tagged w/ Grocery
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By Rodale NewsThu, Apr 05 2012 at 5:38 PM EST
1. "Pink slime"
The gross factor: The meat industry likes to call it "lean finely textured beef," but after ABC News ran a story on it, the public just called it what it looks like — pink slime, a mixture of waste meat and fatty parts from higher-quality cuts of beef that have had the fat mechanically removed. Afterwards, it's treated with ammonia gas to kill Salmonella and E. coli bacteria. Then it gets added to ground beef as a filler. Food microbiologists and meat producers insist that it's safe, but given the public's reaction to the ABC News report, there's an "ick" factor we just can't overcome. The primary producer of pink slime just announced that it's closing three of the plants where pink slime is produced, and Kroger, Safeway, Food Lion, McDonald's and the National School Lunch Program (among others) have all pulled it from their product offerings.
2. Vet meds in beef
The gross factor: Hankering for a burger? Besides a hefty dose of protein, a 2010 report from the United States Department of Agriculture found your beef could also harbor veterinary drugs like antibiotics, Ivermectin, an animal wormer linked to neurological damage in humans, and Flunixin, an anti-inflammatory that can cause kidney damage, stomach and colon ulcers, and blood in the stool of humans. Still hungry? We didn't think so.
3. Heavy metal oatmeal
The gross factor: Sugary and calorie-laden, those convenient instant-oatmeal packets all have one thing in common. They're sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which, according to tests from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, may be contaminated with mercury. The group tested 55 samples of HFCS and found mercury in a third of them at levels three times higher than what the average woman should consume in a day.
4. Filthy shrimp
The gross factor: Food safety experts refer to imported shrimp as the dirtiest of the Seafood's Dirty Dozen list, and it's not hard to see why when you consider the common contaminants: Antibiotics, cleaning chemicals used in farmed shrimp pens, residues of toxic pesticides banned in the U.S., and pieces of insects. Less than 2 percent of all imported seafood is inspected — clearly, that's a problem.
5. MRSA in the meat aisle
The gross factor: Hard-to-treat, antibiotic-resistant infections are no joke. Superbug strains like MRSA are on the rise, infecting 185,000 people — and killing 17,000 people — annually in the U.S. Thought to proliferate on factory farms where antibiotics are overused to boost animal growth, a January 2012 study from Iowa State University found that the dangerous organisms wind up in supermarket meat, too. The dangerous MRSA strain lingered in 7 percent of supermarket pork samples tested. The bacteria die during proper cooking, but improper handling could leave you infected. The spike in superbug infections is largely blamed on antibiotic abuse in factory farms that supply most supermarkets.
6. Pregnancy hormones in a can
The gross factor: Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that acts like the hormone estrogen in your body, is used to create the epoxy linings of canned food. What food processors don't tell you is that the chemical was created over 70 years ago as a drug that was intended to promote healthy pregnancies. Though it was never used as a drug, the food industry saw no problem adding this pregnancy drug to a wide range of products, including canned food linings and plastic food containers. "Low levels of BPA exposure has been linked to a wide range of adverse health effects, including abnormal development of reproductive organs, behavior problems in children, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic changes that result in altered insulin levels, which leads to diabetes," says Sarah Janssen, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. And its use in canned food is the number one reason why 90 percent of Americans have it in their bodies.
7. Bacteria-infused turkey
The gross factor: Turkey marinated in MRSA? It's true. A 2011 study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found that half of the U.S. supermarket meat sampled contain staph bacteria, including potentially lethal MRSA. Turkey was the worst offender: Nearly 80 percent of turkey products samples contain staph bacteria. Pork (42 percent) was next in line in terms of bacterial contamination, followed by chicken (41 percent), and beef (37 percent). Researchers ID the overuse of antibiotics as the culprit.
8. Moldy berries
The gross factor: If pregnancy hormones in your canned fruit isn't enough to make you turn to fresh, consider this: The FDA legally allows up to 60 percent of canned or frozen blackberries and raspberries to contain mold. Canned fruit and vegetable juices are allowed to contain up to 15 percent mold.
9. Rocket fuel in lettuce
The gross factor: Lettuce is a great source of antioxidants, and thanks to the great state of California, we can now eat it all year long. However, much of the lettuce grown in California is irrigated with water from the Colorado River. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Colorado River water is contaminated with low levels of perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel known to harm thyroid function, and that perchlorate can be taken up inside lettuce plants. A separate study from the Environmental Working Group found perchlorate in 50 percent of store-bought winter lettuce samples.
Story by Emily Main and Leah Zerbe. This article originally appeared on Rodale.com and is reprinted here with permission.By Rodale NewsThu, Apr 05 2012 at 5:38 PM EST
1. "Pink slime"
The gross... more
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I read an article about a measure that now Sheriff Ross Mikarimi wants to pass that would charge people 10¢ per paper bag at grocery stores and would go up to 25¢ per bag in 2013. While I'm all about being green and a progressive I think Ross needs to think about this measure a bit more.I read an article about a measure that now Sheriff Ross Mikarimi wants to pass that... more
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This morning there was a big hoopla in the papers and online about the opening of the new Fresh & Easy market in the Richmond District. Now I like to go to openings of things around the city, but don’t like the lines and crush of people. I figured, this is a grocery store. There shouldn’t be any problems right? WRONG!This morning there was a big hoopla in the papers and online about the opening of the... more
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From the blog post by Alex Muse (CEO of ShopSavvy, Inc., the creators of ShopSavvy)
"More and more produce items are sporting scan-able barcodes and we thought it might be cool if consumers could figure out where a particular fruit was grown. Did you know that 27% of produce is grown by family farms? We decided to partner with Top 10 Produce to help ShopSavvy users ‘Know Your Farmer’. The program is brand new, but over the coming months hundreds of farms will be added to the system. ShopSavvy users who scan produce will find pictures, maps, Facebook Pages, Twitter feeds related to the farmer who grew the fruit or vegetable."
