A total of 78 alerts about contaminated foods were issued in the EU during the second week of January/2006. Of particular concern for some officials were the reports to the Commission from Norway that its regulator had found unauthorised nitrites in smoked or cured salmon and trout produced by its fish processors.
"Eight processors were caught using nitrites to make their fish look fresher. Norway's Consumer Council claims that the producers have damaged the country's reputation by using the additive and has asked the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to file criminal charges against the fish producers."
Nitrates are naturally occurring chemicals that are created by the breakdown of gaseous nitrogen (the most abundant ingredient in air) through the photosynthesis of plants. Nitrites are smaller molecules that are created as a result of the breakdown of nitrates.
Historically, nitrates served two purposes: to help prevent the growth of certain bacteria that can cause an outbreak of botulism, a deadly food-borne illness, and to give cured meat a pink color. These nitrates, once added to the meat, would break down over a period of time, forming nitrites. Eventually, nitrites themselves were added directly to the meat to speed up the curing process.
Because of the toxicity of nitrite (lethal dose of nitrite for humans is about 22 mg per kg body weight), the maximum allowed nitrite concentration in meat products is 200 ppm. Under certain conditions, especially during cooking, nitrites in meat can react with degradation products of amino acids, forming nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens.
Nitrites can contribute to the formation of potentially dangerous carcinogens in the body, which in turn can result in malignant tumor growth over time. Children are especially susceptible to nitrite poisoning.
One clinical study conducted at the University of Hawaii revealed a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer in people who consume large quantities of hot dogs, sausage and other processed meats, versus those who consume little or no processed meat. The study was led by Dr. Ute Nothlings and was announced at an annual gathering of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Although the study did not specifically name sodium nitrite as the cause of the heightened cancer risk, according to Mike Adams, nutritionist and author of "Grocery Warning," the huge spike in toxicity and cancer risk can only be explained by something added during meat processing.
"If sodium nitrite is so dangerous, why do food producers continue using it? The chemical is added primarily as a color fixer that turns meats a reddish, fresh-looking color that appeals to consumers. Packaged meats like hot dogs would normally appear a putrid gray, but with enough sodium nitrite added, the meats can seem visually fresh even if they've been on the shelves for months."
In a previous article here at BLV Health Watch -- Carbon Monoxide in USA Packaged Meats -- we revealed a similar process used by some USA meat packaging plants that keeps meat appearing "fresh" on grocery shelves which, in 2003, the EU prohibited the use of carbon monoxide for meat and tuna products.
You might think we were vegetarians, but for the record ...we are not.
Sources:
- Wikipedia - Nitrite
- Nitrates/Nitrites Facts from duBreton Farms
- News Target ...processed meats hike cancer risk...
- Milk and salmon contamination feature in food safety alerts
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
What Is Ambergris?
AMBERGRIS [ambergris]: a waxlike substance originating as a morbid concretion in the intestine of the sperm whale. Lighter than water, it is found floating on tropical seas or cast up on the shore in yellow, gray, black, or variegated masses, usually a few ounces in weight, though pieces weighing several hundred pounds have been found. Ambergris has been greatly valued from earliest times. It is now used as a fixative in perfumes. Its active principle is ambrein, a crystalline alcohol with the empirical formula C 30 H 51 OH.
The January 24, 2006 report in the BBC of a 14.75 kg lump of it discovered by an Australian couple while walking on the beach got me curious to find out more about this highly valued (and considered very rare) substance.
Some reports indicate that top perfume makers pay as much as 65 US dollars per gram of ambergris ...other reports say it's also used as an additive for flavoring cigarrettes (unconfirmed) ...still other reports indicate its use in some medicines ...and yet other reports indicate its use as a flavoring in foods and beverages.
In ancient times, animal substances like musk, castor and ambergris were particularly expensive, as they had to be imported from China, Russia, the Persian Gulf and India. Not only were these fragrances supposed to attract the female sex; they were also believed to have therapeutic properties. For example, 17th-century physician Hasan ibn Riza Shirvani believed a dab of ambergris could strengthen the brain and heart.
"Ambergris, when taken from the intestinal canal of the sperm whale, is of a deep grey color, soft consistence and a disagreeable smell. On exposure to the air it gradually hardens, becomes pale and develops its peculiar sweet, earthy odour. In that condition its specific gravity ranges from 0-780 to 0-926. It melts at about 62 C. to a fatty, yellow resinous-like liquid; and at 100 C. it is volatilized into a white vapour. It is soluble in ether, and in volatile and fixed oils; it is only feebly acted on by acids. By digesting in hot alcohol, a substance termed ambrein, closely resembling cholesterin, is obtained, which separates in brilliant white crystals as the solution cools."
"The use of ambergris in Europe is now entirely confined to perfumery, though it formerly occupied no inconsiderable place in medicine." In minute quantities its alcoholic solution is much used for giving a " floral " fragrance to bouquets, washes and other preparations of the perfumer. It occupies a very important place in the perfumery of the East, and there it is also used in pharmacy and as a flavouring material in cookery, as reported by this source.
In Chinese medicine, it has been reported that it is still in use for urinary tract infections, urinary stones, heart disease and infant convulsions, however this information has not been confirmed by us.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Omega-3 and Aggressive Behavior
By now, you've probably heard the expression "we are what we eat" but I'm thinking most of us have never applied it to how we act or react, behaviorally speaking.
A new Omega-3 study conducted in Brooklyn on test subjects with a history of substance abuse targeted behavior -- specifically aggressive behavior -- with some surprising results.
According to NutraIngredientsUSA:
To view the entire news article visit this link.
Hmmmm... it kind of gives new meaning to the "old wives tale" about the benefits of giving children cod liver oil, doesn't it?
A new Omega-3 study conducted in Brooklyn on test subjects with a history of substance abuse targeted behavior -- specifically aggressive behavior -- with some surprising results.
According to NutraIngredientsUSA:
A small, double-blind study found that those who took 3g of fish oil per day had lower levels of anger, potentially reducing tendency towards aggressive behavior. The trial, conducted at the Veterans Administration New York Harbor Healthcare System in Brooklyn, involved 24 people with a history of substance abuse who were participants in an outpatient treatment program.To sum it up... "The 13 patients who received the fish oil showed a clinically significant and progressive decrease in their POMS anger subscale scores. No change was observed in the 11 patients in the placebo group."
To view the entire news article visit this link.
Hmmmm... it kind of gives new meaning to the "old wives tale" about the benefits of giving children cod liver oil, doesn't it?
Caffeine Lovers Get More Bad News
Apparently, drinking caffeine drinks stifles the body's ability to boost blood flow to the heart during exercise -- according to new research released from a study conducted by scientists at the University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland.
