Food fight?

Then, on Thursday, the Oct. 17, while watching Lester Holt on TV, it was startling to hear what he reported about toxins that have been found in baby foods. These are toxins that have been found to likely affect a baby’s development that were found in 95% of foods tested — lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium. It was found that 168 brands of American baby foods can affect brain development.

We want to ask: “Why don’t the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture do more to protect us (especially our children) from food contamination and adulteration?” Every so often, when we read in a newspaper or magazine about the latest incompetence of the FDA, we are reminded again of how we cannot rely on government agencies to protect us.  

For years, consumer advocates and concerned nutritionists have been trying to bring about a ban on harmful practices, but because of pressure from industry, many such practices continue. For instance, most animals of our corporate meat producers continue to be raised in conditions that necessitate the use of antibiotics to prevent their death from related illnesses. Antibiotics have also been used as appetite enhancers to promote rapid growth so the time between their birth and their slaughter is shorter. All this is done only for the convenience of the industry and, as is obvious, the industry is in control. So we can see why, despite proclaimed improvements, for this and other reasons, we are basically on our own when it comes to the integrity of our food.

“Corporations subject to few external controls are experimenting with our food supply, using chemical additives, hormone treatments, pesticides and fertilizers and mechanized production methods that represent a revolutionary break with almost 10,000 years of agricultural history. In the process, they continue to create problems — then apply even more technological innovations as Band-Aids, rather than going back to the natural processes they discarded.” — “Food Inc.,” edited by Karl Weber

Have we forgotten that human beings eating so many foods tinkered with to add to their appeal and make big bucks for the industry is a phenomena that has occurred on such a grand scale for just 60 or 70 years? But too many nutritionists and others involved in food issues, including the American Dietetic Association, are obviously bought out by the industry. Their statement on the subject appears intentionally vague and obviously carefully worded so as to avoid upsetting corporate interests and contributors. “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that all foods can fit into a healthful eating style.” Really?

Only a small percentage of all of those chemical additives added to food products in our supermarkets have ever been tested for safety. But those who wonder what all that finagling with our food products could be doing to our health are obviously not taken seriously by the regulatory agencies. And the charade continues.

And when we find out what the habit of eating foods that have been adulterated by processing, additives, genetic manipulation, lead, arsenic etc. is doing to consumer health, we wonder how much these changes (alone or in combination) alter metabolism and add to the epidemic of weight gain. How many of them are formulated to increase appetite so you eat more of the product? Is it possible that they could be causing illnesses — even cancer? How about altering behavior, especially in children? “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that one of the main sources of pesticide exposure for U.S. children comes from the food they eat.” — “Food Inc.”

The list of products we would be better off without is, unfortunately, long. It can be frustrating when we think of how the food industry has its way with us — adulterating our food, the essence of life — until it is very difficult for anyone who wants to eat healthfully and feed their family for health to find appropriate products.

“There are many cases where business interests conflict with public health. People deserve to know how and when this occurs and the impact it has on them and their children.” — Kelly D. Brownell, “Food Fight.”

Since 1984, Dorothy Dimitre has written more than 1,000 columns for various local newspapers. Her email address is gramsd@aceweb.com.