Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Ick

Yesterday I learned that many people who are allergic to cockroaches are also allergic to coffee made from pre-ground beans. Why? Because roaches infest giant piles of coffee beans, and the FDA allows for a certain percentage of dried roach in pre-ground coffee. The best part of waking up? Not so much.

While this was an icky discovery, I wasn't too disgusted; we always use whole beans and grind our own.... Though, as I write this, I realize that I will never again be able to order coffee from a diner or use the tasteless-yet-convenient keurig. (Yet I also know that I probably will, and so my future self is repugnant to my present self.)

What I found more disturbing, however, was this: the same thing goes for chocolate. Roaches just love big ol' piles of cacao seeds.

Trace amounts of fecal matter, insect carcasses, and generally foul sh*t are federally permitted in processed foods, and they're all over our veggies too, as Ashley (whose blog is incredible) rightly pointed out. I know this, but it seems insidious to hide roach bits in my coffee and chocolate.

4 comments:

Martini said...

Ah man! Now you've done ruined me for chocolate.

ashley english said...

If it's any consolation, there's all manner of insect, not to mention soil-borne organism, "fecal matter" on most veggies and fruits, too. Everybody poops, right?

keri said...

Oh, 'tini. I doubt it.

Too true, Ashley. But, still, ground roach in my cup of joe just seems so much more insidious than a little beetle poop on my collards. No?

ashley said...

Into every woman's life, a little roach must fall. Or something like that. Wha?