On Food Safety

Recently I happened to exchange bit of correspondence about food safety with Janice who is developing a website http://farmcommunities.com/ on green living and eco-friendly communities. Having recently witnesses a case of food poisoning in our university, I felt intrigued about sharing my correspondence with readers (after having Janice’s permission for it).

Janice: I wish more people would take the time to understand what they areconsuming. It's especially alarming here in the United States. The majority preferring the quick and cheap over quality and nature.

Me: Well, just last week I took my friend and colleague Asher to see a doctor in the nearby hospital. Asher was having diarrhea with blood in it. He told me he had taken his supper at the hostel mess (his wife not being home to cook for him) and it left him listless with motions. Later, I learnt from the canteen’s waiter that many people had suffered that problem since three dishes (two of them made of meat and one of red beans) were unclean. He told me that at the mess, it is common practice for the waiters and cooks to mix the leftover with fresh dishes of the same kind and serve them again, without freezing or boiling. Just imagine what we are eating here. Since that day, I always go out to eat. But who knows what I am eating there too?

Janice: Wow! Mixing old food with fresh food! I bet that happens more often thanwe think. I'm sure we are all exposed to unsanitary food throughout ourlives and in some ways it helps develop immunities but it just seems things are deteriorating all around. Becoming vegetarian was one of the best decisions of my life. I rarely eat out anymore as well. I don't even trust the local food market for any freshfruits and vegetables. I only purchase from an organic market and even thenI wonder if things are as they seem. Businesses are so consumed with the bottom line they will sacrifice us allfor their benefit. I read a disturbing story about a Chinese baby formulamaker that admitted to adding toxins to the baby formula in order toachieve higher nutrient gradings on the formula. A lot of children in China have died recently because of it. Too many souls have fallen dark to the mighty profit margin.