They never just plunged into random dumpsters. In fact, in most cases, they had a relationship with a worker at the store and they just picked the stuff up before it got mixed in. When they didn't have a relationship, they swapped info among a loose network of like-minded scavengers about what dumpsters were safe and worth checking.

In cases where they did go into the dumpster, they'd check the food for spoilage. I think meat was always right out. I can't recall them ever picking out any bit of meat. Diary was always right out too.

They weren't too worried about food mixing with contaminated products. Often they'd find still sealed packing containers of stuff. Entire shipping crates of untouched fruit and veg.

I don't recall anybody getting food poisoning from it. Which is more than I can say about some of the restaurants I've been to.

I also never heard of anybody intentionally trying to poison anybody. Though I guess that's a remote danger.

Finally, I don't recall people being all "DAMN THE MAN" about it. Mostly it was just a sense of taking up the slack - like cruising for furniture on large-item pick-up day. They felt "Why let something go to waste if I can use it." It was more game-like than political. The self-righteousness of the "freegan" title is pretty off-putting.

Still, like I said, I had too strong a block to try it myself. Trash is trash to me. They could point to all the unbroken anti-tamper seals they like; I couldn't bring myself to do it.

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