"cold-smoked" raw???

[Elizabeth]

I do not want to get involved in a debate... and am certainly going to research this more before I start smoking things...lol... although I have been eating small amounts of raw smoked sun-dried tomatoes..and they are amazing. What i did want to do is to make clear that what is being discussed is not raw smoked bacon or even raw smoked cheese..but raw, cold smoked vegan foods.

Meat and animal protein/fat (which is already toxin laden) and heat (as in BBQueing and trad. smoking) do not mix well...and the carcinogens produced in smoked meat would not necessarily be produced in raw vegan foods that were cold smoked. I have found no studies specific to cold smoked vegan foods..and to extrapolate data from analysis of smoked meats onto cold smoked vegan foods seems inappropriate to me.

If anyone knows of any studies...I am interested in data concerning the analysis of the smoke itself (as produced/used in cold-smoking) and any residue of the smoke which would/could remain in the cold smoked raw vegan foods...

thanks so much for the ideas/info...

[mongomango]

and to extrapolate data from analysis of smoked meats onto cold smoked vegan foods seems inappropriate to me.

I mean no offense here, and hope you take this in the spirit with which I am writing it.

It seems inappropriate to you because it is counter to that which you wish to do. From my viewpoint it's very easy to extrapolate the data to vegan raw foods because it is the smoke that is contributing the carcinogens, not the raw vegan food, and not the meat. We can dance around this and say oh well, it's the mixture of the smoke and the meat that causes the carcinogens, but I don't believe that for a minute. All one needs to do is stand over a fire and breathe smoke in to be convinced of it's detrimental affect to the body. Because it is being ingested with food does not mitigate those affects. I doubt that there would be studies regarding this because smoked raw vegan food is not something that has a significant basis with which to study.

[Elizabeth]

I mean no offense here, and hope you take this in the spirit with which I am writing it.

It seems inappropriate to you because it is counter to that which you wish to do. From my viewpoint it's very easy to extrapolate the data to vegan raw foods because it is the smoke that is contributing the carcinogens, not the raw vegan food, and not the meat. We can dance around this and say oh well, it's the mixture of the smoke and the meat that causes the carcinogens, but I don't believe that for a minute. All one needs to do is stand over a fire and breathe smoke in to be convinced of it's detrimental affect to the body. Because it is being ingested with food does not mitigate those affects. I doubt that there would be studies regarding this because smoked raw vegan food is not something that has a significant basis with which to study.

Hi Mongo mango....I am not sure what you intend..or what your spirit is..it is hard to read such things on the net..but, I try to give the benefit of the doubt and to not get too embroiled in this sort of thing. One thought concerning this..is that, in order to facilitate communication and sharing of ideas, I find it helpful if we, as individuals, each speak to our own motivations and do not presume to know, and speak to/of the minds and motivations of others. Your viewpoint, to which you are certainly entitled, is yours, and mine is mine...

I am intimately acquainted with my motivations..INFP..and all...lol...and again, I think it is inappropriate to extrapolate the data for the reasons I stated above and am interested in hearing data concerning the smoke..as I mentioned above. Yes, I actually like learning things and making things...but, after all of the changes I have made in my life over the years..am certainly not looking to sacrifice my health for smokey flavoring..lol... if indeed there is no healthful way (existing now..or yet to be invented by some creative Raw mind..) to attain it.....

so... if anyone has any data on the smoke itself..as produced in cold-smoking..please send it.. and if you like, feel free to send the links privately..so as to avoid being drawn into a debate...

thanks...

[tvillemom]

Walkin on Water!!! I can relate to what you said soo much. Even though I live (and grew up in) the south...NC....I grew up with my family building a fire to help keep warm in the winter. And now, I LOVE a campfire....I love to build the fire and watch it burn...to "nurse" it to a ROARING fire...and smell the wood burn. It's such a part of my childhood...those happy memories....
Wendi

[Elizabeth]

Yes.. tvillemom and Walkin On Water... campfires hold such a treasure of memories for me too...:)

I think that is part of what I like about the smokey foods..lol... some of my best memories are of campfire times..my dad having a big bonfire out back by the woods.... watching the gleaming sparks float into the night sky...the warmth ..the crackling, the sputtering and hissing of the wood as the sap is released..the scent..which somehow, for me, embodies all of the comforts.. the promises of home..security... each sitting around the fire...feeling so close..but in the silence and darkness...finding solitude.. space and peace...

I want to make a fire right now...lol..

blessings.....

[mongomango]

Hi Elizabeth,

I have a rather abrupt way of talking which is not the best way to communicate, especially on this medium as it is so easy to misconstrue things. My intent was simply to point out that we can want to do something and because it is something that we want, we sometimes don't see things in the same way as we perhaps would if we were neutral regarding the subject.

Regarding cold smoking, the only difference between it and regular smoking is that the food is situated away from the heat. It is still being subjected to the smoke. IMO, it is not necessary to see studies of specific foods subjected to smoking, it is only necessary to see what is in the smoke that the food will be subjected to...because your food will be coated with these substances to one degree or another.

For myself, I don't rely on studies in a situation like this; ie. I know that chlorine is bad for me, therefore washing my food in chlorinated water is bad for me as well. So from my perspective, if there are carcinogens in smoke, there will be those same carcinogens in my food if I subject it to smoking. End of story. The amount of carcinogens that someone will knowingly allow is a personal matter. That said, here is some information on woodsmoke. I think that charcoal is fairly equivalent although perhaps having a few more toxins that are present in coal.

Please don't see this as a debate, it is just information. Do with it as you will.


http://burningissues.org/pdfs/WoodSmokeChemical2003.pdf
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/92046.pdf
http://burningissues.org/simple-facts.htm

[Elizabeth]

I understand... :-) It is a difficult medium for connection sometime...

Thank you so much for the links...I do appreciate the information, and will look at them more closely later tonight....

take care..

Elizabeth