Re: --answer--pirons----

yep, people of all persuasions are sick. There's no argument there. I'm not, though there's always room for improvement --and no question I need the kelp and drink, to offset the NPN.

I appears the term NPN encompasses a lot. As a vegetarian who occasionally eats a little fish I'm wondering about produce being grown with manure, since for example it is, and *the quality or 'past life' of the manure. The source of the source of the source. Follow the money and all that. Lots to think about; what might contribute to the NPN.

as far as 'belief' goes, when it comes to the worldly kind, *I would rather deal with plant "prions" I think than the animal kind, anyday.

*edit: well, that is, assuming no Monsanto involvement, which i doubt one can assume, these days. :-(



But I thought this was interesting, or rather eye-opening, for those still eating meat from less than pristine sources.

http://post.queensu.ca/~forsdyke/prions.htm


What Can We Do?

A major factor in the spread of the prion diseases is the use of the by-products (offal) of one animal to feed another. Government regulations have been drawn up to prevent this, but according to the US Office of Food and Drug Administration, (Sandra Blakeslee reports in the New York Times 11th Jan 2001):

"Large numbers of companies involved in manufacturing animal feed are not complying with regulations meant to prevent the emergence and spread of mad cow disease in the United States."

"The regulations state that feed manufacturers and companies that render slaughtered animals into useful products generally may not feed mammals to cud-chewing animals, or ruminants, which can carry mad cow disease.

All products that contain rendered cattle or sheep must have a label that says, "Do not feed to ruminants," Dr. Sundlof said. Manufacturers must also have a system to prevent ruminant products from being commingled with other rendered material like that from chicken, fish or pork. Finally, all companies must keep records of where their products originated and where they were sold."

"Among 180 large companies that render cattle and another ruminant, sheep, nearly a quarter were not properly labeling their products and did not have a system to prevent commingling, the F.D.A. said. And among 347 F.D.A.-licensed feed mills that handle ruminant materials ... 20 percent were not using labels with the required caution statement, and 25 percent did not have a system to prevent commingling."

"Then there are some 6,000 to 8,000 feed mills so small they do not require F.D.A. licenses. They are nonetheless subject to the regulations, and of 1,593 small feed producers that handle ruminant material and have been inspected, 40 percent were not using approved labels and 25 percent had no system in place to prevent commingling."




Better to grow your own everything.