#17 Rhoman James

I forgot we had to post it on here, but here you go! Food Inc. Who protects us in our society? The police make sure we don’t live in an unsafe environment, the federal government assures us foreign threats will be neutralized, and hundreds of other organizations reinforce minor laws to make sure that our freedoms won’t be infringed. What would you do if I told you that the officials who are in charge of the health of our bodies, the FDA and the USDA, are more worried about organizational profit than our own well-being? These administrations let unsafe and inhumane tactics fly under the radar in the food processing business. From the mistreatment of animals to the increase of risk of major health problems like obesity and diabetes, the whole process of food processing has changed from promoting the well-being of the consumer, to promoting the prosperity of the producers. No matter what those circumstances may be. We, as a country, need to band together and stop the promoting of the detrimental tactics these administrations have used to take advantage of our country. In 1990 the most obese state in the US was Mississippi. 12% of adults were classified as overweight. Now, in 2013, 34.9% of adult Mississippians are obese. In all states around the nation the rates have raised over 20%. Why? How can a country go from having only 1/10th of its inhabitants being obese to an average of almost 30% being obese? Contamination, agency regulation problems, and additives in the food processing industry are the main catalysts for these widespread problems in America. 
 Contamination is often the result of foodborne pathogens or chemical reactions between the product and the processing (fermentation, grilling, etc.). Most food-related illness outbreaks are caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. Salmonella is the deadliest food born illness in the world today and is responsible for 1.4 million cases and 400 deaths annually, according to sustainable table.com. Salmonella is found in all different types of foods and its effects are very detrimental. E. Coli is also a dangerous illness that is very common. Strains of E. Coli come from the intestines of animals and their waste. E. coli 0157:H7 is very dangerous for humans. The strain, which is usually found in beef, has recently been found in vegetables also. Scientists believe it is because of the increased contact between produce and E. Coli infested manure. The cause of these major outbreaks of E. Coli are due to the tendencies of the large production companies trying to save a buck by using the cheapest slabs of meat from animals which usually have contracted E. Coli. The FDA and USDA are aware of these tactics and do not do anything to refute it. If these processing plants were held to a higher standard, it’s a fact that the rates of people infected with E. Coli and Salmonella will decrease and our food as a whole will be safer. This then leads me to the regulation problems of the food industry. How good of a job is an administration doing if 1.4 million cases a year of food borne illness are detected. There are over 30 federal departments that are in control of keeping our people safe by regulating the quality of food that is processed and sent to the market, ranging from the FDA to U.S. Customs. I wonder which department has to look over the uses of chemicals on produce and animals before they are processed? Chickens are raised and slaughtered for their meat in half of the time as they were before major processing. It is known that steroids create artificial meat on these animals just so they can be sold quicker. The hormones make cows that produce 15% more milk and grow 20% faster. In 2004 a woman underwent surgery for a cyst in her womb. She did not know the cause until later she went to the gynecologist who gave her answers. He first asked her if she consumed heavy amount of processed poultry, and when she said yes, he came to the conclusion that the hormones from the production process reacted detrimentally in the presence of female hormones. This theory, though not proven is widely accepted by many doctors. This is why we advise pregnant women to stay away from certain food. Our federal agencies have overlooked the detriments of these steroid hormones just because the increase in productivity. So what can we do? I know that people say this often when talking about this subject, but buy local if you have the chance to. Obviously, you cannot find all the food you want locally, but there are very many ways of getting knowingly safe food. Do some research! Find what farms near you make safe, healthy food and help them prosper. Try going to a local farmers market to choose from a variety of close to homegrown products. If we can all do this together, maybe the agencies that are so worried about production will stop and worry about our health more, just like they should have been all along.