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How we're scammed into eating phony food

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Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#381
post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is a really good example of food differences between USA and Europe. Something as simple as eggs: http://www.thejournal.ie/refrigerate-eggs-usa-europe-1809120... TLDR: European regulations force more stringent regulations on producers of eggs; therefore eggs are cleaner and you can store them for weeks without refrigeration. IMHO they've also got a much nicer colour.

You can store European eggs for longer because they're unwashed, precisely because they're dirtier . It's a value judgement, and I don't think it should be regulated either way.

What do you mean be "store longer"? I've stored average American eggs in the refrigerator for multiple months without a problem (I only use them on the rare occasion that I bake something).

I am under the impression that European eggs are not refrigerated. My understanding is that once you refrigerate an egg, the membrane separates from the shell, requiring that you continue to refrigerate it, as the egg is no longer properly sealed. Since American eggs are refrigerated to begin with, you need to continue refrigeration.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#382

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think you should get to dictate to others what food they eat? It doesn't matter if you think how people choose their food is not sensible, what matters for GMO labeling is whether you think they should be allowed to choose. Don't know what you mean by DHMO in this context, are you trying to make a joke about water? FWIW we have labeling for food dosed with water, eg bacon, such labeling is perfectly proper.

The problem isn't with labels per se. Sure, informed choice is best and all. But people are asking for GMO labels not because of a need to exercise informed choice - the campaigning is done because of irrational fears of GMO. Call it asking for an OK-ish thing for very wrong reasons. And DHMO in this context means the GMO fear makes about as much sense as DHMO fear. People are afraid because it sounds "chemically".

>the campaigning is done because of irrational fears of GMO.

But not allowing be to have the data to make a choice because a certain undefined cadre of society considers that choice to be irrational seems exceedingly likely to have a chilling effect.

So now you can't label your goods as phthalate-free because someone somewhere decided, perhaps with the help of a plastics manufacturer (yes I'm cynical), that "there's no rational reason to avoid them"?

This prevents people from being more conservative with risk than the authority who decides we're not allowed to have that information; yes it also means people can make a decision that you wouldn't but we all have the information available.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#383
post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. could have totally different nutrition contents than you think you are getting. you could think you are getting nice healthy fats from a natural source. instead you're getting crappy vegetable oil and coloring.

Surely that would show up in chromatography tests.

Yes, but most oils are not subject to that level of testing.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#384
I start sneezing whenever I eat processed food. I think it's an allergy to preservatives.

There's no test for that. I first noticed it about 5 years ago. After eating Subway, I always got sneezy, and also after drinking beer. I had an allergy test but nothing came up positive.

After years of trial and error, I'm pretty confident when I see a fake juice, condiment, or something commonly canned like olives that I will have a reaction if I eat it.

I should be a food taster for health nuts

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#385
post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>. It's basically lower-grade olive or vegetable oil with some added green chlorophyl for color. could have totally different nutrition contents than you think you are getting. you could think you are getting nice healthy fats from a natural source. instead you're getting crappy vegetable oil and coloring.

Surely that would show up in chromatography tests.

> Surely that would show up in chromatography tests.

Sure, the upthread comment is that it is hard to detect short of chromatography or similar lab testing, not that it is hard to detect with chromatography.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#386

We're trying to end this. Open Food Facts is an open, collaborative effort to try to make more sense of food and food packagings. A bit like Wikipedia, but for food. Using smartphones, you can scan any food item and get detailed and structured data about what you're about to buy/eat. If the item is not yet in the database, you can help by taking a picture, so that next time there will be detailed facts. You can perus…

This sounds cool. I'll be in touch.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#387
post #341

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everywhere. I haven't stayed in a single hotel anywhere that doesn't serve English Breakfast. And I'm sure a lot of people are enjoying a Sunday Roast or a Chicken Tikka Masala every now and again. But of course, I know there are a lot of ignorant people in the world, which is why I admit the myth persists.

Chicken Tikka Masala That's not British though, it's Indian.

I'm reasonably sure that peruvian people knew the concept of putting a potato in the fire much before british "invented it".

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#388
post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here is a really good example of food differences between USA and Europe. Something as simple as eggs: http://www.thejournal.ie/refrigerate-eggs-usa-europe-1809120... TLDR: European regulations force more stringent regulations on producers of eggs; therefore eggs are cleaner and you can store them for weeks without refrigeration. IMHO they've also got a much nicer colour.

You can store European eggs for longer because they're unwashed, precisely because they're dirtier . It's a value judgement, and I don't think it should be regulated either way.

Its a chemical layer that's removed by washing, that makes eggs need refrigeration. Until washed, they're an antiseptic capsule. After - bacteria can enter through exposed pores in the shell.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#389

I start sneezing whenever I eat processed food. I think it's an allergy to preservatives. There's no test for that. I first noticed it about 5 years ago. After eating Subway, I always got sneezy, and also after drinking beer. I had an allergy test but nothing came up positive. After years of trial and error, I'm pretty confident when I see a fake juice, condiment, or something commonly canned like olives that I will…

Carls Jr sent me to the hospital, twice. Had an horrible allergy to their cheese.

I can eat other cheese fine.

Re: How we're scammed into eating phony food

#390

I start sneezing whenever I eat processed food. I think it's an allergy to preservatives. There's no test for that. I first noticed it about 5 years ago. After eating Subway, I always got sneezy, and also after drinking beer. I had an allergy test but nothing came up positive. After years of trial and error, I'm pretty confident when I see a fake juice, condiment, or something commonly canned like olives that I will…

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