Hall 1

Tiffany Hall

April 27, 2012

English 113 B

Amy Reynolds

Phony Foods

What is processed food? Most people think that processed foods is just fast food when actually its “the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing industry. Food processing typically takes clean, harvested crops or butchered animal products and uses these to produce attractive, marketable and often long shelf-life food products”. (Wikipedia April 2012) So no its not only fast food it’s also food that is canned, frozen, refrigerated, dehydration and aseptic. But the question is, is processed food healthy for you and your body or no?

According to Shereen Jegtvig the author of “What are Processed Foods?” states some of these processed foods are not bad for our health at all. When you think of it water is considered a processed food and also milk. When you freeze your vegetables and fruits it make it convenient to store and it also save the minerals and vitamins.

            Every time someone thinks of processed food first think they will say it is will be fast foods. Fast food isn’t the only thing in the world that is processed food. When you walk into the grocery store everything you see is processed. So when you’re drinking your milk or eating an orange you should know that they are still considered processed. Pasteurized are placed in the

Hall 2

milk so it will kill the homogenized and bacteria to keep the fats from separating. Other than fast food they are healthy and fine for your body.

Now on the other hand processed meant can lead to pancreatic cancer. J. Gallagher the author of “Processed meant linked to pancreatic cancer” shows that researches in Sweden said by eating 50g of processed foods (approximately one sausage) every day it will increase a person risk by 19%. Most people eat more than 80g of meant a day. But if we stop eating red meant will it make it better? Researcher’s stats that if we stop eating red meat our iron deficiency will go down since red meat is a great source of iron.

            Frozen and canned fruits or vegetables are also considered processed foods. When choosing these fruits you have to be careful because most will say sugar, fat, or salt added. Canning and freezing vegetables can help protect it from going bad like carrots, peas, and mixed vegetables.

            Not all processed foods are bad for you. There are some that are good for your body and not something that is harming your body that is giving you diabetes or cancer. Some processed foods kill bacteria and other are able to last longer and save vitamins and minerals. 

Hall 3

MLA Format

Food Processing." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_processing>.

Jegtvig, Shereen. "What Are Processed Foods?" About.com Nutrition. About.com, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. <http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/processedfoods.htm>.

Myers, Donna. "Study Determines Processed Meat Increases the Risk of Polyps." About.com Colon Cancer. About.com, 29 Aug. 2007. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://coloncancer.about.com/od/cancerresearch/a/02072007.htm>.

Gallagher, James. "Processed Meat 'linked to Pancreatic Cancer'" BBC News. BBC, 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16526695>.

"Factsheet - Processed Fruit and Vegetables." Healthy Active -. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. <http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/internet/healthyactive/publishing.nsf/Content/fact2>.

Maria Rodriguez

Professor Reynolds

Engl 113B

April 26, 2012

The Battle for The Real Food (Organic)

Throughout the years, organic food has become the new trend and people often seem to complain about the prices, often it is with the goal to get the prices to get low and to get out the word that organic food is better than processed food. But, why is organic food so “expensive,” and why is regular processed food so affordable? What are the pros and cons of each? Today, we see many obese people, why is that? We have become so used to the idea that people in America are “meant” to be obese. Why are we getting ourselves into a short-term life to quickly, Could it be the food? How is organic food healthy for the human body?

            What are organic and processed foods? Processed foods are foods that have been altered from their actual state. They may have been altered for economic reasons or just for conserving the products. There are many methods used for processing foods, which include canning, freezing, and refrigerating. There’s also the bad type of processing, which is what many companies use to maintain their food viable for the customer. When the food is organic, it simply means that no preservatives have been added including chemicals or other types of fertilizers or pesticides. The problem here would be that if we consume many pesticides and preservatives we are harming our body.

You can invest in your own home; you can create your own little farm and from there grow your groceries. Why can’t many of us create our own homegrown fruits and vegetables? Is it because we don’t have space or is it because the government doesn’t support us like The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) supports the UK? In Defra, “We…believe that much more needs to be done to support the farming industry, protect biodiversity and encourage sustainable food production” ("About Defra"). It would be amazing if all the farmers had someone like the Defra looking after them and making sure that they don’t put so many pesticides and harming chemicals in the crops.

Why not go organic when everything great is on the organic side? My high school teacher bought a Happy Meal from McDonalds a year ago when I graduated, I went back today and guess what? The meal looks perfectly good after a year and a couple of months of just sitting in his desk, without being refrigerated. How many pesticides and preservatives do you think that food has or can we even call it food? Its horrible to just think of all the bad chemicals the food we consume has.

