Coq Au Arsenic
From the New York Times, “Chicken with arsenic? Is that OK?”
Arsenic may be called the king of poisons, but it is everywhere: in the environment, in the water we drink and sometimes in the food we eat.
The amount is not enough to kill anyone in one fell swoop, but arsenic is a recognized cancer-causing agent and many experts say that no level should be considered safe. Arsenic may also contribute to other life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes, and to a decline in mental functioning.
Yet it is deliberately being added to chicken in this country, with many scientists saying it is unnecessary. Until recently there was a very high chance that if you ate chicken some arsenic would be present because it has been a government-approved additive in poultry feed for decades. It is used to kill parasites and to promote growth.
…
Because there are still many more arsenic-fed than arsenic-free chickens for sale, consumers can reduce their exposure by buying from companies that have stopped using arsenic, or by choosing chickens labeled organic or antibiotic-free. They can also remove the skin from the chicken treated with arsenic, which reduces levels significantly.
In other happy-to-be-vegetarian news, “USDA: Mad cow testing by single company bad for international trade” [via Accidental Hedonist]
Concerned about levels of arsenic in drinking water? Bottled water is no safer, and is often just filtered tap water. (The EPA sets higher standards for the quality of tap water than the FDA does for bottled water.) Instead, buy a filter for your faucet. Grist has helpfully provided a comparison chart of some of the more-popular brands. You can also find a wealth of information on filtration systems at Consumer Reports.
Kitchen Witch said,
April 5, 2006 at 11:02 am
Arsenic, eh? Sounds like fun… I live in a house with its own private water supply - a small well under the kitchen - and we have over 200 bacteria per ml, apparently. Maybe we should start bottling it and selling it! ;)