New Food Labels

[DougF]

Originally Posted by Turtle

So just buying a product labeled according to country of manufacture' date=' does not insure all the ingredients come from safe and/or preferred countries of origin. We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't. Time to bring back the Victory Garden. [/Quote']

 

Yes this is a very valid point if we don't know where the pieces parts come from how are we supposed to know if they are safe or not?

 

Originally Posted by Cedars

There are some reports coming out that this has been going on for 15 years (additives that have been harming consumers).[/Quote]

 

Good link Cedars

I remember some 30+- years back I was living in the Seattle area there was something about some contamination ... Oh Sh**t it's a ***** to get old can't remember crap..

 

well I remember hearing about this before, but it was a little more low key! (don't worry it's OK) kind of thing, I'm sure it's not the FIRST TIME this has happened. :shrug: and if we don't try to do something it won't be the last. :o

 

may you all fair well.

[InfiniteNow]

Further, with food, some ingredients may be obtained from other countries but pulled together elsewhere.

 

So for example, I buy my molasses from the Domincan, and my chocolate from Belgium, wheat from China, and kangaroo from Australia then make my food product in Dallas (don't ask me what this food product might be, it's just an example :o). What should the label say?

 

Wouldn't the label in the above example state "Made in the USA?"

[Racoon]

Wouldn't the label in the above example state "Made in the USA?"

 

Label it all.. Its only print on the packaging.

Let the consumer decide.

 

The consumer should know where their product ingredients are being shipped from..

And if the consumer has a distrust against some imports, then the market will bear or not that preference.

 

I agree it can get complicated in a global market, but what happens when something on 1 side goes wrong?

Should the entire product be condemned?

 

Or should emphasis be placed on the origin of the faulting contingent?

[DougF]

if there are 30 deferent parts (ingredient's) and they all come from deferent countries, well if one ingredient is contaminated then YES the product should be recalled. :o

[DougF]

Racoon

Or should emphasis be placed on the origin of the faulting contingent?[/Quote]

 

yes the public should know who is contaminating your products and held responsible.:o

[InfiniteNow]

And how do you propose that happen? Your label will soon look like the instructions on a new electronic amplifier, with 48 different countries of ingredients and each shown in 7 different languages.

 

Perhaps a smarter solution is available?

[Cedars]

And how do you propose that happen? Your label will soon look like the instructions on a new electronic amplifier, with 48 different countries of ingredients and each shown in 7 different languages.

 

Perhaps a smarter solution is available?

 

Lemme see....

 

Whats more important?

 

Being able to hook up an amp or being able to make informed choices on food product origins?

 

well... when I was 14 the amp would have been #1.

[Cedars]

if there are 30 deferent parts (ingredient's) and they all come from deferent countries, well if one ingredient is contaminated then YES the product should be recalled. :)

 

I agree.

 

We should treat all imported food the same way we treated beef from mad cow countries. Ban all that food import until PROVEN safe.

 

Bad toothpaste? Ban all toothpaste and ingredients from point of origin. I dont care if the toothpaste only showed up in Panama. Not worth the risk. Oh wait, it has showed up in the USA.

 

Bad medicine? Ban all meds from country of origin until proven safe. I dont care if it was only the German people who died from it. Oh wait, it has shown up in the USA.

 

Bad wheat glutton? I dont care if it only killed dogs and cats, there is no guarentee it didnt get labeled for human consumption. Ban All The Wheat Glutton until its PROVEN safe. Oh wait, this stuff came in from China via Canada. Well then we ban all wheat glutten products from Canada too.

 

Its the most humanitarian thing and world beneficial thing that can be done. Improve it for us, and the trickle down makes it better for them.

[InfiniteNow]

Is the concept of analogy no longer relevant in the world? :)

[Cedars]

Is the concept of analogy no longer relevant in the world? :)

 

Why use an analogy (and not a very good one) when theres plenty of facts to rely on?

[Michaelangelica]

I agree.

 

We should treat all imported food the same way we treated beef from mad cow countries. Ban all that food import until PROVEN safe.

.

I notice we have a lot (probably most) of 'country of origin' labels now, even with loose fruit and vegetables.

