well it seems all cereal crops are now infected, and a 'tolerance level' has been set for human consumption. However animals get fed grain with higher levels of this toxin. It's worth doing your own research on it, as I am beginning to wonder if the whole world has gone mad.
The other thing I was thinking about was how to deal with it.
The main reason I think it has become such an endemic problem is due to land not being rested between crops. I can't see why green manure like clover can't be put in for every third year like they used to do, and go back to rotating crops so that high risk crops are only grown every three years.
yes we will have to make bread out of other things. Here in Jersey the locals made potato flour in the occupation years.
The other thing I suspect is the soil degradation from DDT and DDE add to the problem, along with spreading unprocessed muck and slurry on the ground. I would imagine soil compaction doesn't help either.
However I wonder if the real culprit is the soil PH. Liming the soil to increase yeilds. This might also increase the opportunity for the mold to flourish.
I came up with a diluted mixture of whey, and a tiny amount of bicarbonate of soda and a little honey to spray on my plants to get rid of sooty mold. The insects didn't like it and I think the good bacteria sort of gave my plants a natural dose of antibiotics as well as an antifungal treatment.
It would be interesting to do some proper soil studies to see if growing cereals on lower PH say around 5.2 or even a bit lower might reduce the ergot. Obviously it will reduce the crop, but some types of grain like rye will grow on more acid ground, and this is the most susceptible to ergot.
I am now absolutely sure that food provenance is of paramount importance. We simply can't allow all this illness from contaminants in our food. I pity the poor animals.
Just try try reading this paper;
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Environ Health Perspect 2007 May: 115(5): pub med central - full text article 663-670
What do we feed to food production animals?
Well, no wonder we got CJD.
Couple this with GM and its on unholy cocktail that will leave us completely at the mercy of the pharmaceutical companies, as if we weren't already!
This is a political hot potato as well. I notice Egypt are trying to keep ergot at bay, however they too are accepting wheat with a % of contamination. I understand Russia said it wouldn't import their produce if they didn't take the shipment. Can't verify that of course.
In the meantime I can understand why people have gone slightly round the bend and ther is so much misjudgement and weird politics, I think everyone must be affected by now, so there is no 'middle ground' left any more.
Interesting, I have started experimenting with kefir in breadmaking. I think the Russians make a rye loaf with caraway seeds on top that is fermented, and has some sort of hot mash in it.
I wonder if fermented grains and flour still still have the fungus...
Time for bed. I spend way too much time finding things out. Perhaps I am completely addicted to threads! Or breadcrumbs... --- ...
It is quite possible sodom and Gomorrah were suffering from ergot poisoning and this triggered an endocrine response in the men. They certainly acted like they were all slightly deranged.
Ergo was a Dutch master I think, who did a picture of Lot and his family being led away after they blinded the men. Bible is a fascinating source of information.
Seeing a clip of news that French vineyards have had their grapes nicked reminds me that polyphenols are a good reason to drink wine, I would rather be intoxicated than get dementia!
May you have a peaceful nights rest, and a blessed day tomorrow.