With regard to the concern about hormones and antibiotics in modern "industrial" food being responsible for people getting bigger (known as "positive secular trend") -- there is no evidence that this is a cause. What is known is that adequate diet in childhood, both proteins and calories, and fewer diseases due to cleaner environments, eradication of diseases, immunizations, and antibiotics, all contribute to more rapid growth in childhood, earlier puberty, and larger adult size. Positive secular trend is found in any population worldwide where the diet and medical care have improved, even in places where little or no meat is consumed, and in places where the cows and chickens are all "free range" and have no added hormones or antibiotics. Also, genetically engineered bacteria that produce Bovine Growth Hormone are making the very same chemical that the cows' own body produces. It comes through the milk to the same extent that regular bovine growth hormone does, and because cows and humans are only very distantly related (we're both mammals), bovine growth hormone has no effect on human growth. In fact, if your human child has a deficiency of human growth hormone, you have to use either real human growth hormone derived from cadavers (very expensive) or else lab-produced human growth hormone, in order to treat the deficiency. No other animal's growth hormone seems to help humans (chimpanzees might, but there aren't enough chimpanzee cadavers around to use). Re peanut and milk allergies -- I have a friend whose child is DEATHLY allergic to cows' milk and a variety of nuts, and eggs, and lots of other things. He's gone into anaphylactic shock three times. Usual response is immediate projectile vomiting (he's almost 5 years old). She is constantly battling well-meaning teachers and friend's parents who think "A little milk can't possible hurt". Also, she tells me that some cereal companies don't clean the equipment between packaging boxes of "Dates, Raisins, and Pecans" cereal, and the "Plain Old Bran" variety. So you may buy the "Plain Old Bran" but it was packed by machines that had just been used to pack cereal with nuts. Her son has had several reactions to cereal, and she was given this information when she called the companies to try to find out which ingredient might have triggered an allergic response. Scary stuff. Even Elmer's Glue has something in it (whey??) that he is allergic to, so he can't use glue at school, or touch anything with glue on it. Kathy Dettwyler