Amy's Kitchen veggie burgers made with toxic chemical hexane?

Wednesday, September 01, 2010 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: Amy's kitchen, veggie burgers, health news

(NaturalNews) Nearly all non-organic veggie burgers on the market are made with a known neurotoxin, according to a recent study by the Cornucopia Institute titled Behind the Bean.

"If a non-organic product contains a soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, or texturized vegetable protein, you can be pretty sure it was made using soy beans that were made with hexane," said the institute's senior researcher, Charlotte Vallaeys.

It's not just veggie burgers, either -- it's almost all products that contain soy, including protein bars and soy beverages.

"Nearly every major ingredient in conventional soy-based infant formula is hexane extracted," the report said.

Hexane, a byproduct of gas refining and grain processing, is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as an air pollutant, and has also been known to cause skin and nervous system disorders in factory workers. Yet federal law does not require the FDA to monitor its presence in food.

As a consequence, soybeans are regularly bathed in hexane during processing. This causes the oils in the bean to leach out, and allows manufacturers to market their products as "low fat" to their generally health-conscious consumer base.

The use of hexane is banned in products labeled "organic," but is still permitted in foods "made with organic ingredients" -- in the latter case, hexane may be used in any non-organic ingredients.

Non-organic veggie burgers made with hexane include the following popular brands: Amy's Kitchen, Boca Burger (non-organic), Franklin Farms, Garden Burger, It's All Good Lightlife, Morningstar Farms (non-organic), President's Choice, Taste Above, Trader Joe's and Yves Veggie Cuisine.

Burgers made without hexane include:
Boca Burger ("Made with organic soy"), Helen's Kitchen, Morningstar Farms ("Made with organic"), Superburgers by Turtle Island, Tofurky and Wildwood.

A more complete list, including non-burger products and more information on soy sourcing, may be found on the web site of the Cornucopia Institute.

Sources for this story include: http://www.alternet.org/story/146439/which_v....