21 replies to this topic

[StMaximo]

"Alabama law firm Beasley Allen has filed a class action lawsuit against Taco Bell that claims the chain is falsely calling its taco filling "seasoned beef" and "seasoned ground beef" when allegedly the mixture, which would be more properly called "Taco Meat Filling," only contains 36% beef."

http://eater.com/arc...really-beef.php

[ExtraMSG]

Well, that explains why it's so flavorless. There's more oats than beef in their seasoned beef.

[nervousxtian]

I always knew they added stuff to it, didn't realize they added THAT much stuff to it.

Of course, when $5 buys you 4lbs of food, should you really be asking yourself what's in it? It's Taco Bell, you probably are drunk or high when you're buying it.

[Amanda]

About the only thing that surprises me about this is that the filler is oat product. All these years I thought it was just cornmeal added in. That or possibly TVP. Taco Bell has never tasted like real meat to me. I do think that if you're going to call something beef it should be at least half or more of said thing. 36% isn't that great. There is a Taco Bell near where I live, but the only way I go there is if the Blazers go over 100 points at a game I attend I get a coupon for a free chalupa. Whoopee! I do love free food, though. If you can call it that.

Best regards,

Amanda

[WAfoodie]

Another way to get your daily oat fiber intake?

[jennifer]

From what I understood years ago, they took their "healthier" meat mix from the Border Lights menu and just used it for their entire line up, and dumped the Border Lights menu line.

[ExtraMSG]

http://eater.com/arc...or-law-suit.php



Looks like the lawyers might have gotten it backwards. If it's 88% beef, probably 20% of that is fat, so 32% would be not-meat, technically.

[Angelhair]

oats?!

[ExtraMSG]

They say it's to contribute to the flavor, but I think anyone with a clue realizes it's to lower their food costs.

[ExtraMSG]

One interesting question is what the percentages are by volume. This is almost certainly by weight. But oats are very light. It'd be interesting to see how they vary weight by volume.

[ExtraMSG]

So, according to nutritiondata.com, a cup of oats is 156g. The only source I can find online says that it's similar to the weight of water, or 8 ozs per cup, which means that it would be 226g. (I imagine the fat percentage matters a lot here.)

[jennifer]

Whichever the case, that's a great PR response by Taco Bell.

[nervousxtian]

So, according to nutritiondata.com, a cup of oats is 156g. The only source I can find online says that it's similar to the weight of water, or 8 ozs per cup, which means that it would be 226g. (I imagine the fat percentage matters a lot here.)

A cup of cooked ground beef weights out around 113g, I'm sure un-cooked it'd be more. Again, what are they doing with the fat, does it stay or is it drained? Either/Or, I do doubt the 35% number being tossed out in the lawsuit.

Depending on how Taco Bell is measuring their %, I'm sure they are right.. but I'm sure the "real" number to most people comes out to less than 88% of just pure beef end product.. but I am pretty certain it is not 35%.

[egor]

Yeast? Proofed patties?

The oatmeal may soak up the 'liquids', like fat, so they don't render out; weight retention.

"We start with....."

Cup of oats: fine: 5.25oz medium 3oz answers.com

[ExtraMSG]

It's not really yeast like you would use to make bread. It's hyrdrolized yeast, yeast extract, or whatever. In other words, it's msg.

[Amanda]

It sounds like their meat is basically a Mexican style meatloaf (seasonings, binder, filler), but crumbled instead of loafed. I don't think plain old ground beef is necessarily all that bland-tasting, myself. I'll eat Taco Bell if I have to or if it's free, but if I have my way any old taco truck would do me better, I think. I even like Taco Time better than Taco Bell.

Best regards,

Amanda

[nervousxtian]

Ground beef unseasoned isn't very tasty at all. It'd make a very bland taco. Even carne asada is marinated to give it some flavor.

[tejon]

This is why I don't eat the "meat" at Taco Bell if I have some odd reason to go there. The "seasoned beef" just plain tastes bad, regardless of what's in it. I do admit to loving the 7 layer burrito, which doesn't contain meat of any sort.

[StMaximo]

I see that the Taco Bell in my neighborhood has Taco Twelve Packs for $10 - that's less than 84 cents apiece for each Faux Meaty Delight!

[gturillo]

Taco Bell asks: Would it kill you to say you're sorry?

http://www.tacobell....Say_Youre_Sorry