Previous research suggested that caffeine-based drinks may help people involved in sports-related activities, but this new study suggests that although caffeine drinks are known to stimulate the brain, caffeine is unlikely to boost athletic performance.
Here's why... blood flow to the heart has to increase during exercise in order to match the increased need of oxygen. But when 18 healthy people were given the equivalent of two cups of coffee, the Swiss scientists found that blood flow increase during exercise was much lower than when they exercised without having consumed coffee.
This effect was even stronger when the participants were in a chamber simulating high altitude, said the scientists.
The Swiss researchers stated that their research could also "raise safety questions in patients with reduced coronary flow reserve, as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure".
Source: BeverageDaily.com
Previous research suggested that caffeine-based drinks may help people involved in sports-related activities, but this new study suggests that although caffeine drinks are known to stimulate the brain, caffeine is unlikely to boost athletic performance.
Here's why... blood flow to the heart has to increase during exercise in order to match the increased need of oxygen. But when 18 healthy people were given the equivalent of two cups of coffee, the Swiss scientists found that blood flow increase during exercise was much lower than when they exercised without having consumed coffee.
This effect was even stronger when the participants were in a chamber simulating high altitude, said the scientists.
The Swiss researchers stated that their research could also "raise safety questions in patients with reduced coronary flow reserve, as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure".
Source: BeverageDaily.com
New Lawsuits to Target Soft Drink Firms
Professor Richard Daynard, a lawyer who has already taken on the tobacco firms, spent much of 2005 gathering evidence and witnesses to launch a new court battle to get the soft drinks giants out of schools, according to BeverageDaily.
“We've done everything we need to do to prepare for the lawsuit, but we haven't decided exactly when or where to file it. It could be any time after this month,” he said in an interview with www.BeverageDaily.com
“We have a product that has been shown to make a material contribution to childhood and adolescent obesity and we have it in schools where the kids are required to be for six or seven hours per day,” said Daynard.
You can read the full news article through this link.
Like it or not, this is just the beginning of new lawsuits to come out over the course of the next few years that will target obesity -- a seriously growing problem in the USA and many other countries abroad. We'll keep you posted as details become available.
“We've done everything we need to do to prepare for the lawsuit, but we haven't decided exactly when or where to file it. It could be any time after this month,” he said in an interview with www.BeverageDaily.com
“We have a product that has been shown to make a material contribution to childhood and adolescent obesity and we have it in schools where the kids are required to be for six or seven hours per day,” said Daynard.
You can read the full news article through this link.
Like it or not, this is just the beginning of new lawsuits to come out over the course of the next few years that will target obesity -- a seriously growing problem in the USA and many other countries abroad. We'll keep you posted as details become available.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
New Food Allergen Labeling Laws
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) (Pub. L. 108-282) required that new food labels for food products affected by the Act be applied to foods entering the market as of Jan. 1 2006.
Keep in mind, these labeling regulations apply only to foods regulated by the FDA. Also note, not all known allergens are covered by the new labeling laws.
Under FALCPA, a "major food allergen" is an ingredient that is one of the following five foods or from one of the following three food groups or is an ingredient that contains protein derived from one of the following:
- milk
- egg
- fish
- Crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- wheat
- peanuts
- soybeans
Also, in the case of tree nuts, the specific type of nut must be declared (e.g., almonds, pecans, or walnuts). Plus, the species must be declared for fish (e.g., bass, flounder, or cod) and Crustacean shellfish (crab, lobster, or shrimp).
Congress designated the above eight foods/food groups as "major food allergens" stating they account for 90 percent of all food allergies. Although there are other foods to which sensitive individuals may react, the labels of packaged foods containing these other allergens are not required to be in compliance with FALCPA.
FALCPA's requirements apply to all packaged foods sold in the U.S. that are regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act, including both domestically manufactured and imported foods. FDA regulates all foods except meat products, poultry products, and egg products.
For more information on the act, visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgact.html.
For general information regarding industry labeling guidelines, visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrguid.html.
Keep in mind, these labeling regulations apply only to foods regulated by the FDA. Also note, not all known allergens are covered by the new labeling laws.
Under FALCPA, a "major food allergen" is an ingredient that is one of the following five foods or from one of the following three food groups or is an ingredient that contains protein derived from one of the following:
- milk
- egg
- fish
- Crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- wheat
- peanuts
- soybeans
Also, in the case of tree nuts, the specific type of nut must be declared (e.g., almonds, pecans, or walnuts). Plus, the species must be declared for fish (e.g., bass, flounder, or cod) and Crustacean shellfish (crab, lobster, or shrimp).
Congress designated the above eight foods/food groups as "major food allergens" stating they account for 90 percent of all food allergies. Although there are other foods to which sensitive individuals may react, the labels of packaged foods containing these other allergens are not required to be in compliance with FALCPA.
FALCPA's requirements apply to all packaged foods sold in the U.S. that are regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act, including both domestically manufactured and imported foods. FDA regulates all foods except meat products, poultry products, and egg products.
For more information on the act, visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgact.html.
For general information regarding industry labeling guidelines, visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrguid.html.
New Trans Fat Labeling Laws Go Into Effect
In May 2003, California attorney Stephen Joseph filed a lawsuit against Kraft, targeting the trans-fat content of Oreo's. The issue became front-page news. Jay Leno, Rush Limbaugh and a host of other media personalities weighed in, many seeing the lawsuit as ridiculous at the time.
Joseph was on Good Morning America when he heard that Kraft had agreed to remove trans fats from their cookies amid the sudden blaze of publicity. And two months later, the FDA announced new labeling rules.
These new FDA trans-fat labeling rules go into effect January 1, 2006 and some lobby interest groups are stating it's long overdue... while others are saying it's not enough.
For example, check out BanTransFats.com for their comprehensive review of the new trans-fats labeling rule.
To understand the importance of this issue, one needs to know what trans fats are and why it's important for us to be aware of them.
Trans fat is formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. They have effectively been linked to higher blood levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol that increases the risk of heart disease.
When you consider that according to the American Heart Association, 70.1 million Americans suffered from heart disease in 2002 (34.2 percent of the population), and the mortality figure was 0.93 million (930,000 deaths)... ...the new laws may not be everything they need to be for the uninformed consumer ...but they are at least one small step in the right direction.
Sources:
FoodNavigator.com
BanTransFats.com
Joseph was on Good Morning America when he heard that Kraft had agreed to remove trans fats from their cookies amid the sudden blaze of publicity. And two months later, the FDA announced new labeling rules.
These new FDA trans-fat labeling rules go into effect January 1, 2006 and some lobby interest groups are stating it's long overdue... while others are saying it's not enough.
For example, check out BanTransFats.com for their comprehensive review of the new trans-fats labeling rule.
