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I've noticed recently that some foods now have the additive "propylene
glycol" in them. Virtually all flavored coffees have it in them to make the
flavor stick to the coffee. Or have they been doing this for some time and
I didn't eat those foods or notice it before? That is anti-freeze as well
as a solvent, isn't it? I do know the airforce and airlines use it to deice
wings. What's it doing in our food? Does anyone out there know this
particular additive? I can't find it on a list anywhere. I see that Scott
has "Propylene Glycol Monostearete" in his safe list, but I don't see the
anti-freeze itself anywhere. Maybe it would be a good thing to eat if you
were camping in the winter here in Washington St? Couldn't freeze, eh?

I did find this on the web in a brief search, but I also know there is a
lot unnecessarily alarmist stuff out there and I take most of it with a
grain of salt (guess that doesn't mean that it can't ever be right
though): "The side effects of exposure to Propylene Glycol are as
numerous as they are frightening. It can cause headache,
tearing of the eyes, skin and throat redness and soreness, nasal
irritation, nausea, vomiting, central nervous system depression,
convulsions, liver damage, kidney damage, coughing, wheezing,
breathlessness, loss of balance, and coma. Animals who were
experimentally exposed to propylene glycol suffered all of the above
symptoms, including mild to profound central nervous system depression
as well as heart arrhythmia, respiratory failure, narcosis (profound
stupor), growth depression, decreased blood pressure, and even death."

All I know is it seems to give me a bad time for 2 or 3 days -- though it
is a good bargaining item with "She Who Must . . .": "Please don't eat any
of that stuff again. Please! Please! I'll do anything."  :) Pure power :)

I might also mention it did make me nauseous and I did have some
respiratory difficulty. Ah I do admire the FDA more all the time when they
allow this kind of thing in our food "to protect us" :)

Maybe I'll send a pack of those macaroons, with a pretty bow around it,
around to all my enemies :)   -vance