Just one perston's view

Not that I want to join those that are "fear mongering", but there was a
letter to the editor in our local paper this morning - and I think the
writer made some very good points:

'Canaries in our coal mine'
To the editor:

The estimated 2,700 pets killed by thousands of tainted food products are
the canaries in our coal mine, alerting us to several dangers in our food
system.

First, the tainted ingredients were imported without, apparently, being
thoroughly inspected by anyone, including the FDA. That's typical. The
average American eats 260 pounds of imported food per year, and the FDA
inspects about 1.3 percent of it.

Second, we can't easily avoid imported food, because labels don't say where
each ingredient comes from. President Bush has repeatedly delayed country of
origin labeling laws.

Third, the FDA can only request "voluntary" recalls for most food. They
usually can't force a manufacturer to stop selling a food product like they
can make a drug company stop selling a drug.

Finally, the FDA suspects the adulteration was done intentionally, to
increase protein levels. As a result, the scenario matches one described as
"critical" in a 2006 Homeland Security planning document: Basic ingredients
are intentionally adulterated, enter the U.S. without inspection, and are
included in thousands of foods.

I urge readers to learn more about this. One place to start is a site run by
journalists and a vet: www.petconnection.com.

-Cathy Moore, Bloomington

Thanks MMJ,

I think the letter does present the issues in a clear, succinct way. I
think we are fortunate that no known harm has happened to people yet,
maybe it's because at some level, even those driven by greed to
adulterate food draw the line at injuring other people. At some point
however, those who *want* to harm other people will be able to,
apparently with little chance of being caught.

I'm usually in the camp of "don't waste time/energy worrying about
things I can't control and that the media hype," but this situation
does give me pause. Another reason to try to stick to buying "whole"
foods, and avoid processed foods as much as possible.

I wish I knew the answer, because I don't think, ultimately, that more
inspections are feasible. The labeling law sounds like a good plan, to
let consumers decide whether they want to buy the imported food.

Happy Friday.
Caroline S.
On May 11, 7:36 am, "Magic Mood Jeep" wrote:
Not that I want to join those that are "fear mongering", but there was a
letter to the editor in our local paper this morning - and I think the
writer made some very good points:

'Canaries in our coal mine'
To the editor:

The estimated 2,700 pets killed by thousands of tainted food products are
the canaries in our coal mine, alerting us to several dangers in our food
system.

First, the tainted ingredients were imported without, apparently, being
thoroughly inspected by anyone, including the FDA. That's typical. The
average American eats 260 pounds of imported food per year, and the FDA
inspects about 1.3 percent of it.

Second, we can't easily avoid imported food, because labels don't say where
each ingredient comes from. President Bush has repeatedly delayed country of
origin labeling laws.

Third, the FDA can only request "voluntary" recalls for most food. They
usually can't force a manufacturer to stop selling a food product like they
can make a drug company stop selling a drug.

Finally, the FDA suspects the adulteration was done intentionally, to
increase protein levels. As a result, the scenario matches one described as
"critical" in a 2006 Homeland Security planning document: Basic ingredients
are intentionally adulterated, enter the U.S. without inspection, and are
included in thousands of foods.

I urge readers to learn more about this. One place to start is a site run by
journalists and a vet:www.petconnection.com.

-Cathy Moore, Bloomington

On May 11, 8:00 am, "Caroline S." wrote:
Thanks MMJ,

I think the letter does present the issues in a clear, succinct way. I
think we are fortunate that no known harm has happened to people yet,
maybe it's because at some level, even those driven by greed to
adulterate food draw the line at injuring other people. At some point
however, those who *want* to harm other people will be able to,
apparently with little chance of being caught.

I'm usually in the camp of "don't waste time/energy worrying about
things I can't control and that the media hype," but this situation
does give me pause. Another reason to try to stick to buying "whole"
foods, and avoid processed foods as much as possible.

I wish I knew the answer, because I don't think, ultimately, that more
inspections are feasible. The labeling law sounds like a good plan, to
let consumers decide whether they want to buy the imported food.

Happy Friday.
Caroline S.

I feel the same way, Caroline. I pay attention, am careful to keep
updated
but I don't live in fear at all. I think this should give pause.
I generally hate conspiracy theory mongers, but even I had a fleeting
thought
that they *knew* about this, but maybe the thought was "it's only
animals."

