[foerbert]

Can't even downvote myself, but my guess is that it's related to the extremity of your position. It sounds a lot like you're saying since we know cyanide is poisonous by itself, it's very strange to be able to win a lawsuit if you find significant amounts of cyanide in your bread. Most bread is fine, right? So merely finding cyanide in it should only count as suspicion of a problem and not count as evidence... seems to be what you're saying.

[TheManInThePub]

Cyanide occurs naturally in apple cores. It is the dose that makes the poison.

The UK links I have cited say the low levels are not an issue. I've genuinely asked what evidence the US courts are using and I appear to have come up against group think. I did not expect this on HN.

I'd genuinely appreciate it if somebody can provide evidence citing the risk is other than negligible.

[foerbert]

This is why I specified significant amounts, but the exact details of my highly contrived example are obviously not that important.

If you phrased it the way you phased this response, I think you would have gotten a better response.

You didn't phrase it as "I have reason to believe certain levels are not a problem, and I am unaware of the levels recorded in the lawsuit. Where they high enough to be a problem?"

You instead phrased it far more absolute terms that stated that 'merely' finding a dangerous substance in a product was not evidence of it being dangerous. It absolutely is evidence. It may not be sufficient evidence on it's own, but each piece of evidence does not need to be sufficient to prove the case entirely on it's own. Your statements have also carried the extremely strong implication - and that's being generous - that the US courts were definitely wrong. I don't think anybody read your posts and thought you were requesting information and not stating a strong position in defense of J&J.

People have limited time and effort. You made it as difficult as possible to get the information you wished. I wouldn't blame this one on HN groupthink.

[craftinator]

Asbestos -> Cancer.

Safe amount = 0.

[Google234]

Radiation also -> cancer. Should we ban windows that allow sun light into our lives??

[TheManInThePub]

What an inane response. Perhaps I can counter with

Alcohol -> Cancer.

Safe amount = 0.

Alcohol content of fresh bread > 0

[telchar]

That's an interesting example to choose, because almonds have a small amount of cyanide naturally. I think that highlights that quantity matters