Mrs M
yoda76WELL DON'T I FEEL LIKE A FOOL!
March 25th 2008 02:06
By now I hope you’ve all seen the trailer for the documentary FOOD MATTERS that Mr M (yoda76) has been working on.
If not, you can view a trailer on www.foodmatters.tv
It’s a fascinating documentary about the healing components of food. To give you a better idea here is a quote from the press release.
With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what’s wrong with our malnourished bodies, it’s no wonder that modern society is getting sicker. Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide ‘Sickness Industry’ and giving people some scientifically verifiable solutions for curing disease naturally.
After being privy to some of the footage it’s very hard to not make some changes to my family’s diet. Because even though we’re not sick now, it’s only a matter of time before we are.
So the first and easiest way is to change to organic food. It’s more expensive but as a friend told me last week “you can either pay now, or pay later”. So I figure if I’m going to eat an apple, I shouldn’t waste my time with a nutritionally questionable apple. I should just go organic.
Scouring the designated organic shelves of my local Woolworths supermarket on the weekend I found Woolworths Brand organic tinned tomatoes for $1.15. I thought to myself, this isn’t so bad. It’s about 50cents more expensive than the can I usually buy, but I can live with spending 50cents more.
Chuffed with myself I bought a few cans and went home to share the spoils with the family.
Then yesterday reading the Sydney Morning Herald on line I came across this article; ORGANIC RIP OFF CONCERN.
As a concerned consumer I read the article and by the end of it I was mightily annoyed I tell you because I discovered that
Excellent. I’ve been duped.
The article explains that
“
So what do I do about my probably not organic tinned tomatoes? Take the cans back to Woolworths and demand a refund?
Getting in contact with an advertising or food labeling regulatory body and demand they do something?
(Lilla, got any free time to do some lobbying?
)
So I’m a bit annoyed at “the Man” today. I try to do something to improve the health of my family and all “the Man” can think about is his bottom line. I’d like to think that I’m a savvy consumer but “the Man” will always try to take advantage of my vulnerabilities and lack of knowledge. How do you sleep at night “Man”?
If not, you can view a trailer on www.foodmatters.tv
It’s a fascinating documentary about the healing components of food. To give you a better idea here is a quote from the press release.
With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what’s wrong with our malnourished bodies, it’s no wonder that modern society is getting sicker. Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide ‘Sickness Industry’ and giving people some scientifically verifiable solutions for curing disease naturally.
After being privy to some of the footage it’s very hard to not make some changes to my family’s diet. Because even though we’re not sick now, it’s only a matter of time before we are.
So the first and easiest way is to change to organic food. It’s more expensive but as a friend told me last week “you can either pay now, or pay later”. So I figure if I’m going to eat an apple, I shouldn’t waste my time with a nutritionally questionable apple. I should just go organic.
Scouring the designated organic shelves of my local Woolworths supermarket on the weekend I found Woolworths Brand organic tinned tomatoes for $1.15. I thought to myself, this isn’t so bad. It’s about 50cents more expensive than the can I usually buy, but I can live with spending 50cents more.
Chuffed with myself I bought a few cans and went home to share the spoils with the family.
Then yesterday reading the Sydney Morning Herald on line I came across this article; ORGANIC RIP OFF CONCERN.
As a concerned consumer I read the article and by the end of it I was mightily annoyed I tell you because I discovered that
“some own-brand organic products bought by The Sun-Herald in Coles and Woolworths last week had none of the official logos. Woolworths' organic tinned tomatoes had no official certification”.
Excellent. I’ve been duped.
The article explains that
“
Labelling on organic products in Australia is confusing, potentially misleading and urgently needs reform, consumer advocacy group Choice says.
It is calling for a single, unified system of certification to replace the current method, whereby several different bodies regulate producers, and some brands make completely unsubstantiated claims to be organic.”
“There are eight organic certification bodies, which are overseen by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.”
It is calling for a single, unified system of certification to replace the current method, whereby several different bodies regulate producers, and some brands make completely unsubstantiated claims to be organic.”
