Category: Taste

There has been a lot of debate about whether or not it is safe to consume animals reared for consumption that have been cloned. But the argument may be moot as cloned animals and their offspring most likely have already entered America’s food supply.

In January, The Food and Drug Association proclaimed that meat and milk from cloned cattle, swine and goats and their offspring were as safe for consumption as traditional animal products and byproducts. Before that, farmers and ranchers followed a voluntary moratorium on selling cloned sources.

While the FDA proclaimed it safe, it was up to the US Department of Agriculture to assimilate the cloned animal products into the general food supply.

An FDA spokeswoman, Siobhan DeLancey, says that it is theoretically possible that the offspring from clones are already in the food supply.

There are currently about 600 cloned animals in the United States.

Proponents of cloning, like the Biotechnology Industry Organization, feel that cloning may be a way to create disease free animals and agree with the FDA that cloned animals area as safe as their traditional counterparts.

Opponents of allowing cloned animals, including Charles Margulis, a spokesman with the Center for Environmental Health, say that not enough is known about cloning technology to ensure its safety or ensure the ethical treatment of the animals.

It is unlikely that very many cloned animals or their offspring have entered the food supply because of their relatively small number.

"But they would be a very limited number because of the very few number of clones that are out there and relatively few of those clones are at an age where they would be parenting," said Bruce Knight, USDA's undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs.

Despite assurances from the FDA and USDA, many are still unconvinced about the safety of cloned animals. Major food companies including Kraft Foods Inc, General Mills Inc, Campbell Soup Co, Nestle SA, California Pizza Kitchen Inc and Supervalu Inc have joined a list saying they will not use cloned food sources, not only because of the questionable safety but also because of public perception of consuming cloned animals.

Susan Davison, director of corporate affairs with Kraft, said in a letter to the Center for Food Safety, "We must also carefully consider additional factors such as consumer benefits and acceptance ... and research in the U.S. indicates that consumers are currently not receptive to ingredients from cloned animals.”

It seems more and more food products are being recalled these days, and it’s hard to tell what’s safe to eat anymore. Or better yet, like the boy who cried wolf, it’s hard to trust which reports are authentic and which ones are merely paranoid media spouts. The latest scares in the U.S. include spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and even sandwich meat.

Last week, U.S. regulators spoke of a radiation treatment technique for food safety, which brings another issue to the spotlight. In the past, irradiated food has been treated with doses of “ionizing radiation” used to kill possible harmful bacteria, pathogens and insects, including causes of “food-borne illnesses like E. coli and salmonella, just as pasteurization does for milk and pressure cooking does for canned foods.” (Terri Coles, Reuters) The greatest benefit of irradiation in the past has been its potential to reduce the number of “food-borne illnesses” in America. Just last week, the FDA approved this treatment for spinach and lettuce.

With over 76 million cases of food poisoning every year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) less than 20 percent of the American population believe that government agencies are doing enough to ensure food safety. The issue has been in the public eye ever since 1992, when the World Health Organization announced that “properly irradiated foods” didn’t pose a health risk. Then, in 1993, the fast food chain Jack in the Box went under attack after an E. coli outbreak spread throughout western states.

But a much more knowledgeable public now knows that irradiation doesn’t guarantee contamination free foods or healthy ones for that matter. “Irradiation is a Band aid, not a cure. Allowing spinach and lettuce to be irradiated would simply mask unsafe production practices, while supplying lower quality, less nutritious and potentially hazardous food,” Wenonah Hauter, FDA’s executive director, announced.

She, along with others, believes instead of relying on irradiation, vegetable growers and processors should “improve flawed sanitation practices and FDA should inspect vegetable-processing plants more thoroughly.” Other research suggests that irradiation doesn’t prevent everything harmful that lurks onto food products, like viruses, for example. Though scientists and industry groups claim new technology has eliminated those side effects.

The FDA’s decision to add spinach and lettuce to the irradiation list marked the first time the group has allowed produce to be treated with radiation levels “high enough” to protect against human illness. Leafy greens are most at risk for E. coli bacteria since pests can easily cling to the texture of their leaves and the vegetables are generally eaten raw.

Despite criticism from certain members of the FDA and others, people like Dr. Doug Powell, who leads the scientific department of the International Food Safety Network, believe that irradiation deserves a chance with consumers. “The scientific evidence overwhelmingly suggests that irradiation is a safe way to treat food,” he said, (but) “nobody is letting consumers decide.” But he admits it should be tried alongside other proactive methods, saying there is “never a magic bullet solution” to food safety. Irradiation, he says, is just “one more hurdle.”

Thinking about going vegetarian? Now is the time as eating such a diet can help drastically reduce your carbon footprint.

A German study found that a meat eater is responsible for nearly twice as many emissions as a vegetarian. The Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IOeW) said a year of eating meat produces greenhouse gases equivalent to driving a mid-sized car 4,758 kilometers (2,956 miles).

