# Ammonia smell in Costco ground pork



## GaryHibbert (Apr 15, 2017)

Last week my neighbor returned from Costco and opened the 2 large packages of ground pork (just bought) to repackage in meal size portions.

When she opened the packages the was a VERY STRONG ammonia smell--so strong she gagged.  Ammonia???

Now I know that they add Pink Slime to ground beef and spray it with ammonia gas to kill bacteria.  Do they do something similiar with pork?  And why the overpowering smell.

She checked the expiry date and it was good and the smell was not that of meat gone bad.

I told her to return the meat but she said it wasn'tworth taking back.  It costs $50 in fuel to drive to Edmonton and back so she'd just end up losing even more money.  The meat went to the dump.

Any thoughts or explanations????

Gary


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## crankybuzzard (Apr 15, 2017)

I've had a faint whiff now and then, but nothing like you've described.   I usually get the slight smell from cryovacced stuff.


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## myownidaho (Apr 15, 2017)

That's bad pig. Straight back to the store with that package.


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 15, 2017)

Now I know that they add Pink Slime to ground beef 
------
Huh?


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## myownidaho (Apr 15, 2017)

GaryHibbert said:


> Last week my neighbor returned from Costco and opened the 2 large packages of ground pork (just bought) to repackage in meal size portions.
> 
> When she opened the packages the was a VERY STRONG ammonia smell--so strong she gagged.  Ammonia???
> 
> ...



The ammonia smell is the result of anaerobic metabolism of bacteria. Think soft rind cheese that has been wrapped in plastic wrap for too long.


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## gr0uch0 (Apr 15, 2017)

X2 on what MOI said--straight back to the warehouse with that batch.  They'll take good care of her:  neighbor got some bad smelling beef not too long ago.  Not only did they trade it out with no questions, he got a $10 gift card for his inconvenience.


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## JckDanls 07 (Apr 15, 2017)

Since it's to far to drive just for that..  at least have her call them and tell them to check the rest of what they have...  they may take her name and do something for her on her next visit... but at least call and explain ...


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## gr0uch0 (Apr 15, 2017)

JckDanls 07 said:


> Since it's to far to drive just for that.. at least have her call them and tell them to check the rest of what they have... they may take her name and do something for her on her next visit... but at least call and explain ...


Jack's on it.  My apologies:  I overlooked the round trip and the dump in your original post, Gary.


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## GaryHibbert (Apr 15, 2017)

MyOwnIdaho said:


> The ammonia smell is the result of anaerobic metabolism of bacteria. Think soft rind cheese that has been wrapped in plastic wrap for too long.



That's a definite possibility but considering the amount of meat Costco goes through and the package not having the best before date would that be enough time?


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## GaryHibbert (Apr 15, 2017)

JckDanls 07 said:


> Since it's to far to drive just for that..  at least have her call them and tell them to check the rest of what they have...  they may take her name and do something for her on her next visit... but at least call and explain ...






gr0uch0 said:


> X2 on what MOI said--straight back to the warehouse with that batch.  They'll take good care of her:  neighbor got some bad smelling beef not too long ago.  Not only did they trade it out with no questions, he got a $10 gift card for his inconvenience.



Thanks fellas.  I told her to call and she said she would so that's not a problem.  I was just trying to figure out the cause of the smell.  We get all our meat from Costco and have never experienced it.

Gary


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 15, 2017)

Take pics and send them to costco (enail) with a detailed description of the problem. Keep the receipt until the next trip. No guarantee but it might work. They are very accomodating. Best retailer if you ask me.


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## myownidaho (Apr 15, 2017)

GaryHibbert said:


> That's a definite possibility but considering the amount of meat Costco goes through and the package not having the best before date would that be enough time?



The only thing I can think of is that somewhere along the road is something wan't handled correctly. Or something ended up in that particular package of pork. I don't have enough knowledge on food processing to be more definitive.


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## atomicsmoke (Apr 15, 2017)

Now I know that they add Pink Slime to ground beef and spray it with ammonia gas to kill bacteria
----
From what i read pink slime is banned this side of the border.

However pink tap water seems to be allowed.
https://www.google.ca/amp/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4013808


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## daveomak (Apr 15, 2017)

"*Pink slime*" (a dysphemism for *lean finely textured beef* or *LFTB*,[sup][1][/sup]*finely textured beef*,[sup][2][/sup] and *boneless lean beef trimmings* or *BLBT*[sup][3][/sup]) is a meat-based product used as a food additive to ground beef and beef-based processed meats, as a filler or to reduce the overall fat content of ground beef.[sup][4][/sup][sup][5][/sup] In the production process, heat and centrifuges remove fat from the meat in beef trimmings.[sup][6][/sup] The resulting product is exposed to ammonia gas or citric acid to kill bacteria.[sup][6][/sup] In 2001, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the product for limited human consumption. It is banned for human consumption in the European Union.[sup][7][/sup]

In March 2012, an ABC News series about "pink slime" included claims that approximately 70 percent of ground beef sold in U.S. supermarkets contained the additive at that time. Some companies and organizations stopped offering ground beef with the product. "Pink slime" was claimed by some originally to have been used as pet food and cooking oil and later approved for public consumption,[sup][8][/sup] but this was disputed in April 2012, by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) administrator responsible for approving the product and Beef Products, Inc. (BPI), the largest U.S. producer of the additive.[sup][9][/sup][sup][10][/sup] In September 2012 BPI filed a lawsuit against American Broadcasting Company for false claims about the product.[sup][11][/sup]

The product is regulated in different manners in various regions. In the United States, the product is allowed to be used in ground beef, and it can be used in other meat products such as beef-based processed meats. The product is banned in Canada due to the presence of ammonia in it, and it is banned for human consumption in the European Union. Some consumer advocacy groups have promoted the elimination of the product or for mandatory disclosure of additives in beef, while others have expressed concerns about plant closures that occurred after the product received significant news media coverage.


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