Sainsbury’S And ‘Night Soil’...

[Smowball]

Sainsbury’s have admitted to growing their vegetables (but not their fruit) in night soil which is manure from human faeces! I have to confess I’ve never even heard of this and am shocked. Did everyone else know about it, and what are your thoughts??

[ummmm]

I don't like to think about it!

People who try to live off grid use compost toilets so I suppose it's nothing new.

[Smowball]

Probably, but it’s still put me off Sainsbury’s veg!

[ummmm]

Always wash your veg!

[Smowball]

I do! Lol. Even so..........

[rockyracoon]

I couldn’t find much about it, except an article saying that they only used it on cereals. Makes me feel nauseous though.

It make pass some kind of safety standard, surely, and where do the fertiliser companies get all this human waste?

[rockyracoon]

I always wash mine as I don’t like the thought of pesticides all over my food, but is a rinse under the cold tap enough, when you think about it?

[Smowball]

When you say they use it on their cereals....... is that instead of sugar? ;)

[rockyracoon]

Lol. My Nan always asked, ‘do you want **** or sugar’ in your tea.

[Maydup]

Do you have a link smow? I imagined Sainsbury's bought veg from farmers rather than grow it themselves.Is it the farmers that are using the night soil? In which case it could be widespread. Need to know more now....off for a google!

[Smowball]

Maydup I’ll try and find it again - I was talking to someone about it late last night and they showed me.....

[Smowball]

This isn’t the link that he showed me ( can’t find it) but just found this...

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/human-sewage-used-on-crops-in-the-midlands-233364

[1ozzy]

If that's so please wash more than your vegetables

[Smowball]

Makes you wonder what else these supermarkets do!

[Old_Geezer]

If all pathogens have been destroyed it probably isn't an issue. Excrement breaks down under microbiological activity to give good growing medium.

But I'd go along with the scepticism as Sainsbury's are more likely to buy in veg and screw the producer on price, rather than bother growing it themselves; unless they've decided to buy up the producers. A link is definitely needed.

[Mamyalynne]

As stated above the practice is most commonly used on cereal crops by the growers.

This from 2008

https://metro.co.uk/2008/07/27/human-sewage-used-for-cereals-311531/

[douglas9401]

I feel a twitterstorm brewing. Deep joy.

[Smowball]

Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘eating *** for breakfast...’

[Mamyalynne]

Is that a local phrase?

[aelmpvw]

apparently tomato plants have been known to grow in sewers from seeds passed by humans ...

[douglas9401]

This use is strictly controlled and can only be spread on the t'urd of the month.