While we’re obsessing over Twinkies, here’s an annotated list of the ingredients in them
| Ingredient | Note |
| Enriched wheat flour | Enriched wheat flour is wheat flour from which most of the nutrients have been removed. We make a lot of it here but some is also imported from Canada, Australia, and elsewhere. Wheat prices have been rising lately. |
| Sugar | We pay higher prices for sugar here than they do in most of the rest of the world due to the bans on trade with Cuba. |
| Corn syrup | Use of corn in making ethanol as an additive to gasoline increases its price. We produce most domestically but some is also imported from Canada, Australia, and Thailand |
| Niacin | Almost certainly imported from China |
| Water | Domestic but, of course, highly subsidized |
| High fructose corn syrup | See notes on “Corn syrup”, above |
| Vegetable and/or animal shortening – containing one or more of partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed and canola oil, and beef fat | Probably domestic but too vague to research |
| Dextrose | ADM is a major producer of dextrose but see above under “Corn syrup”. |
| Whole eggs | We produce a lot of this here but we import some from China, too. |
| Modified corn starch | See under “Dextrose” |
| Cellulose gum | Produced from processed wood pulp or cotton cellulose. We produce some and import some. |
| Whey | The dairy industry is massively subsidized and has been for more than 70 years. We are a major exporter of whey. |
| Leavenings (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, monocalcium phosphate) | The major producers of baking soda are Church & Dwight and FMC Corporation, both domestic. |
| Salt | Probably domestic |
| Cornstarch | See under “Dextrose” |
| Corn flour | Ibid. |
| Corn syrup, solids, mono and diglycerides | Corn syrup, dextrose, modified corn starch, and corn flour are all produced under the heading “wet corn milling product” |
| Soy lecithin | Most soy lecithin is produced in the United States, Western Europe, or Japan |
| Polysorbate 60 | I believe the major producer of polysorbate 60 is ICI Americas, now owned by Akzo Nobel. |
| Dextrin | See under “Dextrose” |
| Calcium caseinate | is derived, ultimately, from milk. I think most of it is produced here. |
| Sodium stearoyl lactylate | Much of it is produced by Niacet, in Niagara Falls, New York. |
| Wheat gluten | Probably imported from China |
| Calcium sulphate | |
| Natural and artificial flavors | Too vague to research but many of the natural and artificial flavors in use are produced in China. |
| Caramel color | Almost undoubtedly imported from China |
| Yellow No. 5, red #40 | Almost undoubtedly imported from China |
Mmmmm. That should help your lunch go down well.
“Suzanne takes you down to a place beside the river, and feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China….”
“Tea and Twinkies” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?
What? No monosodium poisonate? (Simpson’s reference)
Steve
If I wanted to know what was in Twinkies I’d read the label. Irrelevant, however, as all such products have been scoured from the local stores. I shall never eat Twinkies again – which leaves more room for Zebra Cakes! Yum!
Hey, Twinkies must be deadly! They announced the shut down and the biggest local hospital chain announces it’s going to cut hundred of jobs in the next few months. Not enough people with clogged arteries after the elimination of Twinkies, I guess.
We’ve got a Merita bread plant here too. I guess that’ll take a bite out of the Christmas season.
Now we got that sorted out. I’m going to help with prep work at the Stewpot tomorrow, then have lunch at the Carriage House on Thursday, with my favorite middle-aged black waitress — Janice.
Now if you think that’s weird, Janice sold me the consignment Armani, then bought all my late husband’s jeans for her ex-husband.
Her ex-husband is not named Lyman.
Then there’s Pat (Patricia) who goes for a couple of drinks on at The Vue on the bluff on Friday nights who has a sister named Janice.
Sometimes I join her and her husband for a couple. I have a sister named Patricia.
This all started at a party at the brother’s house in Corbett, OR.
At that party, there were all sorts of odd couples — George and Georgia, Pat and Pat, and then my SIL Karen’s uncle and his wife, Karen. My brother goes by Ray, which, you guessed it, is also the name of her uncle.
That party was about 12 years ago.
Another change of plan. I’ll be accompanying my brother to Lansdowne.
I haven’t been there since 1993, when my boy and I catered my brother’s partner’s local memorial service there. That’s Devvie on the sofa. I hear she’s slipping quickly these days.
I plan to wear the black Ariats. They have horses.
@Janis Gore
It looks interesting. Do they have tours? My wife and I used to day trip up the river. I would sneak my Hank Williams CD’s, and she started to like him. I could not get he into the yodeling, but it grates on most people.
I took the wife to Cedar Grove for our anniversary, but this was a while back. I looked into it this year, but the prices have doubled.
Tours are avilable during spring and fall pilgrimages. The months of March and October, but my brother could always get you in.
I don’t like the interior of this house. I prefer Federal style.
But the people are lovely. Marsha, one of the inheritors, was an invaluable confidente during my brother’s illness.