Category Archives: food contamination

Pesticide Residue Found on Nearly Half of All Produce Sold in Canada

Posted on January 12, 2014 by caitlin

Canada’s CBC News recently requested data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) under federal Access to Information Act, similar to the U.S.’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). According to the data, almost half of the fruits and vegetables sold … Continue reading →

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Losing “The Good Earth”

Posted on January 1, 2014 by tbach

China’s government acknowledged this week that 8 million acres of its farmland – a land mass about the size of Belgium — is too polluted for growing food.    In 2013, dangerous levels of cadmium were detected in rice grown in Henan, a … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, agriculture and human health, air pollution, cadmium, carcinogens, China, environmental health, environmental health law, food contamination, lead, pesticides, pollution control standards, synthetic chemicals | Comments Off on Losing “The Good Earth”

Scrutinizing food labels – less is more?

Posted on December 18, 2013 by tbach

As enviro health activists seek improved or additional labels on everything from food to baby toys, we’ve witnessed pushback by manufacturers and retailers in state legislatures, as well as at the polls.  The recent successful attempts at GMO labeling via … Continue reading →

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New FDA guidance on antibiotic (antimicrobial) use in cows, pigs, and chickens

Posted on December 12, 2013 by tbach

Human antibiotic resistance has been on the radar for several years, but did you know that antibiotic-resistant infections kill 23,000 people in the U.S. and make another 2 million sick each year?  Some of this resistance has come from medical … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, agriculture and human health, animal welfare, antibiotics in livestock, antimicrobials, environmental health, FDA, food contamination, Food processing industry, public health, public health law | Tagged | Comments Off on New FDA guidance on antibiotic (antimicrobial) use in cows, pigs, and chickens

NPR Story on the Difference of Opinion on FDA’s Proposed Rule on Raw Manure

Posted on November 29, 2013 by caitlin

A recent NPR story discussed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s proposed rule on raw manure, highlighting the difference of opinion on the subject between FDA and organic farmers. Many organic farmers rely on manure to fertilize their farms … Continue reading →

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FDA Issues Statement about Arsenic in Rice

Posted on September 6, 2013 by caitlin

On September 6, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement after testing over 1,300 rice products for the presence of arsenic. The tests follow research indicating that rice products contained unsafe levels of arsenic. Arsenic is naturally present … Continue reading →

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A Dam Shame – Reservoirs and Elevated Mercury Levels

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Alex English

One of the oldest forms of “renewable” energy comes from hydropower. From ancient grain mills to tanneries to hydroelectric generation, humanity has long harnessed the power of flowing water. Unfortunately, increased use of water power has corresponded with increased environmental impacts. Tanneries, … Continue reading →

Posted in drinking water, environmental health, fish consumption advisories, food contamination, mercury, public health, Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), risk communication, routes of exposure, vulnerable populations | Tagged | Comments Off on A Dam Shame – Reservoirs and Elevated Mercury Levels

Meat with a side of Drug Resistant Bacteria

Posted on April 19, 2013 by msinnott

Last month, the FDA released the 10th National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System Retail Meat Annual Report. The results showed, among other things, that 81% of ground turkey, 69% of pork chops, 55% of ground beef, and 39% of chicken sold … Continue reading →

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Seafood: What Don’t We See?

Posted on April 3, 2013 by jamiemyers

Many people would agree that regularly eating fish is a recipe for a good diet. Such a diet has proven health benefits. For example, eating fatty fish like salmon provides omega-3 fatty acids, which is linked to reducing the risk … Continue reading →

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Antibiotics and Agriculture

Posted on March 3, 2013 by caitlin

FDA Draft Guidance #213 proposes voluntary guidelines to reduce the use of antibiotics in farm animals raised for food.  It specifically recommends that drug companies remove indications (instructions) for using antibiotics for growth promotion.  Manufacturers have 3 months to notify … Continue reading →

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