Is it rude to serve guests something ‘shelf safe’

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have guests visiting from the uk (I am also from the uk originally) and for desert the kids had made brownies from a mix, mainly just so they could be involved in making the dinner. Guests refused the dessert and said it’s bc it was ‘shelf safe’ and America does not regulate such products like Europe (eg emulsifiers). I am aware of this fact but genuinely open to being told that making anything from a prepared mix is no longer ok - I guess I didn’t realize?

Am also a US resident from another country that regulates food and make up more Are they worried about the preservatives or GMO ? In my experience, people from EU and Australia worry more about GMO and additives in food products. I think your guests over-reacted though and showed very little grace.

FYI

Brownie mixes may contain preservatives like potassium sorbate to extend their shelf life and prevent mold and bacteria growth: common additives in brownie shelf safe mixes are:
Potassium sorbate
Sodium propionate
Calcium propionate

Potassium sorbet
May cause allergic reactions, headaches, migraines, asthma, gastrointestinal upset, and hyperactivity.

Sodium propionate
Inhaling sodium propionate can cause coughing and a sore throat. Contact with the skin can cause irritation, and contact with the eyes can cause pain and redness.

Calcium propionate
May cause headaches, migraines, allergic reactions, and skin rashes. One study found that children who ate bread containing calcium propionate daily experienced irritability, restlessness, poor attention, and sleep issues.


I doubt eating the brownies once would have caused severe symptoms. Though I suppose they may be more sensitive to additives if they don’t eat foods containing then often.

I wouldn’t worry about your friends being (uncharacteristically for the British) rather blunt and rude. They may have food sensitivities and life is too short. Enjoy your guests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't have thought about the food differences either. I don't think it was rude that you forgot they might have an issue with it.

Are they planning on any tourism while they're here? If so it would be interesting to see how they navigate feeding themselves while out and about. Are they going to quiz every server about shelf safe food or GMOs? Most people here would see that as over-the- top behavior and I wouldn't want to be sitting with them if they're going to do that.

Ok, while the guests were very rude and over the top, I understand the reaction to the box vs. when they can't see a box. I get like that sometimes, too, when I am picky about ingredients. If I see the box or the ingredients, I feel a greater sense of alarm when it comes to foods I probably shouldn't be eating.

[Anonymous]

Your guests are idiotic. Most of those substances haven’t actually been shown to be harmful, just suspected to be harmful (in large quantities and with exposure over long periods). Which means they could have had a brownie.

I’d phase these fools out of your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your guests are idiotic. Most of those substances haven’t actually been shown to be harmful, just suspected to be harmful (in large quantities and with exposure over long periods). Which means they could have had a brownie.

I’d phase these fools out of your life.

Adding to this… North America (so including Canada) is responsible for 13% of new cancer diagnosis worldwide, Europe is responsible for 25%. NA responsible for 7% of cancer deaths, Europe 20%

Perhaps some additives account for our obesity… far from established in the literature.. the main concern is cancer and we have less of it.

[Anonymous]

I’m English and I think it’s rude. Cadbury sells boxed cake mix at World Market. We also eat Betty Crocker brownies ( we being my family)
Are these friends of yours or relatives?
Either way, they were rude, not you.,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm French. It's true that coming from the EU, where food and supplements (even make-up!) are regulated much better than here, some anxious worriers can get into a tizzy. I shop at Whole Foods and pay a lot of attention to ingredients.

But they were irrational and rude. One boxed brownie from the supermarket won't cause any issues (since apparently a real allergy isn't the issue).

