FitSugar

What's With the Future of the FDA?

Lizzie Fuhr — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:28:58 PDT

On the cusp of one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history, the debt deal passed last week in Washington has got us worried about the future of food safety. In January, things were looking up. President Obama signed a $1.4 billion overhaul of the nation's food safety system with the Food Safety Modernization Act, the first major food reform since 1938.

But last week, everything changed. The House called for $285 million in cuts to the FDA, with $87 million coming straight out of the food safety budget. Stephen Grossman, the Deputy Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA wrote on Friday: "FDA’s responsibilities are not going to shrink just because federal spending is being reduced. We hope Congress sees, as we do, that FDA is not optional. It is part of what society needs to function."

In the past few years, the issue of food-borne illness has been brought time and time again to the attention of the general public. But if we want to look at the whole thing in a more positive light, maybe these cuts will be the push people need to consider the benefits of sustainable and local food sources. What do you think? Are savings on cheaper food really worth the potential price of your health?

The FDA's New Sunscreen Rules: What They Mean For You

Jaime Richards — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:02:42 PDT

It's been a long time coming, and after 33 years with no major updates on sunscreen labeling, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cracking down. Starting next year, manufacturers will be required to eliminate SPF confusion by making it clearer as to what level and type of protection sunscreens provide. "These changes will help people make better-informed decisions about how to use sunscreens and allow them to more effectively protect themselves and their families," the FDA's Janet Woodcock said. To see the main highlights of the FDA's modernized rules, just keep reading.

Will a Food Safety Bill Improve the USDA's Tainted Reputation?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:30:05 PST

In response to a shocking number of recalls in the past couple of years, the current administration has taken a number of steps to reform food safety. The latest measure toward policy change: a Senate bill that passed over the weekend, giving the FDA authority to recall food, as well as access to internal records at farms and food production facilities. It's expected to be signed into law both by the House and President Obama. Do you feel confident that it'll change the staggering rate of foodborne illness in America, or are these measures simply boondoggle?

Yummy Links: From Trivial Food Trends to Weight Loss

YumSugar — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:30:24 PST

Trend backlash: dining concepts that never did take off. - Eater NY
The FDA's finally tracking antibiotics in meat. - The Atlantic
Blue Ribbon Sushi's Bromberg brothers take on Vegas. - Fork in the Road
The fight over the Chairman Bao name continues. - The Feast
What Jamie Oliver doesn't understand about American eating behavior. - Esquire
Get to know pig breeds that could be the next pork wave. - NY Mag
What to drink with that holiday prime rib roast. - Serious Eats
Food fantasies are the secret to weight loss. - Slashfood

Yummy Links: From Punch to Applesauce

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:40:59 PST

Here's seven delicious drink recipes that can easily be made in batches. - Huffington Post Food
Must make: Spanish meatballs with romesco sauce. - Hands on Gourmet
While it may be harder to get through the security line, it's easier to find a drink at the airport. - USA Today
Learn how Grant Achatz creates a menu for Alinea. - GQ
Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich are fighting protesters with a lawsuit. - Grub Street NY
Would you eat Whipped Lightning, an alcoholic whipped cream? - Eater
Thanks to a new bill passed by the Senate, the FDA will have more power to regulate food. - The New York Times
Taste-testing store-bought applesauce. - Serious Eats

Feds Want Cigarette Packets With Graphic Warnings

Susi May — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:15:59 PST

In case you didn't get the message: smoking cigarettes is dangerous for your health. Since a picture is worth a thousand ~~warnings~~ words, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing the placement of graphic images on cigarette packages. The agency hopes the grisly images - corpses, cancer patients, and diseased lungs - will deter people from smoking. Tobacco use is responsible for 443,000 deaths per year.

Although there has been a steady decline in smoking, from 40 percent in the 1970s to 20 percent now, the numbers are no longer falling. In a statement released today, the FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said, "The health consequences of smoking will be obvious every time someone picks up a pack of cigarettes."

The FDA has created 36 images to help the agency make sure its warnings have a visual, if not visceral impact. Here are 12 of the images. Take a look and let me know what you think.

View 12 Photos ›

Source: FDA

Do You Pay Attention to Where Your Seafood Comes From?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:50:29 PDT

On Friday the FDA concluded that, with less than one percent of 1,735 seafood tissue samples testing positive for trace chemicals, Gulf seafood is safe for public consumption. Yet six months after the BP oil spill, fishermen are still struggling. With many consumers unwilling to eat seafood that comes from the Gulf, the price of shrimp has dropped dramatically. In the wake of the FDA's announcement, are you willing to return to eating Gulf seafood? In general, do you pay attention to where your seafood hails from?

Ben & Jerry's Removes "All Natural" Claims

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:00:30 PDT

In an interesting move, progressive ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's, long known for its civic-oriented campaigns and eco-friendly packaging, announced yesterday that it would phase out claims of "All Natural" on frozen desserts that contain processed or artificial ingredients. The brouhaha began when public health advocacy Center for Science in the Public Interest sent a letter to Ben & Jerry's parent company, Unilever, alleging nearly 50 products, including ice cream flavors Cherry Garcia and Creme Brulee, were mislabeled, as they contained ingredients such as alkalized cocoa, maltodextrin, corn syrup, and artificial vanilla.Although the Vermont-based ice creamery wasn't violating any label laws, it has nonetheless decided to phase out the term "all natural" in many of its products. "We are confident that Ben & Jerry's products are 'All Natural' as reasonable consumers would understand that term. However we don't want there to be any questions," CEO Jostein Solheim responded in a letter to the health watchdog group. I think this is a respectable move on the part of Ben & Jerry's and hope other companies have the good sense to follow suit, as to not mislead consumers. What do you think of the announcement?

Source: Flickr User _rockinfree

If Your Pet Takes Nutritional Supplements, Check This Recall List!

PetSugar — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:42:15 PDT

If you treat a pet to any supplements in the form of tablets or powders, check the label - it could be on the latest recall list.

Plagued by another possible Salmonella contamination, the latest FDA recall affects a wide range of items from brewer's yeast and glucosamine joint tabs to vitamins and even pet breath mints! What makes this issue especially tricky is that these items are sold under different brand names at different retailers, so check the UPC codes to be on the safe side. All affected items will show an expiration date of between 1/13 and 6/13, so if you're spotting those dates, take it back to the point of purchase for further direction.

Pet Food Recall: Merrick Beef Filet Squares

PetSugar — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:05:48 PDT

Although we offered a similar advisory back in January, Merrick is now recalling 10 oz. bags of Beef Filet Squares from Lot no. 10084TL7 for a possible Salmonella contamination.

If you still have the resealable package, check for a "Best By 3/24/12" date - those batches may be tainted so return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. To be on the safe side, if you're not sure when you bought the snacks and they look like this, discard and treat your pooch to something else instead.

Luckily no illnesses have been reported yet - the bacteria was caught in a routine FDA surveillance sampling - but be careful when handling the treats (to discard them), remove anything else they could have contaminated, and thoroughly clean any containers, too.