Organic food is way more common now and they have a higher nutritional value (Louise) than any other conventional food. I found this reliable blog by Louise V. titled, Advantages of the Organic Food, Organic meals are not likely to lead the consumer into deadly diseases like, cancer, diabetes, and some birth defects and maybe even Alzheimer (Louise).  Wow! Did you know that processed foods could lead you to those unfixable conditions? Organic on the other hand, gives your food a better taste, “Trust me, once you try some organic produce and taste an apple the way it should be, and perhaps how you recall it tasting in your youth, you will never go back to mass produced fruit again” (Louise).

Reading further ahead I came across an article on the ABC World News titled, Processed Meats May Pose Heart Health Risk by Lara Salahi, where she also commented on the idea of processed meats having to lead to diabetes or other diseases. She says, “Researchers found that eating as little as 2 ounces of processed meat per day -- a few strips of bacon, a hot dog or smoked sausage -- increased the risk of heart disease by 42 percent and the risk of diabetes by 19 percent” (Salahi).

We often complain when we see the prices for organic meals. With smart shopping you should be able to afford a complete healthy organic meal, without having to worry about the consequences. You don’t have to go out and buy junk food, you can prepare yourself a home cooked meal without being afraid of the food not being well cooked or processed. Mark Bittman from an article in The New York Times titled, Real Food Can Be Better Than Junk Food, says while talking about people complaining about not being able to cook because they don’t have money to afford it so they rely on fast food, “You don’t need a capital investment for rice and beans, any more than you do for cheeseburgers and fries” (Bittman). He is saying that whatever money you spend in junk food you should just save it and use it for a healthy meal.

According to Mark Bittman from an article in The New York Times titled, Eating Food That’s Better for You, Organic or Not said that organic food, “…seems to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically” (Bittman). That is, people believe that just because the food you are consuming is organic that it is healthy for you, when in reality you could be eating a hamburger and are totally fine. I disagree with his point of view of the food not having to be organic to be best. He suggests that we just have to be really careful with what we eat, weather its organic or not. The food we consume should be organic.

There are also negative ideas when it comes to organic foods. For example, not many schools and universities have organic products and not many students have access to them. “Yes, food is a big deal on campuses” (Glassner). Here at California State University Northridge we do not see many organic foods like I wish there was.  Also, since organic food is new not a lot of people are used to the idea of it; they rely on their processed foods. Learn to demand for healthy options, “‘Consumers are demonstrating greater awareness of health issues, with many checking ingredient lists and comparing product claims’ (Erlanger, Ky)”. It makes me really happy to know that people are actually taking into consideration going organic with all the healthy options.

We can all concede that not all the food needs to be organic for it to be healthy but you do have to very careful with the ones that are processed. I came across web page on Organic.org titled, The “Dirty Dozen,” where it goes further in detail about what fruits and vegetables we should be careful and the ones that aren’t that contaminated with pesticides and preservatives. If you’re on a budget when it comes to shopping, you should buy the fruits that are contaminated organic and the other ones that are less just buy they conventionally grown. The key here is to prioritize. These are several of the many foods you should really buy organic, peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery ("organic.org") and the list goes on. Like always, there are the bad and the good, here’s a list of some of the good local ones, onions, avocados, sweet corn ("organic.org").

Always try to stay away from the bad processed foods, the ones that have pesticides, flavorings, colors, preservatives, etc. yes we’ve all heard and I’m pretty sure we’ve tried them like the hotdogs, cheez whiz, Twinkies. Those would be considered bad processed, but then there’s the good kind like local organic strawberries or whole foods or the conventionally grown foods.

Remember, organic food is the best way to go and avoid any deadly diseases. Who doesn’t want to consume a meal and not be afraid of the chemicals? Lets make a difference in the number of people get cancer from all the junk food they consume. Our earth will thank us for going organic, not many pesticides and nasty fumes will be blown up in the atmosphere. Always check the label; or simply go organic. You can be saving yourself 10 years of life.

Work Cited

. About defra. N.p., 2011. Web. 26 Apr 2012. <http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/>.

Bittman, Mark. "Real Food Can Be Better Than Junk Food." The New York Times. N.p., May . Web. 26 Apr 2012. <http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/real-food-can-be-cheaper-than-junk-food/>.

Bittman Mark, . "Eating Food That’s Better for You, Organic or Not ." The New York Times. Np., March . Web. 26 Apr 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/weekinreview/22bittman.html?_r=2>.

