[noughtme]

Sawdust is unfortunately an actual food ingredient you’re more likely to find in industrial food regulated by the FDA. There’s an argument to be made that the free market, mom and pop/artisanal providers will be of higher quality than something regulated by the government.

[phoehne]

There's no evidence that mom and pop shops are any less likely to put borax in their 100% organic, gluten free, artisanal milk than a large company. Or even just washing the kitchen you can't really see. It's food safety laws and regulation that also keep them in line.

[c0pium]

As long as it’s food safe saw dust then the FDA is doing it’s job.

We should be perfectly happy to trade in higher quality but dangerous products for lower quality but safe ones. The airline industry kills many fewer people than it used to, and most crashes and fatalities happen in the less regulated parts. Because of course they do.

[red-iron-pine]

if you've ever had pre-shredded cheese, like a bag fulla pre-shreded mozzarella, you have eaten sawdust. FDA regulated, food-safe sawdust.

tiny, very tiny, particles of saw dust (labeled "cellulose" in the ingredients), is used to keep the cheese from clumping up.

go and watch your favorite pizza chain make pizza, with giant bags of pre-shredded cheese, and then ponder your sawdust intake.

[c0pium]

I’m very aware of cellulose in food production, this comment is not responsive to my point.

Edit: while we’re playing food trivia though, ponder the no-sawdust rule that doesn’t forbid cinnamon.

[loup-vaillant]

There’s an argument for sure, but personally I would be more interested in evidence.