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Archive for category FDA

A Needed Crackdown

Nov 16

Posted by admin in FDA, news

It’s so easy to continue to slam the FDA–I practically have a whole file of blogs devoted to food or beverage issues where they have been MIA or just plain late to the party. In a few instances, they wiggled around the complexity of the issue. Yet, every once in a while, I am encouraged. Today is one of those days.

Caffeinated alcoholic drinks have been questionable products for some time, and now, at the urging of numerous state attorneys general, the FDA is going to take action. They have finally figured out that scrutiny is needed, and their letter to 30 beverage companies marks the beginning of a commonsense approach to a serious behavioral safety issue.

They plan to study the safety and legality of these booster beverages. It goes like this, caffeine has been approved in soft drinks as long as it does not exceed 200 parts per million. The caffeine-added alcoholic beverages have questionable scientific approval, and the law specifically states an additive, in this case the caffeine, cannot be considered safe unless it has received prior FDA approval. Caffeine has not been approved as an additive in alcoholic beverages.

Several large alcohol beverage companies (Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors) took their alcohol-energy drinks off the market well in advance of this Agency scrutiny, tiltbut not without prior negative publicity. There are currently no shortage of such combo high-powered drinks. For instance, Tilt is still available, but without the caffeine.

Beverage safety remains an appropriate concern. Without scientific evidence and valid data, it is questionable whether these “drugs,” or so-called beverages, can remain in the marketplace.

You know how much I love my caffeine, but this type of caffeine booster has become a safety concern: A combination of an additive to an already potentially powerful beverage.

This is no ordinary caffeine high.

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Three-Bean Casserole Alert

Nov 5

Posted by admin in FDA, health, news

The December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports adds to our worry column. We’ve had a week of E.coli reports and undeclared allergens but what about the go-to foods when we just want a little help and the refrigerator section of fresh produce is bare? OK, problem on shelf one.

It’s that time of year when farm market selections get a little repetitive, and it’s a long wait til we rework the soil for the spring garden. Canned goods have a place in our food preparation. Maybe more so at this time of the year than other seasons.

Now this report says: Hold on there: Not everything is as safe as you’d like. Personally, I’ve always preferred glass jars to metal cans but not every manufacturer is on my program. I do have on hand several varieties of metal cans especially for diced bits of tomatoes. Oh, did I mention, tuna. They’re there!

I go with petra paks for soup concentrates but let’s get back to the metal world and this report. (Oops, they found some measurable BPA levels in some packaged soups, but not as high as those found in the specific canned soups). There, of course, is the frozen vegetable category, and Bird’s Eye Steamfresh cut green beans had a very low BPA concentration. Have to practice the Thanksgiving casserole recipe with the frozen beans!steamfresh

Consumer Reports tested 19 brand-name foods, including a few in the sacred organic category, and found measurable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the products, even in some of those marked “BPA-free.” Canned green beans and canned soups were some of the worst offenders.

BPA exposure especially in infants and young children is a worrisome issue. With older adults it has been directly linked to numerous diseases and cancers. This is one more item, an important one, on the FDA plate: Now is the time for them to take action on BPA and eliminate this worry from our long anxiety list. I am not alone on this FDA Take Action strategy. These are the serious health action groups saying: Enough, Act Now.

Mercury, BPA, and the unknown food safety concern make it hard to have my tuna fish salad sandwich for lunch.

I’ll just have a smaller portion.

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When Twitter is Not Enough

Nov 3

Posted by admin in FDA, food, health

fafed014bb31409caa1ed472d9e217beI have been resistant but lately have started to tweet (twitter.com/allbeforecoffee) as a vehicle of immediacy; truly, instant communication. I used it when I heard about the latest ground beef recall. (For some reason, I still do not have all the wireless contraptions cooperating–it seems it took several days to appear in my twitter account from my mobile post–went by way of??)

