Re: [CH] alapyridaine taste booster
=Mark (mstevens@exit109.com)
Thu, 10 Jul 2003 14:19:12 -0400
I'm often bemused by folks who eschew the use of chemicals in their
foods. What exactly are chemicals anyway? Chemical names are simply a way
to classify matter. MSG is a chemical. sodium chloride is a chemical
(salt), ascetic acid is a chemical (vinegar), sugar is a chemical, water is
a chemical. Want to know something? Capsaicin is a chemical!
"I don't want any water, salt, vinegar, sugar or capsaicin in MY hotsauce!"
Oh, but capsaicin is "natural."
Press release: MSG and Alapyridaine are both "natural," one is isolated
from seaweed and the other is derived from beef stock. By the way, sh!t
and poison ivy are also natural.
"Do you have any MSG to sprinkle on my sh!t and poison ivy salad?"
Moral: All matter is made up of chemicals. Not all chemicals are good,
nor are all of them bad. Just because some chemicals come from nature
(whatever that means) does not make them inherently good or bad. Since
humans are ultimately a product of natural processes, any by-product of
their evolution and technology is by default "natural." Any argument for
or against a particular product or agent utilizing simplistic or subjective
measures such as chemical Vs natural is doomed under scrutiny.
I won't even start into why, if we are in fact being assaulted by more and
more "unnatural" harmful chemicals, does the human life span keep getting
longer?
=Mark
At 05:57 PM 7/10/2003 +0100, Walter Spencer wrote:
>Oh no! Alapyridaine? Whatever happened to the wonderful natural flavours of
>the Hot Peppers? Make up your Hot Sauce with the right ingredients (natural)
>and there can be no need for flavour enhancers.
>
>Just cannot understand these folks who are not happy unless they are
>slopping chemicals into their food. When I think of all the food with MSG in
>it and there is nothing more dangerous that that for stripping away the
>taste buds and exposing the eater to virulent tongue Cancer, I go pale.
>
>Believe me Cancer is no joke (I should know I have battled it for a few
>years now) and inviting it by adding chemicals whatever they might be, is a
>bit more than being stupid. I repeat.....I have yet to make up a Hot Sauce
>that lacked flavour. If you are doing it, then start thinking what you are
>doing wrong. Adding chemicals Alapyridaine or any other, by any other name,
>is the wrong way ahead. Nuff said!
>Walt. CH#2218. An old Chile-Head from the old country.
>
>From: "Peter G" <peter.g@telus.net>
>
>Subject: [CH] alapyridaine taste booster
> > now how might this affect one's favorite hot sauce?
> > "Flavour enhancer could cut salt, sugar and MSG in food"
> > http://www.nature.com/nsu/030707/030707-3.html
> >
> > regards peter g