3 ms·

Are bugs in flour really that big of a health concern?

by sfeng 9y ago

ryanisnan 9y ago
It makes it difficult to calculate one's protein intake.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
abawany 9y ago
I guess it depends on the person. For example, flour is currently allowed 150 insect filth/fragments per 100 grams [1]. Your reaction will vary to this information but mine is to try to forget this information as soon as possible because I love bread and I am not ready to get a wheat grinder (though I have seen a nice portable one in a Mormon household that I will probably purchase one day). Similarly, in Montreal, it was recently discovered that turkey sausages were mostly chicken and 'pure beef' sausages were made of horse meat [2]. A certain fish that looks like mackerel (edit: served as albacore) and is served as such in some places causes significant gastric discomfort if consumed in a large portion [3]. Food adulteration is a big deal and was much worse when regulation was loose/non-existent. My point was that whole ingredients (such as wheat berries) are a reasonable approach to self empowerment in terms of controlling what you put in your body. It is in my opinion more doable than running one's own farm or some such. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_Defect_Action_Levels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_Defect_Action_Levels [2]: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/sausage-science-1.4234568 http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/sausage-science-1.4234568 [3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar
- dagss 9y ago
  My reaction to the insect in flour info is "yay more proteins". Why would one try to avoid it? I mean on a scientific level.
  - abawany 9y ago
    Well, if only it was insects. It says insect filth and parts without specifying the proportion. People say 'yum' when they hear beef but it is a rare person who will have the same reaction to dung. Edit: also, if it was just insects, which it isn't, these insects are hardly likely to be the clean and sanitized crickets that are sold as flour.
  - undersuit 9y ago
    Cooking is chemistry, enough adulterants in your flour would affect the final product. That's why there are different flours for different uses. Also why are the bugs in the grain? Were they alive, or did they die in the grain after being doused with a pesticide somewhere in the mill and now you're eating pesticide too(besides the pesticide residue normally allowed on grains from spraying on the fields).
- CamperBob2 9y ago
  We didn't evolve to eat sterile food products free of all possible foreign organisms and wastes. It's far from clear that it's healthy to create such conditions artificially.

Are bugs in flour really that big of a health concern?

by sfeng 9y ago

Are bugs in flour really that big of a health concern?

ryanisnan 9y ago

It makes it difficult to calculate one's protein intake.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]

abawany 9y ago

I guess it depends on the person. For example, flour is currently allowed 150 insect filth/fragments per 100 grams [1]. Your reaction will vary to this information but mine is to try to forget this information as soon as possible because I love bread and I am not ready to get a wheat grinder (though I have seen a nice portable one in a Mormon household that I will probably purchase one day). Similarly, in Montreal, it was recently discovered that turkey sausages were mostly chicken and 'pure beef' sausages were made of horse meat [2]. A certain fish that looks like mackerel (edit: served as albacore) and is served as such in some places causes significant gastric discomfort if consumed in a large portion [3]. Food adulteration is a big deal and was much worse when regulation was loose/non-existent. My point was that whole ingredients (such as wheat berries) are a reasonable approach to self empowerment in terms of controlling what you put in your body. It is in my opinion more doable than running one's own farm or some such. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_Defect_Action_Levels https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_Defect_Action_Levels [2]: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/sausage-science-1.4234568 http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/sausage-science-1.4234568 [3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar

dagss 9y ago
My reaction to the insect in flour info is "yay more proteins". Why would one try to avoid it? I mean on a scientific level.
- abawany 9y ago
  Well, if only it was insects. It says insect filth and parts without specifying the proportion. People say 'yum' when they hear beef but it is a rare person who will have the same reaction to dung. Edit: also, if it was just insects, which it isn't, these insects are hardly likely to be the clean and sanitized crickets that are sold as flour.
- undersuit 9y ago
  Cooking is chemistry, enough adulterants in your flour would affect the final product. That's why there are different flours for different uses. Also why are the bugs in the grain? Were they alive, or did they die in the grain after being doused with a pesticide somewhere in the mill and now you're eating pesticide too(besides the pesticide residue normally allowed on grains from spraying on the fields).
CamperBob2 9y ago
We didn't evolve to eat sterile food products free of all possible foreign organisms and wastes. It's far from clear that it's healthy to create such conditions artificially.