To understand the importance of this issue, one needs to know what trans fats are and why it's important for us to be aware of them.
Trans fat is formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. They have effectively been linked to higher blood levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol that increases the risk of heart disease.
When you consider that according to the American Heart Association, 70.1 million Americans suffered from heart disease in 2002 (34.2 percent of the population), and the mortality figure was 0.93 million (930,000 deaths)... ...the new laws may not be everything they need to be for the uninformed consumer ...but they are at least one small step in the right direction.
Sources:
FoodNavigator.com
BanTransFats.com
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Carbon Monoxide in USA Packaged Meats
Found this interesting article on the FoodUSA website:
In 2003, the EU prohibited the use of carbon monoxide for meat and tuna products. In its decision, the European Commission's food safety regulator stated that "the stable cherry-colour can last beyond the microbial shelf life of the meat and thus mask spoilage."
Several countries including Japan, Canada and Singapore also ban the use of carbon monoxide in tuna.
Carbon monoxide when used in the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technique makes meat appear fresher than it actually is by reacting with the meat pigment myoglobin to create carboxymyoglobin, a bright red pigment that masks any of the natural aging and spoilage of meats, according to a petition filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by Michigan-based Kalsec.
"At the very least, the public has a right to know about the use of carbon monoxide in their food," states Don Berdahl, Kalsec's vice president and technical director. "If the FDA won't prohibit it, the government should require a label that informs consumers about the presence of carbon monoxide and the health dangers it presents."
You can read the rest of the article here.
Personally, I think new meat labelling laws are urgently required so all consumers can make informed choices about the food they buy. For example, maybe a label indicating whether the meat came from a factory-farm (and may contain antibiotic residue and/or other other basteria/pathogens) ...and even WHICH FARM the meat is coming from, for point of origin traceback in the event that any serious outbreak occurs. Just my humble thoughts on the subject.
In 2003, the EU prohibited the use of carbon monoxide for meat and tuna products. In its decision, the European Commission's food safety regulator stated that "the stable cherry-colour can last beyond the microbial shelf life of the meat and thus mask spoilage."
Several countries including Japan, Canada and Singapore also ban the use of carbon monoxide in tuna.
Carbon monoxide when used in the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technique makes meat appear fresher than it actually is by reacting with the meat pigment myoglobin to create carboxymyoglobin, a bright red pigment that masks any of the natural aging and spoilage of meats, according to a petition filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by Michigan-based Kalsec.
"At the very least, the public has a right to know about the use of carbon monoxide in their food," states Don Berdahl, Kalsec's vice president and technical director. "If the FDA won't prohibit it, the government should require a label that informs consumers about the presence of carbon monoxide and the health dangers it presents."
You can read the rest of the article here.
Personally, I think new meat labelling laws are urgently required so all consumers can make informed choices about the food they buy. For example, maybe a label indicating whether the meat came from a factory-farm (and may contain antibiotic residue and/or other other basteria/pathogens) ...and even WHICH FARM the meat is coming from, for point of origin traceback in the event that any serious outbreak occurs. Just my humble thoughts on the subject.
Food Safety, Chrons Disease, and More
The views expressed in this article are the author's and do not imply they are the views of this website, nor any other related website referenced through this article.
With that said, let's dive in...
While the FDA keep pulling the reins on food and supplement producers, in effect preventing most consumers from finding out anything truly useful regarding "natural" sources of highly health beneficial foods, they appear to be rather "friendly" in their support of the pharmaceutical giants and the large factory-style farming operations spreading like an uncontrolled virus across the USA.
Additionally, the USDA for their part are very supportive of large factory-style farming operations ...in fact, part of their mandate is to open up new markets and increase trade for the "agricultural" industries here at home.
But when it comes to food safety, I'm sorry to say that I have to give BOTH the FDA and the USDA a giant F.
The recent "final ruling" that requires all manufacturers to register with the FDA was designed to ensure that the country's food supply remains safe from possible attack. Bio-terrorism is their big motto, protecting their citizens using the tired and worn "war on terror" motto while safety from terror still remains high in the populations' eyes.
While this new law goes into effect, they seem to be ignoring threats already circulating in our Food Supply. For example, take a look at all the mounting E. coli and salmonella contamination occurring in the USA meat supply. I'm thinking both the FDA and the USDA might be turning a "blind eye" to the many clinical studies that are revealing problems here at home in regards to Food Safety ... and the problems are getting worse, not better.
Even the FDA's very own study shows there is a problem:
"From March 2001 to June 2002, a total of 981 samples of retail raw meats (chicken, turkey, pork, and beef) were randomly obtained from 263 grocery stores in Iowa and cultured for the presence of Enterococcus spp. A total of 1,357 enterococcal isolates were recovered from the samples, with contamination rates ranging from 97% of pork samples to 100% of ground beef samples."
Meanwhile a new study conducted at the University of Minnesota found that corn, cabbage, and green onions absorbed antibiotics from manure fertilizer obtained from pigs, and one has to wonder how many antibiotics exist in retail meat products -- something not ordinarily tested for during USDA inspections BEFORE meat reaches our tables.
There have been plenty of studies completed in the last 7 years or more proving E. coli and salmonella can in fact be absorbed by vegetables (such as lettuce, spinach, even radishes) ...and yet, nothing seems to get done about it until an outbreak happens -- or someone dies.
Why is that?
Take for instance, the Johne's Disease/Chrons Disease link to a certain little bacteria called M. paratuberculosis often found (when tests actually look for it) in lakes and streams near large livestock operations -- and showing up in tap water, and even pasteurized milk!
The dramatic rise in Chrons Disease in Europe (a non-reportable disease here in the USA) has spurred a flurry of new studies on the issue in countries such as Ireland, the UK, Czech Republic and even Australia.
But here in the good ol' USA, both the FDA and USDA refuse to do such a study claiming their first study completed a few years back proves it's not a problem. There are many experts and scientists in other parts of the world who strongly disagree, and some experts who actually claim that particular USA study was highly flawed.
A properly conducted study would prove things one way or the other, right? So why aren't either the FDA or the USDA doing what's necessary to confirm or deny the possibility?
Yes, it might hurt the dairy industry in the short term.
But in respect to human health, and the often agonizing effects of Chron's disease, I think the benefits of knowing and possibly stopping a problem far outweigh the economic considerations. Also, in my humble opinion, thorough screening/testing for the disease in cattle and culling from the herds now, could potentially save our dairy industry 15 years from now. Doing nothing hurts both the industry and the public.
Here's a thought...
Now, wouldn't it be something if citizens took matters into their own hands and hire scientists to study how much bacteria is really leaching into our soils, our waters and our food supply from current farming practices being encouraged (and often subsidized) by our Federal Government.
