The politicans who toured the plant -- Branstad, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, Sheehy and South Dakota Lt. Gov. Matt Michels -- all agree with the industry view that the product has been maligned unfairly and issued a joint statement earlier saying the product is safe. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack appeared at a news conference with Branstad on Wednesday to lend his support.

Branstad and Perry were among those munching on burgers made from it at a news conference after the tour. "It's lean. It's good. It's nutritious," Branstad said as he polished off a patty, sans bun.

Russell Cross, a former administrator of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, said the product is getting a bad rap from a food safety standpoint.

"I'm not saying it's perfectly safe. Nothing is perfectly safe. All food is going to have bacteria in it. But this product has never been in question for safety," he said.

Cross said that ammonia hydroxide is just one tool designed to reduce bacteria and help make the food safer. The process Cargill uses, by comparison, uses citric acid to achieve similar results.