Don't Eat the Food
Our food supply is an essential part of protecting critical national infrastructure. However protecting the "supply" is only one part of a chain of dependencies. The health and safety of citizens is inextricably linked to nutrition and safety in food.At the end of that chain we have consumption of food by citizens who are the comon element in all critical infrastructures. The safety, security and well-being of citizens is the foundation of national security. Yet in North Anerica we have seen an epidemic of obesity and diabetes, and other health issues that are poorly understood.
Nutrition plays a big role in this, especially the extraordinary over-use of high-fructose corn sugar (contains omega-12) in all processed foods. Producers started adding sugar when governments mistakenly said all fat was bad and we had to eat lean. It's almost guaranteed that a low-fat label on food equals high sugar content.
The evidence is over-whelming that a Meditteranean Diet is best. But trying to maintain a balanced nutritional diet that is also safe is more than a challenge. A lot of food that is 'good' for us contains contaminants from a wide range of agricultural and industrial sources.
For example, eating fish is good because of the essential omega 3/6 oils it contains; however, most tuna is contaminated with mercury. Beef and poultry from factory farms are contaminated with steroids, growth hormones and antibiotics. And there is no need to mention mad cow disease, the result of feeding animals with animal protein, a practice that continues today.
The latest threat is the splicing of pesticide and herbicide DNA directly into plant DNA. Well, we know that will just end in tears.
Unfortunately we can't look to government to protect safety in food. Through regulatory capture such as the Monsanto Protection Act and suppression of scientific research government dances with big business.
Consequently grass-roots movements are starting up. Organizations are evolving, several cities have recently had citizen demonstrations about safe foods, and some brands are voluntarily adopting some safe-food practices.
Since it's too complicated to list all the adverse ingredients in food, I've developed this food-safety creed that can be adopted by any food growers, producers, processors, food retailers and restauranteurs who are concerned about the future health of our children and our planet.
Food Safety Creed
- We commit to honest and ethical business practices.
- We commit to complete, open and transparent labelling of the contents and nutritional value of our food products.
- Our food products are free from:
- genetic modification
- animal growth or dietary supplements using steroids, hormones or antibiotics
- chemical additives such as BHA, BHT, HFC, MSG, partially hydrogenated oil, artifical colours and sweetners, nitrates and sulphites.
- dioxins
- toxic and heavy metals
- Our animal products are produced from animals that do not consume animal protein in their feed.
