(no subject)

[rootofnewt]

I have oatmeal. Chewy oatmeal. Oatmeal should have bite. Butter, salt, a touch of cinnamon and sugar. Yum.

Starbucks called me back. The carrying agent for the anatto coloring (E160b) in the pumpkin pie spice syrup/mix is propylene glycol. No soy is used in it at all, though they cautioned me that there's always the risk of cross-contamination. Honey, stepping outside my *door* puts me at risk for cross-contamination. Touching produce puts me at risk. Buying bulk grains or sugar puts me at risk. I'm used to that--it's a very, very small risk.

It's not at all like the risk of having a latte that was made with whole milk right after a soy latte was made and the steamer wand wasn't cleaned--no, that's an epinephrine situation.

Anyhow, I can now indulge in that horrific concoction and make my coffee-loving friends swoon in embarassment.

Soon, I'll need to take boy to class. I need to go to Kroger, too. I might go grab a latte afterward, if I have time.

Comments

[jb98.livejournal.com]

Call me when you're ready to get the latte? I'm headed out to the post office now and will run a few errands while I'm out.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

I didn't get this message before we left. :/

I take boy to class M-W-F at 1:45 and pick him up at 3pm or shortly before. That's when I got the latte.

[jb98.livejournal.com]

Is OK, I had pumpkin and cinnamon gelato on the mall after I hit the PO. Yum.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

They've got pumpkin now? I've been asking about it for the last two weeks (carefully disguising my voice and changing my hair and hats).

WOOHOO!

[briskpepper.livejournal.com]

Why does it always sound dirty when you say "Touching produce" and "Cross-contamination"...


you make it that way on purpose.

[hellsop.livejournal.com]

Hot damn, they actually could find it...

Scary that the carrier is the same shit I stick in my radiator as coolant, but ("Dex-Cool") it's still probably safer than soy for you...

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Propylene glycol is in *lots* of "food" these days. I've see it in meds, too. Scary, eh?

Still, it's much much safer for me than soy.

Speaking of antifreeze, ask me about flushing the water tanks with Dad sometime.

[lupa.livejournal.com]

food grade propyle glycol is not the same as radiator fluid; same way canola oil used as mechanical grade lubricant is not the same as canola oil we eat.

[ismene.livejournal.com]

If I'm not misremembering, propylene glycol is also used in the lubricant for Pap smears.

[lupa.livejournal.com]

it's nice of them to warn of cross-contamination, though. some companies don't bother. i remember my ex-roomie (who had horrible systemic lupus and Candidiasis; might have also been a fibro/CFIDS sufferer but was never diagnosed) bought a piece of chicken where the ingredients were just listed as "chicken breast, salt." since there was cloudy water in there that didn't SMELL only chicken-ish she called the company to make sure, and was told "yes, it's just chicken and salt." she ate the thing and had a HORRIBLE reaction; turns out, after many calls, the company had made a mistake and there was rosemary and oregano extract in there.

warning, caffeine-induced rant to follow. . .

[krasota.livejournal.com]

They warn of cross-contamination even if there *isn't any* just to cover their own ass, in case a crumb of soy cake falls of someone's mustache. It's rather annoying. Many manufacturers refuse to list natural flavor carriers for "proprietary reasons", but then just say, "if you're allergic to anything, don't buy our product" because they want to cover their own ass *and* not do any semblance of quality control.

FALCPA goes into effect in a bit over a year. Food producers will have to disclose the presence/derivation of the top 8-10 allergens, including soy. They can bite my ass. If they're lucky, I'll have a boil.

I wish they'd also list natural rubber latex as a possible allergen. One cracker company I called recently insisted there was no way there was *any* cross contamination with soy. I had a *nasty* reaction to this cracker (lots of antihistamines, epinephrine, *this* close to epi-pen and ER). So I asked, "do you, by chance, have workers wearing latex gloves, particularly powdered natural rubber latex gloves." The answer, "OF COURSE, we *have* to wear rubber gloves and our workers like the powdered kind."

Great way to increase the risk of NRL allergy for your workers (mmm, worker's comp) AND poison your customers. They are trying to curry the favor of people with gluten and soy allergies, so this was particularly annoying. I should get involved in more letter-writing campaigns to ban the use of NRL in food production. At least two states have done it, the rest should follow suit.

They sent me coupons for free cereal. Why the hell would I want to buy cereal that can kill me?!? Sheesh. They wanted to send me coupons for free crackers, instead. Um . . . yes, I'd like coupons for DEATH. (using ratbastard's DOOM voice here)

This reminds me, I should give those cereal coupons away to a friend in need.

Re: warning, caffeine-induced rant to follow. . .

[lupa.livejournal.com]

some do do the CYA; some seem maliciously uncaring and don't even give the correct info. i agree that latex should be added; there's no reason not to use nitrile these days. just as cheap and better for yer hands.

[chained2u2.livejournal.com]

Epinephrine is my friend. Happy dance for you and the Pumpkin thing.