It’s not about the science; it’s about the information!
In January, the FDA announced that food from healthy clones of cattle, swine and goat is as safe to eat as food from non-cloned animals. This finding, according to the FDA, was derived from years of detailed study, and came as no surprise to researchers who have been successfully cloning livestock since 1996. But even with some government reassurance, many consumers are still concerned about the safety of food that comes from cloned animals.
Let’s turn the clock back to 1996, when the religious, ethical, and scientific debate on cloning began as the world was introduced to Dolly, the first cloned animal. And although the idea of cloning for some is disturbing in regard to the balance of nature, the most important (at least in OUR opinion) issue at hand is whether or not food from cloned animals should be sold. That's right, the issue is whether cloned meat is safe for human consumption. Can you just imagine going into a supermarket or fast foodery near you and being asked to choose between a burger that is "natural, cloned or transgenic"?
It's about business and profits, as some farmers and some research studies are pushing to embrace this technology and are doing all they can to say that the products made from cloned animals are safe for human consumption. Companies such as Cyagra, a Pennsylvania biotechnology company, says it has cloned more than 100 cattle for farmers and ranchers and is now anxiously awaiting the day the FDA states it will allow the sale of food products coming from cloned livestock.
OK, OK, before we all decide to go download Soylent Green in order to get a primer on the subject (just joking!), we must get the answer to the simple question: do we need to clone animals for food? Some believe the birth of "supercows" could bring such benefits to consumers as less fatty meat and more nutritious milk. But the truth is always in the action and not the hype. Let's not forget that hog farmers did an exceptional job of producing hogs that were less fatty and more nutritious by changing the feed; not cloning the perfect hog. As a result pork got a brand new image, and soon became the "other white meat". And, oh yeah, sales did go up.
Reports indicate that scientists believe animal clones could be more disease resistant and may yield healthier food. The Pew Institute of Food and Biotechnology, an independent agency that helped the FDA review the issue; reports that their findings suggest that cloned animals are no different from their conventionally bred counterparts. Basically, "a copy is just a copy." Past research indicates that genes are altered in the cloning process and that there is a chance that this could result in toxins. But, according to the data that is out there, there are not any strong indications that cloning would have adverse effects on the food.
It was on Valentine’s Day in 2003 that the world-famous Dolly (the first cloned animal) was put to sleep by doctors after being diagnosed with progressive lung disease. She was only six years old. Before that, Dolly was diagnosed as having arthritis. It was not clear whether the condition was a result of the cloning process causing premature aging of her cells or if it was just a fluke. Anyone's mouth watering for some succulent "cloned" Frenched Lamb Chops?
Some benefits of cloning include making animals disease resistant, more suitable to the climate in which they are raised, more fertile and more tailored to suit the tastes of different markets. Just as farmers look for qualities like leanness, tenderness, color and cut when breeding animals through traditional, slower methods, cloning allows farmers to reproduce the most productive, healthiest, best tasting animals quickly, efficiently and reliably.
As far as we know, there are no animal products derived from cloned dairy and beef cattle available at supermarkets at the moment, as the FDA continues to recommend that these products stay out of the food supply while more research is conducted. After the FDA lifts the existing voluntary moratorium on selling these products, the USDA will work with industry professionals to plan an orderly market transition. According to reports, it could take as long as three to five years (post lifting of the voluntary moratorium) for products from cloned animals to be available at market.
Once at market, the FDA will not require any additional labeling to indicate that a product comes from a cloned animal, and that’s a mistake with long-term implications. Labeling will only be required when the nutritional content of an item is changed, or if a potential allergen is added. The FDA believes that clone labels could create confusion along consumers, as they would imply that there were nutritional or safety differences between products from clones and products from animals breed conventionally. We say that not labeling does just the opposite: eliminates confusion and gives people the right to choose between cloned and non-cloned foods.
What do you think? Should our supermarkets be selling cloned meats and other dairy products? Should labeling of cloned foods be mandatory? Send me an email at PLempert@SupermarketGuru.com and share your thoughts!
Each week we will post the latest reviews and I hope you will log in to see what’s hot…and what’s not!
Mix 1 Protein and Antioxidant Drink
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Total |
| 30 |
18 |
15 |
14 |
10 |
5 |
5 | 97 |
This product is a HIT!
Here’s the problem we have with Mix 1: on the package they talk about their co-founder “Dr. James”, who developed this line of protein drinks, but who is this James and what exactly is he a doctor of? It’s only when you go to the website that you eventually discover that Dr. James Rouse is a licensed naturopathic doctor (but not an MD). Health marketing 101 is BE UPFRONT; we just wish we could have been given his full name and background somewhere on the label. We like this company’s relaxed style, but consumers demand (and deserve) details. Unlike so many others in this genre this product actually tastes GREAT! With a nice, clean tangerine flavor and none of the usual “off” aroma of whey based drinks! Available in other flavors.
Retails for $2 / 11 oz.
Mix 1
Boulder, CO
303 442 6200
mix1life.com
La Loo’s Goat Milk Ice Cream Company: Rumplemint Chocolate Chip Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Total |
| 30 |
18 |
15 |
14 |
10 |
5 |
5 | 97 |
This product is a HIT!
