80% of Pre-Packaged Foods in America Are Banned in Other Countries

Babble. com ^ | June 24, 2013

[opentalk]

If you or your kids enjoy pre-packaged convenience foods commonly found in grocery stores across the U.S. such as Froot Loops, Swanson dinners, Mountain Dew, and frozen potato and bread products, you may think twice before purchasing them after hearing what they contain: dangerous chemicals that other countries around the globe have deemed toxic to the point that they're illegal, and companies are fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for including them in food products.

In a new book Rich Food, Poor Food, authors Mira and Jason Calton provide a list of what they term "Banned Bad Boys" - ingredients commonly used in up to 80% of all American convenience food that have been banned by other countries, with information about which countries banned each substance and why.

And though it might not surprise you to hear that Olestra -commonly used in low/no-fat snack foods and known to cause serious gastrointestinal issues for those who consume it (understatement) - is on that list, having been banned in both the United Kingdom and Canada, you may be shocked to hear that Mountain Dew, Fresca and Squirt all contain brominated vegetable oil, a substance that has been banned in more than 100 countries "because it has been linked to basically every form of thyroid disease - from cancer to autoimmune diseases - known to man."

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

I was joking with my wife, after shopping at a local health-food store, that if I went back I was going to ask for organic table salt. (I’m not referring to actual organic compounds that happen to be salts.)

The joke was on me — it turns out that health food stores do carry “organic salt”. By “organic”, they mean “pure”, or “made by vegan hippies”, or some such. Apparently, none of their regular customers ever call them on it.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Five words explain most of this: non-tariff barriers to trade. It's just protectionism by subterfuge. All countries do it (including the U.S.A.).

[ctdonath2]

Olestra -commonly used in low/no-fat snack foods and known to cause serious gastrointestinal issues for those who consume it (understatement)

"Olestra chips - now with 10% less anal leakage!" - SNL

[Carthego delenda est]

“Unfortunately, raw milk is extremely expensive where I live, $14.00 a gallon, or I could drive 30 minutes one way to a farm and get fresh raw milk and pay for the mileage. Ugghh”

Funny, I have the opposite ‘problem’. I can go to various neighbors and get fresh cow or goat milk, or drive 35 miles to get to a grocery store.

[Grams A]

Have you tried Raw Milk?”

Grew up on a farm and that’s all we had until I was a teenager. Hated it in the spring when Molly, the Jersey cow who gave about 90% cream, would eat something she wasn’t supposed to. Then my mom would say, “Hold your nose when you drink your milk, Molly has been in the weeds again!”

[Disambiguator]

MSDS: Dihydrogen Monoxide
Dihydrogen monoxide (also known as hydric acid) is responsible for injury, death, and property damage all over the world. Visit the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division online at www.dhmo.org, or send email to info@dhmo.org for more information.

---

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET FOR DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE

---

PRODUCT NAME: DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE
FORMULA WT: 18.00
CAS NO.: 07732-18-5
NIOSH/RTECS NO.: ZC0110000
COMMON SYNONYMS: DIHYDROGEN OXIDE, HYDRIC ACID
PRODUCT CODES: 4218,4219
EFFECTIVE: 05/30/86
REVISION #01

LABORATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

SAFETY GLASSES; LAB COAT

PRECAUTIONARY LABEL STATEMENTS

STORAGE: KEEP IN TIGHTLY CLOSED CONTAINER.

BOILING POINT: 100 C ( 212 F) VAPOR PRESSURE(MM HG): 17.5

MELTING POINT: 0 C ( 32 F) VAPOR DENSITY(AIR=1): N/A

SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 1.00 EVAPORATION RATE: N/A

SOLUBILITY(H2O): COMPLETE (IN ALL PROPORTIONS) % VOLATILES BY VOLUME: 100

APPEARANCE & ODOR: ODORLESS, CLEAR COLORLESS LIQUID.