http://shopsavvy.mobi/2011/03/08/food-traceability-on-shopsavvy/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
http://www.Top10produce.comFrom the blog post by Alex Muse (CEO of ShopSavvy, Inc., the creators of ShopSavvy)... more
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Grocery shoppers will soon see the amount of calories, salt, sugar and saturated fat per serving plastered on the front of many popular food and beverage packages.On Monday, the food industry unveiled its voluntary front-of-pack labeling, called Nutrition Keys, designed to help make healthful choices.
:http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/food/diet-nutrition/2011-01-25-foodfight25_ST_N.htmGrocery shoppers will soon see the amount of calories, salt, sugar and saturated fat... more
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suzane
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1 year ago
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Small farms typically are limited to farmers markets and cannot access the wholesale market due to the expense of traceability technology. That is about to change.
A vote is expected on S. 510, the Senate version of HR2749. A big stumbling block is whether or not small farms will be exempted. This program was developed for success whether traceability is required or not because it is a marketing program, not a foodsafety program. It just so happens to also help on the traceability and foodsafety front.
http://bit.ly/b0wJU7Small farms typically are limited to farmers markets and cannot access the wholesale... more
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Americans need only stand in line at the grocery checkout counter to glimpse the conspiracy theories percolating about President Obama. “Birthplace Cover-Up,” screams the current issue of the racy tabloid Globe. “Obama’s Secret Life Exposed!”
link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/us/politics/19memo.html?_r=1&ref=politicsAmericans need only stand in line at the grocery checkout counter to glimpse the... more
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eva2
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1 year ago
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Michael Pollan’s maxim for eating reads: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." It’s advice we could all use, especially considering how much of our meals are made up not by food but by food-like products. The food we eat every day is as much a delivery system for scores of unknown chemicals as it as a way to fill up for a few hours. Some of these chemicals can even lead to disease, as doctors, nurses, and even medical coders have witnessed.
Link : http://www.medicalcodingcertification.com/blog/2010/30-common-chemicals-you-dont-even-know-youre-eating/Michael Pollan’s maxim for eating reads: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly... more
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More info here: http://www.ecobold.com/reusable-recycled-bags/
I absolutely loved these environmentally friendly reusable recycled bags made out of recycled billboard! It's a super eco-friendly bag that's going to last you a long time. Billboard is already a very strong material because it has to withstand all kinds of weather, from Summer all the way to Winter and I'm sure that these billboard bags will also last a lifetime. The company also makes recycled tote bags, and even recycled wine bags, and whomever you give it to, will keep on giving it and there's no way it will break it! So the next time you get any kind of bag, be it a farmers' market bag, wine bag, tote bag, beach bag or just a super fashionable and unique, one of a kind bag, don't look any further!
Boards 2 Bags makes them and I hope you enjoy them while helping our environment!
Highlights:
- Reusable
- Unique
- Durable
- Water proof
- Environmentally friendlyMore info here: http://www.ecobold.com/reusable-recycled-bags/
I absolutely loved... more
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eva2
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added this
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1 year ago
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Our Locale is a social networking site dedicated to Local food run by 100% Volunteers. State administrators still needed in 43 states. One or two hours commitment per month max. The picture of of a cell phone that you can use to scan food items to check if they are local.
All are Welcome to join us.
http://www.ourlocale.comOur Locale is a social networking site dedicated to Local food run by 100% Volunteers.... more
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Meet Zohrab “Bob” Tcholakian and his wife Arpi. They are the founders of Phoenicia Specialty Foods. Their deli and grocery store have long been favorites of Houston foodies craving hard-to-find ingredients and delectable international dishes. They are Lebanese immigrants of Armenian descent who have made a tremendous impact in their chosen hometown of Houston, TX. They don't quite reveal the secret to their amazing shawarmas... or do they?Meet Zohrab “Bob” Tcholakian and his wife Arpi. They are the founders of... more
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It’s not always the usual suspects making headlines for good “green” behavior. In fact, according to a study released by New Scientist, oftentimes the companies consumers think of as environmentally responsible aren’t really, while companies that consumers might not think of as particularly eco-conscious are doing quite a bit.
On the other hand, a marketing campaign focused on a company’s sustainability initiatives can open it up to criticism for not doing enough, whereas a company that flies under the radar on the green front generally receives a big pat on the back when they do make some step toward sustainability.
The recent announcement from Whole Foods, Inc., that it would be working to eliminate Canadian tar sands oil from its supply chain, contrasted with the announcement last week from supermarket chain Safeway is a perfect example. ...
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100221/hanging-greenwash-out-dryIt’s not always the usual suspects making headlines for good “green”... more
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The first few days after the holidays are always a challenge. In some ways it often feels like waking back up after a long sleep. But in many ways you are glad to get back to the routine after several weeks of the heightened alternate reality that is part of holiday celebrations.The first few days after the holidays are always a challenge. In some ways it often... more
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