"Which Veggie Burgers Were Made With a Neurotoxin?"

"... [a] recent investigation by the Cornucopia Institute... found that most non-organic veggie burgers currently on the market are made with the chemical hexane, an EPA-registered air pollutant and neurotoxin.  In order to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers, manufacturers of soy-based fake meat like to make their products have as little fat as possible. The cheapest way to do this is by submerging soybeans in a bath of hexane to separate the oil from the protein. Says Cornucopia Institute senior researcher Charlotte Vallaeys, "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."

If you've heard about hexane before, it was likely in the context of gasoline—the air pollutant is also a byproduct of gas refining. But in 2007, grain processors were responsible for two-thirds of our national hexane emissions. Hexane is hazardous in the factory, too: Workers who have been exposed to it have developed both skin and nervous system disorders. Troubling, then, that the FDA does not monitor or regulate hexane residue in foods. More worrisome still: According to the report, "Nearly every major ingredient in conventional soy-based infant formula is hexane extracted."  The Cornucopia Institute found that a number of popular veggie burgers were made with hexane. ... [full list available here]... :

Amy's Kitchen
Boca Burger, conventional
Franklin Farms
Garden Burger
It’s All Good Lightlife
Morningstar Farms
President’s Choice
Taste Above
Trader Joe's
Yves Veggie Cuisine

Hexane-free products:

Boca Burgers "Made with organic soy"
Helen's Kitchen
Morningstar "Made with organic"
Superburgers by Turtle Island
Tofurky
Wildwood..."

Original article here.  It's difficult to know how serious this actually is from a health standpoint (potentially), but it is something I hope is researched.  I believe this kind of issue (the hexane) exists with other products.  Non-homemade peeled tomatoes are often peeled in the factory using lye or hot steam (be nice to know which... cheaper ones probably use lye).  Anyway, the study also rates soy products with a variety of social, informational, and other criteria, and provides an Executive Summary and other parts as PDFs.

Comments

[greg pierce]

Hi, Good information. It's important to note that hexane isn't being used secretly, as a matter of fact I just watched a show on foodtv that was explaining how hexane is used to extract cooking oils from soy, and other grains. So there is hexane in FAR more products than you mention, including most of our cooking oils, soy milk, protein bars, etc. The concentrations are likely not harmful but people should know what they are eating. Suggestion: Read the wikipedia article on hexane.

[It's hard to tell whether it's a problem or not (the hexane). I decided decades ago that there would always be junk in our air, soil, around me, water, etc., and that the best strategy was to focus on keeping the immune system strong and try to minimize consumption of anything coming out of a can or a box.

That being said, I do appreciate your note, thoughts, and suggestion.

Best regards, Mark]