Op - they then proceeded to lecture me about what was ‘shelf safe’ as if it was so obvious. Should it be? I do understand ultra processed food but I suppose I don’t understand it as deeply as I thought I did where to them, brownies from a mix was the same as being given like - Lunchables? I felt v dumb

Yes, it’s the same. And yes, they were rude.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely rude. I’ve never made brownies any other way. I’m not making a scratch dessert every night for out of town guests. Some nights we scoop ice cream from a carton! Gasp!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think they were very rude (surely they could have just said “no thanks I’m full” or something?!) but I have also experienced that sometimes people from other countries have heard things about food here and are genuinely scared of it, maybe rightly or wrongly. I had friends visit from Germany and they asked me a million questions about milk (they have toddlers who would be drinking it) and were really scared about hormones and antibiotics and the various different labels. I’m also from the UK and as I’m sure OP knows, box mixes are really uncommon there so I guess they were just thrown by it. I know it sounds odd,
but I also found the concept of box mixes extremely strange when I first moved here.

Had you never been down the correct aisle in Sainsbury?

https://www.bettycrocker.co.uk/product/devils-food-cake-mix/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your guests are idiotic. Most of those substances haven’t actually been shown to be harmful, just suspected to be harmful (in large quantities and with exposure over long periods). Which means they could have had a brownie.

I’d phase these fools out of your life.

Adding to this… North America (so including Canada) is responsible for 13% of new cancer diagnosis worldwide, Europe is responsible for 25%. NA responsible for 7% of cancer deaths, Europe 20%

Perhaps some additives account for our obesity… far from established in the literature.. the main concern is cancer and we have less of it.

NA is responsible for 13% and Europe is 25%. Adjusted for population that’s the same.
Europe is 10% of worlds pop
North America is 4%

[Anonymous]

They were incredibly rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your guests are idiotic. Most of those substances haven’t actually been shown to be harmful, just suspected to be harmful (in large quantities and with exposure over long periods). Which means they could have had a brownie.

I’d phase these fools out of your life.

Adding to this… North America (so including Canada) is responsible for 13% of new cancer diagnosis worldwide, Europe is responsible for 25%. NA responsible for 7% of cancer deaths, Europe 20%

Perhaps some additives account for our obesity… far from established in the literature.. the main concern is cancer and we have less of it.

NA is responsible for 13% and Europe is 25%. Adjusted for population that’s the same.
Europe is 10% of worlds pop
North America is 4%

7.5% of the world lives on NA, 9.2% lives in Europe (Russia and Belarus don’t count)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your guests are idiotic. Most of those substances haven’t actually been shown to be harmful, just suspected to be harmful (in large quantities and with exposure over long periods). Which means they could have had a brownie.

I’d phase these fools out of your life.

Adding to this… North America (so including Canada) is responsible for 13% of new cancer diagnosis worldwide, Europe is responsible for 25%. NA responsible for 7% of cancer deaths, Europe 20%

Perhaps some additives account for our obesity… far from established in the literature.. the main concern is cancer and we have less of it.

NA is responsible for 13% and Europe is 25%. Adjusted for population that’s the same.
Europe is 10% of worlds pop
North America is 4%

7.5% of the world lives on NA, 9.2% lives in Europe (Russia and Belarus don’t count)

4.5% lives in North America
9.2 live in Europe

[Anonymous]

They were rude but that’s the kind of thing where as a host, if you like them, I would just apologize and move on. Now you know, treat it like a food allergy for them.

Honestly I would be so insulted that it would definitely affect the friendship. But while you’re hosting, you’re not in the business of policing them or arguing. Just say “oh” or “it sounds like you know a lot about it” or something like that if they lecture. You can still eat the brownies yourself. Offer fruit or something to the guests or just apologize that there’s no dessert.

I would try to sleep on it and get to a place of understanding that it can be hard to travel with anxiety and to vow to just support them and accommodate them while they visit. I would probably get 80% there which would be enough.

[Anonymous]

Good retort next time is, ah well, glad we don't have mad cows disease like you all do. Let me show you the door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your guests were pricks and you’d be well served to tell them to get their a**es out of your house. I’m incredulous that happened.

Same here. If you are stuck with them for a bit, I’d leave fruit out for any dessert they may want.