It's only 36% meat.

Taco Bell doesn't use beef in their "beef"-based pseudo-Mexican delicacies. They use a gross thing called "Taco Meat Filling" as shown on their big container's labelswhich customers can't see. The list of ingredients is not very appetizing:

Water, isolated oat product, salt, chili pepper, onion powder, tomato powder, oats (wheat), soy lecithin, sugar, spices, maltodextrin (a polysaccharide that is absorbed as glucose), soybean oil (anti-dusting agent), garlic powder, autolyzed yeast extract, citric acid, caramel color, cocoa powder, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent), natural flavors, yeast, modified corn starch, natural smoke flavor, salt, sodium phosphate, less than 2% of beef broth, potassium phosphate, and potassium lactate.

Oh, and 36% beef. Thirty-six percentplus all the above making up for the other 64% of the party in your mouth.

According to the USDA, you can't call this "beef" at all. Beef is defined as "flesh of cattle". Grounded beef is defined as:

Chopped fresh and/or frozen beef with or without seasoning and without the addition of beef fat as such, shall not contain more than 30 percent fat, and shall not contain added water, phosphates, binders, or extenders.

Which is certainly nothing like what Taco Bell is using in their products. That's the reason why an Alabama law firm is presenting a lawsuit for false advertising, claiming that what Taco Bell claims is "beef" in their commercials is just the aforementioned processed clustermass of disgust. I'm not a lawyer, but it seems they have a very good point.

The fact is that the containers in which the taco mud arrives to their establishments is labeled as "taco meat filling," which is exactly how it should be labeled in all advertising and packaging according to the USDA. Of course, new Double Decker with Two Time More Taco Meat Filling doesn't sound very good.

The irony is that not even if Taco Bell used Taco Meat Filling in their packaging and ads they would be right: The USDA says that any food labeled as "meat taco filling" should at least have 40% fresh meat. According to the Alabama law firm, their stuff only has 36% meat. Perhaps they should call it Almost Taco Meat Filling.

In any case, thank you, Corporate America, for yet another episode of food fun. [WTOL]

When our oldest daughter was in high school, she got a part time job there.  After she explained the process of "making the meat", I gave my permission for her to quit.

I haven't ate there since then.

Great report. Thanks for sharing.

I don't eat at Taco Bell.

Will get a chicken sandwich at Buger King every so often.

Cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and weight have all dropped since I quite fast foods. 

back in the highschool (mid 90's) they used to have "grade D meat but edible" in small writing on the wrappers. this snopes page is false because i saw it with my own eyes!

http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/badmeat.asp

a bigger turn off than the fake meat is the fact that it has always tasted like crap!

ah this wont stop me, probably will hit up the bell later today maybe lol.just to get to pass up.

I don't eat at Taco Bell.

x2

Taco Bell is about as Mexican as me.  Stuff tastes horrible as well.  I'd rather make my own food or find a different place to eat.

My nephew worked at TB years ago.  Even then he said if you knew about the refried beans, you wouldn't eat them.  Guess this news about the beef is enough to make me stop going.

I don't eat any fast food, my wife won't let me  ;D.  Cholesterol 157 triglycerides 81, blood pressure 120/70, weight near perfect, at 65 years old.  d**n I miss a big mac and fries, I'd commit murder for a slice of Buddy's Pizza deep dish ( Detroit ).

The gf and I have stopped eating fast food, red meat, soda, and gone mostly organic. Feel amazing and zero issues with the Crohns. By doing this since Christmas I have lost 12 pounds and have so much more energy.

I don't care if its some disgusting concoction made up in a lab, or a cute furry little critter....if it tastes good, down the hatch.  My only criteria, no ham, fungus, or okra.

I don't eat at Taco bell because it makes me want to poo. Seriously, every single time!

I don't eat at Taco bell because it makes me want to poo. Seriously, every single time!

makes you want to poo or have to poo? slight difference.