Is this what it will take?
A wise man once said, "When science and business conflict, ethics must prevail."
Let's hope so -- for all our sakes.
With that said, let's dive in...
While the FDA keep pulling the reins on food and supplement producers, in effect preventing most consumers from finding out anything truly useful regarding "natural" sources of highly health beneficial foods, they appear to be rather "friendly" in their support of the pharmaceutical giants and the large factory-style farming operations spreading like an uncontrolled virus across the USA.
Additionally, the USDA for their part are very supportive of large factory-style farming operations ...in fact, part of their mandate is to open up new markets and increase trade for the "agricultural" industries here at home.
But when it comes to food safety, I'm sorry to say that I have to give BOTH the FDA and the USDA a giant F.
The recent "final ruling" that requires all manufacturers to register with the FDA was designed to ensure that the country's food supply remains safe from possible attack. Bio-terrorism is their big motto, protecting their citizens using the tired and worn "war on terror" motto while safety from terror still remains high in the populations' eyes.
While this new law goes into effect, they seem to be ignoring threats already circulating in our Food Supply. For example, take a look at all the mounting E. coli and salmonella contamination occurring in the USA meat supply. I'm thinking both the FDA and the USDA might be turning a "blind eye" to the many clinical studies that are revealing problems here at home in regards to Food Safety ... and the problems are getting worse, not better.
Even the FDA's very own study shows there is a problem:
"From March 2001 to June 2002, a total of 981 samples of retail raw meats (chicken, turkey, pork, and beef) were randomly obtained from 263 grocery stores in Iowa and cultured for the presence of Enterococcus spp. A total of 1,357 enterococcal isolates were recovered from the samples, with contamination rates ranging from 97% of pork samples to 100% of ground beef samples."
Meanwhile a new study conducted at the University of Minnesota found that corn, cabbage, and green onions absorbed antibiotics from manure fertilizer obtained from pigs, and one has to wonder how many antibiotics exist in retail meat products -- something not ordinarily tested for during USDA inspections BEFORE meat reaches our tables.
There have been plenty of studies completed in the last 7 years or more proving E. coli and salmonella can in fact be absorbed by vegetables (such as lettuce, spinach, even radishes) ...and yet, nothing seems to get done about it until an outbreak happens -- or someone dies.
Why is that?
Take for instance, the Johne's Disease/Chrons Disease link to a certain little bacteria called M. paratuberculosis often found (when tests actually look for it) in lakes and streams near large livestock operations -- and showing up in tap water, and even pasteurized milk!
The dramatic rise in Chrons Disease in Europe (a non-reportable disease here in the USA) has spurred a flurry of new studies on the issue in countries such as Ireland, the UK, Czech Republic and even Australia.
But here in the good ol' USA, both the FDA and USDA refuse to do such a study claiming their first study completed a few years back proves it's not a problem. There are many experts and scientists in other parts of the world who strongly disagree, and some experts who actually claim that particular USA study was highly flawed.
A properly conducted study would prove things one way or the other, right? So why aren't either the FDA or the USDA doing what's necessary to confirm or deny the possibility?
Yes, it might hurt the dairy industry in the short term.
But in respect to human health, and the often agonizing effects of Chron's disease, I think the benefits of knowing and possibly stopping a problem far outweigh the economic considerations. Also, in my humble opinion, thorough screening/testing for the disease in cattle and culling from the herds now, could potentially save our dairy industry 15 years from now. Doing nothing hurts both the industry and the public.
Here's a thought...
Now, wouldn't it be something if citizens took matters into their own hands and hire scientists to study how much bacteria is really leaching into our soils, our waters and our food supply from current farming practices being encouraged (and often subsidized) by our Federal Government.
Is this what it will take?
A wise man once said, "When science and business conflict, ethics must prevail."
Let's hope so -- for all our sakes.
Packaging Chemical Dangerous to Developing Young Brains
Bisphenol A (BPA), a packaging chemical, works by disrupting the important effects of estrogen in the developing brain, according to a new clinical study completed at the University of Cincinnati.
The research adds to a growing body of scientific evidence indicating that BPA should not be used for food contact materials. BPA shows negative effects in brain tissue "at surprisingly low doses" researchers say in two articles in the December 2005 edition of the journal Endocrinology.
"In the face of more than 100 studies published in peer-reviewed journals showing the detrimental effects of BPA, the chemical industry and federal regulatory agencies have resisted banning BPA from plastics used as food and beverage containers, despite the fact that plastics free of BPA and other toxic chemicals are available," states Scott Belcher, head of the University of Cincinnati research team.
"While plastics are typically thought of as being stable, scientists have known for many years that the chemical linkage between BPA molecules was unstable, and that BPA leaches into food or beverages in contact with the plastics," adds Belcher.
FoodProductionDaily/Europe reports:
They also report, "BPA is used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. The plastics are used in many food and drink packaging applications. Resins are commonly used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, milk container linings, bottle tops, water supply pipes and dental sealants."
Like I've mentioned many times before, this is just one more IMPORTANT reason supplement manufacturers NEED to step up on the side of health and wellness and start using pharmaceutical grade bottles/containers.
The research adds to a growing body of scientific evidence indicating that BPA should not be used for food contact materials. BPA shows negative effects in brain tissue "at surprisingly low doses" researchers say in two articles in the December 2005 edition of the journal Endocrinology.
"In the face of more than 100 studies published in peer-reviewed journals showing the detrimental effects of BPA, the chemical industry and federal regulatory agencies have resisted banning BPA from plastics used as food and beverage containers, despite the fact that plastics free of BPA and other toxic chemicals are available," states Scott Belcher, head of the University of Cincinnati research team.
"While plastics are typically thought of as being stable, scientists have known for many years that the chemical linkage between BPA molecules was unstable, and that BPA leaches into food or beverages in contact with the plastics," adds Belcher.
FoodProductionDaily/Europe reports:
Scientific research has often implicated BPA in disease or developmental problems. The chemical has long been known to act as an artificial estrogen, the primary hormone involved in female sexual development.
BPA has already been shown to increase breast cancer cell growth. In the January 2005 edition of the journal Cancer Research, another University of Cincinnati research team reported that it increased the growth of some prostate cancer cells as well.
Warnings about other possible long-term health risks associated with fetal exposures to BPA have also been discussed in recent scientific literature.
They also report, "BPA is used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. The plastics are used in many food and drink packaging applications. Resins are commonly used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, milk container linings, bottle tops, water supply pipes and dental sealants."
Like I've mentioned many times before, this is just one more IMPORTANT reason supplement manufacturers NEED to step up on the side of health and wellness and start using pharmaceutical grade bottles/containers.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Urgent Letter From Scientists Calls for Immediate GM Food Ban
An urgent letter went out today from the Institute of Science in Society to several high ranking officials in governments around the world calling for an immediate ban on Gentically Modified (GM) food and feed.
