Organic Foods - Are the Supermarkets Telling you Everything?
Many people are now singing the praises of using organic foods because of them being chemical, hormone, antibiotic and GM free, but are natural and even organic foods really as safe as we thought? Although your supermarket and health food stores may be saying one thing they will not actually tell you how many "Critical Violations" they have had in respect of their organic products.
In America the Center for Disease Control have reported that over 70 million Americans are taken ill every year and at least 5,000 of them will die from food poisoning.
Although some of the cases reported can be put down to food being handled incorrectly by the consumer, a large number of the cases have been caused by the stores that actually sell the food to you.
There are five risks which are likely to contribute to food borne diseases and these are:- Food not being kept at the correct holding temperature.
The food has not been cooked, cooled or reheated adequately.
The personal hygiene of the people who are actually handling the food being poor.
Equipment used with the food is found to be contaminated.
The food that you have brought us come from an unsafe source.
It has been found that most bacteria found grows between 40 and 140 degrees and therefore cold food should be keptin a cold atmosphere below 40 degrees and hot food needs to be kept at temperatures above 140 degrees.
The water that is used by employees in food preparation areas (especially in their toilets) should be at 110 degrees for any bacteria on their hands to be killed and employees must remember to wash their hands every time they use the toilet.
Any meat cases that are be used should be cleaned completely of any spilled juices or blood and fridges and freezers should be thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis.
You will find that bacteria even grows in the freezers themselves.
Any toxic pesticides and cleaning products used by food preparation companies and supermarkets should be correctly stored and kept well away from food and food storage areas.
Regular checks should be carried out to ensure that neither rodents nor flying and crawling bugs have access to foods and their storage areas.
All supermarkets and food preparation places (restaurants) should have a pest control system in place for dealing with any infestation that may occur.
Although all of this sounds easy, logical and certainly achievable, the actual truth may vary vastly from what we believe.
Although it is hard to believe there have been cases where things have been discovered that many people thought were impossible, such as:- A woman purchased a freshly baked cooking in her local supermarket and then found a cockroach inside.
Some stores will often sell products such as milk, meats, breads and other packaged goods that have long passed their expiration date.
People have discovered bugs on the fruit that they brought in the store when they get it home.
Unfortunately organic, natural and even mass produced foods are at the mercy of the standard of the store where you buy them from, and it is wise to keep your eyes open and be aware before you buy foods that are handled, cooked, cut and packaged by the store employees.
If you are able to inspect the boxes and packaging that the products you are purchasing are in for any tears or openings.
If you spend a little more time in considering a product and how it has been handled can mean the difference to your health and may be even your life.
In America the Center for Disease Control have reported that over 70 million Americans are taken ill every year and at least 5,000 of them will die from food poisoning.
Although some of the cases reported can be put down to food being handled incorrectly by the consumer, a large number of the cases have been caused by the stores that actually sell the food to you.
There are five risks which are likely to contribute to food borne diseases and these are:- Food not being kept at the correct holding temperature.
The food has not been cooked, cooled or reheated adequately.
The personal hygiene of the people who are actually handling the food being poor.
Equipment used with the food is found to be contaminated.
The food that you have brought us come from an unsafe source.
It has been found that most bacteria found grows between 40 and 140 degrees and therefore cold food should be keptin a cold atmosphere below 40 degrees and hot food needs to be kept at temperatures above 140 degrees.
The water that is used by employees in food preparation areas (especially in their toilets) should be at 110 degrees for any bacteria on their hands to be killed and employees must remember to wash their hands every time they use the toilet.
Any meat cases that are be used should be cleaned completely of any spilled juices or blood and fridges and freezers should be thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis.
You will find that bacteria even grows in the freezers themselves.
Any toxic pesticides and cleaning products used by food preparation companies and supermarkets should be correctly stored and kept well away from food and food storage areas.
Regular checks should be carried out to ensure that neither rodents nor flying and crawling bugs have access to foods and their storage areas.
All supermarkets and food preparation places (restaurants) should have a pest control system in place for dealing with any infestation that may occur.
Although all of this sounds easy, logical and certainly achievable, the actual truth may vary vastly from what we believe.
Although it is hard to believe there have been cases where things have been discovered that many people thought were impossible, such as:- A woman purchased a freshly baked cooking in her local supermarket and then found a cockroach inside.
Some stores will often sell products such as milk, meats, breads and other packaged goods that have long passed their expiration date.
People have discovered bugs on the fruit that they brought in the store when they get it home.
Unfortunately organic, natural and even mass produced foods are at the mercy of the standard of the store where you buy them from, and it is wise to keep your eyes open and be aware before you buy foods that are handled, cooked, cut and packaged by the store employees.
If you are able to inspect the boxes and packaging that the products you are purchasing are in for any tears or openings.
If you spend a little more time in considering a product and how it has been handled can mean the difference to your health and may be even your life.
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