New York Considers Legislation to Ban Salt in Restaurants(in the preparation of restaurant food)

[The Straight Story]

New York Considers Legislation to Ban Salt in Restaurants



Not content with just trying to tax soft drinks, New York’s nanny-state politicians are also considering legislation to prohibit the use of salt in the preparation of restaurant food. Assemblyman Felix Ortiz introduced this absurdist bill on March 5. Ortiz is one of New York’s more strident food cops, having already introduced strict restaurant menu labeling proposals in the past. He is also following in the steps of fellow food nanny Mayor Michael Bloomberg who went so far as to compare salt to carcinogenic asbestos.

Reality check: Besides representing another attempt to run people’s lives, regulating salt intake would have few to no health benefits. A University of California study published last year found that our bodies naturally regulate sodium intake, ensuring that sodium levels remain within a certain range at all times.

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm/h/4122-new-york-considers-legislation-to-ban-salt-in-restaurants

[superduperfarleft]

1. Nice source.

http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Consumer_Freedom

[The Straight Story]

7. Read the bill: "would prohibit the use of salt by owner or operators of a restaurant"

http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=+A10129%09%09&Summary=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y

[superduperfarleft]

9. And? See your source.

You really think CCF gives a flying fuck about the health or "choice" of consumers?

At least now I know where you get your news.

[The Straight Story]

27. You have no idea where I get my news from (nt)

[PVnRT]

2. Regardless of the source, this is fucking idiotic

Salt is one of the very basic elements of prepared food. Check most bread recipes, for fuck's sake.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. It's so fucking idiotic, it's not even true.

NYC is drafting guidelines requesting sodium reductionsin restaurant foods, not banning salt.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/business/11salt.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1263211408-NoCPofLMFWN9A25ep5xpuA

[superduperfarleft]

6. Hence my reason for questioning the source.

CCF doesn't even link to the actual bill, just a "summary."

Thank you for doing more work than the OP could be arsed to do.

[The Straight Story]

8. Bill is here

http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=+A10129%09%09&Summary=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y

[superduperfarleft]

10. Thanks for putting that in the OP instead of quoting a right-wing front group.

Oh wait...

[The Straight Story]

13. You're welcome (nt)

[drm604]

20. Are you familiar with the concept of sarcasm?

Just wondering. :shrug:

[The Straight Story]

23. Yes, but only on weekends, and today is Tuesday

:)

[alp227]

12. That's a different plan. This thread is regarding a STATE bill.

Your article is merely about a proposed CITY ordinance. And it doesn't mention Felix Ortiz.

[Gormy Cuss]

25. My mistake.

Ortiz, who sponsors all sorts of crazy bills on diet, did propose banning salt use by restaurants.
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A10129&Summary=Y&Text=Y

[TwilightGardener]

3. I don't know, I sort of like my food to have flavor.

:crazy:

[drm604]

5. I don't know much about Ortiz or his bill.

I don't know if he's really trying to totally ban salt (which I don't think is even possible) in restaurant food preparation or not. I also don't know the likelihood of it passing.

What I do know is that your source is an industry front created by Richard Berman. I wrote a journal entry about this despicable human being and his disingenuous websites several months ago.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6625702

I suggest that you find some reliable, believable cites to make your point because unfortunately, I do not take anything from that website without a large grain of salt.

[alp227]

11. The facts:

The bill says:

"No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food for consumption by customers of such restaurant, including food to be consumed on the premises of such restaurant or off of such premises." Yes, the bill explicitly says that restaurants in NY State cannot even use salt in preparing food!!!!!! However, I'm darn sure that tables will still have salt and pepper shakers as options.

Sadly, I'm afraid I have to side with that silly "consumer freedom" group even though I disagree with the author's word choice.

[drm604]

14. And how likely is that bill to pass?

Ortiz's proposal to totally ban salt probably isn't even possible. Does it have any support other than from Ortiz? I find it hard to believe that more than a handful of people would vote for this.

So why attack this unlikely proposal so vociferously? Here's what I think: by comparing NY state legislator Ortiz to NY City Mayor Bloomberg, this article is attempting to conflate the unworkable and unlikely to pass state level proposal with the different city level proposal in people's minds.

They want people to come away with the idea that the NYC bill would completely ban salt so that they will fight against it. I have mixed feelings about the NYC ordinance - I personally would prefer to see sodium level labeling - but the ordinance should be reported to the public honestly and not conflated with a completely different and somewhat ridiculous state level bill that's unlikely to pass.

[RagAss]

15. New York...No Smoking...No Salt....You won't die of Cancer or Stroke....

You'll die of fucking Boredom !

[drm604]

16. If those are the only things that alleviate your boredom I feel sorry for you.

But I strongly doubt that NY State will ban all salt in restaurant cooking.

[RagAss]

17. It's called Humor....try it sometime.

[drm604]

19. Yes, I know. I was using it in my previous post. n/t

[slampoet]

18. Headline of the Future. "What's behind the New Goiter epidemic?"

Also the iodine in salt prevents some forms of Breast Cancer as well as Goiter.

[RC]

21. Sounds good to me.

Besides being the leading factor in high blood pressure, it is also a factor in leaching the calcium out of the bones, causing everything from foot problems to broken hips. Too much salt is a killer and there is too much salt in our food. We don't realize it because we grew up with a high salt diet and therefore think it is normal. It ain't, it's just a cheap flavor enhancer.

Salt is cheap, so they use a lot of it instead of the more expensive spices. Without salt the restaurants would have to learn to cook all over again.

[dairydog91]

26. I hope you're kidding.

Try making bread without adding any salt. Depending on the recipe, you will end up with something resembling kindergarten paste (In taste, if not in consistency). Salt is a basic leavening agent, also used in foods like pancakes or muffins. If you don't add any salt to quiche, you end up with liquid glop.You can't make cheese without salt, you need it to control the bacteria levels in the cheese. Even a basic tomato sauce for pasta tastes funky if you don't add at least some salt.

[Flaneur]

22. Is the fucking mayor going to eat my meal for me, too?

[slackmaster]

24. Demolition Man

Everything that's bad for you has been banned.