Myth Busters - Should I lick or use a glue stick?

[SOS2008]

A friend just emailed this to me. I've heard of the insect egg story before, but the other stories I haven't heard before:

ENVELOPE GLUE - YOU GOTTA READ THIS!

I used to work for an envelope company. Our plant supervisor used to
work in the Chicago plant and told us not to lick the envelopes
because they would often find dead rats at the bottom of the glue
barrel (after thousands of envelopes had been glued and shipped). EEWW!

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I work in a factory and we have 2 employees who used to work in
an envelope factory. They told me that when the machine jams up,
they use whatever water is handy to thin out the glue. This
includes water that they just mopped the floor with. Since then,
I've avoided licking envelopes...

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If you lick your envelopes... you won't anymore! A woman
was working in a post office in California. One day she licked the
envelopes and postage stamps instead of using a sponge. That very
day the lady cut her tongue on the envelope. A week later, she
noticed an abnormal swelling of her tongue. She went to the doctor,
but they found nothing wrong. Her tongue was not sore or
anything. A couple of days later, her tongue started to
swell more, and it began to get so sore, that she could not eat.
She went back to the hospital, and demanded something be done. The
doctor took an x-ray of her tongue and noticed a lump. He prepared her
for minor surgery. When the doctor cut her tongue open, a live
cockroach crawled out! There were roach eggs on the seal of the
envelope. The egg was able to hatch inside of her tongue, because
of her saliva. It was warm and moist... This is a true story reported
on CNN.

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"Hey, I used to work in an envelope factory. You wouldn't believe
the things that float around in those gum applicator trays I haven't
licked an envelope for years!"

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I used to work for a print shop (32 years ago), and we
were told NEVER to lick the envelopes. I never understood why
until I had to go into storage and pull out 2500 envelops that were
already printed for a customer who was doing a mailing and saw
several squads of roaches roaming around inside a couple of boxes with
eggs everywhere. They eat the glue on the envelopes. I think print
shops have a harder time controlling roaches than a restaurant. I
always buy the self-sealing type. Or if need be, I use a
glue stick to seal one that has the type of glue that needs to be wet
to stick.

First, the story about the insect eggs was a different insect (not about cockroaches, but can't remember what), and I know crickets like to eat glue, but don't know about roaches. Aside from this, it would seem to me that since glue is meant to be licked (e.g., some manufacturers try to make the glue not taste so yucky) I would think this would be regulated (by the FDA?) in some way. Anyone heard other versions too, or know about any regulations?

 

[stoned]

Remember "Seinfeld" episode when George Costanzas fiance was sending wedding invitations and she was licking about one hundred cheap envelopes that George bought? Ofcourse she died and George was kind of happy.

 

[Janitor]

The current issue of Trains magazine has a photo of a place where they load wheat onto railroad hopper cars. Due to a car shortage, tons of grain are lying on bare grassy ground. I visualize a front end loader coming by later on when hoppers are available and scooping up the wheat, with the operator trying his best to get all the grain but not too much grass and soil. Bird droppings and rodents would not be something he could avoid scooping up, though.

 

[Pengwuino]

I remember that seinfeld episode lol. great stuff! I don't think there's houdl be a huge comotion over possibility of rat crap getting into your food. I mean really, whatever industry it is (or well, most of em), its more sanitary then 60 or 70 or 100 years ago and not many people are dieing of rat poisoning... but then again who knows, maybe it all adds up to a shorter life.

 

[Moonbear]

The current issue of Trains magazine has a photo of a place where they load wheat onto railroad hopper cars. Due to a car shortage, tons of grain are lying on bare grassy ground. I visualize a front end loader coming by later on when hoppers are available and scooping up the wheat, with the operator trying his best to get all the grain but not too much grass and soil. Bird droppings and rodents would not be something he could avoid scooping up, though.

Um, you realize that when it was growing out in the field, bugs and birds were landing and defecating on the plants too, don't you? LOL! City slickers, worried about a bit of bug poop!

 

[stoned]

I have worked in a large peanutbutter factory,and we have been infested with coackroaches amd mice,they were everywhere.(no wonder people are alergic to the peanutbutter or rather to eating cokroaches and mice)
Over the building I have seen everyday dozens of hawks and other preybirds who were hunting for mice near our warehouse.

 

[SOS2008]

Oh, I remember that episode now...too funny!

Um, you realize that when it was growing out in the field, bugs and birds were landing and defecating on the plants too, don't you? LOL! City slickers, worried about a bit of bug poop!

You just reminded me of dirt theory, in which I would argue that it is good for your immunity to be exposed to germs (bug poop?) :rofl: ; otherwise you would have to live in a bubble. It's true, there are traces of all kinds of things in everything we consume.

I once watched a program about people who eat dirt (e.g., they would sprinkle it on salad) in order to get minerals naturally--of course it was enriched (high mineral) and cleaned dirt--they weren't just going out and digging it up from their yards. Eeeew gritty salad--I hate it when I get sand in my food--I'd rather take a vitamin!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Has anyone ever read The Jungle?

Upton Sinclair's The Jungle is a vivid portrait of life and death in a turn-of-the-century American meat-packing factory. A grim indictment that led to government regulations of the food industry, The Jungle is Sinclair's extraordinary contribution to literature and social reform.

free online: http://www.online-literature.com/upton_sinclair/jungle/

Edit: note the life and death part. Gotta love them burgers! Mmmmmm.

 

[Janitor]

I have worked in a large peanutbutter factory...

I had a history teacher who liked to gross us out. He told us about federal standards on how many insect parts are allowed per pound of peanut butter. :uhh:

 

[Moonbear]

I had a history teacher who liked to gross us out. He told us about federal standards on how many insect parts are allowed per pound of peanut butter. :uhh:

They just help add flavor. Now you know what it means when a label reads "natural flavors." :tongue2:

 

[stoned]

Cockroaches,mice = protein. :tongue2:

 

[hypatia]

lol fear factor PF style!