“There are eight organic certification bodies, which are overseen by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.”
So what do I do about my probably not organic tinned tomatoes? Take the cans back to Woolworths and demand a refund?
Getting in contact with an advertising or food labeling regulatory body and demand they do something?
(Lilla, got any free time to do some lobbying?
)So I’m a bit annoyed at “the Man” today. I try to do something to improve the health of my family and all “the Man” can think about is his bottom line. I’d like to think that I’m a savvy consumer but “the Man” will always try to take advantage of my vulnerabilities and lack of knowledge. How do you sleep at night “Man”?
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Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Oh wait... I should read things more carefully
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Being
naturalpaganwhatever you'd think Id care a lot about what we eat, and I do. But to gain the full affect of food you must grow and kill it yourself. Plants and herbs grown by the family absorb your energy while growing and then give it back to you. Meat killed by you has also been fed and cared for by you. Do you see where Im going with this?Point is, NOTHING you can buy will have the same affect. Ive worked in a produce store, supposedly so much fresher than the general supermarket. Yeah Right. The products are just as old and just as nutrient deprived. Actually, not having the money of the big supermarkets, I often thought the small produce shop was just....Well....Dodgy. It convinced me to go back to Woolies!
So I dont bother over much. I take vitamins, exercise and try to stay away from doctors. I work hard on my methods of cooking and try and balance the meals nutritionally. Its all I can do, short of wandering the supermarket searching for 'organic' labels that are probably lying to me anyway....
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
The more I look into all of this, organic food, labelling, additives, medicines the more I realise we are being royally screwed over.
I see your point about growing and killing it yourself. Though I have horrible memories of an uncle in Greece killing a chook in front of me. They really do run around without their heads on.
You sound like you've hit the nail on the head with the vitamins and cooking the right way.
Time for a strike and revolution Kleo
Hope you're keeping well. I'll be over to visit soon. My 5 hour a week paid job is slowing turning into my 10 - 15 hour a week paid job that is sucking my will to live.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
And then you go to little stalls to buy organic and get a bunch of silverbeet half eaten by bugs - true accreditation, but not real helpful when you're paying prices through the roof and getting not much more than a few holey leaves.
It's all just a pain in the a***! And makes me wonder just how many things we are being scammed over.
Michaelie
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I've been thinking about you for the past three days, hoping all was well... good to see you and with such interesting news, wow... the trick here would be to find out who to lobby... I'll have a look at a few names tomorrow okay?
Oh I just love what Mr M aka Yoda is doing with this film. BRAVO Mr M, BRAVO!!! BRILLIANT STUFF!
You are what you eat ((laughs)) and to me everyone is looking more like a Big Mac everyday and did you hear about that MacDonalds hamburger that sayed ‘fresh’ for two years!.
It's appalling, really appalling... things like 'Lite' marked on a label doesn’t mean lower in fat if you look closer, about 4 in 10 times it can mean Lighter in colour! But then if you knew the process and chemicals used to extract the full fat, you’d never eat it. Eat full fat I say, but less of it.
…and now ‘that bloomin' man,’ will try and confuse us even more as I have been following the push (and soon to be implemented) carbon labelling to our products. All being put up on the bandwagon as a way of ‘helping us buy local ‘... but all I can see is another opportunity of ‘bottom line’ advantage for the man to add to his ‘non-organic cash-cow…’ You know, this is lower in carbon, so we buy it thinking we are doing good … but unaware that it is sky high in chemicals … it’s so ripe for complete manipulation it will take the most astute shopping to not poison our families… and who has time? … oh that gets my goat. (pardon the pun).
I buy fresh from the local greengrocer and avoid the supermarkets like the plague, or blight, or whatever else they serve up as fruit and veg these days.
I mean come on people, an apple which will last for nearly four weeks and then just go brown and soggy? Yuk. No thanks I’m with you Mrs M ... and would rather suck wax fruit.
