Don’t be afraid of food | San Luis Obispo Tribune

It was a sad day when the WHO released its report on processed meats being linked to cancer. What is most upsetting, though, was not the news itself. It was the smug, self-righteous responses much like those in “Meat is some really scary stuff” (Letters, Oct. 27) from individuals with agendas to shame others for consuming foods they enjoy. It is no secret that overindulgence in high-fat animal protein like bacon and sausage can lead to health complications. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in this county, above all cancers.

But many of the ideas brought up in that letter were inaccurate and an unfair representation of the meat industry as a whole. He was quoting one-sided propaganda that does not reflect current industry practices or standards with no justification or factual evidence, meant to alarm and scare the uninformed public. His opinions were uneducated and false, particularly the baloney about “promoting world hunger” and “exposing undocumented workers to crippling workplace injuries at slave wages.”

Vegetables have associated risks, too, and organic food recalls have been steadily increasing over the past three years, with 87 percent being due to bacterial contamination, according to the CDC.

Don’t be afraid of food. Be informed.