Chest Cheese on CNN

[St. Margaret]

So I teach high school and some kids are starting a news club where they watch news clips and discuss current events. Today we watched a clip called Chest Cheese and were surprised to find it was about a woman (with a chef hubby I think) making cheese out of her BM. The clip was mostly making horrible fun, which was not good, but what was so great was how the students were totally into it-- one asked at the end, "So wait, WHY are they acting like it's not a good thing?" And so I got to share the info about all the great ways people are using BM, like for cancer and pink eye. It was a great teachable moment, just piggybacking on their very openminded views they already had! The kids are all right

[kriket]

I have read things about making cheese or yogurt out of BM. I wish I had extra that I could try something like that with! It takes me all day to get the next day's bottles, I don't have any to spare.

[organicpapayamama]

while it is a *different* concept, I do have a concern about this. I could see how it would be ok for you or your child to eat such cheese but to serve it in a restaurant? isnt that unsanitary? you know, another persons bodily fluids? I mean you shouldnt even be using a used breast pump right? but eating it? what about passing on illnesses? Am I missing something?

[annettemarie]

If you read the article, you will see that it isn't officially on the menu since, you are correct, that would be considered unsanitary. That said, I would have no issues with consenting adults making this and sharing it.

I am going to put on my mod hat and remind everyone of the shiny new Lactivism guidelines. If you'd like to have a general conversation about breastmilk cheese, please start a thread in the general breastfeeding forum or possibly Nutrition and Good Eating. I believe St. Margaret started this thread in Lactivism because she was discussing how bringing up the news clip in class brought positive attention to the benefits of breastmilk, which is on-topic to the forum. As always, PM me with any questions. Thanks!

[Ellien C]

Originally Posted by organicpapayamama

while it is a *different* concept, I do have a concern about this. I could see how it would be ok for you or your child to eat such cheese but to serve it in a restaurant? isnt that unsanitary? you know, another persons bodily fluids? I mean you shouldnt even be using a used breast pump right? but eating it? what about passing on illnesses? Am I missing something?

And THIS is what's so interesting about the media portrayal. The fact that the cheesemaker happens to be a Chef is pretty irrelevant to the article. It's NOT AT ALL being served in any restaurant. But the media makes it sound that way by playing up the chef aspect of the thing and mentioning the name of the restaurant in the headline. But really it's just some guy who's wife had extra milk and they couldn't bear to throw it away.

[Bea]

Originally Posted by organicpapayamama

while it is a *different* concept, I do have a concern about this. I could see how it would be ok for you or your child to eat such cheese but to serve it in a restaurant? isnt that unsanitary? you know, another persons bodily fluids? I mean you shouldnt even be using a used breast pump right? but eating it? what about passing on illnesses? Am I missing something?

It's only unsanitary if it's human milk.

*chomps chunk of cows bodily fluid cheese and washes it down with goats bodily fluid milk*