 Rick Jochum , a spokesperson for BPI , stated in 2012 that BPI 's product does not contain cow intestines or connective tissue such as tendons . A United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) microbiologist stated that the product does contain connective tissue " instead of muscle " and thus it is " not meat " and is " not nutritionally equivalent " to ground beef . Fox News reported that besides low @-@ grade beef trimmings other meat by @-@ products such as connective tissue , cartilage , and sinew which contain fat were present . 
