The FDA Stands Behind Apple Juice, Should You?

by: continuum wellness - September 18th, 2011   Filed under: FDA, food, nutrition, wellness Add Comment

A recent Dr. Oz show, involved testing apple juice for arsenic.  Apple juice is a popular beverage and at least 60% of it is imported from China.  The standards for arsenic in foods and governmental regulations vary among countries.  What the show attempted to show is that the apple juice may have higher than acceptable amounts of arsenic than allowed by the FDA.  The FDA has issued a statement stating that apple juice is safe to drink (here).

China has been engaged in controversy in numerous instances, from unacceptable amounts of lead in children toys, to recycling waste oil as cooking oil, and even adulterating toothpaste.  Perhaps the FDA is well-meaning.  But chances are they are understaffed and this issue may not have received necessary attention.  Food safety is an important issue to often glossed over, with the “trust us, we are the experts” line.

This issue also highlights the importance of buying local.

Here is information on the apple juice testing (here).

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Mercury Warning: It’s in the Fish

by: continuum wellness - August 20th, 2009   Filed under: brain, diet, environment, Health, healthy eating, mercury, nutrition, wellness Add Comment

A recent government study of approximately 300 rivers and streams found mercury prevalent in all of the fish tested. Mercury is a metal. The substance is toxic and wreaks havoc on the nervous system, can lead to insanity and a host of other degenerative conditions.

The study by the U.S. Geological Survey is the most comprehensive look to date at mercury in the nation’s streams. From 1998 to 2005, scientists collected and tested more than a thousand fish, including bass, trout and catfish, from 291 streams nationwide.

Some of the highest mercury levels in fish were detected in the remote blackwater streams along the coasts of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana, where bacteria in surrounding forests and wetlands help in the conversion. The second-highest concentration of mercury was detected in largemouth bass from the North Fork of the Edisto River near Fairview Crossroads, S.C.

“Unfortunately, it’s the case that almost any fish you test will have mercury now,” said Andrew Rypel, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Mississippi who has studied mercury contamination in fish throughout the Southeast. He said other research has shown mercury in fish from isolated areas of Alaska and Canada, and species that live in the deep ocean.

It has been suggested to prepare the fish in a way which will lessen exposure to mercury. I question that. Mercury is systemic toxic, meaning it will be in the tissue of the fish itself. For example you cannot ‘rinse it away’. Apply caution when eating fish. Some reports suggest eating it once a week. But it might be better to eat is less frequently.

Click here to check the fish advisories where you live.

Eat to Live!

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Enhanced meat harmful to kidney disease patients

by: continuum wellness - July 25th, 2009   Filed under: diabetes, diet, drugs, food, Health, healthy eating, meat, nutrition, Western diet Add Comment

The term “fresh” meat should be defined. The public doesn’t really know when the animal was killed, how long the meat has been in transit, etc. The following research article states that meat may contain additives which are not on the label. The article warns these products may be harmful to someone suffering from kidney disease, but what if they also contribute to kidney disease? Read on…
Fresh meats often contain additives harmful to kidney disease patients
Phosphorous and potassium ingredients not listed on food labels

Uncooked meat products enhanced with food additives may contain high levels of phosphorous and potassium that are not discernible from inspection of food labels, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). This can make it difficult for people to limit dietary phosphorous and potassium that at high levels are harmful to kidney disease patients.

Kidney disease patients on dialysis must watch their intake of dietary phosphate so that their blood phosphate levels do not rise. This is important because high blood phosphate levels may cause premature death in dialysis patients. Kidney disease patients also must limit their intake of potassium, because high blood potassium levels can cause sudden death.

One growing source of dietary phosphorous and potassium is through “enhanced” fresh meat and poultry products. These foods are injected with a solution of water with sodium and potassium salts (particularly phosphates) as well as antioxidants and flavorings. While ingesting phosphates and potassium can be dangerous for dialysis patients, there is no requirement that these ingredients be included in nutrition labels. There also have been no studies on the levels of phosphates and potassium contained in fresh meat and poultry products that have been “enhanced.”

Richard Sherman, MD, and Ojas Mehta, DO (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School), examined the potassium and phosphate content in a variety of “enhanced” and additive-free meat and poultry products available in local supermarkets. They found that products that were labeled as “enhanced” had an average phosphate concentration that was 28% higher than additive-free products, with some products almost 100% higher. Potassium content was variable. Additive-free products all contained < 387 mg of potassium per 100 gm of protein while 5 of the 25 products with additives that were studied contained at least 692 mg of potassium per 100 gm of protein (maximum 930 mg/100 gm). Most foods with phosphate and potassium additives reported the additives on the labeling; however, 8 of the 25 “enhanced” products included in the study did not list the additives.

“The burden imposed on those seeking to limit dietary phosphorus and potassium could be ameliorated by more complete food labeling by manufacturers,” the authors wrote.

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The study was funded by grants from Genzyme, Inc. and Dialysis Clinics, Inc. The authors reported no other financial disclosures.

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The True Journey from the Farm to You: A Review of Food, Inc.

by: continuum wellness - July 9th, 2009   Filed under: African American, causes of allergies, FDA, food, Health, healthy eating Add Comment

Food Inc: Michael Pollan and Friends Reveal the Food Industry’s Darkest Secrets

The new film Food Inc. is a shocking look at the health, human rights and the environmental nightmare that lands on our plate each meal.

It turns out that figuring out the most simple thing — like what’s on your dinner plate, and where it came from — is actually a pretty subversive act.

