"DairyProducts" news and stories

The vigilant folks at PETA are really straining at the boundaries of good taste.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently sent a letter to Ben & Jerry Homemade, Inc. co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, asking them to consider using human breast milk instead of cow's milk in their products.

How did this idea pop up? A restaurant in Switzerland decided to make soups, sauces and other delicacies using 75% human breast milk. If it's a good idea for one Swiss restaurant, it's good enough for a mass-market, (albeit right-on) maker of ice creams. You have to give credit to PETA for seizing a PR opportunity when it finds it .

"If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk," wrote the animal rights group in its letter, "your customers-and cows-would reap the benefits."

Ben & Jerry's, which made a name for itself in the '90s by running its business on progressive, pro-environment practices, is one of the few mainstream companies that might even "consider" a proposal like this.

Unfortunately, it's got product to push. And eye-popping though this idea may be, it's not exactly lip-smacking. Putting aside the health debate surrounding dairy products, I feel fairly secure in saying that the American public is not likely to find the idea of human breast milk ice cream as titillating as the Swiss might.

But I could be wrong.

Source

The lovely Lady McCartney, in the news for her split from some singer, has added milk to her list of causes. Apparently, dairy products are not good for us.

She is fronting a new White Lies campaign to be launched on May 24th that basically says that dairy products are now to be added to the list of banned foods. Pardon me as I refrain from swearing and wondering exactly what we will be left with (spinach and rain water I expect, although even water is looking dodgy what with the drought in the south east of England). The Dairy Council, naturally, also disagrees, pointing out that no seals are culled during milking.

I can't locate a website for this campaign, but according to Veggies.org, "On May 24th, The Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation is launching a groundbreaking campaign, White Lies, on the enormous health consequences of consuming dairy products. On the same day, the VVF is holding a public talk – 'Why You Don't Need Dairy' – with fantastic guest speakers: Heather Mills McCartney, Professor T. Colin Campbell, Juliet Gellatley, Dr Justine Butler and Professor Jane Plant CBE."

Tickets cost £5.

[Image:Dairy Council]