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Continued page 48 tion. In response to these infections, cattle ents. Castile soap and simple homemade farmers give the cows huge doses of antibi- soaps, generally regarded as mild, are also assist consumers who want to know what _ otics, which migrate into the milk and then made this way. However, some skin care they are ingesting. the humans who drink it. The composition experts believe that even though the lye Take recombinant bovine growth hor- of hormone-laced milk is altered: protein becomes transformed in the soap-making mone (rBGH) and bovine somatotropin decreases, and fat increases by up to 27 per __ process, it produces a less than completely (BST), injected into commercially raised cent. Even so, a company that refuses to safe end-product. For this reason, compa- dairy cows in the belief that this forces use the artificial hormones must include a __ nies such as Aubrey Organics prefer to use them to produce more milk. The United disclaimer on its labels, stating that there is salt as a catalyst instead of lye. Soaps States is the only country in the world that no proof that these chemicals do any harm made with sea salt may indeed be healthier uses BGH. Dairy companies were forbid- and that the milk from injected cows is _ than those made with lye; and soaps made den to state that they did not use BGH or _ identical to that from normal cattle. with lye are preferable to soaps containing BST in their products until Ben & Jerry's Other items besides cosmetics that the synthetic detergents made with artificial Ice Cream and Stonyfield Farms instituted FDA will not permit to be plainly labelled coconut oil extracts and/or the toxin a lawsuit in 1995. In 1998, the restrictive are genetically engineered foods and irra - diethanolamine (which remains in the labelling law was finally overturned. diated foods. We must ask for whose ben- detergent). Although the FDA and the hormone manu- _ efit these labelling laws exist. 21. The manufacturer may claim that an facturers (Monsanto, American Cyanamid, 20. Sometimes, ingredients that by _ oil is "additive-free", but by law this can Upjohn, Eli Lilly and Dow) insist that the themselves are poisonous become trans- refer to the final mix only. Additives such hormones are safe, the FDA admits that the formed during the manufacturing process. as propylene glycol, synthetic linolol synthetic chemicals differ in molecular One example is lye (typically derived from acetate and SD-40 are commonly used to structure from the normal hormone by as__ wood ash). Drain openers contain pure lye extract oils quickly, which saves time and much as three per cent. The artificial hor- because it is caustic and dissolves whatever increases product volume (and profits for mones are linked to hormone changes and it touches. But lye is also used to make _ the manufacturer). Sometimes companies allergies in human beings. Cows given the soap. When mixed with water and fat (ani- in the natural health market that genuinely chemicals suffer from infertility, loss of fat, mal or vegetable)—the main ingredients of care about their ingredients still use debat- heat intolerance, failure to lactate, arthritis, | soap—the lye catalyses a chemical process able substances in the manufacturing kidney and heart abnormalities, gastric __ that produces a final product with different 5 - aan oe Rares eee . Continued on page 82 ulcers and increased susceptibility to infec- characteristics from the original ingredi- assist consumers who want to know what they are ingesting. Take recombinant bovine growth hor- mone (rBGH) and bovine somatotropin (BST), injected into commercially raised dairy cows in the belief that this forces them to produce more milk. The United States is the only country in the world that uses BGH. Dairy companies were forbid- den to state that they did not use BGH or BST in their products until Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Stonyfield Farms instituted a lawsuit in 1995. In 1998, the restrictive labelling law was finally overturned. Although the FDA and the hormone manu- facturers (Monsanto, American Cyanamid, Upjohn, Eli Lilly and Dow) insist that the hormones are safe, the FDA admits that the synthetic chemicals differ in molecular structure from the normal hormone by as much as three per cent. The artificial hor- mones are linked to hormone changes and allergies in human beings. Cows given the chemicals suffer from infertility, loss of fat, heat intolerance, failure to lactate, arthritis, kidney and heart abnormalities, gastric ulcers and increased susceptibility to infec- NEXUS - 81 Poisonous Products, Deceptive Labels FEBRUARY — MARCH 2000