Lawsuit to Taco Bell: Where's the beef?

[defendandprotect]

Lawsuit to Taco Bell: Where's the beef?

By BOB JOHNSON, Associated Press Bob Johnson, Associated Press – Mon Jan 24, 7:58 pm ET
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – An Alabama law firm claims in a lawsuit that Taco Bell is using false advertising when it refers to using "seasoned ground beef" or "seasoned beef" in its products.

The meat mixture sold by Taco Bell restaurants contains binders and extenders and does not meet the minimum requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be labeled as "beef," according to the legal complaint.

The lawsuit says that Taco Bell's "seasoned beef" contains other ingredients, including water, wheat oats, soy lecithin, maltodrextrin, anti-dusting agent and modified corn starch.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110125/ap_on_bi_ge/us_taco_bell_lawsuit

[SugarShack]

1. Other fillers MacDonald's and Checkers are allowed are ground hoofs!

[defendandprotect]

3. Some time back ...

probably 15 years or so ago, I discovered that the fast food restaurants --

Pizza Hunt, Wendy's, McDonald's were using their teenage employees to also

clean the Johns -- they were preparing the food, serving the food -- and

cleaning the Johns in their spare time!

For quite some time, I tried to get journalists to publish that story --

I had realized what was going on because I would occasionally go in to use a

John -- and/or when I was on the road, we had to go into a Pizza Hunt -- had

salad - because had a car problem. But, I spoke with these people -- anyone

there was expected to clean the Johns. I haven't been in any of these places

for any reason now for probably 12 years so I can't say what's happening since.

But you couldn't get the newspapers to report on it then. And, it had been

going on for quite some time before I found out about it.

Capitalism is suicidal -- !!

[Le Taz Hot]

4. Jack-in-the-Box.

I rarely do fast-food myself but last summer I was doing an eat-and-run lunch and stopped into a Jack-in-the-Box. While waiting to order, I watched a gal work the cash register, handle money, then go DIRECTLY to the kitchen area, put her bare hands into some salad mix, to fill a salad order. Never washed her hands. Grossed me out so bad I left without ordering.

My husband and I also got food poisoning from a Wendy's several years ago. I used to date a food inspector for the health department and he told me that if people saw what goes on in most restaurant kitchens, they'd never eat out again.

[defendandprotect]

12. So very true ...

And, to my knowledge we used to have inspections which included things like that --

long ago!! And the training is very poor -- you know they put gloves on and then do

everything afterwards with them on and then come back to handling food again!

Remember those tissue paper squares they used to use to pick up a donut or something --

hyou knew things were changing when you found the tissue in the bag!! Many of them

just didn't understand the process cause they weren't trained properly.

Yikes on the food poisoning -- and agree re the restaurant kitchens --

As much as possible I avoid processed foods.

:)

[Contrary1]

23. Here's another gross out practice I've seen at a number of restaurants.

Watch them clean off the tables. Most often they will use the same wet rags for the seat as they do for the table, then go on to the next one.

I brought it to the attention of the manager once, and he responded that he had never given it much thought, and found it sickening too. Said he would see to it that it wouldn't be happening any more.

He was true to his word. Next time we ate there, the busboys had two rags, one for the table, and one for the seats.

[tammywammy]

8. I don't understand what you're getting at

Should they hire outside to clean the bathrooms? I used to work in coffee shops, yes the employees were all required to clean bathrooms, including me (and I was the manager). Toilets were scrubbed twice a day. We had those yellow dish gloves to wear while we cleaned the bathroom, but we all washed our hands afterward.

I guess I don't get your disgust, don't you clean your own toilet at your house as well as cook and eat food there?

[defendandprotect]

13. Why don't you understand? You think that's a preferable situation to have

those handling foods to also be cleaning the Johns?

Evidently you don't know that there always were separate cleaning crews until probably

about 20 years ago when they broke the unions.

Clerks in department stores also had high stools to sit on -- when waiting on customers --

or simply to use when needed.

Same with grocery store clerks -- they had stools they could lean back on or actually

sit on while checking people out.


Easy to see how the downward spiral begins -- and employers don't even know the difference!

There are many things to be said about the acceptance of these conditions -- but I think

most of us can easily imagine the dangers of it -- and how many cases of e-coli have we had

at restaurants now?

But the answer is -- Of course, they should hire separate crews to clean and do maintenance.

That's what always existed.

You washed you hands? What about your clothing? Who washed the gloves?

And how many didn't wash their hands?


My disgust is based on capitalism's exploitation of humans -- for profit.