I am not surprised at your discovery having read ‘those labels’ closely myself - foudn on every supermarket shelf. Try the 'foreign / specialty food section' of Coles for a slightly lower chemical count. Otherwise the local delicatessen who imports directly, is probably a little
dearerbetter… but the whole world is affected to some degree, nowhere is guaranteed 'safe' from GM and chemicals anymoe.Your only recourse now, is to buy local tomatoes - better still get busy in the garden and grow them yourself I say - and cook them down to the various sauces you’ll need for a month or two and store them? I tend to have these huge pickling and cook-up days to get all that stuff onto the pantry shelves and into the freezer... there really is little choice now to keep the family healthy and I know its about as organic as it gets, especially when the tomatoes and eggplants etc., are from my own garden.
I was talking to a coffee farmer up the road the other day who was ‘carrying on’ about his organic coffee… the problem was that the last farmer who had the land before him had absolutely flooded it with some stuff that had a half-life of some 25 years, to keep the fruit fly from his bananas!
And scarier yet is the future of not even being able to take a multivitamin to make up the shortfall for the nutrition we need. I don’t know if you have heard about the Codex Alimentarius, but I did a post about it <<here>>a while ago.
It is worth listening to this doctor explain it to you on the video on that post (about 40 minutes). The entire nightmare is already ratified by the WHO and is almost upon us in regard to the future of organic nutrition and the ‘poor’ loosing their rights to it, as of 2009… omg next year!
It really looks to me like our ability to source and choose non-GM foods is soon to change dramatically, as we are engineered into manageable ‘lots,’ for ...what? ... when the food runs out? Who knows. Time to start digging your gardens people and growing your own if you are not already. it is amazing how much food can be grown on one small suburbane block.
Trust you to come back with a BIG ISSUE Mrs M, you are a wonder… power to you both and kudos for this project. I look forward to seeing all the film when it is out. Let us know.
Hugs to you ...and the little Padwans (as Dusk would say)…
Lilla …
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Cheers, Lilla - but it's not all me
And it's not all food either - the Codex is a lot scarier in the context of what is in the film - it talks about Nutritional Therapy to treat Chronic Illness, and often a very large part of that is supplementation in heavy doses.
To know that they are trying to regulate like this is really the last straw of what the film has dubbed 'the sickness industry'.
And if you go to www.foodmatters.tv, you can sign up to be notified of the release. All going to schedule (so far so good!) we should be online in late April.
Now back to work...
Comment by tlcorbin
It's a marketing ploy as far as I am concerned, it's like art supplies; take a common $1 item and label it an artist grade item and they get $10 for the item. What's worse, folks buy it.
Raise or grow your own food stuffs and you'll know what's in them. The old adage that we are what we eat is becoming a very serious matter. Raven
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
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Supermarkets et al are corporate con men - criminals with bottom line principles - just as soon as we think we're doing the right thing - someone has already thought of a way to label produce in a misleading (yet profitable of course) fashion.
Yes - in many cases we simply don't do the homework (ie: someone said to me just the other day that licorice was quite a 'healthy treat' because it was 99% fat free - it was there right on the label!
- yeah right - 1000% sugar and crap - but 99% fat free - hmmmm.
Cheers to your Mr M (aka Yoda) - and of course to you too Mrs M.
MNG
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
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I will sign up for the release, this is a subject very close to my heart *laughs*
..and success is rarely the result of one person, I understand, but power to you still for being a part of the team who 'gets it out there.' I only added the information on the Codex for the readers that wanted to know more, or who might rely on getting their nutrition from organic herbal supplements... you are so right though in how scary it is ..and just how diabolically simple it is to stay, eat and exercise healthy, if you just learn a few simple little tricks...and FOOD MATTERS looks soooo like the one to teach that (or remind people of that..) perhaps?
Again, kudos to all involved... I love the drama of the presentation so far, I remember reading that we remember information best, when it is wrapped in a package of emotion when we recieve it. (or wrapped in the other senses like taste and smell etc...)...
I look forward to watching it in its entirety ... very much.
Cheers
Lilla ...
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Since this seems to be the place for it, Id just like to say a little more about your local produce shop.
