Food labeling and education for consumers

 Problem: U.S. consumers tend to be
uneducated about the ingredients
contained in the foods they feed
themselves and their families.
 Goal: Educate consumers about U.S.
food additives and GMO use. Raise
awareness for the need for GMO
labeling of ingredients.

 3,000 food-bourne deaths per year
mainly due to bacteria
 FDA is responsible for food and drug
safety
 U.S. allows food ingredients that are
banned in other developed countries
 Ingredients can cause detrimental
effects on human health
 The use of GMO crops is damaging to
the environment and not proven safe for
human consumption

 Artificial food colorings
 Olestra (aka Olean)
 Brominated vegetable oil (BVO)
 Potassium bromate (brominated flour)
 Azodicarbonamide
 BHA & BHT
 Synthetic hormones (rBGH & rBST)
 Arsenic
 Diphenylamine (DPA)
 Preservatives
 Artificial sweeteners
 Flavor enhancers

More than 3,000 food additives are
added to U.S. foods

 Have increased drastically after the 1950’s
› Additives add shelf life, taste and better appearance
› Processing strips nutritional value (vitamins, minerals, fiber) from
foods  Additives so the food is not bland / not appealing
 Human health in the U.S. is much lower than other
industrialized countries.
 Could it be caused by the increase in toxic chemicals
added to our foods?

 Inexpensive substitute for real sugar that comes from
yellow corn
 Primarily used to sweeten soft drinks
 Added sugars in the diet from beverages can lead to
weight gain vs. solid foods
 Promotes insulin resistance and increases risk of diabetes
 Causes cancer-cells to metastasize (spreading from one
organ to another)
 Increases risk of heart disease
In 2006, the U.S. gave the corn
industry almost $5 million in
subsidies, allowing farmers to
sell their crops at low costs,
increasing HFCS in the U.S.
food chain. (Donsky)
http://foodidentitytheft.com/wp-content/uploads/foodwithHFCS.jpg

http://naturallysavvy.com/eat/label-loophole-why-trans-fat-free-foods-are-often-far-from-it
• Listed as “hydrolyzed”
• Raises triglycerides and
LDL (bad cholesterol)
• Increases risk of heart
attack
• Linked to prostate and
breast cancer
• Linked to Alzheimer’s
disease, diabetes and
obesity

• Over 100 chemical artificial flavors used in the U.S.
• Can cause allergic reactions
• Can cause behavioral problems in children

• Added for flavor enhancement
• Causes chest pain, headaches, heart palpitations
• Excited taste buds to make you eat more (food coma after chinese
food?)
• Causes neurological symptoms (decreased cognitive function)

• Most popular: Blue 1&2, Yellow 5&6, Green 3, Red 3&40, Orange B,
Citrus red 2
• Most are made from coal tar – used to make seal coatings for
industrial floors and used to kill lice in lice shampoos
• Found in cakes, candy, macaroni & cheese, medicines, sports drinks,
sodas, pet food, cheese, among many others.
• Banned in many countries
• Causes brain cancer, tumors of the immune system, mutates healthy
DNA

 Aspartame – may
cause cancer and
neurological side
effects (headaches,
confusion, dizziness,
memory loss,
convulsions)
 Acesulfame potassium
– may cause cancer
 Saccharin (Sweet-n-low)
– may cause
cancer
 Sucralose (Splenda)

• Found in the majority of packaged
foods to increase shelf life
• Cereals, butter, meats, beer,
etc.
• Sodium Benzoate – carcinogen
• Sodium Nitrate – may cause cancer
• BHA – cancer causing agent
• BHT – organ system toxicity
• TBHQ – may cause cancer
• Polysorbate60,65, 80 – affects
immune system function and may
cause infertility
• Alternatives: Rosemary and Sage

http://www.healthcastle.com/banned-brominated-vegetable-oil-popular-drinks-and-soda
 Found in sports drinks and citrus flavored sodas
 Used to prevent flavor from separating
 Competes with Iodine for receptor sites in the body
 Bromine is a poisonous chemical – both corrosive and
toxic
 Can lead to thyroid, autoimmune diseases and cancer
 BANNED IN OVER 100 COUNTRIES

 Made with corrosive and toxic Bromine
 Used in rolls, wraps, breads, bagels
 Strengthens the dough for faster baking
times
 Causes kidney and nervous system disorders
 FDA “urges” bakers to avoid using it…
http://foodidentitytheft.com/the-brominated-brothers-still-at-large-despite-a-bad-rap-sheet/

 Used in fat free potato
chips
 Causes digestive issues
 Causes a dramatic
depletion of fat soluble
vitamins and nutrients
 Banned in the UK and
other countries http://funtoysfactory.com/pringles-fat-free

 Found in breads,
frozen dinners, box
pasta mixes, and
packed baked goods
 Most countries wait a
week for flour to
whiten, U.S. food
processors prefer to
chemically bleach
flour ASAP
 Linked to asthma
 Primarily used in
foamed plastics like
yoga mats and
sneaker soles
http://hotmeme.net/post/2A3/subway-promises-to-remove-azodicarbonamide-from-their-bread-dough/

 Genetically engineered and used on cattle to
increase milk production by 10%
 Cows become lame, infertile and suffer from
inflamed and infected udders
 Linked to breast, colon and prostate cancer in
humans who ingest dairy products
http://whereismymilkfrom.com/blog/education/growth-hormones-dairy-cows-and-the-fda-oh-my/

