FDA

Please read this… for the health of your family, ellen

Q&A about Arsenic and Apple Juice

by Kimberly Lord Stewart (author of Eating Between the Lines, guest on Better Food Choices Radio)

If the recent Consumer Report study about arsenic in apple and grape juice leave you in a quandary about what to buy and whether there are safe juice options, consider this your one-stop source for no spin information on what to buy.

A few weeks ago, Dr. Oz entered the conversation when he independently tested apple juice samples for arsenic. The results were alarming, as some samples exceeded FDA limits for arsenic.  But the television doctor’s tests were discredited because they did not distinguish between the two types of arsenic—organic and inorganic.  The Consumer Reports study gives Dr. Oz’s concerns credibility,  so here is what you need to know:

Q: What is organic and inorganic arsenic?Don’t confuse this with the same type of organic used in food production. Organic arsenic is naturally occurring arsenic in soil and ground water. There are two forms of organic arsenic that may pose health risks, according to FDA. Inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen.  Inorganic arsenic in water is considered a silent killer because it has no taste, no color or odor.

Inorganic arsenic was allowed in US until the 1970’s to combat the Colorado potato beetle, but even with the 40-year ban, it remains in the soil. A bigger concern is that more than 70% of apple juice concentrate consumed in this country is imported from China, where there is no regulation regarding inorganic arsenic.  Other countries that import apple juice include Argentina, Brazil, Eastern Europe and South Africa, each with varying levels of regulations. For instance in the Consumer Reports study, Brazilian imported apple juice proved cleaner than juice from Argentina and China.

Q: What did the Consumer Reports study find? This recent Consumer Reports study found that among 88 samples of apple juice and grape juice, the levels of arsenic were notably higher than what is allowed in drinking water.  The study specifically looked at the two type of arsenic, organic (the type that is naturally occurring) and inorganic (the type that comes from agricultural inputs and is considered carcinogenic. Even though none of the samples exceeded the FDA limits for arsenic in food for adults, the results are of particular concern for children’s health.

Q: How much arsenic is allowed in food and water?The juice industry is citing the study as of little concern because none of the results show that juice exceeds food standards, but FDA is relooking at the issue. Current regulations limit the amount of total arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb) and 5 ppb for inorganic arsenic. FDA says they have a “level of concern” for arsenic levels above 23 ppb in food.


Q: Should I be concerned?Consumer’s Union (parent company of Consumer Reports) is calling for FDA to adjust the limits for apple juice to 3 ppb for arsenic and 5 ppb for lead. "We calculated that level so that if a child drank 4 to 6 ounces of juice daily, they would be under the daily limit of arsenic intake," Michael Hansen, senior scientist at Consumers Union, tells The Salt. "It would give them a one in 1000 risk for skin, bladder and lung cancer." Hansen says that 35% of children 5 and younger drink more juice than pediatricians recommend, which is why the limits need to be established for children.

 The Juice Products Association says there is nothing to worry about. "Consumer Reports and other media outlets erroneously compare juice to the standards for drinking water. Juice is not water. To compare the trace levels of arsenic or lead in juice to the regulatory guidelines for drinking water is not appropriate because regulatory agencies have set lower thresholds for drinking water than for food and other beverages because people consume larger amounts of water."

 Q: What is FDA doing about it?FDA will continue to test juices and juice concentrate and evaluate data provided by industry, consumer groups and government agencies, as well as data published in scientific literature. If the agency finds too much inorganic arsenic in any juice, it will take steps to remove that product from the market.

Q: As a parent, what can I do to limit my child’s exposure to arsenic in juices?Here are a few ways to protect your  children from exposure to arsenic and lead in juices:

1. Buy organic. Among all the samples tested by Consumer Reports, organic brands contained lower amounts of arsenic than other brands.
2. Pay attention to Country of Origin. Brands from China and Argentina contained higher levels of inorganic arsenic than juice from the United States.
3. Be brand savvy. One of the study’s most surprising results were the dramatic differences in arsenic levels among brands. For instance, Gerber baby apple juice had the highest levels of arsenic, while Juicy Juice had low levels.
4. Dilute your child’s juice. Physicians recommend limiting juice intake regardless of concerns about arsenic, to limit sugar intake. So this latest arsenic study is another reason to limit your child’s apple juice consumption.
5. Print out this list of brands that contain the highest and lowest levels of arsenic. PDF attached.

To learn more about food safety and food labeling issue like this on, read Kimberly Lord Stewart’s book, Eating Between the Lines, now available on ebook.

 http://www.amazon.com/Eating-Between-Lines-Supermarket-Shoppers/dp/031234774X

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eating-between-the-lines-kimberly-lord-stewart/1008026588

Dr. Oz has moms wondering whether to feed their kids apple juice or not. It is time to narrow down the truths so you can make good decisions.  First one: do not buy imported fresh or processed produce.  Those from Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand may be excepted due to their strict produce guidelines.  Most other countries, and especially China, have suspect produce practices.  This is where metals, such as arsenic are being found. Buy 100% U.S.A.  Secondly: Buy local and even better, organic.  Thirdly: Dilute all 100% juices when serving, or, skip them all together and feed your kids organic apples.  Sugar added juices should be a no.  Water, plain or with lemon juice is what kid really need.  Save safe fruit juices as a treat.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Author and Food Expert, Kimberly Stewart, is GIVING away her book, Eating Between the Lines. , the Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels.   Go to www.eatingbetweenthelines.com and sign for it.  All addresses are kept confidential.  This is a must have book, a very generous offer.  Don't miss out.

(We learned how to spend money on which Eggs on today's radio show, www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com or iTunes (Better Food Choices) from Kimberly Stewart.  Great show!)

… for the health of families,
ellen and sally

Having to turn lemons in to lemonade… as you know, today’s radio show was interrupted. If there ever was a show that you did not want to miss a single word, it was this one: Build Your Immune System – Stay Well with Dr. Keri Marshall. So, we scheduled it to run again on Tuesday, Nov. 17th at Noon EST on www.BetterFoodChoicesRadio.com. Tune in and be ready to take notes!

… for the health of your family,
 

Staying Well

As of Sept. 30, of this year (2008), a federal law “require supermarkets and other big food retailers to label or otherwise display the country of origin for meat, produce and certain kinds of nuts.  (uncooked beef, chicken lamb, pork and goat meat, raw peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts , fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, ginseng, fish and shellfish)  A number of foods will be exempt, including processed foods like breaded chicken, roasted peanuts or packages of mixed vegetables.”  … this applies to products sold in grocery stores and mass-merchandise outlets.  It effectively exempts small food outlets and such places as butcher shops, restaurants and school cafeterias.”  If these exempted purveyors of food are smart, they will also identify the places of origin.

There is a transition time, allowing those produce produced or packaged before Sept. 30th to be exempt.  Food producers were given six months to comply.  Then they will be fined.   Organizing the labeling of all products takes time and a billions of dollars.  This grace period is reasonable.  The good news is that it won’t be long before you know where you food is coming from – a plus when you are trying to avoid unregulated growing procedures and want to save money with more locally produced and shipped foods.

Questions: There is a noticeable absence of some foods such as turkey and other nuts and seeds.  We will have to investigate this. Secondly, will this cost be passed on to us, the consumer… probably.

Is this progress?  In this global economy we say YES.  You should have a choice of buying an onion grown in Georgia or Mexico.  Do you agree?

Source: David Kesmodel, Julie Jargon, “Labels Will Say If Your Beef Was Born in the USA”, Wall Street Journal, 9/23/2008, pp. D1, D2.