It’s fine for a heads up message, but this recall is far more invasive and needs banner type attention. I have blogged numerous times about food safety and specifically about burgers, but this time the impact seems even more frightening.

What was a smaller E.coli warning has moved into headline space. People need to know. Products need to be returned. Freezers need to be checked for product. This is a sizable recall notice affecting multiple states and covering a broad range of supermarket shopping locations.

Consumers need to be aware, and then after that we need answers to what appears as a lengthy list of unending questions: How do we stop this from happening again? Who do we trust? What is going on? What next?

Although we have praised the efforts of the Administration in setting its food policy agenda, we are still struggling with the overall issues of food safety. BTW, you can follow the foodsafety folks on twitter!

For now, hamburgers are off the grill.

When can we feel safe?

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Defining a Smart Choice

Oct 26

Posted by admin in Administration, FDA, news

fruitsveggiesIt’s official: The Smart Choices Program has gone away quietly. Maybe that’s not completely true. Its response was quiet in comparison to the public outrage from consumers, reporters, and bloggers about its premise. The Connecticut Attorney General came out and questioned the program. A maelstrom was beginning. Done. It will no longer accept new applicants nor will it promote its so-called label program.

A big shout-out, maybe one of the most  positive signs of the new Administration’s commitment to food policy, goes to the FDA. Last week when they announced their efforts toward front of the package labeling, they took that big step out of the box. The inherent, albeit underlying, message was that they would actively ascertain the accuracy of  label information. The Smart Choices Program saw the writing. It was not pretty on the wall or anywhere. Their label idea was good in concept but in reality it struck a serious nerve. They were promoting and supporting foods that should never be thought of as smart choices.

Enough. Over. Hopefully, a footnote to the month.

Score one.

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Big News: Smart Labels Fall on their Sword

Oct 23

Posted by admin in FDA, health

Kraft and several other companies pulled their Smart Choice label program. This follows on the heels of the FDA decision to start studying labels and asking for front of package information.

Great news.

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Should You Buy That?

Oct 10

Posted by admin in FDA, cooking, dining out

The first rule of food safety is a simple mantra: Clean, separate, cook, and chill. Cutting boards should come under the inspection lens immediately. Identify the boards that should visit the recycling pile and those that can survive and not harbor bacteria. We talked about temperature this week when we said goodbye to our friend, the hamburger, but we need to do more.

Think about the foods you buy and their proper care. Food handling plays a central role in all food safety discussions. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) just came out with a list of the 10 riskiest foods that are regulated by the FDA, (these foods account for nearly 40% of all foodborne illnesses). The list has a few surprises such as eggs, tuna, and ice cream. I’m not surprised to see leafy greens (iceberg lettuce, romaine, and spinach, for example) topping the list of most outbreaks.

lettuceThe whole point of such a headline grabbing article is to get Congress in gear to modernize the FDA, to make it responsive to the current needs of the nation. The CSPI hopes that the Senate will follow the House of Representatives lead in passing the Food Safety Enhancement Act. They believe it is time for passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

As consumers we can play a role, but we need all the help we can get.

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MY Bad–Maybe Just Partially Smart Labels

Sep 8

Posted by admin in FDA, New York Times, health

wholegrainsIn a rush to share exciting news about a new label program, I probably did not uncover enough suspicious products to make me wonder about the overall usefulness of the new nutritional program. According to the New York Times, there are some serious questions that need to be raised about certain products listed as “Smart Choices.”

They write, “Froot Loops qualifies for the label because it meets standards set by the Smart Choices Program for fiber and Vitamins A and C, and because it does not exceed limits on fat, sodium and sugar. It contains the maximum amount of sugar allowed under the program for cereals, 12 grams per serving, which in the case of Froot Loops is 41 percent of the product, measured by weight. That is more sugar than in many popular brands of cookies.“

“Froot Loops is an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals and it is also a good source of fiber with only 12 grams of sugar,” said Celeste A. Clark, senior vice president of global nutrition for Kellogg’s, which makes Froot Loops. “You cannot judge the nutritional merits of a food product based on one ingredient.”