I was downright appalled - They buy from the markets maybe once or twice a week, the amount simply thrown out would make Lilla cry, and it gets sprayed with bug spray throughout the day....Yes, your standard, CFC can of mortien.....All over your nice 'fresh' veggies.
If something in a packet goes mouldy, they just get you to pick out the mouldy ones and leave the rest. If apples oranges whatever are a bit old (3 weeks!) thats when they go into nets or buckets to be sold 'on special' and everything is refrigerated at night, so the nutrients are sucked out just as surely.
As I said before, at least woolies have the money to preserve things safely - rather than spray it with your standard fly spray! And woolies also have to fear being sued in a big way, so its very rare you will buy something that can make you sick. To the little fruit shop owner, he'd rather risk getting sued and save $2 by just 'letting it go'.
From doing agriculture I know a lot of improvements on plants are actually GOOD ones - like rust resistant wheat and mould resistant crops. These are good things and generally plants do not lose nutrient value due to whats sprayed on them - they will only lose nutrients if harvested at the wrong time and stored incorrectly.
As for animals.....Dont feel bad for the rotisseri chicken - Broiler chickens are genetically enhanced by Hormonal Growth Promotant and grow so large that they cannot hold up their own weight. They lay down panting days before kill time. Cows are similar - the hormonal implant goes in the ear and it causes them to put on twice as much weight. We have a feedlot out the back and you can always tell when the cows are going to change as they all start lying down all day.
I think everyone in this day and age needs some kind of vitamin suppliment. Oh, by the way - watch out for milk, theres a growth promoter found in it that acts as fertilizer for cancer cells. Ever wonder why asians have less cancer than us?
By methods of cooking I mean COOK it. Im sure you all already know the tricks - Like if your cooking a stir fry really spice and cook the meat, and make sure the veggies get to simmer for ages to soak the rest in the nutrients. Using the veggie water in the meal somehow if you've boiled them.
Oh, Mrs M, How I would LOVE a job that asked no more than 15hrs a week.....I know, its hell to you, but it sounds great to me! Can I have it?
Comment by Lilla
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What if you cannot get vitamin supplements because they have been priced out of your range? ... and what if the supplements you could get, didn't have any nutritional value left in them?
That is the Codex Alimentarius and you should follow my link (above in last comment) and watch the 40 minute video of how this is poised to begin next year!
The pan lab recall was the start of it... The fact is that (initially) 3 million (poor) people will be 'ecouraged' to die from controllable diseases caused by a lack of good nutrition, and the ability to afford it.
It is a shock to watch this movie and come to grips with social engineering, which is why I am so sure that watching FOOD MATTERS, matter to learn the secret tips we can all know to stay fit and healthy.
Can't wait.
Lilla ...
PS perhaps the local produce stores are a little better in Q, Kleo, yours sound terrible.
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
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Back to you.
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Hey Lilla, I read your comment but I didnt intend for my comment to be linked to yours in any way, mine was a separate point all together.
But its certainly not a new thing to encourage the poorer sector to die of disease....I suppose its terrible but Im just not surprised.
I know plenty of people cant afford vitamin supplements and usually Im one of them. When you end up in that situation its lucky if rice is in the budget, so it becomes a moot point I think. Still important, yeah, but nothing can be done!
I really, really hope your local shops are better....Work in one for a week, or get friendly with the packing boys out the back. Theres a good chance the veggies are no better than woolies! Ok, my guy was especially dodgy, but I met a few fruiterers (they call themselves) and all pretty much had the same idea....
As for social engineering, well, its happening, all around us, its just one of those things that IS going on, like everyones running around going "Oh, we cant have society in control of us, how terrible to live in '1984' or 'brave new world'"
I believe we already do. I recently had a 1984 moment all my own.
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I love it when conversation carries on without me
I've just read your comments and they all give food for thought.....get it....food....never mind
I have lots to say but am a little time poor right at this minute, so I'll be back tonight.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
I must say, I was skeptical about the whole organic thing - I really only started buying organic chicken, because the thought of all the hormones that they pump into chicken freaks me out. But I can't say I can taste the difference. Then I bought organic banana's. OMG, without a doubt, best banana's ever! They were just so banana-ey and full of flavour.
