3 Grocers Boycott Pink Slime

At least three national supermarket operators have decided to stop buying ground beef that contains the filler now known as "pink slime." Federal regulators say the filler, known in the industry as "lean, finely textured beef," meets food safety standards. But critics say the product could be unsafe and is an unappetizing example of industrialized food production. Affected stores include:

• Supervalu—which operates Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop `n Save, and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy—said yesterday that customer concern prompted it to stop carrying products containing the filler.
• Food Lion will stop carrying fresh ground beef with either of two similar fillers. A spokeswoman said Food Lion is working with suppliers to make the change—and that the company guarantees the "80% lean ground beef" it already sells doesn't contain the fillers. Food Lion also operates Bloom, Harveys, and Reid's.
• Safeway, which operates Genuardi's and Dominicks, as well as Safeway stores, will stop selling fresh or frozen ground beef with the filler.

(More pink slime stories.)