Save The Noodles!

Source: San Mateo County Times

An effort is under way to preserve a traditional Asian approach to preparing certain noodles that currently goes against state health codes.

State Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, plans to craft legislation to protect a long-standing method involving the production of fresh rice noodles that stores the food at room temperature for up to eight hours before being served.

State regulations, however, require such food to be refrigerated or kept at or above 140 degrees at all times to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and sickening restaurant patrons.

But that requirement "destroys the characteristic of this particular rice noodle," Yee said during a news conference Friday at the Koi Palace restaurant. The evidence shows that "this product has been produced, sold and eaten for thousands of years, and we have never had a problem with this particular food at all."

The existing codes "can be unnecessarily broad" and culturally insensitive, he added. "Both history and independent tests demonstrate that these noodles are safe, and our laws should allow for their production."

I'm all for saving noodles that are tasty and healthy but laws are laws. Instead of claiming racism and using terms like "culturally insensitive" just provide the government with proof that these noodles are safe and actually taste better under these conditions. There are plenty of exceptions and other foods that are left out for hours. The government can't think of all scenarios so just present factual evidence and they'll turn around.

The state senator's right in that millions of people eat them that way without any problems. He's also a jackass for resorting to the cultural insensitivity card, since it's basically used as a trump card to end all further rational discussion.

They didn't make this law to specifically be racist so give the rhetoric a rest. It's really tacky.