Should You Sign That Petition to the FDA or USDA?

Do those emails keep coming, the ones that urge you to sign a petition demanding that the federal government take some step in regard to the food supply—for example, stop buying “pink slime,”, require identification on the label of any product with a genetically engineered ingredient, or ban food containers with BPA*? Keep this in mind:  no one is stopping people or organizations from putting misleading or outright incorrect material online.

Here’s our advice:  Don’t contribute your signature or your money to any campaign without reading more than one email about it. Check out Shelf Life Advice for balanced coverage or Google one or two of the nation’s major news media—say, the New York Times or NBC or NPR.  Find out what some government sites have to say on the subject by googling the FDA, USDA, or foodsafety.gov (plus your topic).  Ditto with Cooperative Extension Service (which reaches a large number of colleges and universities) for academic research and opinions on the issue. In short, before lending your weight to any cause, make an effort to find out which side is right. 

Should the public express its concerns about food-related issues? Sure. But we would hope the voices speaking out would be those of a well-informed public. Let’s take a look at what’s been happening lately.

Here’s David B. Schmidt, president and CEO of the International Food Informational Council, quoted in the Chicago Tribune.  "Something is seriously out of kilter in our communications environment when safe food products and proven technologies can be torpedoed by sensationalist, misleading, yet entertaining social media campaigns. We should all take several steps back and remember the critical thinking skills we were taught in school.”

Consider, for example, the outcry against lean, finely textured beef (a/k/a “pink slime”).  As a result of negative publicity, fast food businesses, supermarkets, and even the FDA have reduced or discontinued entirely the purchase of this product, and the company has temporarily closed 3 of its 4 plants.  For a balanced discussion of this BPI product on Shelf Life Advice, click here. 

Here’s more in defense of this product, from an article by Trent Loos (a rancher, agricultural activist, and blogger, who often writes about food issues).  “Yesterday BPI announced the shut down of 70% of their production, leaving hundreds without jobs all because of media hysteria.  The technique they developed actually recovered enough additional beef from the bone that it reduced the need for 1.5 million additional head of cattle each year.  Forget about the carbon footprint that so many are usually stammering on about, what about just the concept of being better with our resources in order to feed more with less?”

But can Loos defend the use of ammonium hydroxide in a food product?  Absolutely.  He points out that both ammonia and ammonium hydroxide (ammonia plus water) are found in all plants and animals including humans.  Ammonia is actually produced by the human body.  He also says this:  “If you were to eat a double cheeseburger, the ppm [parts per million] of ammonia in the burger with 'pink slime' is lower than that of the cheese, the bun, or the condiments (ketchup, mustard and mayo).”

Recently, CNN mentioned the accusation that “pink slime” was made in part from meat near the animal’s excrement.  According to food process engineer Dr. Tim Bowser, the BPI product is made “from trimmings from USDA inspected meat products --that is, pieces cut from from wholesome meat portions. Now some of those meat cuts could be from the 'round' area of the cow, but isn't that one of the best parts?  Excrement is not allowed on any meat products produced in USDA-inspected plants."

What about the current campaign to get the use of GE ingredients listed on food labels?  The Shelf Life Advice scientists were, at most, lukewarm about this idea. Most said it would be expensive to do.  They also pointed out that organic products do not contain GE ingredients, so consumers who want to avoid GE ingredients can do so by buying organic; therefore, although our scientists did not outright object to GE labeling, the consensus was that there was little need for it.  To read the Shelf Life Advice article on GE labeling, click here.

What about BPA?  Click here for this site's comments.  The FDA’s decision on its use should be announced soon.

For more information on BPA and "pink slime", click on the links below:

http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/so-bpa-contaminating-our-food-or-not

http://shelflifeadvice.com/faq/what-bpa

http://shelflifeadvice.com/faq/there-good-evidence-bpa-harmful-human-health

http://shelflifeadvice.com/content/focus-meat-lean-and-fat

* Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound used to manufacture plastic materials made of polycarbonate. BPA can leach out of the plastic over time when the container is exposed to harsh detergents or microwave heat. It can mimic the effects of diesthylstylbesterol, an artificial form of estrogen.

Source(s):

Chicago Tribune, “Activists Taking Beefs Online," March 28, 2012.

Timothy J. Bowser, Ph.D. , Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Biosystems and Agricultural

Engineeringoklahomafarmreport  "One Huge Step Backwards for Mankind--Trent Loos Takes on Pink Slime

http://www.oklahomafarmreport.com/wire/news/2012/03/00426_LoosPinkSlimeOpEd03282012_053344.php?utm_source=Wednesday%2C+March+28%2C+2012&utm_campaign=Wednesday03282012&utm_medium=email