Invisible packaging is something I just learned about from Dr. Mercola. Fresh produce, both organic and non organic, is sometimes sprayed with an edible transparent plastic-like substance to prolong its shelf life. I’ve not found anything suspect on local supermarket produce and wonder if anyone else has.
The FDA confirms the use of ‘modified atmospheric packaging.’ The MAP coating prevents oxidation, so the ripening and decay processes are slowed. Lettuce is a prime candidate.
This is yet another reason for buying local from small farmers we trust. No local lettuce this time of year, but local cabbage is sometimes available from Black Hills Milk.
Monsanto’s genetically-modified (GM) sweet corn has been approved for planting and sale in 2012. Although there is already a lot of GM corn in processed foods, this is the first Monsanto product that will arrive directly from the field to the consumer’s plate. Given the fact that the safety of GM foods has yet to be proven, this is a scary thought. In essence, Monsanto is being allowed to conduct a large-scale scientific experiment and WE are the guinea pigs!
The organization known as Food & Water Watch has begun a campaign to obtain 1000,000 signatures by April 1st urging Walmart to not sell GM sweet corn. It is easy to understand why Walmart is the target of this campaign given their tremendous buying power and influence. They have also been labeling themselves as a “green” company and are promoting local foods in their stores. This is their opportunity to show us their commitment to being green by joining others such as Trader Joe’s, General Mills and Whole Foods, in boycotting GM sweet corn.
The following new video by the creator of Food, Inc. highlights the movement to label genetically engineered food (GMO’s) in the United States.
More than 50 countries from around the world (including Russia and China!) require labeling of GMO’s. Whether for health, religious, or environmental reasons, American consumers overwhelmingly agree. Polls from Reuters, ABC News, MSNBC, Consumers Union and the Washington Post indicate more than 90% of Americans think GMO’s should be labeled. The FDA has resisted and argue that GMO’s do not taste, look or smell differently from conventially-produced foods. They are also concerned that labeling would create a negative impression of GMO’s.
The situation is not without some hope. The website justlabelit.org has a great list of eight things you can do now, including signing the petition to the FDA to require labeling of GMO’s. The truth is that regardless of whether GMO’s are harmful, we have a right to know how our food is produced!
Bacteria, being small and simple, are able to reproduce quickly. Any organism with this capability has an advantage over large long-lived creatures: it can, through multiple life cycles, gradually alter itself to adapt to changing conditions. So when bacteria are exposed to an antibiotic, they can respond by becoming resistant. This has already happened. The routine prescription of antibiotics for human infections is part of the problem. So is the feeding of antibiotics to livestock to promote growth and prevent infection.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria in our food are alive and well. This was recently documented by a Phoenix nonprofit group that tested 80 brands of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey from five cities. 47% contained Staphylococcus aureus, a common pathogen that causes a whole range of infections in humans, some of them serious. Of the bacteria identified, 52% were antibiotic resistant. You can read more about this study in a recent New York Times article.
With respect to livestock the solution is to raise animals in conditions that keep them healthy without the antibiotics. Easier said than done. Our food supply is based on huge numbers of animals in huge barns being fed huge amounts of grain—exactly the conditions where pathogens can thrive. Some farmers are doing their best to raise their animals in a healthy environment without drugs. They can succeed if the rest of us are willing to pay their higher prices. When we do so we are supporting a sustainable system plus serving our families the highest quality meat, chicken, eggs, and milk.
To make shopping local easier, see our section “Where to Buy Local.” To learn more about the care of local livestock, check “Meet the Growers.”
Raw milk was in the news again as a California buying club was raided and shut down. It’s another chapter in the long story of small farmers struggling with rules that benefit Big Ag and overwhelm the little guy.
While nations belonging to the European Union require labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Americans who want the same thing didn’t get it in 2011. Industrial Ag that grows GMO plants, especially corn and soybeans, knowing that consumers would be hesitant to buy GMO food, has enough power to block such labeling in the US.
Obesity is a continued concern, and the corporations that produce sugary foods and drinks are being scrutinized. New York City mayor Blumberg wanted to address both obesity and diabetes by banning the use of EBT cards (food stamps) to buy sugar sweetened beverages in NYC. Food industry lobbyists went into high gear, and the US Department of Agriculture that issues EBT cards rejected the mayor’s request.
The USDA MyPlate recommendations for good nutrition were complimented for promoting fruits and vegetables and criticized for caving in to dairy interests, not promoting whole grains, and failing to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy fat.
It wasn’t all bad news. Charles Michael Ray of SD Public Radio profiled Wild Idea buffalo, a local company whose business is booming. Let’s hope for more good news in 2012.