How serious is it?
VERY serious!
If the studies they've referenced come anywhere close to actual consequences on a wider scale, it's very possible a massive amount of damage to public health has already been done, particularly in developed countries such as Canada, USA and the UK to mention a few.
When I discovered on one statistic site that the USA ranks 1st in the entire world for mortality (deaths) from combined immunodeficiencies, and next learned how much GM food is grown and distributed here in the USA, it lends a considerable amount of credence to what ISIS is stating.
The "Emerging Diseases" reports coming out would also appear to support ISIS's theories.
An even bigger threat is currently underway that has been kept quiet -- hushed up by multi-billion-dollar corporations and the politicians who support them -- dropped like a ticking time bomb into rural communities by mega corporations across several countries with the full support of top government officials.
I'll be bringing a Special Report on this subject to you soon.
Stay safe, be well ...and stay tuned!
Keywords:
GM seeds,
biotechnology,
immunodeficiencies,
GM food,
genetic engineering
How serious is it?
VERY serious!
If the studies they've referenced come anywhere close to actual consequences on a wider scale, it's very possible a massive amount of damage to public health has already been done, particularly in developed countries such as Canada, USA and the UK to mention a few.
When I discovered on one statistic site that the USA ranks 1st in the entire world for mortality (deaths) from combined immunodeficiencies, and next learned how much GM food is grown and distributed here in the USA, it lends a considerable amount of credence to what ISIS is stating.
The "Emerging Diseases" reports coming out would also appear to support ISIS's theories.
An even bigger threat is currently underway that has been kept quiet -- hushed up by multi-billion-dollar corporations and the politicians who support them -- dropped like a ticking time bomb into rural communities by mega corporations across several countries with the full support of top government officials.
I'll be bringing a Special Report on this subject to you soon.
Stay safe, be well ...and stay tuned!
Keywords:
GM seeds,
biotechnology,
immunodeficiencies,
GM food,
genetic engineering
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Salmonella on the Rise in USA Fresh Produce Owing to Livestock Manure
A new report is out regarding salmonella in fresh produce in the USA:
It's just one more nail in the coffin of large livestock factory-style farming, in my personal opinion. Later this month, I'll have a Very Special Report available regarding hog farm factories in general, and one very specific factory currently under construction in Jasper County, Indiana. This is one shocking report you definitely will want to read. Stay tuned!
Source: Fresh produce an increasing source of Salmonella, group says - FoodUSA ProductionDaily 24/11/2005
Keywords:
salmonella outbreaks, salmonella in USA produce, factory farming, foodborne illnesses, food poisoning, livestock manure salmonella food poisoning, livestock manure dangers
Last week a University of Minnesota study showed that antibiotics given to livestock can end up in vegetables and pose a health threat to consumers.
The Minnesota study examined the use of animal manure as a fertilizer for vegetable crops.
The new CSPI study indicates produce-related outbreaks tend to be larger than poultry-related outbreaks, and sicken more people, sometimes hundreds at a time, CSPI stated.
Fresh produce triggered 554 outbreaks, sickening 28,315 people. Of those 554 outbreaks, 111 were due to Salmonella. Although poultry has historically been responsible for far more Salmonella infections, produce seems to be catching up, CSPI stated.
From 1990 to 2001 poultry accounted for 121 Salmonella outbreaks and produce accounted for 80. But in 2002 to 2003, produce accounted for 31 Salmonella outbreaks and poultry accounted for 29.
The figures were gathered from CSPI's alert database, which contains information on 4,500 infection outbreaks related to food between 1990 and 2003.
CSPI's database includes only outbreaks where both the food and the pathogen are identified, so its data represents only a fraction of the total burden of foodborne illnesses.
It's just one more nail in the coffin of large livestock factory-style farming, in my personal opinion. Later this month, I'll have a Very Special Report available regarding hog farm factories in general, and one very specific factory currently under construction in Jasper County, Indiana. This is one shocking report you definitely will want to read. Stay tuned!
Source: Fresh produce an increasing source of Salmonella, group says - FoodUSA ProductionDaily 24/11/2005
Keywords:
salmonella outbreaks, salmonella in USA produce, factory farming, foodborne illnesses, food poisoning, livestock manure salmonella food poisoning, livestock manure dangers
Need for Further Study in Genetically Modified Seeds
After the failure of a stringent risk assessment this month on regarding research to create genetically modified peas that resist insect attack and reduce the use of chemical sprays, it proves once again that extreme care and thorough research should be conducted BEFORE GM seeds flow into the agricultural process.
In regards to the GM pea study, research led by immunologists Dr. Simon Hogan and Professor Paul Foster at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) showed that the GM peas caused an immune response in mice.
What is important to note about this study is that, for years, humans have already been eating beans which also have the same alpha-amylase inhibitor that was to be used in the GM peas, without evidence of an immune response.
Sidenote: Forgive me for being a weee bit skeptical here, but what "evidence" are they referring to in regards to the beans?
On a different note, countries such as Canada, USA and Australia have been very enthusiastic and supportive of embracing GM seeds/crops in agriculture -- maybe too eager?
Perhaps the GM pea risk assessment should be ringing a few cautionary warning bells.
“This work strongly supports the need for case-by-case examination of plants developed using genetic modification and the importance of decision-making based on good science,” said deputy chief of CSIRO Plant Industry, Dr TJ Higgins.
Source: GM pea study discontinued after assessment failure - FoodNavigator/Europe
In regards to the GM pea study, research led by immunologists Dr. Simon Hogan and Professor Paul Foster at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) showed that the GM peas caused an immune response in mice.
What is important to note about this study is that, for years, humans have already been eating beans which also have the same alpha-amylase inhibitor that was to be used in the GM peas, without evidence of an immune response.
Sidenote: Forgive me for being a weee bit skeptical here, but what "evidence" are they referring to in regards to the beans?
On a different note, countries such as Canada, USA and Australia have been very enthusiastic and supportive of embracing GM seeds/crops in agriculture -- maybe too eager?
Perhaps the GM pea risk assessment should be ringing a few cautionary warning bells.
“This work strongly supports the need for case-by-case examination of plants developed using genetic modification and the importance of decision-making based on good science,” said deputy chief of CSIRO Plant Industry, Dr TJ Higgins.
Source: GM pea study discontinued after assessment failure - FoodNavigator/Europe
Nestlé baby milk recall in 4 European countries
Two million litres of baby milk in four European countries were recalled by Nestlé due to a packaging problem.
