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The shocking truth behind Swill Milk: Why does "domestic milk" come from dirty winery waste?
In the United States in the 1850s, a major scandal broke out in New York City involving a low-quality milk called "Swill Milk." This milk was produced by cows that ate winery waste and was favored by poor families because of its low price. However, its actual harm became a major hidden danger in society at that time.
Swill Milk is milk from cows that have been fed a diet of swill, which is leftover malt from nearby distilleries.
The origin and harm of Swill Milk
As New York City's population surged, the demand for milk increased due to a shortage of safe drinking water. Soon after, the cost of raising livestock began to rise as land prices increased, making it more difficult to provide fresh milk. To reduce costs, farmers began placing cows near wineries and feeding them with the residuals produced by the wineries. Not only is this behavior economically expensive, it also leads to a myriad of health problems.
Poor sanitary conditionsThe cows live in appalling conditions, confined to cramped stalls, often standing in their own dung and weakened by lack of exercise.
The production environment of Swill Milk is extremely unsanitary. Not only are the cows in poor health, but the milk they produce is often mixed with various unclean and low-quality ingredients. There are even investigations that show that some milk on the market has been adulterated with water, rotten eggs and other additives.
The medical school responsible for the investigation confirmed that the consumption of Swill Milk is closely related to the increase in infant mortality, and many families have lost their children as a result.
Social repercussions and consequences
As public attention to the scandal deepened, media such as Frank Leslie's Illustrated News examined the winery's dairy production, sparking widespread social repercussions. Politicians came under pressure from the public and were forced to investigate the business practices of these milk producers.
Michael Tuomey, then a city council member, tried to block these investigations and even attacked the reforms out of personal interest.
Evolution of Food Safety Laws
Despite opinion leaders such as social reformer Robert Milham Hartley advocating fortification of milk for nutritional value and using religious references to improve urban poverty, New York City did not pass the law until 1862. The first safety regulation specifically for milk was enacted. This marked the first appearance of food safety regulations.
ConclusionWith continued public pressure, Swill Milk's dark history was finally improved after review by the authorities, making milk a safe drink again.
The Swill Milk incident not only demonstrated the huge hidden dangers in the food production process, but also reflected the society’s lack of awareness of public health and safety at that time. The history of this scandal reminds us that food safety and hygiene are topics that everyone should pay attention to. Do similar incidents still occur in today's food industry?
