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It appears that the bearers of these very clever bumper stickers may not actually have your best interests at heart.

Phyllis Jacobs Griekspoor of the McClatchy-Tribune reports in the Pueblo Chieftain:

Food-safety experts share some advice: ‘Don’t eat poop.

MANHATTAN, Kan. - E. coli in the spinach.

Salmonella in the peanut butter.

Listeria in the hot dogs.

Seven major food recalls since July.

The Food Safety Network, which has a new home at Kansas State University, is dedicated to stopping the epidemic of food contamination that sickens 76 million people - one out of every four Americans - and kills 5,000 each year.

The network combines public awareness with an Internet-based information service and research projects in an effort to educate growers, consumers and workers.

Microbiologist Doug Powell... ‘‘It boils down to three words,’’ he said. ‘‘Don’t eat poop.’’

Apparently there is much controvery in this assertion:

I have known several prominent microbiologists, Grandpa John being one of them, that have personally given me the same advice as the bumper sticker quoted above.

Environmentalists such as Al Gore object to this attempted prohibition of recycling. "The Earth is on the brink and Powell is trying to flush it down the toilet."

The Pueblo Chieftain is, by its very name, insulting to Native Americans and cannot be trusted for fair and balanced reporting.

What to do? Is there a scientific consensus? Is poop OK to eat or not?

(H.T. Taranto.)