I can’t fairly say “I told you so” because I have certainly not been the only one, and it is old news in many respects. But, just last week I wrote a post on the dangers of centralized food processing. The setup saves money, but really puts the health of many more people at risk. Well, the events of the past few days may once again encourage those that are calling for the relocalization of food processing facilities.
The Associated Press today says the FDA’s “Food Safety Center” is calling on people to stop eating all peanut products. It has been documented that the food poisoning outbreak has now reached 43 states. I suspect it is actually under reported and has reached not only all 50 states, but probably Canada as well. As a food poisoning event made 100 times worse by the centralized, mass production of food, I could not have come up with a better example. I was going to put a few quotes from the AP story here, but there are so many great ones, I think you all should click on over and read the original.
I eat only a locally produced organic peanut butter so I don’t plan to change my eating habits. But, if you eat any large scale packaged foods with peanuts in them, and there are more than you may know, I would be careful. This is a time when everyone should probably read labels with the same focus that people who are allergic to peanuts do.
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…and I have peanut butter snack every night, oh man!
Anna
Annas last blog post..The Biggest Moon of 2009 – Not Really
I’m growing up with peanut butter and it’s been a tortured moment to me, when I found that poisoned peanuts is spreading like wildfire all across the U.S.A, will!
wilsons last blog post..Snacks – Is It Good or Bad For Your Health?
Peanuts are a risky food for other reasons: aflatoxin, a nasty mycotoxin, which harms the liver and heavy pesticide use, if not organic. I always recommend my clients switch to almond or cashew butter. And since you are in Oregon, Will, how about hazelnut butter for a healthy local option?
The only peanut product I am aware of eating, is my local organic unsalted peanut butter. Just organic peanuts. I would have a hard time giving that up! I had never heard of aflatoxin. I’ll have to research that. Is it part of the growing or processing?
Aflatoxin is a mycotoxin that grows naturally in some grains and in peanuts. So it may be organic or non-organic. I haven’t done a lot of research on it but know it can damage the liver. It is related to ergot, which was implicated in early “witch” behavior.
Witch behavior? That may explain a few things! Seriously, I stocked up on my peanut butter just in case. I noticed a store pulling all peanut butter off the shelves. Over reacting I think, but with the wide distribution of that peanut processing plant’s products, I guess the feel “better safe than sorry”.