Earth Day: How You Can Help

Happy Earth Day! Each year’s celebration of this important day reminds us of all the ways we can help the environment every day in our own homes. In particular, recycling (and otherwise re-using packaging) can be hugely beneficial to our planet. Some of the most common recyclable packaging is food and beverage packaging. This kind of packaging typically is durable, strong, protective, and plays a role in the safety, convenience, and efficiency of our food supply. It acts to block light and protect nutrients in our food and beverage products—keeping quality consistent throughout a product’s shelf life. Because these packages help provide food protection and safety, both consumers and consumer-goods companies are adopting practices to promote packaging that is even more efficient—as well as boost recycling and reuse rates. Ninety-four percent of U.S. residents living in communities with a population of more than 125,000 have recycling programs available to them, but our individual knowledge of what can and cannot be recycled, and how we can be more mindful about recycling practices, can go a long way in improving national recycling rates. For example, in addition to participating in recycling programs, the careful reuse of certain types of packaging in the home is one major way to minimize packaging waste. For food safety reasons, not all food and beverage containers are designed to be reused, but many are—see below for tips. In addition to our personal efforts, various companies are repurposing packaging waste to make products such as clothing, shoes, and other consumer goods. For example, many conservation-minded companies and organizations are recovering incorrectly discarded ocean plastics to make new products such as furniture, sunglasses, luggage and car parts—all while working to discourage marine littering. Revving up to recycle Every home across the country likely has recyclable packages lurking about—often including […]

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Metals in Food and Water: What You Need To Know To Protect Your Health

Although it may sound alarming, metals in our food supply is nothing new. Metals are natural elements found in Earth’s crust, and they often make their way into plant-based foods through irrigation and soil and dust particles, frequently with some “help” from humans (e.g. through sediments from smoking, the use of lead pipes in construction, some forms of paint, and other materials). In the field of food and nutrition, trace elements, or “trace metals,” can actually be beneficial to human health across the life stages. However, with news about “toxic metals” in our food on the rise, we may be feeling concerned about our health and well-being—and the well-being of those we provide food for every day. The good news is that emerging technologies are allowing scientists to test for metals with better and better sensitivity. These findings have advanced federal policies, nutritional guidance, and national health goals. For example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030 General Environment Health lays out objectives for reducing specific metals, as does the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Closer to Zero: Action Plan for Baby Foods document that was shared in 2020. Since 1961, the FDA has tested and monitors metals and other elements in our food through the Total Diet Study. These efforts are overseen by the FDA’s Toxic Elements Working Group, which aims to reduce consumer exposure to toxic elements in food, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. “Toxic” elements in this context include, but are not limited to, cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As), all of which you can find more information about below. Lastly, current best-practice manufacturing guidelines during food processing, as well as the documentation of land-use history and water-quality at the farming level of our food supply chain, also help maintain […]

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Keeping Food Safe at Your Summer BBQ

This weekend marks Memorial Day in the U.S., a holiday generally recognized as the start of summer—and all of summer’s delightful culinary specialties. It’s a season for crisp salads, juicy fresh fruit, ice cream and—the favorite part for many of us—barbecue. Whether your grill of choice is on the roof of your city apartment, by the pool near your suburban home, or at your favorite local park alongside some trusty charcoal, safety should always be a priority when you’re cooking food outside. To be sure, foodborne illness is NOT invited to your cookout—but there are a few safety checks you’ll need to perform to ensure it’s not an unwanted guest! For the food on the grill Beef and turkey burgers, chicken, hot dogs, and fish are often the main course at a summer barbecue. However, they can also pose the greatest risk for foodborne illness. Raw meat, poultry and fish in particular carry bacteria that can spread to surfaces and other foods if the food is not handled properly. To make sure you stay as safe as possible while at the grill, follow these two big food-safety practices: While it’s no doubt important to prevent foodborne illness on the day of the barbecue, it’s also beneficial to consider long-term health concerns related to the carcinogenic compounds that can forming when grilling meat. Fortunately, there are a few ways to prevent this from happening. Minimizing the amount of time that fat from the meat directly touches the flame is key. A few tips? Use leaner pieces of meat, cook at a lower flame for a longer time, and use smaller cuts of meat that cook faster. For those well-loved side dishes While your grilled meat may take center stage, it won’t be a complete outdoor meal without those delicious supporting acts: […]

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World Food Safety Day: Remembering Those Microbes!

World Food Safety Day is today (June 7th), and IFIC celebrates each year by considering how our food-supply chain can improve its safety—a critical part of our everyday nutrition and wellness. Supporting safe food manufacturing and processing is a core value of supporting mankind’s nourishment—even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, when virus-related roadblocks have impacted the food industry workforce, facility operations, and grocery-store inventories all over the country. Ensuring food safety in the U.S. is a tall order, but individual actions count—so what concerns should we prioritize this year? The U.S. has one of the safest food systems in the world, and IFIC’s 2022 Food and Health Survey uncovered that for the past five years, a majority (68%) of people have felt confident in the safety of our food supply. However, this number is down from where it was in 2012, when 78% of consumers were confident in the supply’s safety. The 2022 survey also uncovered that among the most important food-safety issues cited for consumers is foodborne illness from bacteria. Since we’ve seen this issue remain consistent, let’s highlight some common foodborne illness–causing microbes, as well as ways to handle food properly in case of a recall and, finally, what to do if you suspect you have a foodborne illness. Nasty Little Buggers Although researchers have identified more than 250 types of foodborne illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the top five bacteria that cause foodborne illness in the United States are Norovirus, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph). The CDC also estimates that, annually in the U.S., 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Beyond the U.S., foodborne illness from bacteria is a serious public health issue that impacts people globally. The […]

