The Gross Chocolate Milk Myth You Shouldn't Believe
False information on the internet is quite a problem. According to a U.K. study by Ofcom, 30% of internet users are unsure if things they see online are real (or don't even consider they could be false), while Intelligencer believes only 60% of internet usage is actually by humans — with the rest being automated bots providing fake website clicks and video views.
Fake news is known to impact issues including politics and health, notes University of Derby, but companies such as fast food giants McDonald's and KFC have also been affected by sometimes bizarre rumors. Misinformation is a concern that doesn't seem to be going away, which is exemplified by a weird myth about chocolate milk.
According to Snopes, the myth has existed since at least 2008, and centers around chocolate milk consisting of cow milk rejected for having too much blood in it. Fortunately, the claim has been debunked — and there are government rules designed to prevent such a horror story from becoming reality.
Regulations order the destruction of bloody milk
The claim continues to be shared in various forms on Twitter, including one user posting that chocolate milk is designed to camouflage "blood and puss." The theory certainly differs from the belief held by 7% of Americans that chocolate milk comes directly from brown cows (via Independent), but it is no less incorrect.
The Grade "A" PMO (Pasteurized Milk Ordinance) designed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA specifically orders the disposal of milk that contains blood, is "off-colored", or is "abnormal to sight or odor." The FDA states it is responsible for promoting the implementation and enforcement of these regulations.
While blood-infused chocolate milk is a myth, The Irish Times reports that blood drained from cows and pigs during the meat production process has been used to create blood chocolate. Interestingly, taste tests found that people couldn't tell the difference between this type of chocolate and traditional chocolate.