I just found out that little more than 1% of the food we eat is
actually inspected. That's
apalling. I also find it ironic that we've spend *millions* and
millions on "Homeland
Security" but we don't inspect the food that comes from countries that
are well known
for compromising safety & quality for the sake of profit. Is it just
me or is something weird
about that?
I've heard the FDA is extremely underfunded and understaffed. IMO that
needs to be
corrected if it is true. Our little town got a grant from Homeland
Security so that
our little old lady who sits at the counter & takes our water bills
now sits behind
bulletproof glass. That's a joke, that is a total waste of government
funds.

Sherry

And why does it seem to me that they want to see people falling over in
their tracks before they consider it a danger to humans? Shoot,
impaired immune systems, cancers or even just plain old illness is
enough, IMO, to have more control over imports. I don't care if it just
makes your stomach upset, contaminated food is contaminated food and
with alarm signals like this going off something needs to be done.

Caroline S. wrote:
does give me pause. Another reason to try to stick to buying "whole"
foods, and avoid processed foods as much as possible.

That's why we don't eat any processed foods, and we buy organic as much
as we can. Unfortunately, most people can't afford that.

I wish I knew the answer, because I don't think, ultimately, that more
inspections are feasible. The labeling law sounds like a good plan, to
let consumers decide whether they want to buy the imported food.

Exactly! Inspections are doable, but expensive.

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

Magic Mood Jeep wrote:
Not that I want to join those that are "fear mongering", but there was a
letter to the editor in our local paper this morning - and I think the
writer made some very good points:

'Canaries in our coal mine'
To the editor:

The estimated 2,700 pets killed by thousands of tainted food products
are the canaries in our coal mine, alerting us to several dangers in our
food system.

First, the tainted ingredients were imported without, apparently, being
thoroughly inspected by anyone, including the FDA. That's typical. The
average American eats 260 pounds of imported food per year, and the FDA
inspects about 1.3 percent of it.

Second, we can't easily avoid imported food, because labels don't say
where each ingredient comes from. President Bush has repeatedly delayed
country of origin labeling laws.

Third, the FDA can only request "voluntary" recalls for most food. They
usually can't force a manufacturer to stop selling a food product like
they can make a drug company stop selling a drug.

Finally, the FDA suspects the adulteration was done intentionally, to
increase protein levels. As a result, the scenario matches one described
as "critical" in a 2006 Homeland Security planning document: Basic
ingredients are intentionally adulterated, enter the U.S. without
inspection, and are included in thousands of foods.

I urge readers to learn more about this. One place to start is a site
run by journalists and a vet: www.petconnection.com.

-Cathy Moore, Bloomington



People;

Corn and rice gluten (and many other manufactures products) are present
in people food as well as pet food.
I guarantee that they all come off the same boat.

I wonder how many cases of kidney failure in humans are caused by
additives in manufactured food products.

And what makes you think anyone in the media or government would tell
you about it. (China has had "most favored nation status" for a decade
or more now.)

On Fri, 11 May 2007 22:08:50 -0500, Karen wrote:

And why does it seem to me that they want to see people falling over in
their tracks before they consider it a danger to humans? Shoot,
impaired immune systems, cancers or even just plain old illness is
enough, IMO, to have more control over imports. I don't care if it just
makes your stomach upset, contaminated food is contaminated food and
with alarm signals like this going off something needs to be done.

Same reason that small towns only install street lights at
intersections where deadly car accidents happen the most often.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

Victor Martinez wrote:

Caroline S. wrote:

does give me pause. Another reason to try to stick to buying "whole"
foods, and avoid processed foods as much as possible.


That's why we don't eat any processed foods, and we buy organic as much
as we can. Unfortunately, most people can't afford that.

And since "Organic" became the new buzz word, you have to
read the labels carefully on THAT, too! (Just because they
call it "organic" doesn't necessarily guarantee it's what
you and I consider "organic".)

EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
And since "Organic" became the new buzz word, you have to read the
labels carefully on THAT, too! (Just because they call it "organic"
doesn't necessarily guarantee it's what you and I consider "organic".)

True. We have a local farm where I get the absolute freshest produce
there is. Most of it was harvested either the day before or that same
morning! And it's most definitely organic, we know the owners. They also
have chickens that produce the best eggs ever!

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he