i.e. changes in the structure, making the ally as well as locally. Our foods come
molecules unfamiliar to the body. from all over the world. For the time
Unexpected additions and cross being, eating organically may not com-
contamination of foods are potentially pletely eliminate your exposure to toxins
dangerous to allergic individuals. These but conscientious consumption is a pow-
additions are not listed on the label (nei- erful force to change. The Environmental
ther are pesticides, fertilizers or solvents) Working Group publishes a shopper’s
so an individual cannot easily determine guide listing the 12 most toxic fruits and
contamination in their food. Some of the vegetables and the 12 least toxic fruits
additions are deliberate. Amaranth and and vegetables. Sadly for strawberry lov-
almost all other cookies have wheat as ers, they are the most toxic fruit. Toxic
the first ingredient; sparkling "natural" vegetables tend to be root vegetables like
sodas contain corn syrup; Campbell's potatoes and carrots that store the pes-
soups may contain lactose, dextrose, ticides and fertilizers sprayed on them.
cornstarch, and soy oil. The majority The Environmental Defense Fund pub-
of olive oil sold in the US contains soy lishes a “good fish, bad fish guide, the
oil. Oats, which many gluten sensitive Seafood Pocket Guide, which is updated
people should be able to tolerate, con- yearly. Join The Environmental Working
tains gluten because Quaker Oats stores Group www.ewg.org, the Union of Con-
oats in silos previously used for wheat. cerned Scientists www.ucsusa.com, The
Kraft and Cracker Barrel have begun Environmental Defense Fund www.edf.
adding Natamycin, a mold inhibitor to org, the Organic Consumers Association
its cheese. Fortunately, that is listed on www.organicconsumers.org, and/or the
the label. We must insist on fresh food Center for Food Safety www.centerfor-
so that such additions are unnecessary. foodsafety.org. Watch the food alerts at
The inadvertent contamination of www.foodqualitynews.com. These are
food occurs frequently. Most recently, my sources for information about our
we were made aware of contamination food. Support your local farmers. Join
of peanut products with salmonella, and the Northeast Organic Farming Associa-
the contamination of milk in China (and tion of Connecticut www.ctnofa.org. Eat
the US!) with melamine. In the past 2 a wide variety of whole foods in as nat-
years, salmonella has been found in ural a state as possible. Shop the outer
cantaloupes from Honduras, poultry in isles in the supermarket. Ask for organic
Sweden and Germany, and Irish bacon foods wherever you shop. Keep asking.
and beef, and in tomatoes and eggs in
the US. E. Coli has been found in beef
Submitted by Dr. Anne Mitchell of Ad-
and milk and pizza in the US. In 2008,
vanced Allergy Relief of CT. She uses a
pork and beef samples from Irish farms
specific allergy desensitization treatment
using contaminated feed were found to
that is highly successful and is now in-
have higher levels of dioxins. The Food
troducing a technological advancement
to make eliminating allergies easier and
Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said
even more successful. For more infor-
the profile of dioxins found in the taint-
mation, contact 203-265-3546 or visit
ed Irish pork meat was similar to those
www.aarct.com. See ad on page 21.
found in electronic transformer oils. Also
in 2008, two different chocolate con-
fectionery brands in the US contained
detectable levels of lead. High fructose
corn syrup has been found to contain
mercury. In 2006, Perrier water recalled
drinks containing benzene in the US.
Cadbury Schweppes pulled one of its
own products for the same reason. Last
year, General Mills voluntarily recalled
a single day’s production of Progresso
Hearty Tomato soup because it was
wrongly labeled and could put consum-
ers allergic to egg, milk or soy at risk.
The solution to these problems is not
simple, and needs to be addressed glob-
April 2009 19
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