 

I think the thing is that very little food '% wise" is tested. There is just too much and testing authorities are underfunded.

Sometimes Authorities feel that telling you that your food contains 'xyz' PPm of DDT may be mis-understood.

A Story

A friend of mine was finishing his PhD in chemistry at Sydney Uni.

He purchased a lettuce at a small fruit shop in Balmain. He noticed it and all the other lettuces seemed to have a lot of white powder on them.

He took his lettuce back to his lab ; tested it on a GCG and found it contained stacks of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

He thought he better ring the health authorities as the CH level were dangerously high.

But then he had an evil thought:evil: What if I just ring as a "concerned" citizen" and see what happened.?

Well the Health Commission, Agi dept. of Environment dept. just told him to wash his lettuce well, everything would be OK, reassured him and poo-pooed his concerns.

 

Her then rang as Dr "JE" from Sydney uni. and made the same complaint. The first call to the Health Department caused sheer pandemonium. "Who are you? How do you know this?' etc

Within an hour all lettuces from the little fruit shop has been confiscated and destroyed.

The moral of this story is . . . ?

County of origin is good, crap levels is better.

 

 

PS

When I imported herbs into Oz, in a previous life, all containers had to be fumigated, usually with methyl bromide. If the fumigation was done in port of origin the fumigation substance was even nastier.

[DougF]

InfiniteNow

And how do you propose that happen? Your label will soon look like the instructions on a new electronic amplifier' date=' with 48 different countries of ingredients and each shown in 7 different languages.

 

Perhaps a smarter solution is available? [/Quote']

 

It so happens that I happen to have one, :P

Would you like too hear it? :)

 

OK here it is Barcode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Right now I can walk into a " target Store" pick up something off of the shelf and Scan it it will then tell me that I scanned and the size ( oz/ Lb) and how much it is, now this bar code can hold a hole lot of information and IMHO it could tell you what was in this product and where it came from, now if we could get our inspectors to too check the ingredients then when they found contamination they would put up a red flag that said don't buy "Bad wheat glutton" from China, it would instantaneously go out on the INTERNET which is connected to my "Target Store" and when I scanned it it would tell me that this product has "Bad wheat glutton" from China, and that it was on recall, further more when I went to the cash register and the casher Scan it, it SHOULD NOT RING UP because there is a ban on "Bad wheat glutton" from China. I think that would work like I said the barcode can hold a lot of information and at this time all I think we need to know is (what it is and where it came from ) DOWN AND DIRTY.. {IMHO} :hihi:

 

Bar Code

 

Well there it is you asked for it!

 

 

:)

[DougF]

Cadars

Lemme see....

 

Whats more important?

 

Being able to hook up an amp or being able to make informed choices on food product origins?

 

well... when I was 14 the amp would have been #1.[/Quote]

 

I never had a amp thought I wanted one once.:)

 

Cadars

I agree.

 

We should treat all imported food the same way we treated beef from mad cow countries. Ban all that food import until PROVEN safe.

 

Bad toothpaste? <--->

Bad medicine? <--->

Bad wheat glutton? I dont care if it only killed dogs and cats' date=' there is no guarentee it didnt get labeled for human consumption. Ban All The Wheat Glutton until its PROVEN safe. [/Quote']

 

I could'nt have said it better my self. :) :P

 

Cadars

Oh wait' date=' this stuff came in from China via Canada. Well then we ban all wheat glutten products from Canada too.[/Quote']

 

Well if we do the Barcode thingie then we would know that Canada's "stuff" was OK befor it want to China, Now what hapeneds when it hits China? (Well I hope the inspectors are on the job):hihi:

 

Cadars

Its the most humanitarian thing and world beneficial thing that can be done. Improve it for us' date=' and the trickle down makes it better for them. [/Quote']

[DougF]

Michaelangelica

I notice we have a lot (probably most) of 'country of origin' labels now' date=' even with loose fruit and vegetables.

 

[b']I think the thing is that very little food '% wise" is tested. There is just too much and testing authorities are underfunded.