In the same amount of time, a vegetarian diet produces the same emissions as driving 2,427 kilometers according to the IOeW in a study commissioned by independent consumer protection group Foodwatch.

According to a story by the AFP, the calculations for the study are based on emissions of greenhouse gases, including methane produced by the animals themselves, as well as emissions from food production including manufacturing feed and fertilizer and the use of farmland.

A vegan diet, one without meat and dairy, cuts emissions used in producing food seven-fold--to the equivalent of driving 629 kilometers. And eating all organic food even further reduces your carbon impact to being nearly a 17th of that of a meat-eater, equivalent to driving 281 kilometers.

The study found beef production to be especially unfriendly, with the production of 2.2 pounds being the same as driving 71 kilometers; compared to 26 kilometers for the production of pork.

Overall the study found that while switching to organic farming greatly reduces emissions, "what counts is the way we feed ourselves ... production and consumption first and foremost of beef and milk must be cut drastically.”

To help battle the bulge, not to mention disease, there’s a new site that can help you shop before you hit the confusing aisles of your local supermarket.

LabelWatch.com is a shopper’s resource index that helps you better understand the labels manufacturers place on their products. You can compare ingredients or find the best product to buy in the category you need.  Everything from sliced bread to mustard is included.

LabelWatch also categorizes ingredients into good, okay, and bad, and makes each ingredient under scrutiny clickable so you can find out the exact benefits or harm it provides.

Not only can you learn more about the ingredients in your favorite foods, you can also find out the overall nutritional value and calorie counts. All the information on the site comes directly from the packages label, although the site is careful to note that manufacturers change their formulas and ingredients frequently. The most recent formulas are still on the package itself.

If you join the group, you can search over 25,000 brand name products, find out what each product contains, and even make a shopping list of your findings.

The informative glossary on LabelWatch is comprised of scientific data obtained from multiple reputable sources in an easy to use and read format.

The site has all sorts of nutritional information, including how-to videos for shopping healthy, as well as recipes made of "good for you" ingredients.

If half of your shopping time is spent reading labels, check out LabelWatch before you go.

 Dr. Ken Ng and Dr. Ian Larson from Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have discovered a new nanoparticle that “protects antioxidants from being destroyed in the gut and ensures a better chance of them being absorbed in the digestive tract.” (Monash University – ENN)

The newly designed nanoparticle, which is one-thousandth the thickness of a human hair, is tiny and sponge-like and used as a protective vehicle for the antioxidants, allowing the body to better absorb them. Researchers from the University are calling it a “nano-sized “trojan horse” particle.” “For catechins - the class of antioxidants under examination and among the most potent dietary antioxidants – only between 0.11 and 1.1 percent of the amount consumed makes it into our blood. If we can improve that rate, the benefits are enormous,” Dr. Ng stated in the report.

Antioxidants are known for neutralizing harmful free radicals that get trapped in the body and other “reactive chemical species.” High-risk individuals, such as those with a poor diet, usually require a larger dose. The problem with previous oral antioxidants is that acid or enzymes in the human body easily destroy them, “with only a small percentage of what it consumed actually being absorbed.” This solution will make those a thing of the past. “Antioxidants sit within this tiny trojan horse, protecting it from attack from digestive juices in the stomach,” Dr. Larson claims in the University report.

The team hopes that by mastering this specific technique, other drugs will soon be able to be processed and better absorbed within the bodily system. Trials of the research project will start in early 2009. And though the experiment is still in its early stages, Dr. Ng hopes to also test placing such nanoparticles into food items, “similar to adding Omega-3 to bread or milk,” the report read. 

It's easy to make energy conscious food choices by shopping at local markets for locally grown foods, but when dining out, it can be a bit trickier.  These suggestions can help:

When in doubt, go vegetarian. Some cuisines lend themselves more easily than others to having a filling meal that is entirely meat-free, like Indian and Middle Eastern. Chinese also offers vegetarian options in addition to carp, a sustainably farm-raised fish that is seldom found in other cuisines.  Duck works well too, which is generally raised in more humane and environmentally sound conditions than chicken.

Italian food is more complex as it's often rich on animal sources like veal, beef, and pork dishes, which are made with factory-farmed meats unless otherwise specified. Seafood options usually include renewable seafood like mussels, calamari, and clams. Pastas and pizzas are the best options as they utilize only small amounts of meats, and can be ordered vegetarian.

Japanese cuisine can be tricky to navigate sustainably as many of the exotic fish offered may be threatened or endangered species, like: bluefin tuna, swordfish, sharks, and snappers. Other fish like farmed salmon are produced using polluting, ecologically damaging methods. However, Japanese cuisine also includes tempura, soups and other vegetable and sustainable meat options, so it is important to know where what you are eating comes from so that you can make environmentally friendly choices.

