How about your right to know what you are eating when you eat genetically engineered food? As of right now, the FDA does not require labeling for these foods.

According to the Environmental Working  Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization that uses public information to protect public health and the environment, these foods have been altered at the molecular level. They are appearing on supermarket shelves with increasing frequency – in fact, 94 percent of all U.S.-grown soybeans are genetically engineered!

Environmental Working Group thinks this is wrong. That’s why they have joined forces with more than 300 organizations to launch the Just Label It campaign and tell the federal Food and Drug Administration that Americans have the right to know when they’re eating genetically engineered food.

EWG cautions that the issue is not just fresh produce.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 60 to 70 percent of processed foods available in American grocery stores likely contain some genetically engineered ingredients. These ingredients are prevalent in many products you may buy every day, including breakfast cereals, cookies, chips, sweetened soda, frozen meals and more.

EWG believes that the scientific debate about the benefits and risks of genetically engineered crops will continue for a long time. In a recent email I received, they advise that an entire generation will have grown up consuming genetically engineered food. EWG believes that we should all have the right to participate – or not – in this sweeping experiment with our bodies and our environment.

Several polls and surveys have found that the vast majority of Americans want genetically engineered foods to be labeled. Many other countries including Japan, Australia, the European Union and even China require labeling of genetically engineered foods.

If you want to learn more about EWG and its 300-plus campaign partners in demanding that the FDA insist that genetically engineered foods be labeled, go to their site at www.ewg.org/actioncenter.

September is food safety education month, a good time to take a look at what we know about storing and preparing food safely.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education suggests we take a look at some food safety myths.

Myth #1 Freezing Kills Harmful Bacteria That Can Cause Food Poisoning.

FACT: Bacteria can survive freezing temperatures. Freezing is not a method for making foods safe to eat. When food is thawed, bacteria can still be present and may begin to multiply. Cooking food to the proper internal temperature is the best way to kill
harmful bacteria. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature of cooked foods.

Myth #2 If You Eat a Vegan Diet, You Don’t Have to Worry About Food Poisoning.

FACT: Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, but like other foods they may carry a risk of foodborne illness. Always rinse produce under running tap water including fruits and vegetables with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Never use detergent or bleach to wash fresh fruits or vegetables as these products are not intended for consumption. Packaged fruits and vegetables labeled “ready-to-eat” or “washed” do not need to be re-washed.

Myth #3 Plastic or Glass Cutting Boards Don’t Hold Harmful Bacteria on Their Surfaces Like Wooden Cutting Boards Do.

FACT: Any type of cutting board can hold harmful bacteria on its surface. Regardless of the type of cutting board you use, it should be washed and sanitized after each use. Solid plastic, tempered glass, sealed granite, and hardwood cutting boards are dishwasher safe. However, wood laminates don’t hold up well in the dishwasher. Once cutting boards of any type become excessively worn or develop hard-to clean grooves, they should be discarded.

Myth #4 Locally Grown Organic Foods Will Not Cause Food Poisoning.

FACT: Any food, whether organic or conventional, could become unsafe with illness-causing foodborne bacteria at any point during the chain from the farm to the table. Consumers in their homes can take action to keep their families safe. That is why
it is important to reduce your risk of foodborne illness by practicing the four steps:Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

Every healthy diet endorses eating lots of fresh produce. But, even fresh produce carries a health risk…pesticides.The answer…buy organic, if you can, as produce grown organically is grown without synthetic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

The Environmental Work Group ( EWG), a nonprofit organization that uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment put together a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, which identifies those fruits and vegetables that carry the highest risk of pesticides and those that are considered less of a pesticide risk.

What follows is their list of the “Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 of Produce.” EWG suggests that you buy organic for produce appearing on the Dirty Dozen list as these fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of pesticides.

The Dirty Dozen of Produce:

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Nectarines ( imported)

7. Grapes

8. Bell Peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries

11. Lettuce

12. Kale/Collard Greens

The Clean 15 of Produce:

1. Onions

2. Sweet Corn

3. Pineapple

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet Peas

7. Mangoes

8. Eggplant

9. Cantaloupe (domestic)

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet Potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the best way to prepare eggs for an egg hunt is as follows:

• Only use eggs that have been refrigerated, and discard eggs that are cracked or dirty.

• When cooking, place a single layer of eggs in a saucepan. Add water to at least one inch above the eggs. Cover the pan, bring the water to a boil, and carefully remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs stand (18 minutes for extra large eggs, 15 minutes for large, 12 minutes for medium). Immediately run cold water over the eggs. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, place them in an uncovered container in the refrigerator where they can air-dry.

• When decorating, be sure to use food-grade dyes. It is safe to use commercial egg dyes, liquid food coloring, and fruit-drink powders. When handling eggs, be careful not to crack them. Otherwise, bacteria could enter the egg through the cracks in the shell.