The FDA is considering entering the mix and creating a standardized nutritional label. Stay tuned. Definitely time to chime in on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. In the meantime, consider whole grain products and their health benefits. No translations needed.

So here we are again: Read, Read, Read. Think about what you buy and recognize that no single certificate, check-mark, or endorsement will solve all your grocery shopping.

We must decide our purchases based on simple logic: Less is More.

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Food Safety Victory

Jul 31

Posted by admin in FDA, health, news

ucm174613It took less than 24 additional hours for the House to come to its senses on food safety. The bill (The Food Safety Enhancement Act) with its far-reaching benefits scored a more impressive tally in the House on its second attempt. Now it’s up to the Senate to move it to vote quickly and to a positive outcome–to be put into action. Unfortunately, we are looking at summer vacation (Recess) for the Senate, so this will not be discussed til the Fall.

What this means for the consumer will be a modernization of the FDA’s abilities to protect our food supply at its source and every phase of outreach. There will be more inspections of food and more resources to act upon the information: They’ll get the money and the manpower. The FDA would actually have authority to order a recall and not just lean on a company to have a “voluntary recall.” That is a significant difference.

Obviously believing that the Senate will champion the vote, the USDA has already scheduled a food safety education conference for this coming spring.

This is the way our nation’s food supply should be focused: A positive approach to all aspects of safety and an earlier fail-safe method to make our food safe without the constant consumer worry of what’s next. What food recall will happen today?

Maybe those days of woeful anxiety are over.

Let’s hope.

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Food Safety: Maybe Not

Jul 30

Posted by admin in FDA, food recalls, health

With all the food recalls that have hit us hard over the past several months, you would think that tougher food safety rules would walk through a Congressional committee. Well, you’d be wrong. Yesterday the House (House of Representatives) “narrowly” defeated a bill that could have helped us all feel more assured about the food stream. The Administration has been strongly supportive of this, but no one seems to be listening.

There was lots of finger pointing and accusations, but no food safety. Sure we want our food recalls to become an event of the past. We want food safety to be paramount in discussions. Not everyone can have a personal relationship with a farmer, with membership in a CSA, or even be assured of the locale of the goods. Too many people are taking unfair adminfsgfarmadvantage of touting “local” when they could be describing a product from a significant distance away.

Food miles are important, but food safety does not mean compromise. Everyone, from the farmer to the FDA and kindred agencies, would be more accountable.

Let’s get a move on. Skip the special interests and listen to the needs of all constituents.

We need to know strict food safety laws will be in place.

NOW.

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Crisis in the Salad Aisle

Jul 26

Posted by admin in FDA, food recalls, gardening

First I become enamored by salad–see Salad Wars–and then I was told to be a little more cautious. Things are a little more confusing, possibly dangerous. What? Not this again.

Yes, it has been the year of food recalls, and this one regarding romaine lettuce is all the more painful since I’ve returned to the salad aisle. We’re talking about a product that was shipped to 29 states–do the math, there are only 50 states, this type of recall, whether merely cautionary or not, affects a large number of people and companies.

It almost doesn’t matter what food is being recalled, but that food recalls have become so numerous, and we as consumers are so vulnerable. This has been the year of the peanut butter, pistachio, and refrigerated cookie dough recall–all products that cut across a broad swath of our society. As we try to improve food safety and consider giving the FDA greater powers and more staff, we are still left without 100% confidence.

It always goes back to the question of who to trust. Even if you have befriended your local farmer and visit numerous farm stands for your fruits and vegetables, there are still plenty of days you need to pop into the supermarket, sometimes just for that extra head of lettuce or some cilantro, another product recently on the recall list.180px-Koeh-193

Whether you call it coriander or cilantro, lettuce or romaine, it behooves us to stay alert.

Time to start more seeds for the fall homegrown crops!

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