UPDATE: Thursday, March 22, 2012

Two supermarket chains are joining the growing list of store chains that will no longer sell beef if it includes what's been called "pink slime."

Federal regulators say the filler, treated with ammonia, meets food safety standards. It's known in the industry as "lean, finely textured beef." But critics say it could be unsafe, and that it's an unappetizing example of industrialized food production.

Kroger, the nation's largest traditional grocer with nearly 2,500 supermarkets, had said yesterday that it would sell beef with and without the additive. But now the company says it will stop carrying the beef altogether.

Earlier today, Stop & Shop said it will stop selling the beef because of customer concerns. They join Safeway, Supervalu and Food Lion, among others.

The low-cost ingredient is made from fatty bits of meat left over from other cuts. Last week, the Agriculture Department said that starting next fall, schools involved in the national school lunch program will have the option of avoiding the product.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Supermarket chain Stop & Shop is joining the growing list of store chains that say they will no longer sell beef with the filler 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.

Stop & Shop says it will no longer buy fresh ground beef containing the additive because of customer concerns.

Stop & Shop is a unit of Dutch supermarkets owner Royal Ahold NV and operates 400 stores in the Northeast U.S.

Other grocery store chains that have said they don't sell beef with the additive or will stop include: Target, Whole Foods, Supervalu, Food Lion, Safeway and Costco.