Thanksgiving Will NEVER Be the Same

What is Mechanically Separated Meat? (MSM)

Mechanically separated meat (MSM) and mechanically separated poultry (MSP) are products created when meat processors recover edible meat tissue (muscles and connective tissues) from the carcasses of animals. Despite the rumors, the meat processors do not use guts, eyeballs, hooves or bones in the meat processing.

Is MSM Safe?

In 1982, a final rule published by FSIS (the Food Safety and Inspection Service) on mechanically separated meat (beef) said it was safe and established a standard of identity for the food product. Some restrictions were made on how much can be used and the type of products in which it could be used.

FSIS regulations changed in 2004 to protect consumers against Mad Cow Disease. MSM is now considered inedible and not permitted in hot dogs or any other processed meat product.

Mechanically Separated Poultry (MSP)

Mechanically separated poultry (MSP) is the main ingredient in chicken nuggets, chicken patties and frozen chicken pieces sold in the stores.

MSP
Picture Credit: http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/msm.asp

Mechanically separated poultry (MSP) is a paste-like poultry product produced by forcing bones, with attached edible tissue, through a sieve or similar device under high pressure to separate bone from the edible tissue (see photograph above). The CHICKEN PASTE is pink because of blood from the process.

In November of 1996, the rule on mechanically separated poultry said it was safe and could be used without restrictions, except it must be listed under ingredients as mechanically separated chicken or turkey. Hot dogs can contain any amount of mechanically separated chicken or turkey.

The MSP is riddled with e coli and salmonella, so it must be treated with ammonium hydroxide. After all this, as you can imagine, the MSP tastes horrible.  The taste of chicken is added with artificial flavorings and the color is changed with artificial colorings.  After all, the paste has to look like chicken before it is formed into nuggets and patties.