Glassner Barry. (Organic) Food for Thought on Campuses. Chronicle Of Higher Education [serial online]. March 16, 2012;58(28):A76. Available from: OmniFile Full Text Mega (H.W. Wilson), Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 26, 2012.

Louise, V. “The Advantages of Organic Food.” Organic food info. Health Study, 2011. Web. 21 Apr 2012

Jacobsen, J. (2012). Organic and natural holding strong. Beverage Industry, 103(4), 58-60,62. http://search.proquest.com/docview/993161592?accountid=7285

Salahi Lara, . "Processed Meats May Pose Heart Health Risk ." ABC World News. N.p., 2010. Web. 26 Apr 2012. <http://abcnews.go.com/WN/WorldNews/processed-meats-heart-disease/story?id=10681912

. "The "Dirty Dozen"." organic.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr 2012. <http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214>.

Project Web

Talin Kahvedjian

April 27, 2012

English 113B

Professor Reynolds

The Damages of Processed Food

When we think about processed food or just hear the words, we automatically think of fast food. Why? That’s because we are trained to learn that fast food is unhealthy which means processed food. What does processed food actually mean without adding fast food to the meaning? Processed food is any kind of food that goes through chemical action to change the original food. Are processed foods edible? Of course they are but it is harmful. Processed food is harmful to the body by causing high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, not only to adult but also to children.

A quote from livestrong states, “Manufacturers include sodium in their processed products because it slows the growth of bacteria” Water goes from lower concentration of solute to higher concentrate of solute. If the meat is full of salt, the fluid of bacteria will move out the organism. The bacteria will shrink and die from loosing the fluid because the bacteria is not used to living in that kind of environment. Therefore, people are consuming a lot of salt and it causes them to have high blood pressure, heart problems. Also, causing dementia and the main problem, cancer. An article written by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar in the Los Angeles Times states, “More than 75% of the salt the average American consumes comes from processed foods and restaurant meals.” It is very shocking to see that high of a percentage of Americans consuming salt.

Surprisingly salt is not the only cause for cancer; the red meat can also cause cancer. Reading an article from the California State University of Northridge library, Joseph E. Scherger states “the relative risk of colon cancer was 1.50 for red meat consumption and 1.53 for processed meat consumption in the highest tertile groups compared with the lowest tertile eating more poultry and fish.” Red meat and processed foods have numerous chemicals such as nitrates, nitrites, and trans fat; it causes the stomach to not completely digest the food. The food builds up in the body, after a while it will cause an infection and turn into cancer.

As if processed foods cannot get unhealthier specialist found Escherichia Coli, E Colie, in chicken. E coli is bacteria found in humans and animals. ''Most consumers do not realize that feces are in the chicken products they purchase”, Dr. Neal D. Barnard stated in a New York Times article. The chickens are kept in a filthy slaughterhouse, where they are feed with antibiotics. Clearly, scientists should have seen this coming a long time ago. Also, reading the article Understanding E Coli from CBC News Health, “Fruits and vegetables that grow close to the ground are susceptible to E. coli contamination” We all assume that fruits and vegetable are the healthiest food we can eat. Fruits and vegetables are grown on soil in dirt; little insects can crawl into the plants and grow E Coli.

Have you ever wondered why meat looks fresh and red? Reading Barlings Diet Book Mannie states, “Nitrates/nitrites have been added to meat largely for their preservative qualities. When applied to the exterior of packaged meat cuts, the meat stays red for a long period of time.” Nitrate is put in meat to stop the poison and if the nitrate does not work on the meat then the sodium nitrite will stop the poison in your own body. That’s the reason why there is so much salt in process foods, to stop the poison. Nitrates and nitrites are not the only chemicals added to make the meat look fresher. Manufacturers also put carbon monoxide gas. Without all these chemicals the meat would turn brown after 24 hours.

In conclusion, processed foods are ingredients made up of chemicals that can be harmful to your body. Escherichia Coli can harm your immune system, your body cannot digest nitrates and trans fat put in the meat, therefore, it builds up and cause colon cancer. The amount of sodium in processed foods also causes cancer.

Work Citation

"The Disadvantages of Processed Foods." LIVESTRONG.COM. Web. 23 Apr. 2012

29, November. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2007. Web. 23 Apr.

"Food Processing: A History." Anniversary. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.

Sodium Nitrite – Another Synthetic Chemical Hidden in Clean Labels – Is a Deceptive Marketing Practice Used by the Food Industry to Paint Your GMO Bt Corn-fed, Factory Farmed Meat Red While Leading to Heart Disease, Diabetes and Cancer |. Web. 26 Apr. 2012

"Diet and Colon Cancer: Meat Takes a Hit." Internal Medicine Alert 15 Feb. 2005. General OneFile. Web. 26 Apr. 2012.

