Bye-bye Books

Bye-bye Books

Today I received a call back from Dorthy, a customer service representative at Seal-a-meal Vacuum Food Storage System.  On Friday, I called to inquire about the bags they use for their system.  After about thirty minutes on the phone, she was able to tell me that the bags were made of a combination of nylon and polyethylene plastic and the inside of the bags were not coated/dusted with cornstarch.  (Oh good, we’re on the right track.  This is rare.)  Okay, next question: “Was corn starch used to dust the exterior of the bags as an aid during manufacturing?” Unfortunately Dorthy was unable to conclusively answer my question. She seemed very interested in helping me (I know, color me shocked too) and asked for my name and number so she could call me back the following week.  I know what you’re thinking: “You’ll never hear from her again.”  But I did!!!  She phoned today with even more info. than I had anticipated.  No, the bags have not been dusted with cornstarch as a packing aid.  However, and she was shocked to share this, “The ink on the box that they come in tested positive for trace amounts of cornstarch.”  Yup, that’s right . . . INK! 

Things have gotten about as weird, and quite frankly, as awful, as I thought they could get.  Within the past couple of months I’ve determined, sadly & begrudgingly, that I am allergic to books.  Though I couldn’t say with absolute certainty, I assumed corn to be the culprit.  I already knew corn was used in a lot of paper products, but my knowledge of its invasiveness was rather limited.  In order to avoid itching, headaches and hand aches, I wear a mask and gloves and move FAST when opening packages, which is frequent.  (I should also note, for the corn and soy allergic, you’ll want to avoid any packing materials that say “biodegradable.”  Biodegradable = corn or soy.  Regular packing peanuts can also be made from corn.) As long as the weather is favorable, this is all done on my front porch.  I’m sure a masked woman with blue gloves and a knife doesn’t concern my neighbors at all.  As of yet, no uniformed men have knocked on my door.  My husband also does a lot of box opening and dismantling, but sometimes he’s not here, so “a girl’s gotta do, what a girl’s gotta do!” My kids try to help me with our mail, though sometimes they find my daily request annoying. 

At any rate, this kind woman’s words of “cornstarch in the ink” prompted me to dig a little deeper into this corny nightmare and here’s where it landed me.  (Thanks to Erica over at Corn Free Lifestyle for the links/info.)

Let’s start with cardboard:

What are the possible corny culprits in the manufacturing of cardboard?

1.Corn starch is used to make the glue

2.Waxes from vegetable oils (could be corn) are applied to make a water or grease resistant container for food products (frightening…)

3.Ink (could contain corn derivatives) is used to make logo designs

“At the corrugating plant, only a few other raw materials are needed to make a finished box. Corn starch glue is used to bond the corrugated medium to the liner sheets. Because so much glue is used, rail cars or large tanker trucks deliver it as a dry powder that will be stored in huge silos at the corrugating plant until it is needed. Drawn from the silo, the dry corn starch is mixed with water and other chemicals and pumped into the corrugator to be spread on the corrugated medium as the layers of liner are added. Other raw materials are used to finish the corrugated cardboard after production. Waxes made from paraffin or vegetable oils can be applied to make a water- or grease-resistant container for food products. Brightly colored inks are also applied to create bold graphic designs for self-supporting displays featuring product name, information, and company name and logo.”

 http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Corrugated-Cardboard.html

Ink:

Corn- and soy-based inks are now replacing printer's ink that was made from 100% petroleum products.  Being vegetable-based makes it safe for placemats and packaging where ink may come in contact with our food.  The colors are brighter and more easily recycled, revolutionizing the newspaper industry.  Printing machines run smoother, are easier to clean, and safer for employees.

ttp://www.marylandgrain.com/Uses%20in%20industry.htm

So when I felt the throbbing headache coming on & my sinuses starting to swell and my ears filling up while reading a new book to one of my young children because I forgot to wear my mask . . . well, I now have proof: CORN! (And to be honest, sometimes the mask doesn’t always prevent it.)

Sometimes, okay lots of times, I so DESPERATELY wish that the answer could be something else.  Anything.  Why? Because it would be nice to think for a second that maybe it’s “fixable”or perhaps just a fluke, or I’m allergic to ya know, some dust in our living room or loads of pollen outside. And that dust or that pollen just HAPPENED to start bothering me at the exact time I began to read that book.  My mind will grasp at these things to not have to face the ugly truth.  Sometimes, I would just like to be wrong and discover that corn is not QUITE as ubiquitous as I originally thought and I’m not QUITE as allergic as I thought.  But no, it proves me right time and time again, and yet another part of my life is ripped away.

RIP Books . . . and magazines . . . and more things I loved . . . I knew it was coming & I had already stopped reading to myself, but I can’t stop reading to my kids.  Today was reality forcing the issue.  So “thank you,” Dorthy.  We both learned something new today. Now I just have one more question: “Got any ruby slippers I could borrow?” :-/