At the Tuesday Ag Committee hearing, Senator DeKay presented LB246, to prohibit cultivated-protein food products under the Nebraska Pure Food Act and provide a deceptive trade practice.
My goal is to bring awareness to our choices and to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the current paradigm with a personal story. I provided a copy of my testimony to the committee with a copy of the brochure, “A Campaign for Real Milk“.
Testimony
While I’m in favor of the spirit of this revision, I am here to ask that we amend the bill to add clear language on the package of foods currently for sale that are an exception to the existing law, Sec. 4.(2).g., which prohibits the sale of adulterated food if any valuable constituents have been wholly or partially omitted. These exceptions would include pasteurized and ultra-pasteurized milk, and foods treated with glyphosate. Conspicuous label language would indicate that valuable constituents of the foods have have been omitted with direction on how to learn more. This labeling is necessary to restore trust in our food supply and increase awareness of food choice.
In the 1990’s I learned that some foods were making my family sick, but I didn’t realize – or I didn’t want to believe – how sick. I trusted the system and media. I did a little research and made a few dietary changes for my family. By 2010, I found that foods were making me sick. And, I was prescribed drugs and a vitamin B12 shot, to be administered by a doctor for the rest of my life. After more research and more changes I was able to resolve my B12 deficiency on my own.
In 2020, the entirety of the previous 30 years became more clear as I began to see the health professionals I came to trust be literally censored off social media and elsewhere. And, I learned even more about this wonderful world of nutrient-dense, healing traditional foods and early, effective, out-patient treatments. I learned one shocking revelation after another, like the benefits of fermentation and that many people today actually drink delicious raw milk regularly. How totally odd is it that I can buy retail raw milk when I visit family in California, but in Nebraska it is illegal. I continue to be fascinated by the reality of this new-to-me world. Much of this revelation has truly been a silver lining in stark contrast to the darkness of the last 5 years.
References
(Not shared with the committee)
“Glyphosate uptake, translocation, resistance emergence in crops, analytical monitoring, toxicity and degradation: a review”. Published in Environmental Chemistry Letters (2020). This comprehensive review examines the biochemical, agricultural, microbiological, and analytical aspects of glyphosate. It discusses how glyphosate’s overuse can lead to decreased soil fertility and adverse effects on soil microbiota, which are crucial for nutrient cycling and uptake in plants. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10311-020-00969-z
“Glyphosate-based herbicide contributes to nutrient depletion in perennial forest plants”. Published in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change (2024). This study investigates the long-term effects of glyphosate on nutrient concentrations in perennial forest plants. It finds that glyphosate residues can persist in plant tissues for extended periods, leading to reduced concentrations of essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, thereby affecting plant health and growth. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/forests-and-global-change/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1463454/full
“Glyphosate: Its Environmental Persistence and Impact on Crop Health” Published in MDPI’s journal (2019) This article reviews the environmental persistence of glyphosate and its potential impact on crop health. It highlights concerns about glyphosate’s ability to persist in the environment and its potential to disrupt nutrient uptake in crops, emphasizing the need for further research to understand these effects fully. https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/8/11/499
“Ultra High Temperature Treatment, but Not Pasteurization, Affects the Postprandial Utilization of Milk Nitrogen in Humans” Published in The Journal of Nutrition (2006) This study investigates how ultra-high-temperature (UHT) treatment and pasteurization affect the postprandial utilization of milk nitrogen in humans. The findings indicate that UHT treatment alters protein utilization, whereas pasteurization does not have the same effect. https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166%2822%2909769-3/fulltext
“The Impact of Heat Treatment of Bovine Milk on Gastric Emptying and Postprandial Nutrient Release in Humans” Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2023). This research examines how different heat treatments of milk, including pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization, affect gastric emptying and nutrient release. The study finds that UHT milk leads to faster gastric emptying and nutrient release compared to pasteurized milk. https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165%2824%2900337-X/fulltext
Canadian Public Health Journal: The Nutritional Value of Pasteurized Milk (November 17, 1984) Overview: This study examined the effects of pasteurization on the nutritional value of milk, particularly focusing on vitamin C content. Findings: The research indicated that pasteurization leads to a significant reduction in vitamin C levels in milk. This aligns with earlier observations that heat treatments can diminish vitamin C content. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41976951
Vitamin C – Raw milk but not pasteurized can resolve scurvy. Rajakumar, K., “Infantile Scurvy and the Importance of Vitamin C in Raw Milk,” Pediatrics, 2001; 108(4): E76. DOI: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/108/4/e76
Folate – Carrier protein inactivated during pasteurization. Gregory, J., “Folate in Milk: The Role of Pasteurization and the Inactivation of Carrier Proteins,” The Journal of Nutrition, 1982; 1329-1338. DOI: https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/112/7/1329/4730896
Vitamin A – Said, M., et al., “Effect of Heat on Beta-Lactoglobulin and Absorption of Vitamin A,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1989; 49: 690-694. DOI: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/49/3/690/4730534
Runge, A., & Heger, T., “Thermal Degradation of Vitamin A in Milk: Effects of Processing,” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2000; 48(1): 47-55. DOI: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf991221s
Vitamin D – Hollis, B.W., et al., “Effects of Pasteurization on Vitamin D Bioavailability in Milk,” The Journal of Nutrition, 1981; 111: 1240-1248. DOI: https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/111/7/1240/4724465
Iodine – Wheeler, E.F., et al., “Iodine Concentrations in Raw and Pasteurized Milk,” Journal of Dairy Science, 1983; 66(2): 187-195. DOI: https://www.jdsci.org/content/66/2/187
Minerals – MacDonald, J., et al., “The Role of Lactobacilli in Mineral Absorption and the Effect of Pasteurization,” Journal of Dairy Science, 1985; 68(10): 2717-2723.DOI: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(85)80977-6
Scientific American Article (December 1995): How Breast Milk Protects Newborns. Some of the molecules and cells in human milk actively help infants stave off infection. https://www.scientificamerican.com/issue/sa/1995/12-01/