Main ingredient in fast-food chicken, chicken nuggets, patties and the processed frozen chicken in the stores, [Mechanically separated meat], also known as mechanically recovered/reclaimed meat, is a paste-like meat product produced by forcing beef, pork or chicken bones, with attached edible meat, under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue. Mechanically separated meat has been used in certain meat and meat products since the late 1960s. Mechanically separated meat must be labeled as "mechanically separated"... in the ingredients statement. Hot dogs can contain no more than 20 percent mechanically separated beef or pork.
Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable/Soybean/Cottonseed Oil:Refers to oils that have had hydrogen added, in the presence of small amounts of catalyst metals such as nickel, palladium, platinum or cobalt. This causes the oil harden to a desired level, but it creates trans fatty acids, which are very unfriendly to the heart. Found in Crisco, Oreos, and many other tasty, death-hastening foods.
Xanthan Gum:Named for the Xanthomonas campestris bacteria that create it, it is the powdery byproduct of the fermentation of glucose or sucrose. Used to add texture to foods like salad dressing, pudding, etc. Also can be used in place of gluten for baking. Extra credit for the cool X-pronounced-like-a-Z factor.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG):MSG is a highly effective flavor enhancer that is considered by many to be, well, kind of a jerk. It is created by fermenting starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses. Its presence in food makes other flavors stand out more, but eating food that contains MSG causes many people to experience headaches, flushing, sweating, and a sensation of pressure in the mouth or face. Rare reports have indicated swelling of the throat, chest pain, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath.
High Fructose Corn Syrup:Corn syrup which has had much of its natural glucose sugar converted to fructose sugar. It’s the primary sweetener for mass-produced foods in the US, particularly soft drinks. It’s often cited as the leading cause of obesity in the US, and is linked to diabetes.
Gelatin:Used in making Jell-o, jams, and things of that nature, gelatin is created by boiling the bones, skins, and hides of cows and pigs. This releases collagen, which is boiled, filtered, and ground in to powder. Doesn’t that make you want to run out and grab a big old bowl of raspberry-flavored jiggly-hides-and-bones?Cochineal (aka Carmine or Carminic Acid):A deep red food coloring used for fruit juices, gelatins, and candies. It is derived from ground-up Dactylopius coccus beetles.source: http://www.damninteresting.com/mechanically-separated-chicken-and-other-horrors
