GMO Wheat, Strawberries and Tomatoes

What do wheat, strawberries and tomatoes have in common?



Wheat field in Kansas in early spring.
Courtesy http://buzzardsbeat.blogspot.com

Not much except they AREN'T GMOs. Yep, that's right - contrary to many internet infographics and Facebook posts, there is no such thing as a GMO wheat plant, strawberry or tomato.

Simple as that.

There is however a fairly short list of GMO foods that are available in the U.S.:

• corn
• soybeans
• cotton
• alfalfa
• sugar beets
• papaya
• squash

Two other GMO plants have been approved, the Arctic Apple and the Innate potato. However, the apples will not be available on the market until fall 2016, in limited quantities. Innate potatoes have been available in small quantities for the past few months.

There are a lot of reasons to develop new GMO varieties and one that I am very passionate about is food waste. For example, according to GMO Answers, the Innate potato bruises about 40% less than conventional potatoes and will not show black spots or browning when peeled and prepared. This can help reduce an estimated 400 million pounds of waste that go to landfills each year. Additionally, since we are less likely to eat a gross, black and bruised potato, we as consumers will throw away fewer potatoes at home. Fewer wasted potatoes means that farmers can market more of their crop and reduce pesticide, water and carbon dioxide from farm production. I know I am less likely to eat a potato if it has a big black spot and how much goes to waste by cutting out the black bits?

Obviously, nutrition is a big component of all food products and the Innate potato delivers. Innate potatoes have up to 70% less acrylamide than conventional potatoes when cooked at high temperatures. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in most starchy foods but is a probable carcinogen in laboratory animals when consumed at high doses. Subsequent generations of Innate promise to lower acrylamide by 90% or more, providing a healthier option for consumers. Healthier for humans and the environment!

Similarly, Arctic Apples are a non-browning apple - who likes brown apples a mere five minutes after you bite into it or slice it up?! Not me. They also don't brown after they have been bruised which leads to fewer being thrown in the bin because of nasty bruise. Again, this all contributes to less food wasted and I think we can all agree that less food waste = a healthier planet.

I hope if you have questions about GMOs you will reach out to a reputable source, such as GMOAnswers.com, a FFT member, a state agriculture association or better yet, a farmer or rancher! Who better to talk to you about the food you eat than the farmers and ranchers who grow it?

So the next time you see a strawberry and a tomato melded together in a Facebook "infographic" be confident that it's not a genetic experiment gone wrong. It's merely food fear at work - don't play into the hands of those who wish to scare you. Food is meant to be enjoyed, not feared!

Questions about GMOs? Leave a comment!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

All facts taken from GMOAnswers.com*

Wasted

Imagine a family dinner of three with a menu that could be anything from grilled chicken to pasta salad. But, imagine if one of those family members didn’t eat their meal, and it had gone to waste. Sadly, those circumstances parallel American society. For decades, wasted food was been problem hiding in plain sight. Thankfully the issue of food waste has gradually become one the food industry, press and now politicians–are noticing.

 

 

Just this month, the separation of church and state was set aside when combating food waste. The Environmental Protection Agency on January 18^th, 2016 launched the Food Steward's Pledge, an initiative to engage religious groups of all faiths to help redirect the food that ends up in landfills to hungry mouths. The EPA also partnered with the USDA back in September of 2015 at a joint event where USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and EPA deputy administrator Stan Meiburg announced a plan with a multifaceted way of getting there: reduce the country’s food waste by 50 percent by 2030.

According to US Government Figures, more than 1,200 calories per American per day are wasted. These losses occur on the farm, at the retail level and in homes. We consumers often toss out foods because they've passed their sell-by date — but are still just fine to eat — or because we buy more than we can eat before it goes bad. In addition, Food waste is the single biggest material in U.S. landfills, according to the U.S. Agricultural Department. As this waste decomposes, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

 

For many Americans, there are multiple reasons that they throw away food, including food that goes past its use by date, Food that has visibly gone bad, making too much food, and many more. According to Government Agencies like the EPA and the USDA, the key to reduce food waste at the consumer level is by changing behavior.  The EPA is engaging with faith-based groups to help make that change behavior in a variety of ways. For instance, when these organizations hold potlucks, the leftovers can go to the local food bank.

Given that food affects every single US Citizen in some shape of form, it’s easy for consumers to take action against food waste.  Government Agencies, Researchers, and other parties have found that there are simple ways to decrease food waste and save money, such as:

1. Grocery Shopping Realistically:

When going shopping, make sure you don't buy too much food. This may mean going to the grocery store more often, and buying less food each time. A good way of solidifying this is by planning out meals in advance, and making a detailed shopping list with the ingredients you'll need.

2. Saving and Eating Leftovers

Saving uneaten food when you either cook too much or you get too much food at a restaurant can help reduce food waste. Labeling leftovers can help keep track of how long they've been in your fridge or freezer. 

3. Don’t Over-Serve

The idea of massive portions is a problem in American Culture, and it’s consumers at home as well trickle into our homes. Refrain from over-serving friends and family when you're cooking meals. Using small plates can help with that.

4. Treat expiration and sell-by dates as guidelines

When it comes to expiration and sell-by dates, this is a tricky subject. Most Expiration dates identify with food quality, not food safety. The "sell by" label tells the store how long to display the product for sale. This is basically a guide for the retailer, so the store knows when to pull the item. This is not mandatory, so reach in back and get the freshest. The issue is quality of the item (freshness, taste, and consistency) rather than whether it is on the verge of spoiling.

5. Donate to food banks and farms.

Before you throw away excess food, look into food banks and charities where you can bring items you know you're not going to consume before they go bad, and give them to people in need. You can find local food banks through Feeding America and WhyHunger.

The good news about Food Waste, is that we as individuals can implement small changes that make a big difference in the amount of food we throw away each year.

Good Luck!

Conrad

How Much Food Do You Waste?

I said no jalapenos, but they arrive anyway. Classic food waste problem.

Food waste is a big issue for everyone: farmers, ranchers, consumers, food retailers, policy makers etc. Everyone has a stake in food waste and has something to lose.
Which is why it's an issue that all people should be fully aware of and should be working together to find a solution. I mean, Americans waste 40% of the food we buy at the grocery store. Imagine this: you go buy your fruits and veggies, Cheetos, lean meats and chocolate milk, go through the checkout and dole out your hard-earned cash. Then go home and through almost half of it in the trash, straight away. Boom gone. That's what Americans do, we waste food.

U.S. residents spent on average about $2,273, or about 6.4 percent of their annual consumer expenditures, on food in 2012, according to the USDA. In other countries, like Pakistan, residents spend almost half of their income. HALF. In India and China that number is upwards of 25%. I mean, why wouldn't we throw away our food, we have can always buy more?

While we tend to talk about food waste on a personal level, there is also a level of responsibility to retailers and restaurants. I can't remember how many times I have been at a restaurant and asked for them NOT to send out lettuce and tomatoes for my cheeseburger and a) the waitress will say "well, it comes on the side" and not write it down or b) the chef will forget and include it anyway. Guess what happens when that tomato and lettuce gets to my table? You guessed it - nothing. I don't eat it and it undoubtedly goes in the trash. That is food waste!

The bottom line is that we can all do a better job of not wasting food because honestly, I don't believe that we have a food production problem in the world. If we could cut back our food waste and improve our food distribution throughout the world, we could make giant steps in world hunger.

So, next time you go to a restaurant, if you don't want your veggies don't order them. Additionally, think twice about the jumbo size items - because do you honestly consume the whole jumbo bag of cereal before it goes stale?

Just some Food For Thought!

Buzzard