More and more families are beginning to grow their own fruits and vegetables due to their increased concerned regarding the quality and safety of our food supply. In the past year and a half the pathogens in certain foods that we always assumed to be safe have accounted for illnesses in over 1300 people with at least three fatalities. Scientists are not really sure how these food staples became contaminated, and are increasingly concerned that our current methods of isolating the sources of contamination before this tainted food ends up in the marketplace are woefully inadequate.
There several reasons for this situation:
Mega sized food growers and processors now dominate the industry. This means that any contamination that arises will be epic in size and will spread over wide areas of the country.
A very outdated, overworked, and imbalanced food regulatory system which seems to be incapable or loath to properly police our supply chain.
Fresh produce is being consumed in much greater quantities than in previous years, which is a healthy trend, but much of this food is being consumed raw. While this is also good, the consumer needs to be sure the produce he is consuming is uncontaminated if it is not going to be cooked. Washing is usually not enough, as many of the chemicals and pathogens will stick to the produce surfaces.
Much of the commercial produce consumed today is grown in areas that also sustain the raising of livestock. Where there is manure on the ground, the possibilities of contamination explode. Water runoff, birds and wild animals are all capable of transferring bacteria to fresh fruits and vegetables. In places such as California, often called the Nation's Salad Bowl; produce, livestock, vineyards and dairies are all competing for the same limited space.
The distribution process also adds to the problem. These large processors ship to all parts of the country where the products are packaged and shipped under a myriad of brands and labels, so tracing the sources of contamination is extremely difficult
In addition to safety consideration, another good reason to grow your own produce is the fact that food shortages may become a reality in a relatively short time. The increased demand from developing countries for meat and dairy products as well as demand for more fresh fruits and vegetables plus the increased use of arable land for biofuel production, is leading to food shortages and dramatic price increases
As developing countries emerge from low levels of poverty, the demand for animal protein rises, which translates into growing more grain for livestock and dairy animals. The environmental impact of assigning more acres to grain fields could eventually lead to even greater shortages in our food supply and a loss of arable land due to erosion and poor management, such as the burning of the rain forests.
Finding solutions to these problems will take concerted time and effort, but if a majority of people worldwide had even a small plot to grow food in, it could alleviate this situation in a major way.
When you buy fresh vegetables and fruits at the grocery store those items look great. We think they are clean and ready to use with just a rinse of water. But with news stories of critical illnesses caused by contaminated foods, how safe are the foods we buy? Where did this tainted food come from? We cannot blame the foreign growers, not when we hear about recalls of spinach from California. There are a lot of variables in growing fruits and vegetables, and it is not always easy to control the environment. One study conducted at the University of the Netherlands explored the many phases of the growing and transporting cycle for fresh fruits and vegetables. It was noted that there are many times in this cycle that foods could be contaminated or spoiled. Pathogens can be found in fruits and vegetables. Microbes can group themselves into tightly knit formations called biofilms that coat fruits and vegetables and protect the bacteria from harm. This kind of bacterial community can harbor multiple versions of infectious, disease-causing bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli. Pesticides residues can also remain on our produce. Foods can appear to be clean and attractive, encouraging consumption without proper cleaning. Mycotoxin is a toxin in the fungus family. Due to their microscopically small spores,fungi are found nearly everywhere in small quantities. They feed off organic matter when the conditions are right. In too great a quantity mycotoxin poisoning can take place. This overdose can come through direct consumption or by feeding contaminated feed to livestock. What can the consumer do to improve the qualities of the foods they feed their family? One simple tool I have found is chlorine dioxide. This chemical is found in our bodies, and is vital to health and wellness. Chlorine dioxide has also been used for treating water for over 70 years, making it an amazing water purifier. How do we get this powerful cleansing reaction? MMS, or miracle mineral solution creates chlorine dioxide when it is mixed with a food based acid like citric acid. One step we can take in our food preparation is to do that final cleaning prior to use of our produce. The method I prefer is to use MMS, or Miracle Mineral Solution and a little citric acid to produce chlorine dioxide. This combination was discovered several years ago, and used to treat thousands of malaria cases, hence the name miracle in Miracle Mineral Solution. The resulting chemical output is chlorine dioxide, a water purifier and naturally occuring detoxifier in the body. Your family and your own health and wellness is in your hands. Our current practices with chemical fertilizers and pesticides has given us great food supplies year-round, and has served our ever growing populations. Miracle Mineral Solution and chlorine dioxide give us a tool to assure that our foods are the best they can be.
Both Richard Murray & Lidia Peru are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Richard Murray has sinced written about articles on various topics from Vegetable Garden, Home Management and Vegetable Garden. Dick Murray is a retired urbanite who keeps his passion for gardening alive with pots of herbs on the window sills and the creation of dedicated to. Richard Murray's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
Lidia Peru has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entertainment Guide, Health and Gardening. Virginia Pipolini offers many natural health tips for safe and cost effective daily practices for a healthier lifestyle. You can learn more about or. Lidia Peru's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.