The government approves this?

[noobiechickenlady]

Mmmm, yummy! Chocolate covered grasshoppers actually are quite tasty
In nourishing traditions Fallon talks about "vegetarian" cultures around the world not really being vegetarians, because of the sheer number of bugs they eat, intended or not. And animals too. Cows, goats, gorillas, all are considered vegetarians, but really eat lots of animals, only in the form of insects.

I get your point tho, X% of bugs is allowed, but we can't pick our own milk sources. Stupid...
On that note, a wise person told me that "We're all born ignorant. It takes special training to be stupid."

 

[2dream]

Somewhere - can't remember where I saw it - on a govt website is a list of the percentages of bugs, rat/mice hair, and a bunch of other stuff that is allowable in our food.

However, since I am the worlds worst to pull a tomato off the vine, pull up a carrot, or snatch a strawberry, and give it a quick brush on my pants leg (which by the way is usually dirty), I don't really worry about the natural stuff that the government allows in our food. Its all that pesticide/chemical stuff that makes me want to

 

[me&thegals]

I guess bugs don't bug me as much as feces or rodents. As a vegetable grower, I see that the organic process allows LOTS of bugs in the food. Obviously I try to clean them out, but I'd rather have bugs that way than zero bugs and invisible toxins (insecticides).

Yep, WAY more concerned about poo (non-insect) in the food.

 

[patandchickens]

How could there NOT be some bug and other foreign-object parts in food? Except for things that are totally synthesized in the lab I guess.

As for the milk thing, while I am firmly in agreement that it ought to be legal to purchase raw milk in some form in some way, I would direct those who think it's ridiculous to require pasteurization to read their history books. A hundred or hundred fifty years ago, unpasteurized milk sold to the public was genuinely a GREAT BIG health problem and sickened and killed lotsa people.

Yes, nowadays advances in our ability to sterilize things, test for diseases and germs, sanitize things, and transport stuff rapidly and guaranteed-cold have made it possible to sell raw milk that is in the same safety ballpark (or better in some situations) than pasteurized.

It's just that public opinion/education and gov't policy have not caught up yet. It is hardly the ONLY thing of which this is true although perhaps among the most-time-lagged ones.

But I mean, it is not some ridiculous backwards farce, it was originally instituted for very GOOD REASONS, even if they are no longer overwhelmingly true *now*.

Pat

 

[Bethanial]

exactly my point, Noobie. I was raised in the country, in a rural farming community, so, a little bug here or there in my food doesn't creep me out. And I'd def rather have a little bit of bug than some chemical or pesticide.

I just wish I could buy real milk!

 

[me&thegals]

I'm on the fence about the raw milk thing. I think intense heat probably kills a lot of good stuff. But it also kills a lot of bad stuff. The reality is that udders are pretty messy places, and you're leaving it up to Mr. Farmer to get them completely free of poo if you're doing raw milk.

Plus, in our area, there is Jonie disease in the herds, which is theorized to be linked to Crohn disease in humans. We have a LOT of dairy around here and a LOT of Crohn disease.

So, it's enough of a question to keep me basically on pasteurized milk for the family. We're lucky enough to get it from a cousin's farm that DH helps out on, so at least ours is fresh.

 

[Bethanial]

oh goodness - I wasn't trying to start a debate or anything!

 

[i_am2bz]

Come on folks - salad grows out in the fields. Washing, double washing, etc can only remove the larger percentage of those bugs. Sheesh...

Ha! You should see me washing the lettuce from my garden - I'd put it thru the dishwasher if I could!!

I remember reading about all this way back when I was in high school, specifically about the amount of bug parts in orange juice. I don't think I drank OJ for 5 years after reading that!

 

[moolie]

Most fruit is full of fruit fly eggs/larvae/adults as well. Bugs are just part of food.

 

[Beekissed]

I think raw milk is superior to pasteurized milk any day...but I would really have to know and trust the farmer before I would buy it from anyone. Especially if they used auto milkers.