McDonald’s announced last week that, as of last August, is has stopped using ammonium hydroxide in the production of its hamburgers. MSNBC reports that the chemical, used in fertilizers, household cleaners and even homemade explosives, was also used to prepare McDonalds’ hamburger meat.

And while the announcement is making headlines, you may (or may not) want to know about some other unusual chemicals being used in the production of some of our most-popular foods:

The International Business Times lists some other questionable chemicals showing up in our foods:

• Propylene glycol: This chemical is very similar to ethylene glycol, a dangerous anti-freeze. This less-toxic cousin  prevents products from becoming too solid. Some ice creams have this  ingredient; otherwise you’d be eating ice.
• Carmine: Commonly found in red food coloring, this chemical comes from crushed cochineal, small red beetles that burrow into cacti. Husks of the beetle are ground up and forms the basis for red coloring found in foods ranging from cranberry juice to M&Ms.
• Shellac: Yes, this chemical used to finish wood products also gives some candies their sheen. It comes from the female Lac beetle.
• L-cycsteine: This common dough enhancer comes from hair, feathers, hooves and bristles.
• Lanolin (gum base): Next time you chew on gum, remember this. The goopiness of gum comes from lanolin, oils from sheep’s wool that is also used  for vitamin D3 supplements.
• Silicon dioxide: Nothing weird about eating sand, right? This anti-caking agent is found in many foods including shredded cheese and fast food chili.

So, what moved McDonald’s to make the change in their hamburger production? In a statement posted on its website, McDonald’s senior director of quality systems Todd Bacon wrote:

“At the beginning of 2011, we made a decision to discontinue the use of ammonia-treated beef in our hamburgers.  This product has been out of our supply chain since August of last year. This decision was a result of our efforts to align our global standards for how we source beef around the world.”

The U.S. Agriculture Department classifies the chemical as “generally recognized as safe.” McDonald’s says they stopped using the chemical months ago and deny the move came after a public campaign against ammonium hydroxide by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

You can watch video of Jamie Oliver showing the process of using ammonium hydroxide on meat here:

[http://youtu.be/wshlnRWnf30]

The food industry uses ammonium hydroxide as an anti-microbial agent in meats, which allows McDonald’s to use otherwise “inedible meat.”

On his show, Oliver said of the meat treatment: “Basically we’re taking a product that would be sold in the cheapest form for dogs and making it ‘fit’ for humans.”

Even more disturbing, St. Louis-based dietician Sarah Prochaska told NBC affiliate KSDK that because ammonium hydroxide is considered part of the “component in a production procedure” by the USDA, consumers may not know when the chemical is in their food.

“It’s a process, from what I understand, called ‘mechanically separated meat’ or ‘meat product,’” Prochaska said.  ”The only way to avoid it would be to choose fresher products, cook your meat at home, cook more meals at home.”

So, if you think about it, what is really a few atoms from being DDT? Apparently, it’s Splenda.

My gut was literally in a twist as I read this article. Let’s get this going viral, folks! Once we are educated on what Splenda truly is, then we all make our own informed choices to consume it — or not.

The Bitter Truth About Splenda | GreenMedInfo | Blog entry | Natural Medicine | Alternative Medicine | Integrative Medicine | Consumer Advocacy.

WVE Report Finds Secret Toxic Chemicals in Simple Green Cleaners

Report reveals hidden chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and more in top cleaners & detergents

Simple Green advertises their products as “non-toxic,” but guess what? Our test results revealed toluene, a chemical linked to pregnancy complications, in Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. We also found phthalates, linked to reproductive harm, and 1,4-dioxane, linked to cancer, in Simple Green Naturals Multi-Surface Care! Here’s the scary part – none of these chemicals appear on the product labels or the company’s website. See what else we found hiding in top cleaners & detergents.

The good news is that the Cleaning Product Right to Know Act was just introduced in Congress. Thanks to WVE’s advocacy efforts, the bill requires companies to list all ingredients directly on the product label where you can see them!

SO by now it should have sunk in — right?!

We’re going to put it out there again, just because this is a really good list of the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables you WANT to buy organic. The dirty dozen most likely contain multiple pesticide residues, and therefore should be bought organic. An example: The FDA detected 30 different pesticides on strawberries, while apples had 50 different pesticides on them. Consumers Union (www.consumersunion.org) and Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) say that children are most at risk when eating produce that has combined exposures. The Environmental Protection Agency says pesticides block the body’s uptake of nutrients critical for proper growth and wreak havoc on development by permanently altering the way a child’s system functions. (taken from Super Natural Home by Beth Greer)

I personally noticed that after being on a pretty strict organic diet and solely eating at home for a while, when I eat outside of the home I get almost migraine headaches after eating foods I’m pretty sure contain pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.

The Dirty Dozen
Peaches  |  Apples  |  Pears  |  Green Beans  |  Grapes
Strawberries  | Raspberries  |  Spinach  |  Sweet Bell Peppers
Potatoes  |  Tomatoes  |  Cantaloupe

This really is food for thought…

Now — off to grocery shop with an educated perspective!

Here is what zkano — an organic cotton sock company — says your options are:

1. Dust rag. Slip a sock on your hand, dampen with cleaner and have at it. Wash and reuse.
2. Drink cozy. Want to insulate your drink? Put a sock on it. Cold stays cold and hot stays hot.
3. Heat packs. Fill a sock with rice, seal it and heat in the microwave for 1 minute.
4. Draft protector. In the winter, wedge stuffed socks in front of doors to keep cold air out.
5. Dog toy. Place a tennis ball inside a sock for an added layer of chewing fun.

Most importantly, you have the option to RECYCLE your old socks! How cool is that!?

Per zkano: Recycle. Old fibers can be reworked and reused. The most worn out cotton fibers can be composted. Here’s where we come in.

We have the resources to take past-their-prime socks off your hands and have them recycled. Send your old socks* to us at this address:

Emi-G Knitting
Attention: Zkano Recycles Program
1715 Airport Road
Ft Payne, AL 35968

*Please send six or more pairs in a package. We need to outweigh the carbon footprint from shipping!

Read the full story at: www.zkano.com/pages/zkano-recycles

Our USDA certified bottling facility ensures the formula remains in an unadulterated state, eliminating the need for additives that may lessen effectiveness and ensuring it remains a truly 100% organic product.

Greener Days Mission    
Greener Days is dedicated to promoting, encouraging and providing natural, organic products, where quality is vital. With the belief that everyone deserves the ability to discover and enjoy the benefits of an organic lifestyle.

Visit our website: www.greenerdays.net to learn more about us, our products, and maybe get to WIN a little swag for your feedback… !

YOUR Greener Days
We look forward to YOU following us — learning not only about Greener Days LLC, but anything having to do with a natural, organic lifestyle. If you have a topic you’d like to see appear on our blog, let us know!

Here’s to Greenerways for Greener Days!