Ben & Jerry's asked to use breast milk

MONTPELIER, Vt., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spokeswoman says her U.S.-based organization wants human breast milk added to Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

The PETA spokeswoman said in a statement the animal rights group has asked Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield to use human breast milk instead of cow's milk an all of their products, New York's WPTZ-TV, Plattsburgh, reported Wednesday.

"PETA's request comes in the wake of news reports that a Swiss restaurant owner will begin purchasing breast milk from nursing mothers and substituting breast milk for 75 percent of the cow's milk in the food he serves," the spokeswoman explains in the statement.

PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman told WPTZ-TV her organization's suggestion is merely common sense.

"The fact that human adults consume huge quantities of dairy products made from milk that was meant for a baby cow just doesn't make sense," she said.

WPTZ-TV said a representative for the ice cream group has rejected the proposal, but thanked PETA officials for their concern.