Apparently, the problem occurred during a "routine" test for other substances by an Italian laboratory. The laboratory found the traces of ITX in the milk products and regulators told Nestlé about the problem. ITX was subsequently discovered to leak from the carton to any fatty products like milk when it is exposed to sunlight's ultraviolet rays. In a press statement, Tetra Pak said it switched its carton printing processes in October once it discovered the problem.
Once again, it brings up my point on the importance of packaging.
Now you see why we use pharmaceutical grade bottles for Goji Juice... This way there is no leaching of plasticizers nor any other potentially harmful toxins into the juice and no loss of nutrients out of the juice (ie such as sun can degrade phytochemicals in some products through glass bottles).
When I say Dr. Mindell is a perfectionist when it comes to the formulation, processing and packaging of all his products, I certainly mean it.
"The company had originally been informed in September that traces of the chemical IsopropilThioXantone (ITX) had been found in some cartons of its Nidina and Latte Mio brands. Tetra Pak, the container's maker, removed ITX from the cartons in October.
When Italian regulators this week began seizing about 30 million litres of the milk from stores and trucks this week, Nestlé decided to extend its original recall to a wider range of the product in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal."
Apparently, the problem occurred during a "routine" test for other substances by an Italian laboratory. The laboratory found the traces of ITX in the milk products and regulators told Nestlé about the problem. ITX was subsequently discovered to leak from the carton to any fatty products like milk when it is exposed to sunlight's ultraviolet rays. In a press statement, Tetra Pak said it switched its carton printing processes in October once it discovered the problem.
Once again, it brings up my point on the importance of packaging.
Now you see why we use pharmaceutical grade bottles for Goji Juice... This way there is no leaching of plasticizers nor any other potentially harmful toxins into the juice and no loss of nutrients out of the juice (ie such as sun can degrade phytochemicals in some products through glass bottles).
When I say Dr. Mindell is a perfectionist when it comes to the formulation, processing and packaging of all his products, I certainly mean it.
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Important New USA Health Legislation
On May 24, 2005, Mr. BROWN of Ohio introduced the following bill -- HR 2562 IH -- to the 109th Congress, first session, which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce:
Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2005'
The bill's intent is, "To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to preserve the effectiveness of medically important antibiotics used in the treatment of human and animal diseases."
There was a very long list of "findings" presented in the act, only a few of which I include here:
- the task force determined that antibiotic resistance is a growing menace to all people and poses a serious threat to public health
- the task force cautioned that if current trends continue, treatments for common infections will become increasingly limited and expensive, and, in some cases, nonexistent
- antibiotic resistance, resulting in a reduced number of effective antibiotics, may significantly impair the ability of the United States to respond to terrorist attacks involving bacterial infections or a large influx of hospitalized patients
- any overuse or misuse of antibiotics contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistance, whether in human medicine or in agriculture
The bill contains far more than just the 4 points above. To read more about the bill, and the New legislation, visit through this link.
Meanwhile, stay safe and be well.
Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2005'
The bill's intent is, "To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to preserve the effectiveness of medically important antibiotics used in the treatment of human and animal diseases."
There was a very long list of "findings" presented in the act, only a few of which I include here:
- the task force determined that antibiotic resistance is a growing menace to all people and poses a serious threat to public health
- the task force cautioned that if current trends continue, treatments for common infections will become increasingly limited and expensive, and, in some cases, nonexistent
- antibiotic resistance, resulting in a reduced number of effective antibiotics, may significantly impair the ability of the United States to respond to terrorist attacks involving bacterial infections or a large influx of hospitalized patients
- any overuse or misuse of antibiotics contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistance, whether in human medicine or in agriculture
The bill contains far more than just the 4 points above. To read more about the bill, and the New legislation, visit through this link.
Meanwhile, stay safe and be well.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Tainted Meat - Factory Farming
Although I live in "farm country" even I was blissfully unaware of how the process of rearing farm animals in the US has changed dramatically from the family farms of yesteryear. You see, I live in an area where some cattle is actually still grazed, like "the old days" ... where beef is actually beef ...and where I thought pork was actually pork.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered the sickening rise in factory farming in this part of Northern Indiana -- indeed, throughout the USA.
A special town meeting on Monday (Nov 14/2005) truly opened my eyes, and I was shocked, disgusted, even horrified by new discoveries I've made since the meeting while researching the facts not presented by the owners of a proposed new hog factory farm planned for erection on land adjoining one of the most precious wildlife reserves in the USA ...a resting ground for tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes each year on their annual migratory path.
For starters, here's a few statistics on factory farming I uncovered:
That's enough to get any environmentalist steaming mad... and yet, it doesn't stop there. The hidden dangers that we all face at the supermarkets each day are far more serious. For example:
Are you getting just a little bit concerned about the meat we're buying yet? Well... it gets worse.
The situation of factory farming is far worse than you might have possibly imagined. EarthSave came out with some alarming news in their article titled -- "Factory Farm Alarm" -- published on their website. Here's a short quote:
And the sad part is, here's a lady steeped in credentials who does her research thoroughly, digs deep into the problem and traces the growing dangers ...and her findings went largely ignored. In fact, her research, her credentials and even her outspokenness were openly challenged by government officials whose job was to safeguard environmental and public health.
For years, these officials, perhaps acting to protect North Carolina's powerful agricultural industry, refused to accept even the existence of Pfiesteria. Yet, about 140 North Carolina physicians petitioned then Vice President Al Gore for federal help in dealing with Pfiesteria.
Even sadder -- those very officials are not protecting an agricultural industry at all... farm factories don't even earn the right to be called farms. Few have even enough experience to be capable of running a real farm -- and animal husbandry, phooey. They only understand mass production, genetic manipulation, drugging animals to keep them barely alive, long enough to reach the slaughterhouses and packing plants in order for the neatly wrapped meat to appear in our own homes. Calling them farms is an insult to true farmers everywhere. By rights, such factories should be bound by industrial laws, not farming regulations, with a responsibility to protect their workers and regulations in place that force them to be accountable for the environmental damages they incur everywhere they spring up.
(And when you find out about the animals that don't make it to the end of the line -- ugh!! -- it's enough to make you swear off meat altogether.)
Meanwhile, back here in a sleepy residential area of Jasper County tucked away in a small section of Indiana, just a few hours drive from Perdu University (one of the largest animal research universities in North America) ...a hog factory farm with 2,496 heads has been approved by the Board of Zoning --- and it's being parked right next to one of the largest game reserves/sandhill crane resting areas in the State.
Why 2,496 head of hogs? Because 2,500 heads would mean they'd have to meet Federal regulations instead of State or County regulations.
How did they slip their foot in the door? By setting up a land deal where they would purchase 20 acres contained inside another 20 acres held by the seller of the land ...but they made a mistake. The land deal didn't go through in time -- and area residents found out... albeit too late to stop the special exception permit, but maybe --- just maybe --- in time to present an appeal case.
