If you’re not a Vampire or supermodel, I’m under the assumption that you eat every now and then. Food processing being my area of expertise, I thought I would address a few of the popular “myths” regarding the industry.

Myth: Back in the early 20th century meat packing was dangerous. Sometimes workers would accidentally fall into a vat and simply be ground up and included in whatever product the factory was making at the time.

Conclusion: Probably false. Although Upton Sinclair himself started this rumor, one must remember that he didn’t set out to change the food industry. His goal was to end wage-slavery and improve working conditions for the poor. Inspectors who entered the meat packing houses following the uproar caused by The Jungle found no evidence of such a thing. Don’t worry folks, your grandparents probably weren’t unwitting cannibals.

Myth: Food products contain an acceptable amount of “filth” including rodent feces, insect parts, and animal hair.

Conclusion: Partly True, Mostly False. It is true that grain products may contain a certain level of filth. When grain is stored in massive silos it is simply unavoidable that insects and animals contaminate it to some degree. Grain elevators do practice pest control measures but it’s never 100% effective. Over the years I’ve heard this fact become a myth when applied to other food products. For example, something like a beverage or meat product is not likely to contain any filth.

The company I used to work for made the corn syrup for Coke and Pepsi. We found pigeon droppings near the top hatch of a storage tank once and it was a MAJOR headache. Bear in mind that I said “near” the top hatch, which was sealed and bolted shut, by the way. The poop wasn’t even touching the storage tank and it still amounted to a major violation of “good manufacturing practices.” Most companies are very dedicated to keeping their processing area sparkling clean. The last meat packing plant I visited was so clean and shiny that I was almost blinded by the stainless steel radiance. I couldn’t even find any dirt on the bottom of the workers’ boots (which were white, by the way.)

Myth: People with food allergies can become seriously ill by simply kissing someone who has recently eaten the food to which they’re allergic.

Conclusion: True and Tragically Confirmed: A couple years ago a girl actually died from kissing her boyfriend who had recently eaten a snack containing peanut butter. She was allergic to peanuts. I went ahead and dug up the story in case this sounds far-fetched.

Myth: Kentucky Fried Chicken had to change its name to KFC because the birds they raise are so genetically modified and pumped full of hormones that they cannot be considered chickens under the law.

Conclusion: False. Stories of zombie chickens without heads being fed pure nutrients through tubes are urban legends. KFC does, indeed, use real chickens. Whether or not you want to feed yourself the crap they serve at those restaurants is still a matter of personal choice. It has been proven, however, beyond a shadow of a doubt that a chicken can live for an extended period with its head cut off.