Thread: one for the young Greenies.

Originally Posted by akelly

Was anyone suggesting converting to an all-pear diet?

I'm not going to review any pear allergy-based info, sorry to disappoint! I have better things to do...

I thought my comment was an obvious red-herring, backed up by my comment about it being irrelevant...

BTW - my pear allergy bit was from a pub trivia night about 10 years ago...

While you were in the pub did you notice if anyone had any allergies to alcohol?
Dave.

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Some butchers are using the illegal preservative sulphur dioxide to make old and greying meat look fresh. A butcher in Yagoona has become was caught using the toxic additive - a major ingredient of battery acid - on beef mince.

While not condoning its use to 'freshen' meat, it should be pointed out that sulphur dioxide is no more an ingredient of battery acid than air is - both are used in the process of making sulphuric acid. Battery acid is dilute sulphuric acid, which is made by catalytic conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide by adding oxygen. The acid is then made by dissolving this in water and diluting to the required strength.

Sulphur dioxide is legitimately used as a preservative in the dried fruit industry and in wine making. It is considered safe for human consumption in the quantities usually employed (although it may cause allergic symptoms for a few susceptible individuals, including myself!).

The problem with the use of it in fresh meat is not that the sulphur dioxide is harmful, but that the meat is supposed to be fresh, not processed, and it was almost certainly used to disguise the fact that the meat was obviously unfit for consumption.

Originally Posted by Mr Whippy

While you were in the pub did you notice if anyone had any allergies to alcohol?
Dave.

Yes, it is possible, for your information just read here:
Alcohol intolerance is caused by a genetic condition in which the body is unable to break down alcohol. The only way to prevent alcohol intolerance is to avoid alcohol altogether.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

While not condoning its use to 'freshen' meat, it should be pointed out that sulphur dioxide is no more an ingredient of battery acid than air is - both are used in the process of making sulphuric acid. Battery acid is dilute sulphuric acid, which is made by catalytic conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide by adding oxygen. The acid is then made by dissolving this in water and diluting to the required strength.

Sulphur dioxide is legitimately used as a preservative in the dried fruit industry and in wine making. It is considered safe for human consumption in the quantities usually employed (although it may cause allergic symptoms for a few susceptible individuals, including myself!).

The problem with the use of it in fresh meat is not that the sulphur dioxide is harmful, but that the meat is supposed to be fresh, not processed, and it was almost certainly used to disguise the fact that the meat was obviously unfit for consumption.

I have heard the claim that some of the hangovers or other adverse reactions from drinking wine are also a reaction to the sulphur dioxide that is (or was) used at some stage in the process of wine making.

Your explanation about the presence of sulphur dioxide in car batteries and meat reminds me of what I think is an effective answer to the alarmist claims we sometimes hear about the same chemical being used in both paint stripper and in ice cream and similar claims. Generally those claims show a lack of understanding of the way chemistry works.

The response to those claims that I particularly like is to point out that hydrogen burns quite well and oxygen is necessary for combustion, yet when the two are combined, it creates the liquid most commonly used to fight fires.

Originally Posted by Mr Whippy

While you were in the pub did you notice if anyone had any allergies to alcohol?
Dave.

I used to work with a bloke who claimed he was allergic to beer, that's why he drank girly coloured vodka drinks. My retort was always 'turning into a dribbling idiot after one schooner is not due to an allergy, you're just ****weak'.

I know of a couple of people that are allergic to beer, not all beers just some beers one of them is also intolerant of pretty much anything made with yeast.

Originally Posted by It'sNotWorthComplaining!

And who can afford to eat meat these days, I reckon the high cost for our aussie meat, may have turned a lot of us meat eaters into eating more veges, oh no, not hamburger mince again. It doesn't matter how you try to reconstitute it it never tastes like steak

Beef and lamb from the shops is becoming well outside my budgetary limits. Fortunately the Deer, kangaroo and rabbit populations have recovered from being virtually decimated in the bushfires a few years back, so when the crunch comes I'll still be able to stick to my meat and 2 veg (bowl of chips with tomatoe sauce) diet.
And regards meat allergies.On my last trip to Vietnam I discovered that my stomach is allergic to dog meat, pigs uterus,penis and testicals, Porcupine and palpitating heart of Cobra.Still, Monkey and Rodent brain casserole was quite palatable
Bill.

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Some butchers are using the illegal preservative sulphur dioxide to make old and greying meat look fresh. A butcher in Yagoona has become was caught using the toxic additive - a major ingredient of battery acid - on beef mince.

Any butchers on here?

I think that they also put red colour die and water into mince, but I could be wrong?

We freeze any mince we buy these days, as it does make the "best before" date. (Goes grey, then green very quickly.)