BPA Update (not really about organics, but still important food news)

The New York Times reports that the FDA is reassessing their 2008 statement that BPA (a plastics chemical most known as that used for plastic water bottles) is safe. It seems the FDA under Obama rather than Bush is finally putting food safety before corporate interests, what a novel concept.

I think what's most striking in this article is when BPA is described, it sounds markedly similar to PFOA's and PFOS, chemicals found in the old recipe of Scotchgaurd which are now found lodged in the bodies of nearly every living thing on Earth. BPA is being found in all people now, even unborn babies. The effects of this chemical continue to be mostly unknown, but I can't help but be nervous when unnatural chemicals like these become lodged in my body.

BPA use is still widespread (although I think Nalgene has dropped its use), another common place you'll find it is the plastic liner often used in food canning. I've seen cans with both white and clear plastic liners, I don't' think there's any way of knowing if BPA is in both, but it seems likely.

Canada already has BPA bans in place.

For the record, my baby uses glass bottles. :)

Jd

What's in this burger!?

Want a great way to stick to your New Year's Resolution to eat a better/healthier/local/organic/more sustainably raised/eco-friendlier/save the freaken world diet? All you have to do for a little motivation is find out what is in your food, and presto, you'll be too disgusted to ever eat it again!

I can't get enough of this article in the New York Times, thanks to Heather for emailing it to me. This incredible, inedible meat byproduct cranked out by BPI (a beef giant that has their products in far better restaurants than you would hope) is in all McDonalds burgers, some of Burger King, and of course, in your child's school lunch (up to 15% per pound of ground beef). You take the nasty, fatty, e-coli contaminated scraps left over from beef processing, grind 'em up, blast them with ammonia until the pH is changed from around 6 to upwards of 10, then flash freeze it and chip it. Then, just thaw and blend for a savings of 3 cents per pound of ground beef, thank you very much.

Sound disgusting? Stop paying for it! Stop eating it!
Learn more about "ground beef"