The World's Best - And Worst - Soy Milk

This week's sign of the apocalypse.

People in Australia, including some who are lactose intolerant, are demanding Bonsoy soy milk to put in their coffee because it tastes so good that there is no substitute.

"I'm lactose intolerant and I'm really fussy about my coffee. Bonsoy is the only one that tastes good," she said. "I tried another brand of soy milk but it just doesn't taste the same.

That's taken from Sarah Whyte's article in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Sounds great, right? What terrific advertising for a product. Except for one little detail. Bonsoy has been banned and recalled.

On December 24 Food Standards Australia warned against drinking Bonsoy after 10 people, including a newborn baby, fell ill with thyroid problems in NSW. A national recall was ordered.

Bonsoy was found to contain "unusually high levels" of iodine, which may affect the thyroid. It is enriched with kombu, a seaweed product. One cup of Bonsoy milk was found to contain 7500 micrograms of iodine – more than seven times the suggested daily dose for adults.

Yet some cafés are stocking black market batches of Bonsoy, and people are buying it under the counter.

Has the world gone entirely nuts? People are risking their lives for soy milk? Why?