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
What a wonderful post (the comments fabulous!) I am very excited about the film.
Mis
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Rightly so, KylieW - apparently there are a couple of companies out there exploiting a loophole that enables them to call their BRAND "ORGANIC", but it is by no means a description of the contents. You do need to look for certification in your organic foods.
I believe in the US it's a lot easier to get good organic food (that doesn't cost double - Mrs M just paid $17 for 500g of organic chicken... $17!!), but it's also about supply and demand - if enough people want it and buy it the price will come down.
Long way to go...
As for the film, it will be complete in about two weeks! Hooray! Mrs M and I watched the cut last night and it's really shaping up!!
Back to the grind....
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
No apology necessary.
Woolies vs the local fruit shop.....pick your poison I suppose.
Woolies has a lot more to lose by cutting corners....but having said that...they are in the business of making money...
I agree with you re vitamin supplements. They are very expensive...but so is organic...bastards.
I bought organic chicken breast the other day. It was $32.50 kg. If nothing else, my conscious felt a bit better. I know that they are still killed the same way, but at least they're short lives were a little better.
As for agriculture....I know nothing....that should probably change.
Hi Lilla,
No apology needed from you either
I tried to watch that doco you sent but Mr M was chewing the internet connection that night. But I did watch the first few minutes and the speaker, she is definitely engaging.
As for growing tomatoes, my father grows tomatoes, cucumbers and beans. Unfortunately he is a avid lover of the pesticide and chemicals.
He prides himself on growing the biggest tomatoes. They do taste very rich and delicious and make great sauces but when they come off the vine and I'm told to "really wash" them well....
It always seemed like hard work, but then if I'm not as ambitious as my father with regards to size I might do alright.
But I wonder what's in our soil.....
I recently read a book called Additive Alert by Julie Eady. It was scary how many additives actually have adverse reactions. Many are carcinogenic. I know you already know this but I'm a little stunned at just how many additives are bad.
I don't buy light. In order to make it light, they add some additive to give the taste and colour. I'd rather have full fat and then go for a walk if it is such a concern. Or eat something different.
GM food is scary. Just so we can have grapes out of season? There's something wrong there.
I'm bombarded by so much new information on so many things, (additives, nutrition, medicines) it's overwhelming...and alarming. But one thing is for sure, I can't go back to the way it was...I have been too trusting.
I'm sure you're right about 'the man' pitting organic against carbon miles....it's just so like the man to do it.
Hi Michaelie,
I've been looking for organic grocers in my area and am having trouble. I found a couple of places online that sell and deliver organic fruits and veg.....but how do I know?
Hi Raven,
I used to be skeptical about how much better organic is, and where I stand at the moment is that not that organic is a higher standard than the average, but that the average really doesn't stack up. I wonder whether I'm getting any nutritional value out of the average apple. I feel like I'm wasting my time eating it.
Packaging and claims have alot to answer for. I went to health/organic section of the supermarket to buy some muesli only to find on the ingredients list it has 3 very nasty additives. But it said it was healthy, so it must be right?
Hi MNG,
Totally agree with you MNG. My other problem is that I'm totally confused by things like complex carbohydrates, non starchy vegetables, soluble fibre etc etc.
I get confused about what I should be eating and what I should be steering clear of.
And then there's the whole processing thing..... aaaarrrggghhhhhh!!!!!!
Hi Kylie,
I love bananas. It hurt so much last year when bananas were $16kg. My youngest devours too. And that's when I think, I should buy organic bananas, he eats so many of them. Might as well make the them best.
I could wind up on the 6 o'clock news homeless because I spent all my money on organic bananas. That'd be a talking point.
Hi Mis,
I saw a rough cut of the doco the other....definitely something to get excited about.
Thanks everyone for the great comments.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Louie
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Thanks for the visit Louie.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Lilla
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Absolutely.
