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MPC is made from milk. It is not synthetic. It is processed milk.

I agree that it should be better regulated as to sources and precise processing techniques.

Not so very different from the melamine used in China to "improve" the nutritional value of foods.

(I know, I know, melamine only gave the *semblance* of increased protein, and this actually *has* protein, but -- who knows if it is even safe for human consumption? same thing really...)

Just another demonstration of how in North America we do not have true respect for the value of the products produced by our farmers; we do not really love and savour food. It's backwards that the "real" food -- stuff that is organic, produced to enhance and protect flavour and nutrition -- is a special product sought out by a minority, and only now beginning to appear in regular grocery stores. No, instead "profit" rules...

Milk is a key component of milk paint. Should we therefore agitate against the inclusion of milk in cheese b/c milk paint is a non-digestible product? The glue connection is a fear-mongering red-herring. MPC is made from milk. Milk is dairy. What is the problem?

Bravo, sciencegeek and frum!

Part of the problem is that MPC is not regulated and can come from anywhere in the world. At a dairy conference in upstate NY, dairy farmers were very upset about being undersold by Australian and Thai MPC producers. Basically, you are eating a highly processed food product that has been produced with varying standards and oversight.

And,frum, just because something comes from an edible source doesn't mean it is edible.

What is the difference between Whey Protein Concentrate and Milk Protein Concentrate, or are they the same thing?

MPC isn't made much in the states because it isn't cost effective. Taxes on its import are low due the taxes being designed at a time when MPC wasn't a big player in the market. American dairy is upset that it is losing business to imported dairy products. Easiest and cheapest route is to get consumers upset about MPC by going on about its role in glue.

Better idea: change import tax structure, create regulations on its processing.

This would take longer to accomplish but would provide the consumer and the dairy farmer with a more useful solution.

My initial comment was made because the article was misleading. I'm also impatient with people who get incredibly upset about "chemicals" without actually sitting down and thinking about what they're worried about.

There are natural things which are toxic. There are synthesized things that are toxic. As rachels pointed out, something from an edible source isn't necessarily edible. I'll point out the other side, something from a synthetic or non-edible source isn't necessarily inedible.

But we're talking about something similar to non-fat dry milk. The actual issue here concerns regulation of its production.

It's in Kraft Singles?!?!

I just hope Velveeta is safe!

Urgh. Thanks for posting this and thank you Senator Aubertine for looking into this. I can't understand the line of thinking that just because this product starts out as milk, it must be safe to eat. I can certainly understanding someone choosing to defend the use of this product if it is tested and turns out to be perfectly safe but it has not been tested, and what's to be gained by defending it so reflexively at this point? I don't see any good reason why the safety of something like this ought to be a matter of faith.

No wonder all kraft products taste like plastic and glue. Yet another processed ingredient that has probably distorted and destroyed all nutrients in the manufacturing process.

The only way to go is cheese and dairy products from local sustainable farmers who don't use antibiotics or hormones on their cattle. I'm hoping the increase in small scale cheese makers is significant. There is nothing like fresh cheese (or well aged cheese)

mschatelaine: That's exactly the connection I had made.

This is why I buy real foods. Cheese contains milk, cream, salt, and rennet and NOTHING else.

Not cheese: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.aspx?SiteId=1&Product=2100061999

Ingredients: PART-SKIM MILK, WHEY, MILK, SODIUM CITRATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SKIM MILK, GELATIN, SALT, MILKFAT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, LACTIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, APOCAROTENAL (COLOR), VITAMIN A PALMITATE, ANNATTO (COLOR), ENZYMES, VITAMIN D3, CHEESE CULTURE. CONTAINS: MILK.

And more processed junk masquerading as cheese:

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.aspx?SiteId=1&Product=2100061689

Velveeta:
Ingredients: MILK, WATER, MILKFAT, WHEY, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, ALGINATE, SODIUM CITRATE, APOCAROTENAL (COLOR), ANNATTO (COLOR), ENZYMES, CHEESE CULTURE.
Size: 16 OZ
Upc: 2100061689

Sounds like you took a press release and regurgitated it here without bothering to give us a more comprehensive take on the topic.

I'm glad some of the posters are filling in other facts.

For those in Canada...
http://www.idfa.org/news/stories/2008/01/canada.cfm

Thanks angorian!

seriously, can anyone be surprised that kraft singles are full of crap?

while I agree with sciencegeek and others that chemicals have a bad reputation and people are often overly-afraid when they hear the word, I do think that anyone is generally safer going with foods that contain fewer ingredients.

this just makes me think of sterotypical 50's era commercials where a smiling housewife raves how this *amazing new product* will make modern life easier and is an example of just how far we've come (you know it's pure and good! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TppRjknOryk&feature=related)! many americans seem stuck in this mindset of blindly believing that anything the companies come out with is really in our best interest and *must* be good for us-- but they usually only care what's good for them. it's always good to question!

thanks for the laugh, pinbot. :)