Now if they can only afford and hire a competent lawyer.
The deck is stacked against area residents, because many of the lawyers in the region cite "conflict of interest" and are scared to touch the case.
What happens next? Stay safe, be well, don't buy factory farm meat --- and stay tuned as we bring you more on this story...
Keywords:
factory farm, tainted meat, hog factory farming, health dangers
Pfiesteria, Campylobacter poisoning, E. coli, antibiotic resistant bacteria
Imagine my surprise when I discovered the sickening rise in factory farming in this part of Northern Indiana -- indeed, throughout the USA.
A special town meeting on Monday (Nov 14/2005) truly opened my eyes, and I was shocked, disgusted, even horrified by new discoveries I've made since the meeting while researching the facts not presented by the owners of a proposed new hog factory farm planned for erection on land adjoining one of the most precious wildlife reserves in the USA ...a resting ground for tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes each year on their annual migratory path.
For starters, here's a few statistics on factory farming I uncovered:
Amount of waste produced annually by US livestock in confinement operations which is not recycled: 1 billion tons
Where feedlot waste often ends up: In our water
Gallons of oil spilled by the Exxon-Valdez: 12 million
Gallons of putrefying hog urine and feces spilled into the New River in North Carolina on June 21, 1995, when a "lagoon" holding 8 acres of hog excrement burst: 25 million
Fish killed as an immediate result: 10-14 million
That's enough to get any environmentalist steaming mad... and yet, it doesn't stop there. The hidden dangers that we all face at the supermarkets each day are far more serious. For example:
Antibiotics administered to people in the US annually to treat diseases: 3 million pounds
Antibiotics administered to livestock in the US annually for purposes other than treating disease: 24.6 million pounds
Antibiotics allowed in cow's milk: 80
Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13%
Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1988: 91%
Reason: Breeding of antibiotic resistant bacteria in factory farms due to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock
Response by entire European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Ban
Response by American meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Full and complete support
Are you getting just a little bit concerned about the meat we're buying yet? Well... it gets worse.
A report by the USDA estimates that 89% of US beef patties contain traces of the deadly E. coli strain. Reuters News Service 8/10/00
US pigs raised in total confinement factories where they never see the light of day until being trucked to slaughter: 65 million (total confinement factories are banned in Britain)
US pigs who have pneumonia at time of slaughter: 70%
Primary source of Campylobacter bacteria: Contaminated chicken flesh
People in the US who become ill with Campylobacter poisoning every day: More than 5,000
American turkeys sufficiently contaminated with Campylobacter to cause illness: 90%
Americans sickened from eating Salmonella-tainted eggs every year: More than 650,000
Americans killed from eating Salmonella-tainted eggs every year: 600
Increase in Salmonella poisoning from raw or undercooked eggs between 1976 and 1986: 600%
90% of US chickens are infected with leukosis -- chicken cancer -- at the time of slaughter.
Average lifespan of a dairy cow - 25 years; average lifespan when on a factory dairy farm - 4 years.
The situation of factory farming is far worse than you might have possibly imagined. EarthSave came out with some alarming news in their article titled -- "Factory Farm Alarm" -- published on their website. Here's a short quote:
Known to scientists as Pfiesteria (feast-eer-ee-ah) piscicida (Latin for "fish killer"), the microscopic organism was demonstrating its propensity for turning rivers and estuaries into death traps for immense schools of fish. Pfiesteria's powerful nerve poison was also being blamed as the likely cause for sickening scores of fishermen, coastal residents and tourists. Pfiesteria leaves fish and people with ugly lesions. Human contact can also result in memory loss, dizziness, fatigue and asthmatic problems.
Seven years after being first identified by North Carolina State University (NCSU) aquatic botanist JoAnn Burkholder, Pfiesteria remains today largely an enigma. What is known, says Burkholder, is that we are dealing with a vicious and mysterious microorganism that can masquerade as a plant, lie dormant for years and undergo at least 24 changes in its life cycle. Pfiesteria is also decidedly predacious, a first among dinoflagellates, the family of typically placid single-cell phytoplankton to which it belongs. Because of its bizarre knack for hunting down fish, some call Pfiesteria the "T-Rex of the dinoflagellates." Others liken its inexplicably aggressive behavior "to grass feeding on sheep."
There's at least one other thing that's well-understood about Pfiesteria: it is most at home and multiplies tremendously in polluted, over-enriched waters.
Burkholder believes that Pfiesteria has always dwelled in coastal North Carolina but that something in the past decade has altered the natural ecology there to foster its growth. In early 1995, Burkholder uncovered what she believed that "something" was. That's when she read 'Boss Hog,' a Pulitzer prize-winning exposé in Raleigh's News and Observer. In just a few short years, the newspaper revealed, a virtual revolution has transpired in eastern North Carolina—where once there were only hog hamlets, now there are pork metropolises disposing of millions of tons of putrid waste. The implications for water quality are mind-boggling.
The first paragraph of 'Boss Hog' made such an impression on Burkholder that she can recite it from memory: 'Imagine a city as big as New York suddenly grafted onto North Carolina's Coastal Plain. Double it. Now imagine that this city has no sewage treatment plants. All the wastes from 15 million people are simply flushed into open pits and sprayed onto fields. Turn those humans into hogs, and you don't have to imagine at all. It's already here.'
And the sad part is, here's a lady steeped in credentials who does her research thoroughly, digs deep into the problem and traces the growing dangers ...and her findings went largely ignored. In fact, her research, her credentials and even her outspokenness were openly challenged by government officials whose job was to safeguard environmental and public health.
For years, these officials, perhaps acting to protect North Carolina's powerful agricultural industry, refused to accept even the existence of Pfiesteria. Yet, about 140 North Carolina physicians petitioned then Vice President Al Gore for federal help in dealing with Pfiesteria.
Even sadder -- those very officials are not protecting an agricultural industry at all... farm factories don't even earn the right to be called farms. Few have even enough experience to be capable of running a real farm -- and animal husbandry, phooey. They only understand mass production, genetic manipulation, drugging animals to keep them barely alive, long enough to reach the slaughterhouses and packing plants in order for the neatly wrapped meat to appear in our own homes. Calling them farms is an insult to true farmers everywhere. By rights, such factories should be bound by industrial laws, not farming regulations, with a responsibility to protect their workers and regulations in place that force them to be accountable for the environmental damages they incur everywhere they spring up.
(And when you find out about the animals that don't make it to the end of the line -- ugh!! -- it's enough to make you swear off meat altogether.)
Meanwhile, back here in a sleepy residential area of Jasper County tucked away in a small section of Indiana, just a few hours drive from Perdu University (one of the largest animal research universities in North America) ...a hog factory farm with 2,496 heads has been approved by the Board of Zoning --- and it's being parked right next to one of the largest game reserves/sandhill crane resting areas in the State.
