Horizon program last night on TV was pretty interesting. Its premise was to scientifically discover if various things do actually say what they’re supposed to: organic food is better for you; clothes can be washed at 30c; anti-oxidants actually work etc.

The one about organic food was interesting, as Professor Regan (the presenter) had three items to discuss:

- nutrition
- animal welfare
- something else that eludes me at the moment.

The one on animal welfare was so naïve, apparently the professor is totally happy with a female sow being clamped, so that the piglets can suckle without risking them being crushed. This is what would happen in a pig’s natural environment. The battery pig farmers apparently lose 10% of piglets to crushing. All the farmers are interested in is their profit margins - definitely not animal welfare. I’d much rather see piglets running around a field and rooting for food.

The professor also missed out on pesticides - they haven’t been proven to be safe in food - so why bother having them in food? It took a while for the real effects of DDT to be discovered.

Blah blah blah.