A Closer Look.

“The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the previous 10,000,” Michael Pollan, a food writer, said in “Food Inc.”

"Food Inc." is a new documentary that exposes malpractices in the industrialization of American food and agriculture. It has been praised as widely persuasive and informative film; Nicholas D. Kristof of the New York Times said, "Go see it, but be warned that you may not want to eat for a week afterward."
The issues that the documentary focuses on are genetic engineering, cloning, factory farming, farm worker protection, environmental impact, foodborne illness, healthy eating, nutritional labeling and pesticides.

According to the Center for Food Safety, in January of 2008 the FDA decided that the meat and milk made from cloned animals were safe for human consumption. Although cloning increases production, it has many unfortunate side effects.
Cloning scientists have warned against cloning because even one small problem has the potential to create food safety issues. While many people might object to cloning, the FDA does not require labeling on cloned food.

All of this comes on the tail of two separate decisions voted on by Congress to withhold the approval of cloned foods until further scientific and health-related studies could be conducted. The Center for Food Safety also reported that 150,000 American citizens wrote letters to the FDA expressing their disapproval over the FDA’s decision.

Both an in-depth look at the film and an outsider’s perspective can be found at the following Web sites:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/opinion/21kristof.html?_r=1
http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php

next blog.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/opinion/21kristof.html

Dollars and Sense.

“A bag of lentils costs about a dollar, and you can make several meals out of one bag,” said Matthew Herald, a senior at Kent State University.

Students often complain about making the switch to a vegetarian diet because of the high costs, they say. While many vegan foods, like fake meats, can be high in price, the abundance of other vegan/vegetarian-friendly foods hardly makes them necessities.

I scan the aisles of the local grocery stores weekly and rarely spend over $30. A quick glance through Broulim’s weekly circular shows how cheap it can be to vegan and health. Canned fruit and vegetables are very cheap and they are always having one sale or another on their produce.

In addition, several fast food places offer a vegetarian option. A few years ago, I printed off lists of vegetarian and vegan items offered at local/fast food restaurants, convenience stores and grocery stores. I’ve never had more use for any one thing! (The list can be found on peta2.com).

According to an article by Kent State’s online media Web site, “The gordita and chalupa shells contain milk products making them vegetarian, while the hard corn tortillas and refried beans are vegan foods.”
While one must take more caution, eating vegan or vegetarian can be simple with enough knowledge.

"You just have to be a more conscientious shopper and think more about what you're purchasing,” Herald said.




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