but says consumers are reacting to misinformation about LFTB.

“I understand the consumer perspective because they’re hearing what is, to a great degree, a misrepresentation of what the product is and what the process is.”

Dickson clarified LFTB is not made of waste scooped off the floor of the facility as some media reports first assumed and the process is inspected by the USDA. The ammonium hydroxide is not a necessary step of the process, but facilities like BPI pay the extra cost to make the product safer.

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