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Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

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Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#31

Post by jmj42 »

haliax wrote: post #2

Is there a good way to buy only products that avoid use of these chemicals?

Buy local.

I live in central Illinois, so it's fairly easy to find local (within 30 miles) producers of most raw foods (meat/veggies/eggs), with the exception of milk. While this may be difficult in some parts of the country, I find getting to know local farmers and buying directly from the ones that do not use these practices (farmer's markets are great for making those connections) is the easiest.

Though, as I said, I live in a farm rich region, so it may be much easier for me than others.

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#32

Post by [deleted] »

tezza wrote: post #8

A reasonably informative article. It must pain HNers in US that if they perceive these items as problems then they have little access to tasty unpasteurized cheeses which would help ease the blows. http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/consumers/ucm079516.... I'm from Oz originally, and they unfortunately ban unpasteurized cheese too.

[deleted]

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#33

Post by [deleted] »

tezza wrote: post #8

A reasonably informative article. It must pain HNers in US that if they perceive these items as problems then they have little access to tasty unpasteurized cheeses which would help ease the blows. http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/consumers/ucm079516.... I'm from Oz originally, and they unfortunately ban unpasteurized cheese too.

[deleted]

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#34

Post by tezza »

simonsarris wrote: post #17
tezza wrote: post #8

A reasonably informative article. It must pain HNers in US that if they perceive these items as problems then they have little access to tasty unpasteurized cheeses which would help ease the blows. http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/consumers/ucm079516.... I'm from Oz originally, and they unfortunately ban unpasteurized cheese too.

I think you've been slightly misinformed. You can get raw milk and cheese all over New Hampshire, including in supermarkets, and apparently many other states for that matter[1]. I never even knew there were restrictions in some states until your comment. Apparently, even where raw milk/cheese is banned in the U.S., cheese produced from raw milk is legal as long as its been aged for more than 60 days. [1] http://www.f…

I toned down my language to 'little access'... this was all just a tongue in cheek reference to another EU - USA difference.

Your link is good information... there are many states where it looks quite difficult to get unless you have a local farmers' market

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#35

Post by Shivetya »

samatman wrote: post #18
haliax wrote: post #2

Is there a good way to buy only products that avoid use of these chemicals?

All seven practices relate to animal foods, with the exception of a possible trickle-down effect on rice arsenic levels. Whether a vegetarian/vegan diet is a 'good way' is up to your taste.

Except that many outbreaks of salmonella occur from greens sold loose and packages in super markets. Quite a few large scale farms use animal waste in one form or another to fertilize crops.

I would prefer they settle the irradiated foods disputes and use that to clean up much that is done with chemicals. I have seem far less its unsafe than safe yet radiation is a boogeyman that is hard to beat.

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#36

Post by Nursie »

masklinn wrote: post #29
Nursie wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brie de Meaux honks like stale feet anyway! Seriously, opened some up in the car once, big mistake, it stank for ages.

> Brie de Meaux honks like stale feet anyway! Not sure what your point is, it's still delicious. Also brie is not the worst smelling cheese by a very long shot. Maroilles is way worse and used in tarts (a common saying is that after you make a maroilles tart you have to throw out the oven). And of course they have nothing on (non-cheese) surströmming or hákarl

I just meant that you're not necessarily missing out, IMHO.

Brie in general I love. But the only time I've tried brie de meaux from unpasteurised milk it really, really stank and I didn't care for the taste either. And I will eat most ripe and blue cheeses happily.

I've yet to try surstromming after being warned off it by a Swedish friend. Of course he didn't seem to like any Swedish food so may not be the best person to listen to on that count!

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#37

Post by tezza »

masklinn wrote: post #29
Nursie wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brie de Meaux honks like stale feet anyway! Seriously, opened some up in the car once, big mistake, it stank for ages.

> Brie de Meaux honks like stale feet anyway! Not sure what your point is, it's still delicious. Also brie is not the worst smelling cheese by a very long shot. Maroilles is way worse and used in tarts (a common saying is that after you make a maroilles tart you have to throw out the oven). And of course they have nothing on (non-cheese) surströmming or hákarl

Stinking Bishop and Epoisses can clear a house

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#38

Post by paganel »

tokenadult wrote: post #10

The most sensible European regulations of those listed in the article kindly submitted here are "What Europe did: Banned all forms of animal protein, including chicken litter, in cow feed in 2001." and "What Europe did: In the EU, all antibiotics used in human medicines are banned on farms—and no antibiotics can be used on farms for 'non-medical purposes,' i.e., growth promotion." I'd like to see the United States fo…

> "What Europe did: Banned all forms of animal protein, including chicken litter, in cow feed in 2001."

I think this came in the aftermath of the Mad Cow Disease that affected the UK in the mid-'90s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_spongiform_encephalopat...). I know that UK does not necessarily mean Europe, but nevertheless, that was really huge no matter where in Europe you happened to live, it showed that an entire industry could vanish over night just because of bad industry practices.

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#39

Post by Xylakant »

zeteo wrote: post #27

How can you take such decisions while considering only the purported benefits and not the costs as well? Let's take antimicrobial sprays for example. They presumably protect some consumers from food-borne illnesses. Shouldn't this be balanced against the risk of rashes and such? If say we estimate antimicrobial sprays save a hundred thousand salmonella etc. cases a year at the cost of ten eye irritations, maybe they'…

There are more costs attached to it: Using antimicrobial sprays or antibiotics in abundance tends to create resistant strains and the products enrich in the food chain. The same effect could be created by just using proper hygienic conditions in the slaughterhouse - but that would cost more and require some spoilt food to be trashed - such as the trimmings from beef. Instead it's treated with ammonia and sold as ground beef.[1] Enjoy.

[1] http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_19947.cfm

Re: Food Practices Banned in Europe But Allowed in the US

#40

Post by [deleted] »

larsberg wrote: post #28
haliax wrote: post #2

Is there a good way to buy only products that avoid use of these chemicals?

Whole Foods. Whatever else you say about them (or their prices), they've made these issues easy to deal with as a consumer. http://wholefoods.com/about-our-products/quality-standards/a...

[deleted]
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