 Manufacturer Beef Products Inc . ( BPI ) and meat industry organizations addressed public concerns by stating that the additive , though processed , is " lean beef " that simply was not able to be reclaimed through traditional slaughterhouse practices until newer technologies became available approximately 20 years ago . With regard to concerns over the use of ammonium hydroxide , BPI noted that its use as an anti @-@ microbial agent is approved by the Food and Drug Administration . The use of ammonium hydroxide is included on the FDA 's list of GRAS ( generally recognized as safe ) procedures , and is used in similar applications for numerous other food products , including puddings and baked goods . 
