Poison

[Durgan]

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/fooddr ... arrots.htm

There is a marketing campaign which permeates the media regarding the benefits of "Baby" carrots. They are simply POISON.

These carrots first came to my attention in this manner.
A friend was eating the "Baby" carrots as a snack food while watching television. She told me that her throat started to swell up, and she almost had to seek medical attention. The cause was the irritating effect of the chlorine used to preserve the appearance of the carrot. The so called Baby carrots or Cocktail carrots are soaked in chlorine, which preserves and poisons the carrots for long periods. Shelf life is improved, and the housewife has instant prepared food, often served with a dip. The chlorine is necessary since the outer skin of the carrot is destroyed in the milling process, when making these little carrots.

I cringe ever time I see these monstrosities served at parties.

Never buy a supermarket carrot unless the green tops are present, and/or the large carrots that look like carrots.

[MKG]

I appreciate your warning, Durgan - but most of the baby carrots I eat are from my garden. The remainder are bought (as baby carrots) and come with their skin on - they really are small carrots.

Mike

[StripyPixieSocks]

Actually it seems like the Chlorine is washed off: http://www.snopes.com/food/tainted/carrots.asp

http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/20 ... usted.html

Again a mixture of true and false which is usually hyped by the media they also soak some salad leaves like this to remove Weil's disease: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-weils-disease.htm

[Ellendra]

Heck, at my house all produce that might be eaten raw is soaked in chlorine, even the stuff from our garden!

(My mother and I both have weak immune systems, and my garden is full of mice. Soaking produce in a chlorine bleach bath for 5 minutes kills any germs on the surface, then it's rinsed off and allowed to air for at least half an hour. This way we're not actually ingesting the chlorine itself. As a side note, we've observed that produce treated this way stays fresh almost 4 times longer)

[Durgan]

Heck, at my house all produce that might be eaten raw is soaked in chlorine, even the stuff from our garden!

(My mother and I both have weak immune systems, and my garden is full of mice. Soaking produce in a chlorine bleach bath for 5 minutes kills any germs on the surface, then it's rinsed off and allowed to air for at least half an hour. This way we're not actually ingesting the chlorine itself. As a side note, we've observed that produce treated this way stays fresh almost 4 times longer)

My view. I see nothing wrong with using chlorine if the skin or placenta barrier is present. I would not do the same thing to a carrot after is has been skinned, or as potato, or parsnip. I suggest the placenta barrier, or skin if you like prevents absorption of the chlorine, and any residue is easy to wash off. I don't suppose anybody would soak strawberries, raspberries, blackberries in chlorine to increase shelf life-or maybe it is done now without public knowledge.

[oldjerry]

Heck, at my house all produce that might be eaten raw is soaked in chlorine, even the stuff from our garden!

(My mother and I both have weak immune systems, and my garden is full of mice. Soaking produce in a chlorine bleach bath for 5 minutes kills any germs on the surface, then it's rinsed off and allowed to air for at least half an hour. This way we're not actually ingesting the chlorine itself. As a side note, we've observed that produce treated this way stays fresh almost 4 times longer)

Are you serious? If you're any sort of gardener your soil will be full of worms (hideous little toxic monsters) and even other potentially deadly dangers ,hedgehogs (fleas),birds(avian flu),badgers and foxes (TB),worst of all we are often visited on summer evenings by 3 or 4 bats,as a result our kids aren't allowed out after tea without a crucifix and a string of garlic round their necks.

[Millymollymandy]

OMG I had not realised that chlorine = BLEACH!!! I can't even go near the stuff as the smell gets up my nose and stays there for hours. I know you mentioned this before Durgan but I hadn't realised you were talking about vegetables coated in bleach.

[bonniethomas06]

Are you serious? If you're any sort of gardener your soil will be full of worms (hideous little toxic monsters) and even other potentially deadly dangers ,hedgehogs (fleas),birds(avian flu),badgers and foxes (TB),worst of all we are often visited on summer evenings by 3 or 4 bats,as a result our kids aren't allowed out after tea without a crucifix and a string of garlic round their necks.

Well said Oldjerry, we are the same - I am sure I saw next doors JackRussell cocking it's leg over my flat leaf parsley the other day...but I rinsed them in lukewarm water and lived to tell the tale.

I don't mean to mock though, perhaps this is a US/UK thing? The main reason I grow my own veg is so that I can make sure it has not been dunked in any nasty unnatural substances. And I am sure that a little expousure to soil borne nasties makes you eventually become resistant to this kind of thing?

But then I am not a microbiologist, and am blessed with the constitution of a stainless steel ox, so this could be totally incorrect.

[oldjerry]

[quote="bonniethomas06"][quote][quote="oldjerry"]



Well said Oldjerry, we are the same - I am sure I saw next doors JackRussell cocking it's leg over my flat leaf parsley the other day...but I rinsed them in lukewarm water and lived to tell the tale.

You ate nextdoors dog's legs? You're taking this foraging thing a bit far!

[Millymollymandy]

For those of you who are unaware - Ellendra was extremely ill last year and underwent every medical test known to man and baffled half the doctors in the US as to what was wrong with her. So I don't blame her being careful. But is there not a better way to wash/sterilise veg rather than put bleach on them? It must surely make them inedible just from the reek and eating bleach can't be good for you either.

[bonniethomas06]

Hehehe OldJerry oh yes, it is a Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall special - roast leg of JackRussell with parsley. Mmmmmmm. I would like to see the little bugger try to eat my turkeys now!!

(only joking, obviously).

And apologies to Ellendra - I am sure the end justifies the means, shame though.

[Ellendra]

But is there not a better way to wash/sterilise veg rather than put bleach on them? It must surely make them inedible just from the reek and eating bleach can't be good for you either.

The bleach is diluted and, as I said before, rinsed off before eating. After airing for about 30 minutes the bleach is gone, and you can't even smell it on the produce.

To be honest, the original post up top sounds like an allergic reaction.

[Ellendra]

And apologies to Ellendra - I am sure the end justifies the means, shame though.

Apology accepted, and I agree, it is a shame. When I was little I used to graze on chives like a cow, just nibble on the tops while they were still attached to the ground! I probably am a little paranoid now, but I NEVER want to go through that hell again.

[Marmalady]

isnt the Milton/similar sterilising solution for babies bottles chlorine based?

if its safe for babies bottles, cant hurt on the veg!

[oldjerry]

I too apologise for any offence.By chance I spent most of last year in hospital,(another 12'' of gut gone,3rd major section in 24 years,but other gut ops in double figures) alldown to Crohns,but I'm determined to die with it rather than of it...the only reason I bring it up(apart from a part explaination of my inherent foul demeanour) is that for 15 years in late 60's onwards I lived in perhaps the only place in the UK (Anglesey) where the mains water was flouridised.Many people think flourine (is that vastly different from chlorine? Dunno) is linked to immune deficiency probs........Whatever, sorry again.