What’s in a simple seasoned ground-beef taco? One would think it would contain mostly meat, maybe some seasoning and possibly some type of filler (think bread crumbs in meatballs). However, Amanda Obney has sued Taco Bell in California because she believes that the “seasoned beef” is actually a small percentage of beef with water, “isolated oat product,” wheat oats, soy lecithin, maltodextrin, anti-dusting agent, autolyzed yeast extract, modified corn starch and sodium phosphate. Not exactly your grandmother’s recipe…
What Does The Suit Really Allege?
Outside of alleging that the taco meat does not meet the minimum standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”) to be labeled or advertised as “beef,” the crux of the suit claims that Taco Bell make false and deceptive misrepresentations and omissions about their beef products. Plaintiffs goal: to have Taco Bell properly advertise and label their food. Of course the Plaintiff seeks damages, which exceed $5million for the misinformation. However, Plaintiff makes no allegations of what actually constitutes “chicken” and “carne asada” served by Taco Bell (claiming they are what they are advertised to be). Finally, Plaintiff takes issue with the term “seasonings” which she describes as adding no flavor, but rather are just binders and extenders.
What Defines Beef?
By simple definition beef is the flesh of a bovine. The USDA defines ground beef 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 far, and shall not contain added water, phosphates, binders or extenders.” Additionally, the USDA Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book requires that food labeled as “Taco filling” to contain “at least 40 percent fresh meat.” According to the suit, Taco Bell sends all of this “meat” as “Taco Meat Filling”
why should they be able to do that. my wife got sick ever time we ate their as she has a glutin intolerance. no where does it say their is wheat or flour of any kind. i for one am going to sue
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How was it determined that the products in the taco was as stated?
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Not the point… if a bag of the slurry that goes into the Taco Bell products is only 36% beef, how can you advertise it as beef? FDA labeling standards require that, when describing a food product, ingredient
s are listed in descending order of content %. For example, take a look at some of the cheaper meal products at the store, like some of the On-Cor products. One example is “Gravy and Sliced Beef”, not “Sliced Beef and Gravy” because the greater percentage in the package is the gravy.
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I have a personal complaint about Taco Bell (Noblesville, IN). I was rushed to the emergency room the next morning after having a Taco Bell dinnerthis past September. Would also like to join the suit since I did incurr the hospital bill that of course they would not pay.
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Taco Bell uses many spices AND
ARTIFICAL Flavoring in most all their food. This Causes Much Hearburn. But the So Called ‘chopped up Beef’ they use is not any % of Beef at all. It Is Really Just ‘Skin & Fat’ mixed together with whatever else they put into it! This Skin & Fat Can Cause some Big Indigestion Problems!!
They use this because It Is A ‘Cheap Raw Product’ to use, and it can Replace Most All of the Beef!! *Another Fast Food Chain
(Checkers) is also doing the same! It keeps Thier Costs Down, –But it can give you Some Bad Indigestion!!!
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