[net.consumers] Foreign objects in food

ned@SCIRTP.UUCP (Ned Robie) (07/05/85)

> 
>      LIKE SO MANY OTHER USERS OF THE NET, I, TOO AM DISSATISFIED WITH THE
> TASTE OF COKE AND PEPSI.  FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ENJOYED THE TASTE OF THE OLD
> COKE, I SUGGEST THAT YOU TRY RC (ROYAL CROWN) COLA.  I TRIED IT AT A PARTY
> A FEW NIGHTS AGO AND HAVE FOUND ITS TASTE TO BE HIGHLY SIMILAR TO THAT OF
> THE OLD COKE.  IT IS NOT AS SWEET AS PEPSI AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THAT 
> "WATERED DOWN" TASTE OF THE NEW COKE.  THEREFORE I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF
> YOU "OLD COKE LOVERS" TO TRY R.C. COLA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO COKE AND PEPSI.
> 
>                                       MTG

Yeah, I used to drink RC even before coke switched its formula 'cause it
tastes good and is CHEAP.  But not too long ago my wife poured some RC
RC into a glass, drank some, let me have a few sips, and then noticed an
RC-logged roach that had surfaced.  Since the roach was soaked (preservatives
are wonderful) it was clear that it had originated from the RC container
(one of those big plastic bottles).  As much as I like RC, I've never been
able to drink the stuff since.

-- Ned Robie

joemu@nsc-pdc.UUCP (Joe Mueller) (07/09/85)

> Yeah, I used to drink RC even before coke switched its formula 'cause it
> tastes good and is CHEAP.  But not too long ago my wife poured some RC
> RC into a glass, drank some, let me have a few sips, and then noticed an
> RC-logged roach that had surfaced.  Since the roach was soaked (preservatives
> are wonderful) it was clear that it had originated from the RC container
> (one of those big plastic bottles).  As much as I like RC, I've never been
> able to drink the stuff since.
> 
> -- Ned Robie

I remember a big lawsuit a while back under similar circumstances, the person
was drinking a softdrink and noticed what turned out to be part of a very
dead mouse in the bottle. The person became violently ill (either from the
material itself or the thought of what they drank) and went to the hospital
and had their stomach pumped. They later sued and won a large sum of money.

I guess the important thing here is to remember to do things right, going
to the hospital and having your stomach pumped contributed a lot to the
evidence that the person was actually harmed by the incident.

Lawsuits aside, most likely the problem is with the local bottler and is
not a nationwide problem. Also if you have something against bugs in your
food, don't eat peanut butter. It has one of the highest bug piece per ounce
counts of the foods commonly consumed today. Actually I believe it is LEGAL
to have some bug parts in food, you just can't exceed some limit.

GMW@psuvm.BITNET (07/10/85)

    I used to keep a box of Pop Tarts at the office for emergency snacking
until one day I bit into one and encounterd a CRUNCH.  Lo and behold, a small
bone, approximately the size of a rodent's rib.  My stomach turns any more at
the sight of one of their commercials.
     
George M. Weaver
Penn State Astronomy Dept.
GMW at PSUVM.BITNET
...!allegra!psuvax1!gmw@psuvm.bitnet
     

parnass@ihu1h.UUCP (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) (07/11/85)

x
     I found an	entire nose from an undetermined  animal  in
     canned dog	food once.  My retriever didn't	mind and ate
     it	anyway.

>> .....  But not too long ago my wife poured some RC
>> RC into a glass, drank some,	let me have a few sips,	and then noticed an
>> RC-logged roach that	had surfaced.  Since the roach was soaked (preservatives
>> are wonderful) it was clear that it had originated from the RC container
>> (one	of those big plastic bottles)....
>>
>> -- Ned Robie

-- 
===============================================================================
Bob Parnass,  Bell Telephone Laboratories - ihnp4!ihu1h!parnass - (312)979-5414

hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (07/11/85)

In article <223@nsc-pdc.UUCP> joemu@nsc-pdc.UUCP (Joe Mueller) writes:
>                                         ... Actually I believe it is LEGAL
>to have some bug parts in food, you just can't exceed some limit.

True.  The FDA actually publishes what they refer to as  "acceptable  filth
levels" for certain types of foods.  Why the limit should be anything above
zero is something you'll have to ask your congresscritter.
---
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe)
Citicorp TTI                         Common Sense is what tells you that a ten
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.                pound weight falls ten times as fast as a
Santa Monica, CA  90405              one pound weight.
(213) 450-9111, ext. 2483
{philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe

mag@whuxlm.UUCP (Gray Michael A) (07/14/85)

> In article <223@nsc-pdc.UUCP> joemu@nsc-pdc.UUCP (Joe Mueller) writes:
> >                                         ... Actually I believe it is LEGAL
> >to have some bug parts in food, you just can't exceed some limit.
> 
> True.  The FDA actually publishes what they refer to as  "acceptable  filth
> levels" for certain types of foods.  Why the limit should be anything above
> zero is something you'll have to ask your congresscritter.
> -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
> The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe)

Try asking a food scientist -- congress knows little about anything except
getting reelected.  The reason you can have bug parts in food is that it
is impractical (nearly impossible) to avoid.  Also, it doesn't necessarily
cause harm.  Consider honey, for example -- probably would be very hard
to eliminate insect parts.  As another example, a can of asparagus once
spent some time outdoors in a field.  Bugs landed on it, spit on it,
probably shit on it!  You can wash it forever, but you won't get everything.

Mike Gray