• Keep hard-cooked Easter eggs chilled on a shelf inside the refrigerator, not in the refrigerator door.
• Hide the eggs in places that are protected from dirt, pets and other potential sources of bacteria.
• Remember the two hour rule, and make sure the “found” eggs are back in the refrigerator or consumed within two hours.

Remember that hard-boiled eggs are only safe to eat for one week after cooking.

Our post today is courtesy of Denise A. Somsak, MD a pediatrician and mother with young children. Dr. Somsak (Dr_Som)blogs at
www.pensivepediatrician.com where she posts about areas of interest and concern for parents. In  this  post she speaks to  good nutrition, an area of major concern for all parents in this day of rising childhood obesity.

Pack your child’s lunch. You will learn a lot about what your kids like and correct portion sizes; you will naturally shop for healthier foods. Our two daughters attend a half day of preschool 5 days a week. We pack their lunches, which at first thought seemed like a huge inconvenience especially in the hustle bustle of the morning. Our new daycare demanded it (they have no kitchen), or we never would have tried it. We love it.

No more complaints about canned ravioli or guilt about the potential hazards of ground beef. The girls used to eat sugary canned mandarin oranges, pineapples, and peaches, along with frozen fish sticks, tater tots, and french toast sticks. No more snacks of graham crackers or gold fish crackers. Instead of the frozen white bagels topped with American cheese they were typically offered, I can pack whole grain (less sugar and more fiber) breads or organic white bread.

No more processed foods. No more high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, or trans-fat. Now they eat fruits and vegetables fresh from my refrigerator. Since the left overs come home, I know exactly what they consume. Even if my five year old says her friends tease her about her “stinky” hard boiled egg, I know see eats everything but the yolk.

Read labels and look for ingredients that you can understand. Generally, the longer the list of ingredients, the more processed the food. Many times organic food has a shorter and more understandable list of ingredients. The best food does not require a label or packaging: fresh produce. If in doubt, what comes out of the ground or off a tree is far better than something in a bag or box. Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are OK as long as they don’t have added sugar or salt.

Know what to feed your children. The formula for feeding your children is quite simple. Offer a little protein, a little starch, and 2 fresh items (fruit and/or vegetables) 3 meals a day. Add a source of vitamin D and calcium which for most of us means fortified milk products (soy, rice or cow) and make sure there is iron, which for many of us means meat or seafood but peas, spinach, beans, dried apricots, almonds and greens work too. For snacks, lots more fresh produce. I have discussed this approach with parents of my patients, and I am amazed at how quickly they understand. They can easily apply it to good foods they serve at home.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) developed recommendations assists the federal government in creating nutrition guidelines for daycare centers and after school programs. Use these basic IOM suggestions when you think about meal planning for your family.  If you want more specific and personalized information for your child use the USDA food pyramid calculator.

Know how much to feed your children. Portions have become super sized everywhere even for kids. I think offering appropriate amounts per the IOM guidelines cited above is a good start. If you want to read labels and count calories, you can check the National Institute of Health website to learn how many calories your child needs in a day . If you are trying to change your dietary habits, calorie counting for a few days is an informative exercise. Write down everything your child eats and drinks each day. Read the labels to include estimates of the calories. If you need help, bring the journal to your doctor and start the discussion about nutrition.

Know what to do if they are still hungry but ate a lot. Fruits and vegetables are vital to good health. Your children could never eat enough. Challenge your kids to eat a rainbow of produce everyday. I start in the office by seeing if they can name some green fruits or yellow vegetables (corn doesn’t count which gives me a chance to explain how it and potatoes are starch). Water is free and safe from your tap. Make it available and palatable (maybe with a little lemon or ice). It can help kids fill up faster at meal and snack time.

What they drink matters just as much as what they eat. Drink sitting down and mostly at snack or meal time. For children under 5 years, cups should be about 5 ounces. It is not easy to find cups this small especially in restaurants. We use espresso, sake, or 5 ounce dixie cups depending on the situation. I don’t know why they even make sippy cups bigger than 7 ounces. If a child carries a giant sippy cup full of juice into a check up, I know I need to address obesity and tooth decay not to mention the risk of infection because the kid drops the cup on the floor at least a dozen times during the visit. Children do not need juice. If you must offer it, no more than 4-8 ounces per day. Look for fruit and vegetable juices that contain the least sugar. If you must have soda in the house, make it diet. Splenda is a better sugar substitute than the artificial sweetener, Aspartame (NutraSweet). Low fat and non-fat milk are healthier options than whole milk and no more than 24 ounces in a day.

What you eat matters.  If you want to try to make your child’s food a bit healthier, start at home.  Studies reveal that kids will not succeed unless the whole family eats healthy.

Understand and get involved. We should offer fresh and nutritiously dense foods at daycare centers and schools, but we don’t.  If you have the time and the gumption, get involved at your child’s school. Kudos to First Lady Obama for tackling this difficult problem. Check out her website for more information on health and nutrition. Helping children eat healthy may seem simple, but it is politically charged. Check out Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma or the movie Food, Inc. to see what First Lady Obama is confronting in an ever so gracious way.