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Tips for Mindful Snacking

Life is busy for all of us, and it can feel impossible to slow down and make intentional choices about the food we eat each day. Most of us know that by paying closer attention to our bodies, minds, and meals, we can take better care of our overall well-being. But how do we hack into our higher nutritional goals in the heat—or hunger!—of the moment? One way is to draw more attention to our hunger cues throughout the day. Specifically, mindful snacking can help prevent extreme hunger between larger meals and fill gaps in our daily nutrients. Read on for four easy tips to tune up your mindfulness around snacks. 1. Ask yourself what you’re looking for Are you truly hungry? Or do you just need a break or some “me” time? Our 2024 Food and Health Survey found that 73% of consumers report snacking at least once a day, an amount consistent with our 2022 findings but an increase from 58% who said the same in 2021. Of those who snack, 43% said they do so because they are hungry or thirsty, while 30% said snacks are a treat for them. If you are hungry, figure out the taste, texture, and temperature of the craving you are looking to satisfy before you eat. For example, you can ask yourself, “Am I in the mood for something sweet, salty, or savory? Crunchy or smooth? Hot or cold?” Honing in on your needs can prevent overeating foods that don’t quite hit the spot. 2. Check in with your hunger Try using a hunger scale before, during, and after your snack. Before eating, take a moment to assess your hunger on a scale of one to ten. If one is “ravenous” and ten is “stuffed,” where are you now? If you’re not […]

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Snack Production Series: Crackers

Crackers are a popular snack for all ages—and can be found in many households as a quick go-to for everyday eating. And while they may not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of “healthy,” crackers—especially whole-grain crackers—can be part of a nutritious eating pattern and a staple of mindful snacking routines. Some typical cracker ingredients include flour, baking soda and/or yeast, and oil-based shortening, but a wealth of different varieties with different flavors and ingredients are on the market—including gluten-free crackers (which must not contain wheat, rye, barley, triticale, or related types of grains). But when we enjoy our favorite crackers as part of a satisfying snack, do we think much about how crackers are made, and what processes are part of providing their key characteristics—like their nutrition, shelf-stability, and texture? Read on if you’re curious about cracker creation! Enrichment and Fortification Enrichment and fortification are common aspects of food production and processing that are designed to add nutrients to a food. Enrichment typically refers to adding nutrients that have been lost during food handling, processing, or storage back to that food. Fortification, in contrast, generally refers to foods that have had nutrients added to them that are not naturally occurring in that food (like the iodine that is commonly added to salt). Fortification has historically been used to help correct widespread dietary insufficiencies recognized by the scientific community (thus improving the balance of nutrients in consumers’ diets). One of the most widely publicized fortifications of food has been the fortification of several types of flours—including those found in many crackers—and breakfast cereals, which have been fortified with folic acid since 1998 following overwhelming evidence that sufficient folic acid consumption is linked to better health outcomes in pregnant women and children. Unlike fortified foods, many […]

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IFIC Partner Spotlight: The Partnership for Food Safety Education

The Partnership for Food Safety Education is an organization that develops and promotes effective education programs to reduce foodborne illness risk for consumers. The Partnership works with an active network of 13,000 health and food safety educators—called BAC Fighters—helping to make their work more visible, collaborative, and effective. IFIC spoke with Britany Saunier, President, and CEO of the Partnership for Food Safety Education, just in time for National Food Safety Education Month. Why should food safety be top of mind in September? Food safety should be top of mind every day! Foodborne illness can be very serious and is more than a bad night in the restroom. For some it can mean lifelong chronic health conditions like IBS, arthritis, and, even worse, death. September is National Food Safety Education Month, which allows us to bring more awareness to the importance of safe food-handling in good health. Foodborne illnesses (FBI) tend to increase during the summer months due to the hot and humid weather. People can help prevent FBI during warmer months by making sure their fridge is maintaining a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, ensuring food is not left out for more than two hours (or for one hour if the temperature is above 90°F), and ensuring meat, poultry, eggs, and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature. September is also back-to-school season. What are some tips on how to pack lunches safely for kids and teens going back to school? Great question, and together, the Partnership of experts and stakeholders have identified three practical tips for safely packing school lunches. They are as easy as 1: Wash; 2: Chill; and 3: Heat. What about after-school snacks and dinner, sometimes made together with our kids? The same principles apply, with some extra considerations: The Partnership has a task force […]

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To Toss or Not To Toss: What You Should Do If Your Food Is Recalled

When it comes to feeding the U.S. population, it’s vital that our government prioritizes food safety and ensures that our food supply chain is safe. Documentaries such as “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food,” media headlines about wood fragments in cookies and E. Coli in spinach, and stories of social media influencers getting sick from Tara flour have helped lead to public uproar and a push for stronger food safety standards. But it’s important to know that generally, the food supply in the United States is known as “one of the safest in the world”—an assessment you can trust. One of the reasons behind this low level of risk is the consistent, standard monitoring practices exercised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These regular inspections quickly identify and correct violations in food safety standards that may lead to a food recall. Food recalls can incite confusion and fear, but a product can be taken off the shelf for a variety of reasons. Food can be recalled from the national supply chain when the U.S. government has identified possible contamination with disease-causing microorganisms, the presence of a foreign object, or a lack of proper labeling of a major allergen. Usually, food recalls are voluntarily initiated by a food company, but the FDA and USDA may also initiate the process. The FDA oversees this regulation for most food products—with the exception of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, which the USDA regulates. The purpose of these recalls is to help prevent possible illness or injury, especially for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have weakened immune systems, are very young or elderly, or have other special health considerations that make them more vulnerable to foodborne illness. If you have consumed a product […]

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