Please log in.
Before you can vote, you need to register. Please log in or create an account.
Food: Packaging: Labeling
Inherited Safety Warnings   (-9)  [vote for, against]
If it was used, it gets inherited

The idea is that every product used in the production of food, from soil preparation up until placement on the shelf which carries a health and safety warning has the warning notice reproduced in full on the packaging of the product.

This means that apples that otherwise look lovely to eat will be plastered with warnings about everything from toxic pesticides to shrink wrap.

Naturally grown organic produce will, of course, look much much more appetising.

Clarification: the purpose of this is not to say that organic produce is better for your health, but to make the purchaser of any foodstuff aware of the kinds of chemicals which have been used. Awareness allows individuals to make informed choices.
-- vincevincevince, May 27 2008

What if the substance is used in manufacturing, but doesn't end up in the final product?
-- phoenix, May 27 2008


Naturally grown organic produce will also look pretty terrible. Only dangerous things should have safety warnings.
-- Flipmastacash, May 27 2008


Naturally occurring carcinogens far outnumber artificial ones.

Human exposure to carcinogenic pesticides is miniscule compared to the background of exposure to carcinogens produced by nature. 99.9 percent of all pesticides humans eat are naturally produced by plants to defend themselves.

[-] for promoting the naturalistic fallacy.
-- Wrongfellow, May 27 2008


//What if the substance is used in manufacturing, but doesn't end up in the final product?//
Should still be on the label. The product which is so bad it needs a warning label was used somewhere.

This is about increasing awareness of the use of toxic and dangerous materials for simple processes such as growing and preparing food, not about whether natural food is better for you or not.
-- vincevincevince, May 27 2008


Golden Delicious, product of New Zealand: Please wear a hard hat.
-- Ling, May 27 2008


// Golden Delicious, product of New Zealand: Please wear a hard hat. // This is not a step; do not exceed 80 km/h; diesel fuel only, etc.

I hate to think how much extra plastic/paper would be used to make labels big enough for all these warnings.
-- Bukkakinator, May 27 2008


// Only dangerous things should have safety warnings. //

Like Oxygen, and socialists .....
-- 8th of 7, May 27 2008


you do talk twaddle 8th.
-- po, May 27 2008


<stating the obvious> Most of these warnings would be completely meaningless. See Golden Delicious comments.

<stating the apparently not-so-obvious> Organic produce would have a similar quantity of warnings. See Golden Delicious comments.
-- Texticle, May 27 2008


This side up. Load nitrogen pellets under refrigeration only. Maximum tare weight 2000 kilograms. If ingested, imediately consult a physician. CAUTION: this machine requires oil at 10 psi pressure. Load on left. NO STEP. slippery when wet. This product is a known carcinogen. WATER ONLY THIS NOZZLE. get keys from supervisor only. DANGEROUS UNDER PRESSURE, OR WHEN RED LIGHT IS LIT. Bon firak shichka. Ripakathanula. do not operate while drunk, or taking depressents. Use safety glasses with this product.

Enjoy your milk!
-- Voice, May 28 2008


Okay, I have my safety boots, high visibility rain jacket, safety glasses, helmet, gloves, hearing protection and face mask on. Am I underdressed to head out to the local restaurant?
-- reap, May 28 2008


Joking aside, I think it brings it home: how much crap we generate just to bring a bottle of milk to a supermarket.
-- Ling, May 28 2008


The total value of the crap is much less than the price of the milk, so really it's not that much crap.
-- Texticle, May 28 2008


I think the milk is free, isn't it? How much do we pay the cows? The cost of milk covers feed, rent, fuel, capital, interest, packaging, transportation, refrigeration, treatment, labor etc. Admittedly, some of those have very indirect effects, but follow the trail far enough and the effect is there.
-- Ling, May 29 2008



random, halfbakery