“Organic ≠ Pesticide-free” “Organic” doesn’t mean pesticide-free! Organic farmers are allowed to use commercially manufactured pesticides that are obtained from the natural sources that are not synthetically produced. Natural does not mean safe. Snake venom is toxic and poison ivy is dangerous. Similarly, organic pesticides are not necessarily safe. While synthetic chemical pesticides have been studied and regulated to safeguard human health, the negative impacts of naturally occurring chemicals in organic pesticides have been hardly examined. Natural chemicals are known to be carcinogen to rodents. Some organic pesticides have shown adverse effects. Here are some examples: Copper sulfate has shown to cause liver damage in exposed vineyard workers in excess and kills earthworms since it remains in soil. Rotenone, derived from seeds and stems of plants such as the jicama, is suspected to induce Parkinson’s disease. Natural pyrethroids are chemicals component of many insecticides. They have similar adverse effects on human health as their synthetic counterparts. Yet, as these “natural” chemicals are not created to target a specific organism, they are often used at a higher dose. Does organic also mean safer? The general perception that natural organic pesticides work with nature and are environmentally friendly is not based on science. We don’t look at the organic pesticides in the same way as they look at conventional pesticides. We don’t know how long organic pesticides persist in the environment or the full extent of their effects on our health. And since these natural ingredients are not scrutinized or regulated, we certainly don’t know which is more harmful. The use of organic pesticides over synthetic ones may not reduce health or environmental risks. I am not discouraging anyone from buying organic produce. It’s up to an individual to decide what to eat, be aware of that it may not be “organic” pesticide-free. P.S. Besides organic pesticides, synthetic substances are allowed in organic crop production, provided that such substances don’t contaminate of crops, soil, or water. Some of them include; Alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol) are used for disinfection, chlorine compounds (calcium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite) are allowed for preharvest use as long as they do not exceed threshold level under the Safe Drinking Water Act, copper sulfate, hydrogen peroxide, ozone gas, peracetic acid; cleaning only, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, ammonium carbonate; as insect traps only, potassium silicate, boric acid, pheromones. vitamin D3, ferric phosphate, eracetic acid—for use to control fire blight bacteria, potassium bicarbonate, streptomycin and tetracycline; until October 21, 2014, humic acids, lignin sulfonate, magnesium sulfate, micronutrients (soluble boron products, sulfates, carbonates, oxides, or silicates of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and cobalt), vitamins, B1 , C, and E, sulfurous acid, ethylene gas. Posted in: Food Science | The proposition 37 is a “mandatory” labeling of genetically engineered food initiative put on 2012 ballot in California that:
I do not support the proposition to label all food for the following reasons:
Voices heard on proposition 37 campaign ads are sharply divided according to commercial interests. Here are some of the biggest donors on the issue of labeling; I can’t vote on the proposition 37. Those who will, please weigh in carefully before your vote. Don’t give in to loudest announcements of fear. Listen to the reasonable perspectives of experts – not activists or lobbyists. Outcome of proposition 37 will affect how we’ll eat, probably more than the upcoming presidential election. Posted in: Food Culture - Food Science | Tags: Genetically engineered food labeling, GMO California, GMO Infographics, GMO Label Proposition 37, GMO Labeling, Proposition 37 California, Proposition 37 California Election Infographics, Proposition 37 funder Without going into any political or philosophical discussions, let’s explore a simple question, why McDonald’s burgers simply don’t taste good? The taste of burgers depend on couple of things, which are; Quality of meat Cooking method Skill of cook Serving burger In McDonald’s, burgers are grilled in batches, assembled, and stored in the warming trays. During rush, burger may sell soon, but at slower times, they will sit there until sold .To maintain quality, there is a limit (30-minute limit) on how long they can stay in warming tray. But do an average worker care if burgers get out after 2 minutes or after 29th minute? This is a systematic failure on McDonald’s part, if they can cook their fries just few minutes before serving, why can’t they do with burger? It is estimated that due to their innovative double-sided grill, the total time to make McDonald’s burger, from the freezer to a customer, is about one and half minutes. Perhaps warming cabinet suits for dollar menu item, but we sure can wait a minute and half for better burger, especially those made with angus beef. Source: Images: Pharaoh Ptolemy by M. Licht, burger by B.Villegas, and other from promotional material of respected company. Posted in: Food Science | Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives is a scientific literature review recently published by respected Annals of Internal Medicine. Organic generally means food produced without synthetic chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics or growth hormones. This review has caused tumultuous stir in both pro and anti organic camps. Here’s my attempt to bring “neutral” summary of what the review really says. Nutrition Pesticides Bacterial contamination Antibiotics-resistance Adults vs. children Is organic food healthy? Based on our current understanding, it’s difficult to judge if organic food is “healthier”. All we can say is nutritiously organic food is same, but they do have slightly lower pesticides. Basically, more long term studies are needed before we get the answer. In the mean time, what will you buy? Posted in: Food Science | Does shape of glass effect how fast you drink beer? “Glass shape influences consumption rate for alcoholic beverages” reports a research. Does shape of beer glass matter? The Beer Experiment Why does shape of glass matter? So my question is will you drink your beer from a curved or as straight glass? Posted in: Food Science | |