Tuesday, May 07, 2019

Could Mystery Allergy Rock Fake Meat?

 Greg Henderson

...We can argue about taste and texture, and even price. Those are no doubt refinements the fake meat companies will make.
More of a threat may be the ingredients – as in – allergies. Last week CBC news (Canadian Broadcasting Company), reported a pediatric allergist in Toronto has traced “mystery” allergic reactions to pea protein.
Opps! Beyond Meat’s burger is described as “a pea protein–based patty.”
When Dr. Elana Lavine discovered several patients with allergies to pea protein, she warned parents and doctors to be vigilant. In fact, she was so concerned she wrote a case study about them in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
Okay, to be fair, not many people will be allergic to pea protein. But here’s the full list of the ingredients in the Beyond Burger: pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, water, yeast extract, maltodextrin, natural flavors, gum arabic, sunflower oil, salt, succinic acid, acetic acid, non-GMO modified food starch, cellulose from bamboo, methylcellulose, potato starch, beet juice extract (for color).
That, folks, is the ultimate “processed food.” But, thank goodness it doesn’t contain any GMOs.

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