Why 2,496 head of hogs? Because 2,500 heads would mean they'd have to meet Federal regulations instead of State or County regulations.
How did they slip their foot in the door? By setting up a land deal where they would purchase 20 acres contained inside another 20 acres held by the seller of the land ...but they made a mistake. The land deal didn't go through in time -- and area residents found out... albeit too late to stop the special exception permit, but maybe --- just maybe --- in time to present an appeal case.
Now if they can only afford and hire a competent lawyer.
The deck is stacked against area residents, because many of the lawyers in the region cite "conflict of interest" and are scared to touch the case.
What happens next? Stay safe, be well, don't buy factory farm meat --- and stay tuned as we bring you more on this story...
Keywords:
factory farm, tainted meat, hog factory farming, health dangers
Pfiesteria, Campylobacter poisoning, E. coli, antibiotic resistant bacteria
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Younger Doctors Better Than Older Doctors?
The New England Journal of Medicine posted a GREAT article today, titled "How'm I Doing?"
One paragraph lept off the page:
"Time-limited certification is now a reality for all boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, and since all boards will be requiring some measurement of performance in practice, more of us are going to get the kind of population-based picture of our practices that I got with my diabetes exercise. Many have greeted the requirement of recertification with skepticism and hostility, offering a variety of arguments against it:
- it's not relevant to my practice;
- it takes too much time and costs too much money;
- I'm a mature professional and don't need anybody looking over my shoulder;
- doctors who are older and perhaps less capable than I are grandfathered in and don't have to do it, so why should I have to?"
Hmmmmmm.... it kind of makes you wonder if those "older doctors" referenced in this article are really as qualified as they need to be in today's world, doesn't it?
One paragraph lept off the page:
"Time-limited certification is now a reality for all boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, and since all boards will be requiring some measurement of performance in practice, more of us are going to get the kind of population-based picture of our practices that I got with my diabetes exercise. Many have greeted the requirement of recertification with skepticism and hostility, offering a variety of arguments against it:
- it's not relevant to my practice;
- it takes too much time and costs too much money;
- I'm a mature professional and don't need anybody looking over my shoulder;
- doctors who are older and perhaps less capable than I are grandfathered in and don't have to do it, so why should I have to?"
Hmmmmmm.... it kind of makes you wonder if those "older doctors" referenced in this article are really as qualified as they need to be in today's world, doesn't it?
Deaths By Food Poisoning
Foodborne disease concerns are on the rise in the EU, ever since one company got shut down after an E. coli outbreak spread to 161 people (affecting mostly school children) ...killing one young boy.
John Tudor & Sons, which supplied schools, retirement homes and retail outlets, has been closed down since the firm's cooked meat products were linked to the E coli 0157 outbreak, which occurred throughout south Wales, most of them at 42 schools.
"The firm, based in Bridgend, South Wales, closed down voluntarily when the food poisoning outbreak occurred. Local officials later issued an emergency notice stopping the company from trading. The company contested the decision and is waiting for a court decision on the matter. Police sealed off the plant on 7 October and launched a criminal investigation into the firm's disinfection procedures and its vacuum packing process at its plant in South Wales." source - FoodProductionDailyEU
The new EU regulations covers controls at all stages of production, processing and distribution. It covers controls on feed and food produced within the EU and that are exported to or imported from outside the bloc.
New rules on imports will require systematic checks of documentation with additional random identity and physical checks for foods and feeds of animal origin, plus imported "high-risk" foods are slated to get the same intense scrutiny.
However, with about 700 unfilled food safety posts in the UK -- even with tougher legislation and random spot-checks, will there be enough Food Safety inspectors to go around?
The tighter control legislation comes at a time when food safety concerns are on the rise throughout the world ...but few general consumers are even aware of these concerns.
For example, in the USA many people might perceive the quality of our food to be quite high -- right? Guess again. According to one source, the death rate extrapolations for USA for food poisoning is estimated at 5,000 per year.
That's 416 deaths per month, 96 per week, 13 per day.
John Tudor & Sons, which supplied schools, retirement homes and retail outlets, has been closed down since the firm's cooked meat products were linked to the E coli 0157 outbreak, which occurred throughout south Wales, most of them at 42 schools.
"The firm, based in Bridgend, South Wales, closed down voluntarily when the food poisoning outbreak occurred. Local officials later issued an emergency notice stopping the company from trading. The company contested the decision and is waiting for a court decision on the matter. Police sealed off the plant on 7 October and launched a criminal investigation into the firm's disinfection procedures and its vacuum packing process at its plant in South Wales." source - FoodProductionDailyEU
The new EU regulations covers controls at all stages of production, processing and distribution. It covers controls on feed and food produced within the EU and that are exported to or imported from outside the bloc.
New rules on imports will require systematic checks of documentation with additional random identity and physical checks for foods and feeds of animal origin, plus imported "high-risk" foods are slated to get the same intense scrutiny.
However, with about 700 unfilled food safety posts in the UK -- even with tougher legislation and random spot-checks, will there be enough Food Safety inspectors to go around?
The tighter control legislation comes at a time when food safety concerns are on the rise throughout the world ...but few general consumers are even aware of these concerns.
For example, in the USA many people might perceive the quality of our food to be quite high -- right? Guess again. According to one source, the death rate extrapolations for USA for food poisoning is estimated at 5,000 per year.
That's 416 deaths per month, 96 per week, 13 per day.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Too much Arsenic in bottled water?
Bottled water has always seemed to me to be just that -- water in a bottle.
Apparently, I was wrong. Sometimes, even I feel naive about some of the products circulating out there in our world. Check out this News article from BeverageDaily posted last Saturday:
Yes, I'll be doing more digging into this story, as well as the bottled water industry, to find out what is really going on.
Apparently, I was wrong. Sometimes, even I feel naive about some of the products circulating out there in our world. Check out this News article from BeverageDaily posted last Saturday:
Britain's Food Standards Agency (FSA) warned that Zam Zam water, which is sacred to Muslims, is being fraudulently sold with almost three times the permitted level of arsenic – thought to be a cancer-causing substance.
The batches were seized in London's Borough of Westminster, but the FSA said that “other brands of Zam Zam water are thought to be on sale in the UK and could be contaminated”.
It is illegal to export Zam Zam water from its native Saudi Arabia for commercial sale, although it can be brought into the UK by returning pilgrims for personal use.
The local authorities in Westminster have now ordered the importer, Amazon Communicate, to stop importing its Natural Zam Zam water.
Yes, I'll be doing more digging into this story, as well as the bottled water industry, to find out what is really going on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
