Sodium Nitrate taken from Wikipedia and UCLA school of Medicine textbook

As a food additive, it serves a dual purpose in the food industry since it both alters the color of preserved fish and meats and also prevents growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria which causes botulism. In the European Union it may be used only as a mixture with salt containing at most 0.6 % sodium nitrite. It has the E number E250. Potassium nitrite (E249) is used in the same way.

While this chemical will prevent the growth of bacteria, it is also toxic for mammals. (LD50 in rats is 180 mg/kg.)

Various dangers of using this chemical as a food additive have been suggested and researched by scientists, although no conclusive evidence has been put forth. A principal concern is the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines by reaction with sodium nitrite; other ingredients are often added to prevent nitrosamine-generating reactions.

Should I post anything else?

The term comfort food refers to any food or drink to which one habitually turns to for temporary respite, security, or special reward. The reasons that something becomes a comfort food are diverse but include the food's familiarity, simplicity, and/or pleasant associations. Small children often seem to latch on to a specific food or drink (in a way similar to a security blanket) and will repeatedly request it in high stress situations. But adults are certainly not exempt.

A substantial majority of comfort foods are composed largely of simple or complex carbohydrate, such as sugar, rice, refined wheat, and so on. It has been postulated that such foods induce an opiate-like effect in the brain, which may account for their soothing nature.

Education is bitter but the fruit is sweet
Agustin Marissa

[ 09-02-2006, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: Shawn ]

Originally posted by Shawn:
Breathing the frigging air is hazardous to your health -- IT IS not the govt responsibility to tell people what they can and cant eat-- Hungry I like your points but they're almost vegi or eco-terrorist retoric (noone has a right -- to impose their eating habits on another-- My family farm and blue collar Meat and Potatoes, Pasta and Beer family ALL adults have lived over 90+ -- so Dr what his name eat this way an live to 110 or you'll be dead is a bunch of bunk-- even natural foods have toxins in 'em, moderation is the key to healthy living -- including -- so called toxins used to plant, grow amd make for better foods-- as for the at school policy -- I totally agree -- with before and after school -- any other time the govt, school, BOE, eco-terrorist and veggie -terrorists and anyone except the parents should shut their piehole and leave us alone

As for 'comfort foods' -- many have nutritional value or needs --
'a healthy mind/soul is prerequisite to a healthy body' Shawnfuscious and his wife PHD (pyschology)

You are CONFUSEDscious. And what creedence does your wife's PhD lend to your CONFUSEDciousness declaration that TOXINS MAKE FOR BETTER FOODS?

And if you really feel that way, double up on your intake of Sodium Nitrite.

I guess it never ceases to amaze me how difficult it is to take candy from a baby. Unbelievable!

P.S. Please name the toxins you referred to that are in natural foods.

Our school and BOE did NOT keep the parents informed of any of this. Our principal never said word one about it at any of our meetings last year. I found out about this from this message board. I owe you a huge thank you!

I did contact someone in the district after I found out about it and was told that our district is making changes over the next three years. This year is the year that we will be informed of all the changes. Over the next two years is when they will be implemented. As the fundraising chair for our PTO I am trying to come up with other ways to raise funds that do not involve food. Dutch Mill Bulbs, a Read-A-Thon and Sally Foster minus the food products are what we will be doing to raise money.

There are a lot of non-food related fundraisers out there. You just have to take the time to research. Good luck to all of you during the adjustment period ahead of you.

If any of you posting here are from PTOAs who are under the governance of the school.....one would think the principal kept your groups well informed LAST YEAR at your meetings, about all the changes they seem to be trying to impose on you now, so you could be up and running for fundraisers this fall.

It seems kinda late to have to scramble for healthy fundraisers if youre only learning of the new rules imposed on you,right now.

Maybe they can give you a grace period if theyre only telling you now about the changes you have to make.

hungrykids - if you read the devils in the details, you will find that govt is trying to curb obesity (mainly focusing on fat and carb content of foods specifically added sugars) and this will not affect the 'toxins' in school foods.

additives, preservatives, food colorants and the like, are NO WHERE addressed, from what i have read, in the govt recommendations as they do not directly cause obesity.

ladies and gentlemen: see this link for the laws wording:

www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/108-265.pdf

note that PARENT involvement is mentioned in there -- a parent rep should have been invited to help draw up your schools wellness policy as part of a COMMITTEE.

if they didnt inform you of this opporitunity to be part of the committee, and then let you konw when they put it up for review and vote at a BOE meeting, then its time you go to the next BOE meeting and ask why not.

and, where IS your school wellness policy? on school website with the entire policy manual, attached to the welcome back newsletter, see whats new this year?, in the school library, or in a dungeon somewhere without free access to teh public (they are PUBLIC documents, the school district policies - you have a right to review them and have a copy)

get the policy in writing from your principal, super or BOE, and see what they drew up. then and only then can you compare it to the laws wording and take an informed position on the matter.

and yes it does seem that if youre independent, teh policy shouldnt affect you as PTO. BUT the caveat is this: is your group specifically named in the school wellness policy? thats the catch, if they put you in there, and made rules up for how you operate, and didnt invite yuo, a PTO rep to sit in on the committee, that is bad relations at the very least.