Poison

[Durgan]

Baby Carrots and Chlorine - Urban Legends

There is a marketing campaign which permeates the media regarding the benefits of "Baby" carrots. They are simply POISON.

These carrots first came to my attention in this manner.
A friend was eating the "Baby" carrots as a snack food while watching television. She told me that her throat started to swell up, and she almost had to seek medical attention. The cause was the irritating effect of the chlorine used to preserve the appearance of the carrot. The so called Baby carrots or Cocktail carrots are soaked in chlorine, which preserves and poisons the carrots for long periods. Shelf life is improved, and the housewife has instant prepared food, often served with a dip. The chlorine is necessary since the outer skin of the carrot is destroyed in the milling process, when making these little carrots.

I cringe ever time I see these monstrosities served at parties.

Never buy a supermarket carrot unless the green tops are present, and/or the large carrots that look like carrots.

[Russ]

Your link says "false".

Email flier claims baby carrots sold in supermarkets pose a consumer health risk because they're processed in chlorine.

Description: Email flier
Circulating since: March 2008
Status: False

I read one article saying to check the package label to see if it says baby "cut" carrots or just "baby carrots". Obviously the baby carrots are not processed and cut.

All that said.. we buy whole carrots and chop them ourselves. It's cheaper.

[Contrary Housewife]

There's chlorine in my tap water too, but that doesn't seem to be an issue.

I can get baby carrots around here for about 35-45 cents a pound, so I buy them when I see them at that price and stock up. They last a month or more.

[Vanilla]

My DS is allergic to raw carrots, like your friend, cannot breath. At first we thought it was the process/packaging of the store bought carrots. He has the same allergic reaction to the ones pick from our garden.
But he has no problem w/ cooked carrot.

[Ceashels]

The last few time's I've purchased baby carrots they didn't seem to last long in my fridge. I've been buying large bags and slicing them down myself for several years now. Much cheaper.

I wonder if your friend had an allergic reaction to either the chlorine or the carrot?

[Durgan]

The friend eats carrots all the time with no problem.

To call the monstrosities baby carrots is stretching the truth a bit. I admit they are cute.

Three years ago I tried various carrots to determine if there was a type that had the same shape and nearly the same size. I found one that had a blunt end, but was much longer than any commercial "baby" carrot. The blunt end was the only characteristic in common.

The media hype regarding this "baby" carrot is unrelenting. I suspect the McGill Professor is paid by the industry and believe him not.

Today, I hears a person on the CBC extolling the "baby" carrots, so decided to counter attack.

Chlorine is harmful certainly if ingested in large quantities.

There are always sufficient carrots in the Supermarkets that are real. There is no need to purchase the "baby" carrots.

[HappyMama]

Hi Duran,

Love your blog, and wonderful information on homesteading. I hope this isn't off topic I have an urban homestead as well, and have grown over 800 pounds and have been processing over 1,500 pounds of food this yr with the garden and produce auctions.

I love organic carrots and that is all I buy now because they use to be on the top 10 dirty list. I would say more but well.... I limit what I say on here and left for awhile as things got heated at times . Seems to have settled again .Anyways love all your hard work, and sharing. I do think there are wonderful people, hints, and great topics on here. Keep up all the hard work and may your garden always given you joy, and a bountiful harvest.

Blessings,

Angel

[KeithBC]

I don't know about chlorine, but the whole concept of turning carrots on a lathe to whittle them down to some marketing geek's preconception of what a carrot should look like is bizarre. What about the shavings? I presume they go to waste. Wasting food is IMO evil.

If you want baby carrots, pick 'em when they are small! Duh! But no, real carrots would look too much like they were pulled from the ground. Like they were natural or something. People would much rather buy a product from a nice clean factory than something that came from the ground. [/sarcasm]

[Missy]

Behind the Rumour of Baby Carrots Being Washed in Chlorine
snopes.com: Baby Carrots

I dunno. I'm the first to say I prefer the carrots I grow myself. But the fact is that chlorine is in so much of what we eat and drink already. To no ill effects on at least my own person or the people I live with and around. Chlorine is also used in the water to clean prepackaged salads, prebagged broccoli...etc. I would rather that steps be taken t prevent the spread of harmful bacterias and such than not. But That's just my opinion

[Durgan]

Behind the Rumour of Baby Carrots Being Washed in Chlorine
snopes.com: Baby Carrots

I dunno. I'm the first to say I prefer the carrots I grow myself. But the fact is that chlorine is in so much of what we eat and drink already. To no ill effects on at least my own person or the people I live with and around. Chlorine is also used in the water to clean prepackaged salads, prebagged broccoli...etc. I would rather that steps be taken t prevent the spread of harmful bacterias and such than not. But That's just my opinion

My view. I see nothing wrong with using chlorine if the skin or placenta barrier is present. I would not do the same thing to a carrot after is has been skinned, or as potato, or parsnip. I suggest the placenta barrier, or skin if you like prevents absorption of the chlorine, and any residue is easy to wash off. I don't suppose anybody would soak strawberries, raspberries, blackberries in chlorine to increase shelf life-or maybe it is done now without public knowledge.

[Imarachne]

Mmmmm-this requires some thought !!

[Siebrie]

Maybe it was an allergic reaction? I have an allergy for raw carrots too, it's called 'cross allergy' and it's hay fever, step 2. She may want to be careful eating apples, pears, peaches and cherries.