In article ,
(Alex Rast) wrote:

at Thu, 13 Nov 2003 03:04:41 GMT in
,
(alzelt) wrote :



Chris wrote:
...
Instead of wrapping its chocolate bars in paper, the way it's been
done for almost 70 years, Hersheys® is now packaging its milk
chocolate in plastic: Exxon Mobil Chemical's Bicor® 75
CSR-2/ink/adhesive/Metallyte.
Don't let them get away with this! Make your voice heard today!
...
Wouldn't it be much easier to buy real chocolate instead of milk
chocolate?

Milk chocolate *is* real chocolate. There's nothing inherently wrong with
the stuff, and some kinds (e.g. Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate, Michel Cluizel
Chocolat Grand Lait Cacao Pur Ile de Java 50%) are really good, too.

However, I agree that it's somewhat immaterial to quibble over any quality
loss in Hershey's - their milk chocolate is really bad to begin with.

More frustrating to me is the introduction of plastic wrappings on a lot of
organic chocolates, especially those from Europe. They advertise boldly on
the label that the wrapping has no aluminum. Now, how does it *improve*
things to go from inert aluminum (which may have tenuous connections to
Alzheimers)

Not even tenuous; non-existent.

to off-gassing plastic (which has known connections to cancers
and other toxic diseases), especially when plastic makes it taste worse
*and* less healthy?

Not all plastics outgas; vinyls do, but generally they are not used for
food packaging. The ones that do not, probably do not alter the taste --
except to prevent oxidation and absorption of odors from the
environment. If you like what those do to the taste, plastic will be a
problem.

If they want to do it right, then they should wrap it
in sealed wax paper or stainless steel foil.

Neither of which will prevent outside contaminants anywhere near as well
as *proper* plastic packaging.

However, if they want to cut
costs, why not at least be sufficiently candid as to admit it, or at least
not so disingenuous as to conceal what they've done behind a "no aluminum"
banner?

The "no aluminum" silliness, I think, is to counter the old, entirely
debunked, story that's been running aroung Usenet since Noah first
forwarded it.

Plastic -- properly chosen -- is probably the best packaging possible.

Isaac