How would you like your meat? Glued?

Bonnie: we reported on this last year and it is now getting some attention. Choose organic or grass-fed beef whenever possible.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture investigation was initiated into transglutaminase (TG), the powdery enzyme dubbed "meat glue" that's used to bind separate pieces of meat together. TG is "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but recently, Sen. Ted Lieu (D-CA) called for the investigation because of a potential public safety concern.

Lieu said better labeling of meat products is necessary because outer meat portions that are more susceptible to contamination may end up glued inside a larger meat piece, leading to food-borne illness if the meat is not properly cooked.

The current public outcry against "meat glue", like with "pink slime", is yet another indication that consumers are demanding transparency in the food system.