Strom, Stephanie. "48% of Chicken in Small Sample Has E. Coli." New York Times 12 Apr. 2012: B2(L). General OneFile. Web. 26 Apr. 2012.

News, CBC. "Understanding E. Coli: Symptoms, Spread, Prevention." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 05 July 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2012.

Natalie DelCastillo

English113B

Professor Reynolds

Genetically Modified Organisms

It was only about fifteen years ago that our society was not familiar with Gene patenting. Many may ask, what exactly is the purpose of genetically modifying organisms? The answer most commonly heard would have to be for the purpose of ending world hunger since, this way, food can be duplicated in vast amounts. For an average taxpayer, hearing this would sound amazing but there is always a catch.

It is crucial that we begin to understand what exactly genetically modified organism are. GMs biology-online.org defines it as an ” An organism whose genetic material has been modified or altered, especially through genetic engineering techniques. “According to Ruddock, Joan. "Monsanto's Claim That GM Crops Will End Third World Hunger Is Spurious." The Independent., “yields a higher resistance to pesticides and pests and delayed spoilage." For example, when a tomato, which was one of the first vegetables to be genetically modified, becomes modified it is no longer vulnerable to cold weather. This method does help the farmers by being able to make genetically modified tomato’s through out the winter. The only issue is that, because the famer is growing so much, ultimately the pesticides become restraint to chemicals. This then means more round up is need to be sprayed which in turn negatively affects the environment. In addition, genetically modifying plantation creates a domino affect on everyone and everything. This includes fruits, vegetables, consumers, farmers and most importantly the environment.

Genetically Modified food seems to be unfamiliar to the majority of the general public. Many people are unaware of what exactly GMO’s are and how its has changed the way we shop. According to Ackerman, Jennifer. "Altered Food, GMOs, Genetically Modified Food - National Geographic states that” more than 60 percent of all processed foods on U.S. supermarket shelves—including pizza, chips, cookies, ice cream, salad dressing, corn syrup, and baking powder—contain ingredients from engineered soybeans, corn, or canola” . Knowing that over 60% of foods we eat are genetically modified but how do we know? How do we know what is or isn’t genetically modified? But that’s the problem we do not know, how to avoid GMO’S because they are not labeled on our nutrition facts. According to The New York times “Even more than questionable approvals, it’s the unwillingness to label these products as such — even the G.E. salmon will be sold without distinction — that is demeaning and undemocratic, and the real reason is clear: producers and producer-friendly agencies correctly suspect that consumers will steer clear of G.E. products if they can identify them. Which may make them unprofitable. Where is the free market when we need it? “If they are concern about them, then by that must mean that something must wrong with the product! According to the Public agenda “Rethinking the GMO revolution” states that “health implications, emerging researches have proved that some cancers and genetic disorders can be traced to the consumption of GM foods. “We need to understand that the food that we are eating is making us what we are. Not be able to know how exactly our food is processes and how it can potentially cause cancer is bizarre. “Monsanto website states that “producing more, conserving more, improving lives.” Which means we have created food that’s cheap but cheats people because its looks fresh taste fresh but it is not organic.

Genetically modified food is only benefiting one person and that’s the owner of Monsanto. From a personal perspective Monsanto can manage to dictate the consumer and the grower. The consumer doesn’t know what is exactly is the food because their scared of losing business so they have influence the consumer to believe that GMO’s will end World Hunger. According to Robbins, John. "Can GMOs Help End World Hunger?" The Huffington Post that “Nearly a million children die every year because they are weakened by Vitamin A deficiencies and an additional 350,000 go blind. Golden rice, said Time, will be a godsend for the half of humanity that depends on rice for its major staple. Merely eating this rice could prevent blindness and death. So if GMO’S cause cancer and affected 350,000 people to go blind how are the consumers winning? What about the farmer, who according to Novak, Sara. "Monsanto Has Farmers Cornered." TreeHugger. Living, “ Once farmers use Monsanto's Roundup Ready, which is a line of designer genetically-modified seeds, they have to continue to purchase the seeds year after year because it's illegal, yes illegal, for farmers to save seeds. Last year alone the cost of these seeds went up 50 percent”. This means that the farmer is forced to work with Monsanto because they will be sued if they don’t make a profit by saving the seeds. Getting the government to tell us, “The People” what is in our food, can solve the issue. If Genetically Modified food is labeled, we will be able to know if our food is truly safe and determine if we should consume it. We will be able to know if GMO’S are contributing to this increase in diabetes’s, allergies, ADD, malnutrition, and cancer. Labeling can make a difference; it can save a child’s life that is allergic to items and also be aware of what your food contains to avoid it.