Sometimes Authorities feel that telling you that your food contains 'xyz' PPm of DDT may be mis-understood.[/b][/Quote]

Do you know that you just hit this right on the head. ( in a nut shell) ( the whole ball of wax)

 

Michaelangelica

PS

When I imported herbs into Oz' date=' in a previous life, all containers had to be fumigated, usually with methyl bromide. If the fumigation was done in port of origin the fumigation substance was even nastier.[/Quote']

I just have all my food NUKED nowadays,

(it's saves power I don't need lights to go to the John):)

[Cedars]

I notice we have a lot (probably most) of 'country of origin' labels now, even with loose fruit and vegetables.

 

I think the thing is that very little food '% wise" is tested. There is just too much and testing authorities are underfunded.

Sometimes Authorities feel that telling you that your food contains 'xyz' PPm of DDT may be mis-understood.

A Story

A friend of mine was finishing his PhD in chemistry at Sydney Uni.

He purchased a lettuce at a small fruit shop in Balmain. He noticed it and all the other lettuces seemed to have a lot of white powder on them.

He took his lettuce back to his lab ; tested it on a GCG and found it contained stacks of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

He thought he better ring the health authorities as the CH level were dangerously high.

But then he had an evil thought:evil: What if I just ring as a "concerned" citizen" and see what happened.?

Well the Health Commission, Agi dept. of Environment dept. just told him to wash his lettuce well, everything would be OK, reassured him and poo-pooed his concerns.

 

Her then rang as Dr "JE" from Sydney uni. and made the same complaint. The first call to the Health Department caused sheer pandemonium. "Who are you? How do you know this?' etc

Within an hour all lettuces from the little fruit shop has been confiscated and destroyed.

The moral of this story is . . . ?

County of origin is good, crap levels is better.

 

 

PS

When I imported herbs into Oz, in a previous life, all containers had to be fumigated, usually with methyl bromide. If the fumigation was done in port of origin the fumigation substance was even nastier.

 

Interesting story there MA.

 

A Dr revealing info can prove his case.

An average citizen cannot.

 

There are lots of stories out there which cannot be proven by legal standards, but the people they have impacted, know what happened (sometimes).

 

And other times, its years later when they find stories occuring that describe their experience, finally offering an answer to what was once a mystery to them.

[Cedars]

It so happens that I happen to have one, :D

Would you like too hear it? :rainbow:

 

OK here it is Barcode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Right now I can walk into a " target Store" pick up something off of the shelf and Scan it it will then tell me that I scanned and the size ( oz/ Lb) and how much it is, now this bar code can hold a hole lot of information and IMHO it could tell you what was in this product and where it came from, now if we could get our inspectors to too check the ingredients then when they found contamination they would put up a red flag that said don't buy "Bad wheat glutton" from China, it would instantaneously go out on the INTERNET which is connected to my "Target Store" and when I scanned it it would tell me that this product has "Bad wheat glutton" from China, and that it was on recall, further more when I went to the cash register and the casher Scan it, it SHOULD NOT RING UP because there is a ban on "Bad wheat glutton" from China. I think that would work like I said the barcode can hold a lot of information and at this time all I think we need to know is (what it is and where it came from ) DOWN AND DIRTY.. {IMHO}

 

Bar Code

 

Well there it is you asked for it!

 

 

:rolleyes:

 

Not a bad idea, but it should be expanded to include all products so a consumer can choose to avoid products produced in countries that they have doubts about quality, moral issues with, boycott interests in, ect. instead of relying on a gov recall.

 

Consumers should be able to make informed decisions on any product they purchase.

[InfiniteNow]

I, too, like the idea Doug. Use the bar code to get instant information on any product. Let's continue the thought and determine how we might manage the data brought up with each product.

 

So, you scan your bag of cat food, and programmed into the bar code it indicates that it has gluten from the Hunan province of China, one of the factories there recently was found to be shipping dangerous gluten.

 

How is that data about that factory tied to that bag of cat food in your hand at Target? Who does this, and what is the oversight to ensure it's done right?

 

 

Maybe I'm getting too far ahead. Sorry. :D I liked your idea and wanted to explore it more. :rolleyes: