Kroger to End Sale of Products With "Pink Slime"

Kroger has become the latest grocery chain to announce it will no longer sell products that contain the meat filler commonly called “pink slime.”Pink slime is a meat filler that's made up of leftovers from other cuts and treated with ammonia. In the industry, it's called “lean, finely textured beef.”In recent weeks, various articles on the filler raised health concerns, even though it meets all USDA standards. Many healthy food advocates cited pink slime as the unappetizing epitome of over-industrialized food production.Kroger joins Stop & Shop, Safeway, Supervalu and Food Lion in ending sales of products that contain the filler. Previously, Kroger planned to sell products with and without pink slime, but in a statement, store officials say customers don't want the substance in their food, so Kroger won't make it available. Last week, the Agriculture Department said that starting next fall, schools involved in the national school lunch program will have the option of avoiding the product as well.Additional information from the Associated Press