 Permitted by the FDA for use in poultry feed to
promote growth, improve efficiency in feeding
birds and boost pigmentation of meat
(Goyanes)
 Can get passed down the food chain from the
chicken to humans when consumed
 EPA classified inorganic arsenic as a human
carcinogen
 Organic and inorganic arsenic is naturally
occurring in the environment and elevated
levels typically due to humans
› Can be in drinking water
› Can be in soil and leach into the food chain

 Found in apples, apple
juice, applesauce, pears,
baby food
 Gives a glossy appearance
to apples
 Prevents brown or
blackening of fruit
 According to the European
Food Safety Authority, DPA
is poisonous because it
breaks down into
nitrosamines which are
carcinogenic (Goyanes)

 Manufacturers use safer
and better ingredients in
their products in countries
where harmful ingredients are banned.
 Because the FDA has not banned these
ingredients, manufacturers use them to
save costs and increase shelf life of
products at the expense of U.S. human
health.
 What can we do  EDUCATE

• Bacteria contain additional
DNA which is circular known
as a plasmid
• Plasmids are shared between
bacterial cells
• Scientists can introduce
specific genes from other
organisms into certain types
of plasmids
• “engineered” plasmids are
introduced into new
organisms
• The organism will express this
new gene
• THIS IS NOT A NATURAL
PROCESS
http://fhs-bio-wiki.pbworks.com/w/page/22957102/Recombinant%20DNA%20(plasmids)

http://naturalrevolution.org/list-of-countries-that-ban-gmo-crops-and-require-ge-food-labels/#FLKP3sGs22IhXwyy.99

 Plant GMOs are currently designed to either
withstand herbicide treatment and/or
naturally produce insecticide
› The use of RoundUp has increased 15x since the
introduction of GMOs
› RoundUp is a toxic pollutant to the environment
– soil and water
› Introduction of “super weeds and bugs” that are
adapting and changing the natural
environment
 GMOs are not currently engineered to be
drought resistant, increase yield, enhance
nutrition or any other consumer benefit

 The corporations producing
GMOs are responsible for
testing safety of GMOs also
profit from them- How
accurate are their tests and
results?
http://www.newparadigm.ws/gmo-an-unprecedented-
agricultural-threat-to-life-and-
humanity/

• Drastic decreases in spending
• Is big pharma behind it? They make
money off an unhealthy society.
• Corporations are doing their own food
and cosmetic safety tests…
• The FDA approved the use of GMOs
based on these tests.

 Concerned citizens, small businesses and
other organizations are pushing for the
movement toward food labeling
 Labeling for GMOs at the state level is
trying to be banned at the federal level
 Vermont will have GMO labeling starting
in 2016, CT and ME have passed
mandates but will not go into effect until
other states do the same

 Goal:
Educate
consumers
about U.S.
food
additives
and GMO
use. Raise
awareness
for the need
for GMO
labeling of
ingredients.
http://personaltrainingrunawaybay.com/news/
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Regulation/Maine-House-backs-GMO-labeling-bill

› Companies such as Ben & Jerry’s, Stonyfield,
and other “green” product companies may
sponsor a grassroots advertising campaign
› Write letters to newspapers and local TV
programs
› Set up information tables and pass out fliers
at farmer’s markets & fairs
› Urge people to write to NH state reps
 More than two dozen states have movements
to labeling of GMOs in foods
› Urge schools to educate children and
parents on what is in their food and how to
make better choices

 People may not know what these
chemicals are
 The food companies who use harmful
chemicals in their food are looking to cut
costs while risking the safety and health
of the community
 Many foods that appeal to children are
loaded with chemicals
› Behavioral problems
› ADHD

 Urging consumers to pay attention to what
is in their food, to look for certain types of
harmful chemicals, or suggesting a whole
foods type diet can prevent and sometimes
reverse health problems!
 Use word of mouth.. The more educated
we are as a society, the healthier we can
be.
 This movement for clean eating has risen
the popularity of farmer’s markets and
stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.
 As citizens, we must inform others, sign
petitions, write our state reps, and use the
media to get the word out.

 Choose organic products
 Buy local
 Buy vegetables and fruits in season
 Read ingredient labels
 Buy recycled paper products
 Avoid eating at restaurants and
especially fast foods
 Spread the word to family and friends
 Join the movement 

Donsky, Andrea. (01Oct2013). 7 Scary Food Additives to Avoid. Naturally Savvy. Retrieved from
http://naturallysavvy.com/eat/7-scary-food-additivres-to-avoid
Vani Hari. (11Feb2013). Food Babe. How Food Companies Exploit Americans with Ingredients Banned in
Other Countries. Retrieved from http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/02/11/food-companies-exploit-americans-
with-ingredients-banned-in-other-countries/
GMA. Food Safety News. 11 Food Ingredients Banned Outside the U.S. that we eat. Retrieved from
http://gma.yahoo.com/11-food-ingredients-banned-outside-u-eat-101120572--abc-news-topstories.html
Goyanes, Cristina. 14 Banned Foods Still Allowed in the U.S. Retrieved from
http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/13-banned-foods-still-allowed-us
Label GMOs. What are we eating? Retrieved from
http://www.labelgmos.org/the_science_genetically_modified_foods_gmo
Mercola. (27Feb2013). U.S. Foods Chockfull of ingredients banned in other countries. Retrieved from
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/02/27/us-food-products.aspx
Natural Revolution. List of Countries That Ban GMO Crops and Require GE Food Labels. Retrieved from
http://naturalrevolution.org/list-of-countries-that-ban-gmo-crops-and-require-ge-food-labels/
USA Today. (09Apr2014.) Legislation Would Ban State GMO Labeling Measures. Retrieved from
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/09/genetic-labeling-bill/7519937/

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