h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think I'd choose Salmonella, that's only occasionally lethal

if you are referring to the thread on fridge efficiency, i think you misrepresent the opinion there.

as for the comments on bacteria, i never said toilet bugs are the same bugs you are likely to find in spoiled food. i said the bugs kids will get from putting things in their mouth are the same. like the sausage they hid behind the sofa last week and now think is an attractive proposition. the reference to toilet hygiene was about acceptance of official health guidelines. so that particular line of enquiry is a straw man.

is there an ideological motivation to the original question and to the subsequent hostile debate?

seems to me that there is an eco-religious view that is being pushed here that wants people to recycle food. i ask for the sake of honest discussion and to limit the spread of red herrings across multiple threads.

>> the reference to toilet hygiene was about acceptance of official health guidelines. so that particular line of enquiry is a straw man. <<

>> i ask for the sake of honest discussion and to limit the spread of red herrings across multiple threads. <<

I seem to recall that it was *you* who introduced this to the thread.

RF

"as for the comments on bacteria, i never said toilet bugs are the same bugs you are likely to find in spoiled food. i said the bugs kids will get from putting things in their mouth are the same. ."

Yes you did, and I said they're probably not, unless you let the kids put raw meat in their mouths. Why would bugs that normally live on animal flesh live in the soil or in the house?

"like the sausage they hid behind the sofa last week and now think is an attractive proposition"

Well I'm not going to advocate eating it, but the salmonella or whatever was originally present in the sausagemeat is not going to miraculously spring back to life. The sausage is being consumed by other species, likely to be less harmful, and likely to make the sausage smell and taste awful.

no i didn't. here's what i said at post #69

'but kids will put things in their mouths that you wouldn't believe. they will catch things from other kids who put things in their mouth that you wouldn't believe. and because you are a loving parent and kiss and cuddle your kid, you too will likely catch these bugs.

and these bugs aren't different bugs to the ones which MIGHT infect poorly stored food.'

nowhere did i suggest the dangerous bacteria in food was the same as toilet bacteria.

you slammed together disparate posts to create a straw man that you continue to use even tho i have disavowed it in unequivocal terms.

as for whether i introduced the notion of observance of official guidelines, again this is a straw man. i addressed an issue which was raised by others. it was a red herring to be sure, but it needed to be addressed because it was egregious in its claims. stuff about shooting health inspectors and the like. which gives you an idea of its general quality if you do not wish to revisit the actual posts.

for all the rancour and length of this discussion nothing has been established beyond the answers given early in the piece that food left out overnight will probably be safe to eat but will carry some theoretical risks to health.

all the other stuff about the virtues of cooking in bulk, ie, energy efficiencies, cost efficiencies, improvements in food quality etc remain totally without proof at all. and since the rebuttal to the question of why one would introduce a theoretical risk to health for the sake of a few dollars, revolved specifically on those points, the burden of proof is with those who made the claim. not with me.

anything else is simply contrariness.

"no i didn't. here's what i said at post #69"

My apologies - here's what I should have quoted you saying: "i said the bugs kids will get from putting things in their mouth are the same"

But, assuming the kids aren't eating raw meat, the rest of my post stands.

<>

Meanwhile, antigravitas, you just contradicted yourself on the SEx thread by saying the amount of food in the fridge doesn't affect how efficiently it runs.

Or were you just being contrary when you said that earlier today?

az

dave. it's still a straw man. you are rebutting a point i never made.

azar. please stop telling me what i am posting. if you wish to rebut something i have said, the proper form is to quote me directly or to summarise accurately. you are doing neither.

az - you've never made a lamb stew?! Good God! Please immediately look up a recipe for 'navarin of lamb' (or navarin d'agneau if you want a more authentic recipe ) and get cooking! Or, if you want to try something a little different (and apparently very trendy amongst foodie types), see if you can get hold of mutton (yes!), and make this recipe (which I tried and it was delicious, although incredibly rich):

http://www.graigfarm.co.uk/welsh_mountain_mutton_recipes.html#Fricass%C3%A9%20of%20Mutton%20with%20Glazed%20Vegetables

my final post before unsubbing this thread. information about food poisoning and food handling from the university of nsw via choice, an independent consumer advocacy organisation.

no agendas here. just the facts.

http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=104720&catId=100228&tid=100008&p=3

Okay Dan, I'll start googling. That mutton recipe looks good (doncha just love the word fricassee?) but I don't know where I'd find mutton here. Lamb, no problem.

Hmmm... it occurs to me that the title of this thread turned to be rather portentous.


az

Red herrings are a common feature of h2g2 threads (anyone fancy fish for dinner ).

The financial economy issue was certainly a sideline, Az did say that the reason for bulk cooking was a time economy. There are many factors to consider when comparing economy of either sort - just because one person finds that for them, it is easy to shop & cook daily does not make it the best solution.

If your herring is red I'd say it's definitely not safe to eat.

I've just reheated a bolognese sauce I made on Monday (today it's Thursday) and man, it is so way better tasting than it was even yesterday.

Must be all that putrification ... mmmmmmm


az

Ah well, another couple of days and it'll be ripe enough to fend off that rabid rottweiler next door

Just eaten some. I'll get back to you in a couple of hours.

Noggin

I'll be having tuesday's curry tonight... *yum!* (not the rice!)

Just heating myself a bowl of last week's chilli...

RF

I will usually make enough spaghetti to last a week, but it's usually vegan in nature (no actual meat).

Eggs, after the case of food poisoning, I will never touch after one day, so I usually only cook what I'll eat. I have cooked and eaten eggs that were a month old with no ill effects, but I cook them until they're a little rubbery in that case.

Had a hamburger done to medium at a restaurant this past weekend, though I said medium well (waitress didn't listen or ask me to repeat ). Ground beef is the one thing I prefer it medium well or well done because of the risks of it being infected and ground up with the illness. Steak I don't mind medium - on occasion - because the meat in the center is sterile. Medium well to me tastes better and well done, well... in Texas they seem to turn it into charcoal.