Overall labeling could be one thing that the government can give us as Americans because we pay our hard earned money and do our taxes we should at least know what exactly we are consuming. Because if we are not winning at fast food restaurants the we as Americans should be able to purchase local grocery store and know that what we are consuming is truly healthy to put in my system. When I eat a apple I want to know that I am eating a apple that provide 100% nutrients that are healthy for me not only 40%. That raises questions like what is the about the other 60%? Americans have the right to know what they are feeding their children and should be able identity what is on their child’s plate. People need to be aware the todays science is killing our future generation slowly and we are letting it happen.





　Works Cited

Ackerman, Jennifer. "Altered Food, GMOs, Genetically Modified Food - National Geographic." 301 Moved Permanently. National Geographic Magazine, 25 May 2002. Web. 25 May 2002. <http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/food-how-altered.html>.

Biology. "Genetically Modified Organism." - Definition from Biology-Online.org. Biology, 18 Jan. 2009. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Genetically_modified_organism>.

Gurcardli, Anthony. "Sorry Gates: GMO Crops Proven to Be Ineffective at Fighting World Hunger." GMO Crops Proven to Be Ineffective at Fighting World Hunger. Natural Science, 2 Mar. 2012. Web. 2 Mar. 2012. <http://naturalsociety.com/gmo-crops-proven-to-be-ineffective-at-fighting-world-hunger/>.

Novak, Sara. "Monsanto Has Farmers Cornered." TreeHugger. Living /Green Food, 16 Jan. 2010. Web. 16 Jan. 2010. <http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/monsanto-has-farmers-cornered.html>.

Robbins, John. "Can GMOs Help End World Hunger?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 Jan. 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/gmo-food_b_914968.html>.

Ruddock, Joan. "Monsanto's Claim That GM Crops Will End Third World Hunger Is Spurious." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 14 Feb. 1999. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/monsantos-claim-that-gm-crops-will-end-third-world-hunger-is-spurious-says-joan-ruddock-1070874.html>.

Wyatt, Kel. "The Genetically Modified Food Debate." HubPages. HubPages, 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://kelw.hubpages.com/hub/gmfoods>.

　

Carbon Monoxide Gas

When you walk over to the meat section at the grocery store, you assume that the meat that is put out for the customers is fresh. Unfortunately it is not all fresh; they put Carbon Monoxide Gas on the meat so that the meat can have that fresh red color when it goes out to the markets. The lab did some tests to see what happens with the Carbon Monoxide Gas meat and the non-treatened meat looks like the non-treatened meat goes bad after 27 hours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIwx3nVIRsU&feature=related

Talin Kahvedjian

GMO'S are deadly !!!

I came across an article that gives out information on what are GMO's and how they can affect everyone. When scrolling down I came across an image of dead mice. In addition that piece of the article mentions how they tested these mice and fed them soya and they had babies that were born with illness and some died within a few weeks. If you take a moment to think about it and you begin to make the connections on how it has been affecting us you come to realize that no-one is doing anything about it because we do not know what are GMO'S !
.http://www.i-sis.org.uk/banGMOsNow.php
-Amazing Natalie

Obama Promises to Label GMOs

Okay so I found this video pretty gnarly!! It's only a minute but what I found interesting is how they emphasize "whats in our food." In addition this was in 2007 which brings top the question, why hasn't the president responded to the people??!!! So what is  in our food  President Obama? Is he in it with the FDA? We're in 2012, why is it taking so long for president obama to respond to the people? Why can't he reveal what is exactly in our food? I know as a president he has many obligations but taking care of something that has triggered so many diseases, should be one of his priorities!
-Natalie Del Castillo

FAQ

The questions many ask is whether organic foods are safer and healthier than processed foods, and the question is more likely to be yes. In fact, I found this very interesting web page that talks about the conventional food and the organic food and their differences. They both have their advantages and disadvantages but just be clear, "Check the label" before you eat anything.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255
-Maria Rodriguez

Are The Parents At Fault?

The question is, could the parents have a part in feed their children processed food? The answer is yes, of course they have a part! A child simply cannot go to the grocery store and buy food, the parents are the enablers. The parents make all the decisions for their children so if the parent doesn't want to cook for that night she's going to feed the family fast food which comes from processed food.  

Talin Kahvedjian