TOXICITY: LD50 (IPR-MOUSE)(G/KG) - 190
LD50 (IV-MOUSE) (MG/KG) - 25

DISPOSAL PROCEDURE
DISPOSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.

SAF-T-DATA(TM) STORAGE COLOR CODE: ORANGE (GENERAL STORAGE)

SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS
KEEP CONTAINER TIGHTLY CLOSED. SUITABLE FOR ANY GENERAL CHEMICAL STORAGE
AREA. DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE IS CONSIDERED A NON-REGULATED PRODUCT, BUT
REACTS VIGOROUSLY WITH SOME MATERIALS. THESE INCLUDE SODIUM, POTASSIUM
AND OTHER ALKALI METALS; ELEMENTAL FLUORINE; AND STRONG DEHYDRATING AGENTS
SUCH AS SULFURIC ACID. IT FORMS EXPLOSIVE GASES WITH CALCIUM CARBIDE.
AVOID CONTACT WITH ALL MATERIALS UNTIL INVESTIGATION SHOWS SUBSTANCE IS
COMPATIBLE. EXPANDS SIGNIFICANTLY UPON FREEZING. DO NOT STORE IN RIGID
CONTAINER AND PROTECT FROM FREEZING.

DOMESTIC (D.O.T.)

PROPER SHIPPING NAME CHEMICALS, N.O.S. (NON-REGULATED)

INTERNATIONAL (I.M.O.)

PROPER SHIPPING NAME CHEMICALS, N.O.S. (NON-REGULATED)

---

More here: http://www.dhmo.org/msds/MSDS-DHMO-Kemp.pdf

[chiller]

It's wicked stuff.....they must have one hell of a lobbying effort on K street. Of course, it's used for national security purposes, so that must be the reason its still legal. :)

Thinking more about 'still legal'....breathing has become illegal, or is about to be, because of carbon dioxide, so dihydrogen monoxide could be next.

[PLMerite]

“Why can’t we do that here?!? /whine “

It’s the Refrigerator Industry (Big Fridge)! /s :)

[Retired Chemist]

I wonder what the life span is in the “other countries” as compared to the United States?

[exDemMom]

The joke was on me — it turns out that health food stores do carry “organic salt”. By “organic”, they mean “pure”, or “made by vegan hippies”, or some such. Apparently, none of their regular customers ever call them on it.

I would be hard-pressed to hold my tongue. I'd want to know what, exactly, is organic about the salt (assuming it's NaCl).

[newnhdad]

I mess with the kids in the store when I ask for the “inorganic” section because the “organic” stuff is too expensive.. I usually get a laugh but one kid must have thought I was from corporate because he took me seriously.

[opentalk]

US ranks 51st in life expectancy compared to other countries

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2240855/How-does-nation-rank-world-map-life-expectancy.html

[CrazyIvan]

I knew there was a logical scientific explanation.

[beelzepug]

“No way I’m putting that stuff in me!”

Ugh! Did you know that fish fornicate in it? I’m serious!

[CrazyIvan]

My cousins gave me some fresh milk while I was at their farm once. One gulp and my mouth just about turned inside out. They thought it was hilarious. The cow had been eating hedge apples.

[nomad]

Please, just because some eco-fools have doubts about some of the stuff being put in processed foods does not mean that those doubts are unfounded.

Did hominids evolve with them in their food chain? Did those chemicals exist in foods people ate 20,000 years ago? 2,000 years, even 200? Then can we at least honestly investigate before we knee-jerk our way into a dinner by Dow? Or at least make them divulge the potential crap they are putting into our foods and let the FREEMARKET decide?

[nomad]

It`s f-ing water.

[nomad]

It`s f-ing water.

[nomad]

I just wish the Assclown in Chief`s, first Moo-Cow would push her hubbies cronies to label all GMO and chemical additives, including the processing chemicals, so we could choose if we want to eat that crap.Instead he signs bills protecting them from litigation no matter what happens from their products.

[rockrr]

If you reduce its core temperature to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and add vodka it’s really rather refreshing ;-)