We have a right to know how our food gets from farm or sea to our table. Too often we just don’t bother to ask. Americans prefer to judge food by its price: the cheaper the better. Then why are we surprised when a industrially produced food falls through the invisible safety net that protects our food supply? Once that hole is repaired however, most shoppers return to their bargains, as trusting as ever.
In fact, consumers actually shy away from food which is so fresh it is sold alive. Even if it’s inexpensive! These ingredients require careful handling, and that’s getting too close to nature for many. The current condition of our food safety net is the subject of the following three short stories. Keep them in mind next time you shop.
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This month the USDA issued its largest meat recall in history. Cargill (income of $120 billion in 2010) removed 36 million tons of ground turkey contaminated with an antibiotic-resistant strain of Salmonella from stores and restaurants around the country. One hundred and seven consumers had been sickened by "bad" turkey meat processed over a six month period, without detection, at a Cargill plant in Arkansas .
What was the government’s response? The USDA resubmitted a rule they had shelved 10 years before requiring that meat and poultry processors wait for two days - until safety tests were completed - before shipping their product. Don’t celebrate just yet. This regulation does not go into effect immediately. Cargill and other large processors have 100 days to respond.
Where is Upton Sinclair when we need him? A century ago, in 1906, Sinclair published his famous exposé of unregulated meatpacking practices, The Jungle. Will the USDA ever catch up?.
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The search for the “bad” pine nut has been underway for ten years. In 2009 a small and vocal group of American consumers reported that a metallic taste had hijacked their taste buds for at least three days after eating pine nuts purchased at Trader Joe’s and Costco. The FDA concluded this “taste disturbance” was not a typical allergic response nor a reaction to rancidity. Fortunately “pine mouth” symptoms fade leaving no lasting effects. The FDA, with resources to test only about 1% of our entire food supply promised to analyze future consumer complaints. Case closed? Not yet!
In Switzerland scientists had been looking for the “bad” pine nut since it was first reported in Europe in 2001. They found the most likely cause was due to a nontraditional pine nut, China’s pinus armandii. It had entered the mix of some 29 varieties of imported Chinese pine nuts. Testing can now detect the presence of p. armandii in foreign shipments. FYI: Packages of pine nuts currently sold at Trader Joe’s now lists Russia, Vietnam and Korea as their sources.
When the USDA and the FDA aren’t there to monitor the safety net, private industry has to step in. And there happens to be one exemplary company in our area. Woodlands Foods in Gurney, IL is a leading wholesaler of dried mushrooms, chilis, beans and spices. Its buyers visit their suppliers around the world (China is the largest), and all ingredients are tested in the company’s laboratory before they are sent to most major food manufacturers and many nation-wide restaurant chains. Food manufacturers are also demanding of their suppliers. So many ingredients go into boxed and canned foods, these companies have to be alert to every possible kind of contaminate. (More information at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11833228)
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This last bit is actually a plug for a safe and under-valued food, the mussel. Today mussels are farmed on Prince Edward Island in Canada. The Mussel Industry Council (PEII) oversees their cultivation and harvest; quality is assured. In addition to being delicious and nutritious, farmed mussels are an inexpensive source of high-quality protein (Whole Foods Markets in our area receives fresh mussels almost daily)
Here is a list of tips for fail-safe purchasing, storing and preparing of mussels:
- Watch as the salesperson in the store as he checks each mussel, discarding ones that are cracked and open. You want mussels that close tightly when touched. Purchase one pound mussels per person.
- Once home, place mussels on a tray and refrigerate. Although they will keep for a day or two covered with a damp towel, I cook them the same day.
- When ready to cook, rinse off the mussels in cold water. Discard any that fail to close. Snip off any “beard” that protrudes from the shell with scissors. (See photo of closed mussel.)
- Drain and pile the mussels in a skillet with your preference of sauteed vegetables, herbs and a little water or wine. Cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes or until all the mussels open. Serve the mussels with the cooking liquids and crusty bread to mop up the juices.
The link for the Mussel Salad recipe pictured above: http://www.chezm.com/welcome-to-recipes/61-salads/554-salad-mussels
Mussels Indusry link: http://www.discovermussels.com/
