You won't believe what I just heard about Vitamin D3 in milk!

[Jeanne G]

Can anyone offer help with this one?

I just met a man that told me that the Vitamin D3 in milk (cow's) originates from PIG's BRAINS! eek! I know this sounds ridiculous, but he's apparently a vegan who just got back from a 5 day vegetarian/vegan Conference held, I think near Pittsburg.
IS THIS TRUE???

[Luv to Cook]

I'm not too sure about Vitamin B3, but I always take things like that with a grain of salt. When I was in high school a very health-conscious friend of mine told me that Nutella was made with ground up worms...I have eaten Nutella for the first time again after 8 years! I won't let that happen again...to think I gave up Nutella for soo long!

I hope the milk thing isn't true!

Anita

[Grace]

I don't know if it's true, but it could be. I mean iron is concentrated in the liver, and maybe B3 is concentrated in the brain tissue of pork? Just like gelatin is from the bones of cows? I wouldn't worry about it - it's not like there's actual pig brains ground up and put into your milk. I'm sure they extract the vitamin (JUST the vitamin) from the pork brain (if indeed that's where it comes from!). And it may just be a rumor, but it wouldn't make me quit drinking milk. You know a lot of calcium comes from egg shells (which are 98% calcium), and lots of nutrients come from weird places. I understand (and respect) the vegan's point of view, but sometimes it gets REALLY extreme!!

[beejayw1]

He's apparently a vegan who just got back from a 5 day vegetarian/vegan Conference held, I think near Pittsburg.

Whether or not he's a vegan is immaterial. As with any other persuasion, there are folks who are sane, smart and conscientious and then there are the lunatic fringe. If this guy didn't produce information to back up his outrageous statement, then I would discount it.:rolleyes:

And why do I think of my Jewish friends who keep kosher kitchens and still drink milk? Don't you think, that being the case (the pig brains nonsense) there might be some sort of warning to the kosher community?

Why don't you contact the website for the Dairy Farmers of America and ask where they get the stuff to put in milk? I suspect the information is available for any intelligent web-browser.

In the meantime, I'd file that one away under 'urban legends'. Incidentally, I think there's a website where such stories can be checked out and either verified or debunked. :cool:

[Denise]

I have to add my disbelief to those above. I'm sure the D3 is some sort of extract or additive, not ground up animal parts. Wouldn't they have to list that as an ingredient?

[AD]

As cautious and knit-picky the FDA is about foods and medicines, I can guarantee they would never approve this in the United States. I think most vitamins and minerals that are added for enrichment are made synthetically.

[shoyski]

Here's your urban legend website page:

http://www.snopes.com/