Many cuisines offer options that are better than others, and when in doubt, go as vegetarian as possible so that you can dine out with a clear, environmental conscience.  

One of the latest celebrity diet trends, gluten-free, some may actually have merit.

Gluten is a healthy plant protein found in many grains that makes baked goods so hard to resist. Celebrities said to be gluten-free include Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, and Jenny McCarthy.

Some people have an intolerance to gluten and can’t stomach any. In these people, gluten triggers an immune-system attack on the small intestine, also known as celiac disease. Although the disease occurs rarely, in only about 1% of Americans (3 million people), a reported 97% are undiagnosed. The symptoms of celiac disease range from gas, pain, and bloating to fatigue, seizures, and depression. Over the course of years, celiac disease can actually inhibit digestion to the point of malnutrition. It can be diagnosed, and you an find self-test kits on the Internet, but it should be diagnosed by a doctor, which requires blood tests and a biopsy for the most definitive results.

In addition to reported celiac disease, there is also a circumstance known as gluten sensitivity, which is not a diagnosable medical condition, unlike celiac disease. Gluten sensitivity has been blamed for everything from acne to Autism. Because there is no discernable link, the only way to test the theory is by eliminating gluten for a period of time, to see if the symptoms decrease and then adding it back in to your diet to see if the symptoms return or worsen.

Gluten can avoided; but it is a difficult task, especially when dining out. Wheat and other grains are the obvious purveyors of gluten, but it is also added to other foods, including: soy sauce, beer, hot dogs, some ice creams, caramel flavoring, sausages, and foods seasoned with MSG. It’s even in the adhesive on stamps and envelopes! So to go gluten-free, check your ingredients on packaged foods and ask your waiter what you’re eating.

Alice Waters is a California culinary fixture. Back in 1994, she helped found a garden program at a Berkley area middle school, called the Edible Schoolyard.

The Edible Schoolyard program provides an educational connection for students to learn more about where there food comes from. They also learn about nutrition and how to make healthy choices as well as eat healthy food in the school’s lunchroom, which are grown right on campus, all of which are important tools for students to know in the growing fight against childhood obesity all over the nation.

The Center for Ecoliteracy has played an important role in developing a curriculum for children to learn more about their ecological impact and how it relates to their health and well-being. Core concepts of the program include: Networks, Nested Systems, Cycles, Flows, Development, and Dynamic Balance.

The Edible Schoolyard Program has grown exponentially from it start over a decade ago, which involved the collaborative efforts of one celebrity chef and the principal of a school. Since then, the school has built a full-time staff and the program has been replicated in schools around the country.

At the edibleschoolyard.org, you can find resources to start your own garden and ecoliteracy program at your local school.

In the past, eggs have been blamed for having high cholesterol levels and overall considered to be unhealthy. But new studies are showing that not only are eggs a beneficial part of healthy diet, they aren’t as high in cholesterol as was previously thought.

When eggs are blamed for high cholesterols levels, what many doctors don’t tell you, or don’t know, is that the studies done on eggs were done in the forties and fifties, on powdered eggs. But artificially created foods have more problems associated with them than naturally found foods. Also worthy of note is that even among “real” eggs there are differences. “Cage-free” eggs have lower cholesterol and possibly higher levels of Omega-3s and good fats. So how the egg is made makes a difference.

Dr. Douglass is a medical doctor that has been a proponent of alternative methods of medicine for over thirty years. He has written articles about the health benefits of eggs, “Eggs Enormous Health Benefits,” which names eggs as a source of Omega-3s, proteins and amino acids, and good fats, which are all necessary for proper mental health functioning as well as maintaining joints and musculature. He cites a finding by Yale University that says eating two eggs a day does not affect either cholesterol level.

In addition to eggs not having a significant link to high cholesterol, a new study has found that eggs may play a significant role in fighting the nation’s obesity epidemic. In a study published online by the International Journal of Obesity, adults that ate two eggs for breakfast (as part of a lower calorie eating regime) were found to lose more weight and have more energy than adults who ate the same caloric amount in a bagel breakfast.

The study supported an earlier report by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition that found that not only did those that had eggs for breakfast feel satisfied, but they are fewer calories at the next meal as well.

Fruit is grown outdoors and can be subject to a variety of pollutants, which is why it best to buy organic. But fruit often travels far before it reaches market, leaving it open to contamination.

According to Vital Juice Daily, Dietician Ashley Koff recommends buying locally grown fruits and vegetables because they spend less time on the road being exposed to car fumes and pollution. Where you buy the fruit (supermarket versus farmstand) doesn’t matter as much as the route it took to get there because it usually spends more time on the road than on display.

However, most pollution is topical, so you can help avoid much of the harm by washing your produce before you consume it. To entirely avoid contaminants, Vital Juice Daily recommends you buy frozen organic fruits and veggies (because there is no exposure) or grow your own.