My disgust is based on fast foods' intimidation of young workers who know no better.




I don't understand what you're getting at
Should they hire outside to clean the bathrooms? I used to work in coffee shops, yes the employees were all required to clean bathrooms, including me (and I was the manager). Toilets were scrubbed twice a day. We had those yellow dish gloves to wear while we cleaned the bathroom, but we all washed our hands afterward.

I guess I don't get your disgust, don't you clean your own toilet at your house as well as cook and eat food there?


Obviously you don't "get it" --

[tammywammy]

18. No, I don't think there's anything wrong with the people working there cleaning the restrooms.

I clean the toilet at my house. I also prepare food at home.

[defendandprotect]

21. Then if you have no problems with it -- I'm sure you're eating at these restaurants--!! LOL

[tammywammy]

22. Rarely. But I eat at my house all the time and I'm responsible for cleaning the toilet there. n/t

[defendandprotect]

25. Let me know when you invite a teenager home to clean your John and then cook for you!!

[tammywammy]

26. Again, have no issue with it.

I cleaned the bathrooms at my house starting when I was in elementary school. I also did most of the cooking after my parents divorced when I was in high school.

[defendandprotect]

31. That's you -- many others do have problems with it -- and the ENTIRE NATION once did!!

[TicketyBoo]

35. I am closing in

on 60 years on this earth, and I have never seen a retail clerk or checker with a stool "they could lean back on or actually sit on."

What planet do you live on? It never happened that way here.

Clerks and checkers have always stood anytime I've shopped in a store, and even when I went shopping with my mother when I was a little kid over 50 years ago. "High stools" just have never existed in retail here where I am.

[uncle ray]

9. what tipped you off?

the sign-off sheet on the back of the door?

[defendandprotect]

15. If you seriously want to know ....

I happened to see teenagers coming out of the bathrooms with cleaning buckets, etal --

and knew they were also food servers.

Later I actually met a young girl at a Pizza Hut who had been cleaning the John when

I walked in and knew she had been waiting tables when I entered the restaurant.

I spent a long time talking with her -- she was a young mother -- self-supporting --

small upstate NY town. Only thing available.

Later I began to talk to the teenagers as they exited the restaurants and they told me.

Also spoke to journalists who told me they had tried to get the story out but couldn't.

Wasn't going to be printed.

In the Poppy Bush years, he did immense "good" for the fast food restaurants including

pretty much taxpayers paying for the training programs -- and allowances re the training

salary which actually led to them training people for the salary breaks and then letting

them go to pick up another "trainee"!! On and on --

Just imagine government by organized crime and you get the picture and the complications!

[Erose999]

19. You should be glad they're even cleaning the restrooms at all. I know of a few places that dont.

[defendandprotect]

20. Since I don't eat in these places, I'm not glad about anything they do!!

[TicketyBoo]

34. Then why is it

so important to you, if you don't eat there?

You know, those servers have to go to the bathroom once in awhile during their shifts. To me, there is no difference between that and cleaning the toilet while they're in there.

If they have to go tinkle, should they just go home where they can go to the bathroom and then change their bathroom-contaminated clothes afterward?

This is really no big deal (especially whereas you don't eat there, anyway).

[PVnRT]

38. Those rotten fuckers should be holding it in during their shift!

No cleaning of the restaurant until after hours! Anything else is unsanitary!






:sarcasm:

[defendandprotect]

43. Do you clean the Johns where you work? Would it be a promotion for you?

:eyes:

[defendandprotect]

42. Labor issues aren't important to you?

It's important because teenagers should be hired out to serve food and then find

out they're cleaning Johns!

Nor is it a healthy policy for the nation --

I'm quite sure that no one working any job now would think they had gotten a promotion

if they were asked to clean Johns!



You know, those servers have to go to the bathroom once in awhile during their shifts. To me, there is no difference between that and cleaning the toilet while they're in there.

If they have to go tinkle, should they just go home where they can go to the bathroom and then change their bathroom-contaminated clothes afterward?

This is really no big deal (especially whereas you don't eat there, anyway).


That's amazing -- no difference between CLEANING A JOHN and going to the John?


Well, when they ask you clean the Johns where you work, you'll have no problem with it!

:eyes:

[Moral_Imagination]

24. Ever heard of a sink where you wash your hands?

They have them now and something tells me they had them 12 years ago too.

[defendandprotect]

28. Ever heard of cleaning crews? Do you clean the Johns where you work now ..? No ... Wait!!

That will probably be happening soon --

After all why should companies supply separate cleaning crews when YOU could

be doing the cleaning for them -- including the Johns -- I'm sure they'll give

you a work-break to do that?

