Who ever heard of this in the 1960s or 70s? When did this bug-a-boo start? My theory: when bochirim without secular education needed a way to earn a living. "Need, meet product." Voila, bodek produce. I also believe this bug fright is aimed at keeping women even further tethered to the home, because how many men do you know are in the kitchen checking for bugs? But the most frightening aspect? it's all the nutritionally-dense fresh produce that are in the bugaboo crosshairs, notably spinach and other leafy greens, cruciferous like broccoli &cabbage. Soak it. Bug business is also a deterrent to a vegan/vegetarian diet or just eating healthier altogether. But kashrut now is about better living through chemistry.
Truth is, it wasn't a problem for decades cause we were using DDT (who's dangers are overblown), but with the PC environment changed things. Study it, spraying DDT is not really dangerous.
Rav Slifkin's recent post nailed it: You look and if you don't see you eat.
ReplyDeleteWho ever heard of this in the 1960s or 70s?
ReplyDeleteWhen did this bug-a-boo start? My theory: when bochirim without secular education needed a way to earn a living. "Need, meet product." Voila, bodek produce.
I also believe this bug fright is aimed at keeping women even further tethered to the home, because how many men do you know are in the kitchen checking for bugs?
But the most frightening aspect? it's all the nutritionally-dense fresh produce that are in the bugaboo crosshairs, notably spinach and other leafy greens, cruciferous like broccoli &cabbage. Soak it.
Bug business is also a deterrent to a vegan/vegetarian diet or just eating healthier altogether. But kashrut now is about better living through chemistry.
Truth is, it wasn't a problem for decades cause we were using DDT (who's dangers are overblown), but with the PC environment changed things.
ReplyDeleteStudy it, spraying DDT is not really dangerous.