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Eat Sprouts Safely!

Do sprouts carry a risk of illness? Like any fresh produce that is consumed raw or lightly cooked, sprouts carry a risk of foodborne illness. Unlike other fresh produce, seeds and beans need warm and humid conditions to sprout and grow. These conditions are also ideal for the growth of bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.

Have sprouts been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness? Since 1996, there have been at least 30 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with different types of raw and lightly cooked sprouts. Most of these outbreaks were caused by Salmonella and E. coli.

What is the source of the bacteria? In outbreaks associated with sprouts, the seed is typically the source of the bacteria. There are a number of approved techniques to kill harmful bacteria that may be present on seeds and even tests for seeds during sprouting. But, no treatment is guaranteed to eliminate all harmful bacteria.

Are homegrown sprouts safer? Not necessarily. If just a few harmful bacteria are present in or on the seed, the bacteria can grow to high levels during sprouting, even under sanitary conditions at home.

What can consumers do to reduce the risk of illness?

• Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).
• Cook sprouts thoroughly to reduce the risk of illness. Cooking kills the harmful bacteria.
• Request that raw sprouts not be added to your food. If you purchase a sandwich or salad at a restaurant or delicatessen, check to make sure that raw sprouts have not been added.
• Buy only sprouts kept at refrigerator temperature. Select crisp-looking sprouts with the buds attached. Avoid musty-smelling, dark, or slimy-looking sprouts.
• Refrigerate sprouts at home. Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40° F or below.
• Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw foods.
• Rinse sprouts thoroughly with water before use. Rinsing can help remove surface dirt. Do not use soap or other detergents.

Learn more about sustainable seafood choices. Check out our friends at FishWise and FishChoice for up-to-the-minute seafood news.

Say NO to GMO Corn Petition

Despite receiving nearly 45,000 public comments in opposition to this particular genetically engineered (GE) corn variety (and only 23 comments in favor), the Obama administration gave Monsanto the green light to release its newest GE corn variety freely into the environment and American food supply, without any governmental oversight or safety tracking.

In addition to its announcement approving Monsanto’s newest GE corn variety, the USDA also opened a 60-day public comment period for two additional petitions – one for Monsanto’s GE soybean containing higher levels of an omega-3 fatty acid, that does not naturally occur in soybeans, and the other from Dow AgroSciences for corn that has been genetically engineered to better resist the poisonous herbicide 2,4-D.

Take the New (AB)NORMAL Quiz and then learn how to make health easier!

How much to you know about bananas? Co-op to Co-op, these El Guabo cooperative small-scale banana growers partner with Equal Exchange to provide our co-op with Fair Trade bananas. Click on the photo to learn more about how bananas are grown and handled, during Week One of Equal Exchange Banana Month!

Arsenic, Rice, and Organic Products

Arsenic in rice and rice products is once again in the news after researchers at Dartmouth College published a commentary in the February 16, 2012 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives entitled “Arsenic, Organic Foods, and Brown Rice Syrup.”

Arsenic is known to be both toxic and potentially carcinogenic. Rice can contain varying levels of arsenic, depending upon where the rice is grown. Rice plants are unusually efficient at taking up arsenic and depositing it in the grain, and high levels are often found in rice grown in the southern U.S. on land previously used for cotton production. The source is arsenic-based pesticides used to prevent boll weevil damage to the cotton.

The Dartmouth researchers note that organic brown rice syrup has become the preferred sweetener in organic food products as an alternative to highly processed high fructose corn syrup. Of major concern to the researchers is the fact that organic brown rice syrup is used in some organic infant formulas. Because formula can be an infant’s sole source of food, and because an infant is so small,  she may be taking in much more arsenic per pound than an adult eating a variety of foods.

Brown rice syrup also used in some cereal/energy bars and high-energy foods consumed by endurance athletes.

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set limits on the amount of arsenic allowed in public drinking water, no current U.S. regulation sets a limit for the level of arsenic in food. This leaves consumers wondering what to do.

Infants

Until more is known, choose a formula that does not contain rice starch or brown rice syrup. At the Co-op, these are Earth’s Best Organic, Gerber, and Enfamil.

Young Children

Rice drinks given to children younger than four years old may pose risks and should be avoided.

Adults

On average, Americans consume less than ¼ cup of cooked rice a day. That small amount is not of concern. But if you are a fan of rice and eat large amounts of it almost daily, until the science is clear, you may want to be sure it is lower arsenic rice. Researchers have found that basmati rice imported from India and Pakistan,  jasmine rice from Thailand, and rice from California contain the least arsenic.

When preparing rice at home, cook it in large amounts of water (one cup rice to six cups water), and pour off the excess. Researchers have found this removes up to 57 percent of the arsenic in rice.

Stand Up for Fair Trade

Fair Trade and the Cooperative Model

Fair Trade is a movement that people have collectively built for 25 years in which small farmer cooperatives play a central and vital role. The corporate, plantation model put forth by TransFair/Fair Trade USA is NOT Fair Trade.

The cooperative organization is essential for small farmers to survive and thrive, and the cooperative model is an important vehicle for economic empowerment and social change. Working with small farmer cooperatives through Fair Trade strengthens farming communities world-wide, protects the environment and builds a just and sustainable food system for all.

What You Can Do

You can help! Visit the Equal Exchange website to learn more and to sign the public statement to stand up for Fair Trade. You can make a difference!

Fruit juices are everywhere, often marketed to children, and some are better than others. How is a consumer to know which choices are best for kids? Check out the new report, The Appropriate Use of Fruit Juice in Children’s Diets (553k PDF), researched and prepared for the Co-op by Dietetic Intern Tracy Hull from the University of Delaware.

Roughly 80 percent of products on the shelves in North America today contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Identifying products without GMOs has been made easier by the Non-GMO Project website.