Article Link: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,364448,00.html
In late May and early June, a salmonella outbreak linked to thousands of pounds of raw plum tomatoes ravaged across the country, effecting 30 states in the United States. Not only were tomatoes recalled at supermarkets, but even fast food chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Burger King stopped serving tomatoes as a result of this outbreak. The source of the outbreak was unknown, and was also rumored to have possibly infected other vegetables. The first indication of the salmonella outbreak were from multiple reports in mid-April. Salmonella is, "bacteria that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals," according to Fox's article. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps in as little as 12 hours after consuming contaminated food. This outbreak not only opened America's eyes to what they were eating but even more where our food is coming from.
For the past 19 years of my life I have spent my summers working on my grandfather's farm, and was shocked this summer to discover how clueless we are as a culture when it comes to our food. We grow our own tomatoes in Feeding Hills, MA, about one hundred feet from our food stand. About 95% of people who purchased our tomatoes asked where they had come from, and were more than willing to pay $2.00 a pound to keep their intestines clear of bacteria. I think what bothered me most was that people actually thought tomato plants produced salmonella. Plants don't produce the bacteria; Salmonella contamination is mostly caused by human or animal feces on the food product. Many of the new reports claimed that the source of the contamination wasn't known, but I believe the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug administration simply didn't want to admit the workers were going to the bathroom in the fields where the food was grown. Needless to say it was disappointing to see that it took a bacterial scare to encourage people to buy local produce.
This outbreak has brought about important questions that we should have been asking ourselves all along. Where exactly does our food come from? Who's handeling it? Is it being handled properly? What chemical or genetic alterations have been done to our food? Is this system we have really the best way to maintain our food, or is it just another American way that's all about convience?
2 comments:
Really enjoyed reading your post. Good questions, where does our food come from. Even this whole new "organic" idea, we still have no idea but assume its been handled more carefully and thoroughly because it says "organic!" To be honest, I rarely think about where my food comes from, although after reading your post would certainly like to know although it's pretty much impossible to find out the exact truth-which is scary! I do try to buy a lot of my vegetables from local farms during the summer, although winter is impossibe so I guess I'll drive to the nearest Whole Foods for that "organic" stuff! Good job.
The salmonella outbreak really made me wonder where and how our food is being handled, as you said. I live right down the street from Davidian's Farm in Northboro, MA, where my family gets all our fruits and vegetables because it is just so fresh and always maintained, leaving my family and I feeling better about what we're consuming. But, nowadays it is hard to tell what is good and what is not good for you. I read an article on a woman who consumed too many organic foods that a parasite was developed in her digestion track. That not only disturbs me, but also keeps me wondering about my food intake choices.
Post a Comment