Audio By Carbonatix
A Florida grocery shopper recently had an experience with an expensive cut of meat that may have scarred him for life. The filet mignon he bought from Publix may have permanently changed his steak-buying habits.
Over the weekend, Jordan Colleary (@jordancolleary) posted a TikTok showing the filet mignon. The beef appears to be cooked to medium-rare, as the center is bright pink.
Colleary can’t believe how the steak turned out.
“So I just got this steak from Publix. And look at it. That’s like,” he trails off. “I don’t know what that is.”
As he speaks, Colleary rubs the steak between his fingers. It appears to have a gooey, sticky texture quite unlike that of filet mignon.
In the text overlay, he describes it as “gum” and asks people to explain why the Publix steak looks like that.
He shows the receipt showing he bought two filet mignons and Brussels sprouts from Publix for roughly $50. Colleary also shows the packaging for one of the steaks, which cost $30.51.
His post has generated waves of revulsion as well as accusations that the southeastern grocer sells lab-grown meat. It has 712,000 views as of this writing.
Lab Vs. Farm
Lab-grown meat is heralded by some as an environmentally friendly way to enjoy a delicious ribeye or filet. Cattle farming is a major pollutant and contributor to climate change.
But for others, there’s just something icky and unsettling about lab-grown meat. They worry about the health effects of consuming it and doubt it can provide proper nourishment.
That’s why there’s significant resistance among some to lab-grown meat taking over grocery shelves and restaurant menus.
Many people are convinced that Colleary’s filets never roamed a pasture. They think those steaks were lab-grown.
He appears to be among them.
He captioned the TikTok, “WHAT IS THIS!?? SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE!”
In a follow-up, Colleary wrote, “Let’s find a lab to take this!” He also blasts “fake food, messed-with meat, and low-grade fuel for your body.” The post includes #labgrown.
Others echoed this assertion or offered theories to explain that strange texture of the steak.
“If you take that steak to a lab to be examined for its contents and you find that there is in fact either gumming agents or artificially grown meat, you can sue them for refusing to list the honest ingredients of their sale,” wrote one. “And a lot of people should cause this is an FDA issue and it’s all over America.”
Another suggested a “mass class action” is in order.
Meat Or ‘Meat’?
But were Colleary’s Publix steaks grown in a lab? In all likelihood, no.
The Council of State Governments Midwestern Office reported in April that U.S. grocers like Publix have not started selling lab-grown meat.
One person who commented on Colleary’s post pointed this out. “There isn’t a grocery store in America that sells lab-grown meat,” they wrote. “Not one.”
Many were unconvinced. One referenced “sheeple.” Another simply wrote sarcastically, “Mmmkay…..”
Further, Florida banned the sale of lab-grown meat in 2024. Colleary’s post suggests he’s in Tampa, Florida.
Publix didn’t respond to an email BroBible sent Tuesday morning.
So why were Colleary’s steaks gummy and gooey? It could simply be that the meat was subpar. This can happen even with an expensive cut like filet mignon.
Or it could be a sign of spoilage or enzymes breaking down the connective tissues.
Colleary didn’t respond to a direct message BroBible sent via TikTok.
Content shared from brobible.com.