That’s what director Robert Kenner found out while spending six years putting together the amazing new documentary, Food Inc., which features prominent food writers Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation).

Warning: Food Inc. is not for the faint of heart. While its focus is not on the gory images of slaughterhouse floors and filthy feedlots, what it does show about the journey of our food from “farm” to plate is not pretty.

The story’s main narrative chronicles the consolidation of our vast food industry into the hands of a few powerful corporations that have worked to limit the public’s understanding of where its food comes from, what’s in it and how safe it may be.

But it’s also a larger story about the people that have gotten in the way of the stampeding corporate herd — like farmer Joel Salatin (also profiled in Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma), who has bravely bucked the trend to go corporate.

Read the rest of the interview here

People think if they can’t do it all the time they don’t have to do anything. Change one meal. But then we have to stop subsidizing food that is making us sick, we have to change the national school-lunch program. If we supported local farms and got that to the school systems and spent a dollar there, we’d save a a fortune in medicine and train kids to eat right, and we’d have better communities.

To see Food Inc., find a theater near you.

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Tomato Warning Update

by: continuum wellness - June 10th, 2008   Filed under: FDA, food, Uncategorized Add Comment

The FDA has indicated that tomatoes from the following sources are not associated with the outbreak:

* Alabama
* Arkansas
* California
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* New York
* Nebraska
* North Carolina
* Ohio
* Pennsylvania
* South Carolina
* Tennessee
* Texas
* West Virginia
* Belgium
* Canada
* Dominican Republic
* Guatemala
* Israel
* Netherlands
* Puerto Rico

FDA recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators offer only fresh and fresh cut red Roma, red plum, and round red tomatoes and food products made from these tomatoes for sale or service from the sources listed above.

FDA further recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source.

This means that you will have to know what state the tomato is grown. And while we all know growing your own tomatoes is best, there are reasons we need to buy them from other growers.

Warning on Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting consumers in New Mexico and Texas that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy people often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses.
Preliminary Data

The specific type and source of tomatoes are under investigation. However, preliminary data suggest that raw red plum, red Roma, or round red tomatoes are the cause.

From April 23 though June 1, 2008, there have been 57 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul in New Mexico and Texas, including 17 hospitalizations. Approximately 30 reports of illness in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, and Utah are currently being investigated to determine whether they are also linked to tomatoes. There are no reported deaths.
Advice for Consumers

* At this time, consumers in New Mexico and Texas should limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak. These include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home.
* Consumers in New Mexico and Texas who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their health care provider. All Salmonella infections should be reported to state or local health authorities.

Investigation Continues

FDA recognizes that the source of the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer or tomatoes from a specific geographic area. FDA also recognizes that there are many tomato crops across the country and in foreign countries that are just becoming ready for harvest or will become ready in the coming months.

To ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy tomatoes that are safe to eat, FDA is working diligently with the states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indian Health Service, and various food industry trade associations to quickly determine the source and type of the contaminated tomatoes. As more information becomes available, FDA will update this warning.
For More Information

FDA’s Tomato Consumer Page
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

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Tomato Warning Issued in New Mexico and Texas

by: continuum wellness - June 6th, 2008   Filed under: Uncategorized 3 Comments

FDA Warns Consumers in New Mexico and Texas Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes

June 3, 2008

The Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers in New Mexico and Texas that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes. The bacteria causing the illnesses are Salmonella serotype Saintpaul, an uncommon type of Salmonella.

The specific type and source of tomatoes are under investigation. However, preliminary data suggest that raw red plum, red Roma, or round red tomatoes are the cause. At this time, consumers in New Mexico and Texas should limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak. These include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses. Consumers in New Mexico and Texas who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their health care provider. All Salmonella infections should be reported to state or local health authorities.

From April 23 though June 1, 2008, there have been 57 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul in New Mexico and Texas, including 17 hospitalizations. Approximately 30 reports of illness in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, and Utah are currently being investigated to determine whether they are also linked to tomatoes. There are no reported deaths.

FDA recognizes that the source of the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer or tomatoes from a specific geographic area. FDA also recognizes that there are many tomato crops across the country and in foreign countries that are just becoming ready for harvest or will become ready in the coming months. In order to ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy tomatoes that are safe to eat, FDA is working diligently with the states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indian Health Service, and various food industry trade associations to quickly determine the source and type of the contaminated tomatoes. As more information becomes available, FDA will update this warning.

Last year FDA began a multi-year Tomato Safety Initiative to reduce the incidence of tomato-related foodborne illness. The Initiative is a collaborative effort between FDA and the state health and agriculture departments in Virginia and Florida, in cooperation with several universities and members of the produce industry.

A key element of the Food Protection Plan — a scientific and a risk-based approach to strengthen and protect the nation’s food supply—is prevention. FDA encourages producers to critically reexamine their operations and apply the scientific principles and regulations established decades ago to provide a safe product for the consumer.

Information on safe handling of produce can be found at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html.

Tomato consumer page can be found at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/

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Meat Recall…again

by: continuum wellness - May 7th, 2008   Filed under: food, healthy mind, Uncategorized Add Comment

WASHINGTON, Mar. 4, 2008 –

A New York company is voluntarily recalling about 286,000 pounds (129,700 kg) of fresh and frozen meat and poultry products that may be contaminated with bacteria, U.S. agriculture officials said on Saturday

The meat and poultry products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels, PDF Only] Continue reading “Meat Recall…again” »

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