David: Thanks so much for your post from Jerry re: B12. It caught my attention for 2 reasons: 1) My name is Gerry (and I thought you were referring to me but got the first letter wrong). 2) I have long been interested in the B12 issue. As a former "conventional" Health Educator who developed some serious health problems following the recommended procedures I finally saw the light and delved deeply into the Natural Hygiene philosophy, fasted, became vegan and am now a fairly devout raw foodist. According to "Fit For Life" authors Marilyn and Harvey Diamond, the body manufactures its own B12 from the bacteria on the food we eat. For that reason, they gave as example, not to worry too much about keeping food sterile as we need that bacteria to produce the B12. When washing carrots, for instance, don't worry about scrubbing too much or peeling. Just wash the loose dirt off as the pesticides will not wash off and often are systemic because they are dissolved in the water that irrigates the crop. Many Natural Hygiene doctors are confused on this issue, as well, and worry vegans might not get enough B12. Jerry's explanation that the studies were done on ovo-lacto vegetarians makes a lot of sense. Many well intentioned people give up meat because they think it's unhealthy but continue to consume dairy products and eggs for fear of not getting enough calcium and protein. What they don't realize is that milk is liquid meat. Worse, it's farther up the food chain therefore has all the contaminants as the meat they trying to get away from plus more because the contaminants are even more concentrated in the milk: ie. pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, etc. Please tell your friend, Jerry, we appreciated his post and would like to hear more from him. Gerry