Mmmm... Hairy donuts!

September 4, 2005 5:58 AM

YUM! Human hair in your food!
posted by loquacious (15 comments total)

Sorry, loquacious, this isn't even registering on the old outrage meter today.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:12 AM on September 4, 2005

This is the best non Katrina/Rehnquist post you can serve up? Im sorry I dont usually complain but we need happier thoughts about the world right about now.
posted by wheelieman at 6:14 AM on September 4, 2005

Thanks for the info, never heard about it before. It's actually pretty disgusting. One more reason to not eat processed food. Vegetarians, comments?
posted by stbalbach at 6:35 AM on September 4, 2005

This is rather alarmist. It can be extracted from feathers and hooves but the focus sems to be on human hair. Like that would ever be cheaper to obtain than feathers or hooves.
posted by Mayor Curley at 6:42 AM on September 4, 2005

What? No Soylent Green jokes?
posted by mondo dentro at 6:59 AM on September 4, 2005

I've never heard about this before, either. And oddly enough I was aware of the amino acid cysteine as a supplement, but not aware of it's source.

From wikipedia:

It is interesting to note that currently the cheapest source of material from which food grade L-cysteine may be purified in high yield by hydrolysis from is human hair. Other sources include feathers and pig bristles. The companies producing cysteine by hydrolysis are located mainly in China.

The post really isn't meant to be alarmist or meant to inspire outrage, certainly no more than all those bug, vermin and processing contaiminants we hear about should. Err, well, unless you're trying to eat vegan/vegetarian, kosher, or halal, I guess.

But as someone who has gardened and eaten all sorts of considerably "dirty" food, it doesn't really alarm me so much as it creeps me out and makes me ponder and wonder. Alarm and outrage weren't the objectives.

This is my 1000th MetaFilter comment. Cake and ice cream are being served in the foyer.
Photo ops with pancakes atop bunnies to follow shortly thereafter.
posted by loquacious at 7:07 AM on September 4, 2005

I eschew anything made with flour or dairy, so I think I might be safe. For now.
posted by iconomy at 7:10 AM on September 4, 2005

Oh and congratulations, loquacious! Is there human hair in the cake?
posted by iconomy at 7:11 AM on September 4, 2005

Sorry, I meant pie...

Uhm, yes. Yes there is!
posted by loquacious at 7:15 AM on September 4, 2005

Can someone please tell me where human hair is cheaper to obtain in bulk than feathers and offal and why this would ever be the case? Because I don't buy this at all.
posted by Mayor Curley at 7:25 AM on September 4, 2005

Mad Human Disease.
posted by 31d1 at 8:21 AM on September 4, 2005

tell me where human hair is cheaper to obtain in bulk than feathers and offal

Probably the hair has a greater concentration or is more easily extracted from.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:30 AM on September 4, 2005

An amino acid is an amino acid, it really doesn't matter where it came from.

...Not that this isn't bullshit...
posted by Citizen Premier at 10:54 AM on September 4, 2005

But if this kind of thing grosses you out, know that the food colorings cochineal and carmine are made from ground beetles.
posted by Citizen Premier at 10:59 AM on September 4, 2005

Don't be silly, this is bullshi
*coughs up trichinobezoar*

Ahem. Excuse me.
posted by Smedleyman at 11:01 PM on September 4, 2005