Thanks for the book recommendation, I will track it down.
I am currently on the sequel to French Women Don;t Get Fat, which is called French Women for All Seasons. It's only eating what's in season that is so important and so much a part of the French woman's secret.
Fact: Most obesity is in races that live around (or close to ) tropical zones with most fruit and veggies in season all year round. Glut, glut, glut.
There are other secrets that are so basic, they make me sigh with delight, because they also include taking one's time... and that; is pure magic... to live each experience fully to the fullness of the time it was meant to be expereinced.. I HIGHLY recommend these two books to you (and every female reader) immediately - if you haven';t already had the pleasure?
Your Dad's tomato's sound georgeous, but the poison would negate the experience, no *laughs* ...the oldies are funny, aren't they?
Hugs and warmth
Lilla ...
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Lilla
If you haven't already, check out "In Praise Of Slow" by Carl Honore. I think you'll dig it
Comment by Lilla
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Comment by Hope
Gifted Parenting
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Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Hope
It is really difficult to be certified as an Organic Producer. You need to be well clear or any other farms that use pesticides etc to avoid cross-contamination, and you need to use very specific processes and so on, making it a difficult, often prohibitively expensive exercise to even set up an organic farm, before you can even produce. And now, demand is still relatively low, so it isn't feasable for these farms to sell at comparative prices if they want ot stay in business. Until more people start switching, it won't change (unless the government steps in with subsidies?).
We have started gradually, and replaced certain items, and then more and more. We've found that when we're eating organic, we eat less because we;re more satisfied, so we need less of it. It's still very expensive, but it kinda balances out a bit...
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Hi Hope. Thanks for the visit
Hi Lilla,
I haven't had the pleasure of reading either of those books but I have heard that French Women Don't Get Fat is a fantastic read.
I'll add that one to the list
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by D. Armenta
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Not sure what info is required on packaging labels in AUS.
In the U.S. it has to have that little fat/calories/vitamins table as well as all ingredients listed in order of amount, i.e. if the product has more water than juice in it, water has to be listed first before juice. That helps a lot. Of course you have to have a magnifying glass to read some of the ingredients lists!
As far as fruits/vegs, there's a real scam going on here too, with "organic" produce going for twice as much as the rest.
As far as freshness goes, I've long known that the stuff in the produce section of the grocery store was pretty old. Rule of thumb: buy frozen, which is flash-frozen just after being harvested, for the freshest produce. Otherwise I grow as much of my own as I can in this tropical climate.
Don't know if you have Tyson chicken products in Oz. If you do, I read in Consumer Reports several months ago that their frozen breasts had no added hormones/chemicals/preservati ves and consistently won taste tests against "free-range", "organic", etc. brands (Tyson doesn't advertise as an organic)..I tried the breasts and they are outstanding; first time I've had chicken that tastes like chicken in literally decades. Costs the same as non-organic chicken.
Last tip: products labelled as "kosher" are held to a very high standard, especially meats. Kosher foods are usually a good bet.
Nice work Yoda!!!!
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Hmmm... gonna check this one with my nutritionist friends
Even growing your own is dangerous here in suburbia - who knows what's in the soil?!
But the Kosher thing is a great tip - good thinking! I wonder if it's the same for Halal? We have a lot of halal outlets here in Sydney...
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Yeah I've heard that about frozen food...it has to be snap frozen.
Hadn't considered the Kosher angle.
As for the labelling, Food Standards Australia New Zealand say that manufacturers have to label in order of quantity just like you've mentioned above. However, if an additive or something is less than 5% it doesn't have to be disclosed on the label.
Other than the important nuts, wheat and things that can trigger major allergy attacks no matter what the amount.
But I read a book that says that vegetable oil has antioxidants no. 319 and 320 which have been proven to be evil. But often on the labelling it only says 'vegetable oil' - doesn't say which makes up the vegetable oil.
I wrote a letter to them and got a pissy response about it being too expensive to get manufacturers to change their labels.
But I'm still learning.
Love & stuff
Mrs M