10 years ago, I overheard an old timer boasting about his grandson who started driving trucks. His grandson's main run was to haul goats to Taco Bell facilities in Midwest. I didn't think much about it at the time, but after reading these posts - I may give it some serious thought.

Taco Bell is about as Mexican as me.

Awesome. ;D

A lot of fast food stuff is not real food. Just about all my buddies,both brothers and my wife has worked at various chains and not one of them has anything to say positive about it.

Unfortunately I'm like  J Francho,I really don't care,if it's good I'll eat it...LOL

Best restaurant I've been to as far as fast food goes Taco Bueno.I can only find them in Texas though...ain't none up here as far as i know.

I don't eat any fast food, my wife won't let me ;D. Cholesterol 157 triglycerides 81, blood pressure 120/70, weight near perfect, at 65 years old. d**n I miss a big mac and fries, I'd commit murder for a slice of Buddy's Pizza deep dish ( Detroit ).

Quit bragging.

Most of those ingredients sound tasty to me. Im happy that there is aleast some real meat in it. Nothing said is going to keep me from eating it, it taste good to me!

Its funny that you brought this up, but because of being a teenager i have several friends that work at fast food places around town. Every single one says they will never eat at the place they worked at again. From seeing the way the food looks, is prepared, and such it just disgusts them. I can account this from Arbys, McDonalds (several friends here hate it now), and Wendys.

I'd imagine any fast food place isn't going to be what we think, or what our bodys need. But what we don't know wont kill us! Uhhh maybe....  :-/

Most of those ingredients sound tasty to me. Im happy that there is aleast some real meat in it. Nothing said is going to keep me from eating it, it taste good to me!

Its funny that you brought this up, but because of being a teenager i have several friends that work at fast food places around town. Every single one says they will never eat at the place they worked at again. From seeing the way the food looks, is prepared, and such it just disgusts them. I can account this from Arbys, McDonalds (several friends here hate it now), and Wendys.

I'd imagine any fast food place isn't going to be what we think, or what our bodys need. But what we don't know wont kill us! Uhhh maybe.... :-/

Oh it's killing us....trust me on that one.

But I'd rather die happy than die 10 years later miserable.  ;D

If you want good tacos, find a good one of these and you're set.

Roach coach? Seriously that's what they are called.......  ;D

We have a few of those down in Texas.....you gotta know what you are ordering and also need to know which ones to stay away from.

I hate to admit that knowing what's in it is not what keeps me from eating it. Like J Franco, I have some limits but most are not nutritionally based. I would not eat anything with sweet potatoes for example.

I suspect I am about as Mexican as SoFlaBassAddict, but I do know what real Mexican food is, and Taco Bell is not even close.

fast food is destroying the local farms and destroying the health of America. I think it's  safe to assume that at any fast food place the food will not be what you think, or hope, it is.

Most of those ingredients sound tasty to me. Im happy that there is aleast some real meat in it. Nothing said is going to keep me from eating it, it taste good to me!

Its funny that you brought this up, but because of being a teenager i have several friends that work at fast food places around town. Every single one says they will never eat at the place they worked at again. From seeing the way the food looks, is prepared, and such it just disgusts them. I can account this from Arbys, McDonalds (several friends here hate it now), and Wendys.

I'd imagine any fast food place isn't going to be what we think, or what our bodys need. But what we don't know wont kill us! Uhhh maybe.... :-/

Ya see, that's the funny thing about working in a restaurant. You'll never eat at that restaurant again, but you'll eat at other ones knowing they're just as nasty as the one you worked at.

It's the same in just about every profession.

If you could see the poor quality of "repairs" that are done on aircraft, and the things that get hidden by paint/epoxy/sealant, you'd never fly in a plane either.

Ignorance is bliss...or so they say.

At the other end of the spectrum, this is the best Mexican restaurant I've ever been to in the states.  It is more 'alta cocina'

http://www.mayasf.com/

We're lucky to have one of the top rated Mexican restaurants in the tri state area right here in town: http://www.mexicanhope.com/index.htm

This place rules.