When we first tasted La Loo’s a couple of years ago we were impressed with how this company was trying to expand the market for goat’s milk-based products and this latest Rumplemint flavor is a fabulous addition that could easily compete with any full fat cow’s milk ice cream. According to the package: “Goat milk ice cream is easy to digest and can be enjoyed by many people who are lactose intolerant or allergic to cow milk products”. We still love this company – keep those yummy flavors coming! Available in other flavors and frozen yogurt.
Retails for $6.99 / pint.
Goat Goodness
Petaluma, CA
No phone listed
goatmilkicecream.com
Wholemato Organic Agave Ketchup
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Total |
| 30 |
16 |
13 |
15 |
10 |
4 |
4 | 92 |
This product is a HIT!
This is a great new product from Wholemato – finally a more healthful option in the condiment aisle. We like the taste of this organic ketchup a whole lot, but the only problem we think the makers of this product might encounter is that the consistency is not what people, especially kids, might be expecting: it’s a much thicker product - which we actually prefer, and is much richer and darker in color - which we also prefer; we’re just not sure if it will convert users of conventional ketchups that are loaded with High Fructose Corn Syrup to this superior product.
Retails for$4.99 / 13oz.
The Blevins Group
New York, NY
646 853 4283
wholemato.com
Starkist Albacore Creations: Tomato Pesto Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Total |
| 27 |
17 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
5 |
5 | 85 |
We were very pleasantly surprised by the nice fresh taste of this new tuna product from Starkist – thanks to the pouch packaging that allows the fish to be packaged closer to the time it’s caught as opposed to the lengthy canning process - the flavor’s actually very good, which we weren’t really expecting after a look at the ingredients list. From a taste stand point this is a very good product. We’re not too thrilled about the sodium, oil content and additives, but it is good value and we love the country of origin labeling. Available in other flavors.
Retails for $1.99 / 4 oz.
Starkist Seafood Co
Pittsburgh, PA
800 252 1587
starkist.com
Private Harvest Simmering Sauce: Orange Dijon Flavor
| Taste | Value | Health | Ingredients | Prep | Appearance | Packaging | Total |
| 20 |
10 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
4 | 56 |
This product is a MISS!
These simmering sauces from Private Harvest are packaged in an attractive tall and narrow glass bottle – very appealing until you try and coerce the separated ingredients back together and get a bicep workout in the process. The next hurdle is getting the plastic wrapping around the cap off as it doesn’t have the usual perforated tab. Okay, now that we’ve actually opened the bottle the aroma is much more vinegar than orange, but it does taste like orange marmalade. There are two reasons we were disappointed with the product: the first is that the first ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup and the second is that the nutritional analysis is hugely misleading as it states a serving size is 1 tablespoon for a product that instructs you to use the ENTIRE bottle… so just go ahead and multiply all the nutritional info by 23 (the number of servings in a bottle) and you’ll be getting the right info (and 690 calories). Available in other flavors.
Retails for $8.50 / 11.4 oz.
Private Harvest
Lakeport, CA
707 263 0694
privateharvest.com
Points System:
Each product is judged and taste-tested based on the following seven criteria:
1. (30 points) Taste: The most important attribute of any food
2. (20 points) Value: Is it worth it?
3. (15 points) Health: Based off the nutritional information, is it nutritionally balanced?
4. (15 points) Ingredients: What's in it, how natural is it?
5. (10 points) Preparation: When applicable, how accurate or good are the directions?*
6. (5 points) Appearance: Is it appetizing and does it resemble its photo or description?
7. (5 points) Packaging: Is it appropriate for the product and does it have any benefits such as reseal ability, added freshness, better storage, etc?
*Products that do not require any preparation will have the full value of these points included in their total score.
It's springtime and that means some of the year's best produce is about to be delivered to your supermarket. Spring means more colors and more interesting fruits and vegetables. It can also mean extra nutrients for your whole family with very little extra work.
BUYING PRODUCE IN SEASON makes so much sense. When you buy produce which is not in season, it has to be shipped from where it is in season -- typically a location closer to the equator or from a hot house, which has a controlled environment. In addition, the produce has to be picked before it's ripe, so you lose a bit of flavor and nutritional value.
Produce in season tastes better. It's grown domestically so it is closer to where you buy it and it's less expensive (because of the lowered transportation costs). You can save anywhere from 10-50 percent. Twenty years ago, the supermarket produce section had about 50 items. Today they have 300 to 400 items! Ethnic or exotic produce is one of the fastest-growing produce sections of the supermarket. As Americans are more exposed to different cultures, they have become more willing to experiment with new fruits and vegetables. Supermarkets also are doing a better job of sampling their produce to their customers.
While Americans are more open to trying different produce, we still are not eating enough of them. Most doctors and dieticians recommend eating about 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day but the average American is eating only 3.2 servings a day. Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber and have a lot of antioxidants properties.
Let’s get started with the 101 on some of the more exotic spring pickins:
Feijoas
Golden solo sunrise papaya
Kumquats
Lychee
Tamarillo
Mangos
Eggplant
Sugar snap peas
Asparagus
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Brussel sprouts
Cantaloupe
More from Phil Lempert:
