On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 23:48:22 +0100, "Christophe Bachmann"
> wrote:

>
>"Frogleg" > a écrit

>> On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 18:50:05 +0100, "Christophe Bachmann"
>> > wrote:

>> >Let's not forget that conditions of life were quite different then from
>> >now, and that people knew far better what could be held, in what
>> >conditions, and how long.
>>
>> Hmmm. They knew "far better" about the causes and effects of
>> food-borne illness (and death)? I don't think so. Scientists and
>> researchers had a hard time selling the 'germ theory' about the cause
>> and spread of disease -- how could something you can't see hurt you?
>> The world before knowledge of 'germs' was far from germ-free.
>
>Don't make me say what I didn't.
>They knew far better than today what can be held and how long, before
>contamination goes from anecdotic or tolerable to dangerous. They didn't
>know about germs but they knew that one wouldn't come ill after X days but
>most certainly would after Y days and so they could take risks until X-1
>days. Today, and mostly in the US the motto is *no risk* and so nobody
>knows anymore what the limits are because when the first bacteria appear in
>mostly harmless amounts the products are already thrown away.

I disagree on the matter of 'wisdom of the Old Ones.' While chewing
on willow bark for pain and fevers turned out to be a good idea, myth
and superstition were, I believe, far more common. Since much
foodborne illness doesn't strke immediately, but after a delay that
may be days or even weeks, it would take a very clever Old One to
associate, say, hemorrhagic colitis with food eaten 3-4 days
previously. They knew how long to keep food? Yes, in terms of what
point it "went off" -- smelled or tasted funny -- or grew fur.

I agree completely, however, that a 'no risk' attidude is ridiculous.
When risk can be reduced by modest means, it makes sense. Keeping cold
food cold and hot food hot. Hand-washing. My chances of dying from a
medium-rare burger are infinitesimal, but I'd like to keep those short
bouts of "stomach flu" down to a minimum, too. "When in doubt, throw
it out" makes sense to me. I don't take 'sell by' dates as 'eat by',
but I don't keep ground beef in a "cool spot," either. We know a *lot*
more about how to avoid common, even mild, food-related illness, and I
want to take advantage.