Not necesarily extra pay, however -- ???

[Moral_Imagination]

36. Umm yes ive worked at a pizza joint

and cleaned the bathrooms while getting paid. What is the big conspiracy here?

[defendandprotect]

40. And that's what you want for youself and your children ... ??

Seeking a job and finding out you're cleaning toilets?

[LanternWaste]

39. That's some pretty bemusing...

That's some seriously bemusing Righteous Rage about the benign & irrelevant...

[defendandprotect]

41. "Benign and irrelevant" -- ? Only since we no longer have unions protecting workers/teenagers --!

in fact, one of the Repugs recently was talking about knocking out some of the

child labor laws --

[Myrina]

2. Blaaaahhhhhhhhhh ...

Never.Eating.Fast.Food.Again. :puke:

[SheilaT]

5. I have not been inside a McDonald's in about

five years now. Nor have I driven through their drive-through. While McD's was the first fast-food place I stopped going to, I have probably not been in any other than Pizza Hut for about three years now. I decided that no matter how cheap they seem to be, I can still fix my own, better food more cheaply. I do like the Personal Pan Pizzas and the salad bar at Pizza Hut, but a couple of weeks ago I decided to resume making my own pizza from scratch, which includes making the pizza dough. Much better than the commercial version.

[slackmaster]

7. 15+ years for me. I occasionally hit up an In-'N-Out, but never McD, Jack's, BK, etc.

And never, EVER an Arby's. I think the last time I ate at one of those was 1972 when I was still in high school. I got sick and vowed to never eat there again.

[slackmaster]

6. Toxic Hell

I haven't eaten that crap for at least 30 years.

[MilesColtrane]

10. Dog food probably has more beef in it than Taco Bell "seasoned ground beef".

The only thing their food is good for is a quick and powerful colon cleansing from the inside out.

[cbdo2007]

11. yeah....but that sh*t tastes SOOOOOO good

[defendandprotect]

16. Actually, probably chemicals we make here in NJ factories which "taste so good" -- !!

They used to say of Domino Pizza that there were no natural ingredients in it!!

Recently, Domino's announced that they had some "real" cheese in their pizzas!!

:nuke:

[cbdo2007]

37. I know....and those chemicals taste damn good!!!!

[defendandprotect]

44. And so healthy for you -- !!

:eyes:

[Shandris]

14. Apparently their beef mixture was approximately 30%...

...from what I heard on the story early this morning. I don't know the exact standards, but I'm pretty sure it's only 51% or so before the government allows it to be labelled 'ground beef'. Of course, anyone who didn't already know this (regardless of what The Company always said) was asking to be fooled. McDonald's is no better. If you consider that it only takes ~50% beef or whatever to be 'Ground Beef', remember that their boxed advertise '100% ground beef'. And it is! It's 100% Ground Beef (as allowed via label by the Government) that contains approximately 50% real beef. 50% = 100%, and legally it's true. Don't you love math? :)

But on the flip side...I don't know what kind of lives you people live where just 'not going to eat a fast food for 17 years' or whatever is a reality, but its' not most people's reality. Most of us look forward to the occasional (functional, important word there) opportunity to go out, even if it is for Fast Food.

(Just never to Taco Hell!) But I could live at Hardee's...or maybe Culver's.

[defendandprotect]

17. But notice this could not happen without Congress's allowing it to happen ... !!

[Erose999]

27. I used to work at a tex-mex place. They put TVP in with the ground beef. Its pretty common, across

the board. You'll probably find an extender of some sort in any "ground beef taco" whether you're at a fast-food joint, or a white tablecloth establishment.

[defendandprotect]

30. What's "TVP" ... ???

[zalinda]

32. Textured Vegetable Protein

I use it all the time. Makes a vegetarian chili that even a meat eater would love. It's like a dry tofu.

zalinda

[defendandprotect]

33. Interesting -- but it's not "beef" -- think they need a list of "ingredients" for their foods!!

:)

[Xithras]

29. Lol, someone's FINALLY suing over this?

My first real job was at Taco Bell a couple of decades ago. Even then, the meat came in boxes containing pre-cooked plastic heat-and-serve pouches. We used to get a kick out of the fact that the box was labeled "100% Real Ground Meat". While it was nice to know that they weren't sending us fake ground meat, we loved the fact that they didn't tell us what kind of ground meat it was.

To this day, I won't eat Taco Bell ground "beef" of any sort. Their steak stuff is fine, but the mystery meat isn't welcome on my plate.