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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Top Five Foods To Avoid for Food Safety

While we often recommend our safe food-handling practices like using clean utensils and storing foods properly to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness, we thought for this year’s Food Safety Month (September) it would be good to highlight five foods that can be “food safety foes” all year round. One key term you will see used is the word “raw.” Cooking foods to their proper temperatures and not consuming foods that are not meant to be eaten uncooked certainly go a long way in keeping meals safe. These tips will arm you even more in the fight against foodborne illness. 1. Raw cookie dough Skipping raw cookie dough, no matter how tempting it is and even if you have eaten it the past, is best. Cookie dough contains both raw flour and raw eggs, both of which can harbor bacteria. Flour is an agricultural food product that is designed to be cooked before it is consumed. This means that some bacterial contaminants from the grains used to produce the flour can remain in the product before it is cooked, namely Escherichia coli (E. coli). Consumption of harmful strains of E. coli can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, pneumonia and other illnesses as well.Raw eggs can harbor Salmonella bacteria. Salmonella infections can cause many symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and gastrointestinal pain. Typically, symptoms occur within six to 48 hours after eating contaminated food. While most people can recover from Salmonella infections without antibiotics, children, older adults and others with weaker immune systems may need medical attention. Check out these food safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help during your next baking bash. 2. Raw chicken It may be surprising to some, but there has been a past popular “delicacy” trend of […]

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2023 Food & Health Survey: Impact of Rising Costs, Stress, and Social Media on Food Choices

(Washington, D.C.) — The International Food Information Council (IFIC) released its 2023 Food and Health Survey today, unveiling significant findings regarding Americans’ eating habits and food choices. The 18th edition of the annual survey reveals key consumer insights around the rising cost of food, stress and well-being, the influence of social media on food and nutrition decisions, evolving eating patterns, climate consciousness, and healthy labels as purchase drivers. “The 2023 IFIC Food and Health Survey is a comprehensive snapshot of the complex factors that shape American food and nutrition choices,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President and CEO of IFIC. “As we navigate the shifting landscape of food production and consumption, this survey underscores the importance of balancing competing priorities, and consumers’ desire for clear and accurate information that empowers them to make the best food and beverage decisions for themselves and their families.” Paying the Price: How Rising Food Costs Reshape America’s Plates An overwhelming 91% of respondents saw an increase in food and beverage prices over the past year (72% noted a “major” increase), up from 83% who said the same thing in 2022. Among those people, nearly half (47%) said they always or often cut back on nonessential food and beverage products. Price is also taking a toll on the healthfulness of Americans’ diets: Nearly 3 in 10 consumers who noticed higher food prices in 2023 said they made less healthy choices as a result. A consistent theme across the IFIC Food and Health Survey history has been the dominance of taste as the top factor driving our food and beverage purchases. Its importance among five key motivators (taste, price, healthfulness, convenience, and sustainability) only strengthened over the past year, with 87% of respondents in 2023 citing it as a factor in their decisions — up […]

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Food Colors: Resources You Can Use

Why do we choose the foods we eat? What makes this food more appealing than that food? What are the things you like about your favorite food? Take a look and you’ll see that the color makes a difference in what you choose to eat. Food colors provide a familiar look to foods and often function in food in other ways too. They enhance colors that occur naturally in food. They offset any discolor when food is exposed to light, temperature and storage conditions. Food colors are unique; they are classified as ‘color additives’ and are certified by FDA which confirms their safe use. They are listed on the food label and these resources are a guide for you to learn more about food colors, color additives and what they do to food. Food Ingredients and Colors Brochure For centuries, ingredients have served useful functions in a variety of foods. Our ancestors used salt to preserve meats and fish, added herbs and spices to improve the flavor of foods, preserved fruit with sugar, and pickled cucumbers in a vinegar solution. Today, consumers demand and enjoy a food supply that is flavorful, nutritious, safe, convenient, colorful and affordable. Food additives and advances in technology help make that possible. This brochure in partnership with the U.S. FDA is your guide to understand the role of ingredients, colors and flavors in food. Color Me Red: New Studies on Food Coloring Safety Did you know food coloring can be made using natural and artificial ingredients? Both of which are safe and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These colorings are used in a variety of foods, not just baked goods, but they are also safely used in ice cream, yogurt, soft drinks, cereals, sausage casings, cheeses and the list goes on. […]

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What is Food Combining?

While most Americans eat meals with a mix of healthful nutrients, a small set of eaters are going in the opposite direction: completely separating out their food groups. They’re following a new trend known as food combining, which in its most basic form claims that the three macronutrients in our diets—carbohydrates, fat and protein—need to be eaten separately for optimal digestion. When digestive health and the microbiome are top-of-mind for so many folks, it’s easy to get pulled into a regimen promising a healthy, happy gut. But is food combining just another fad diet, or is it here to stay? First, a little history Unlike many other diet trends, food combining has a long history. It is rooted in the ancient Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine, which is one of the planet’s oldest holistic healing practices. Ayurveda defines every food by its taste, energy (heating or cooling) and post-digestive effect, and food combinations based on these principles are essential for optimal digestion. Although food is one component of Ayurveda, this ancient way of thinking is more spiritually based than later iterations of food combining. The next historical round of food combining came from a physician named William Howard Hay who viewed and adapted the concept from a medical perspective. Popularized in the 1920s, the Hay Diet drew from Hay’s own personal experience with food and healing and had several strict guidelines to help a person achieve optimal health. Key components of the Hay Diet include: Current food combining advocates have taken principles from both Hay and Ayurveda to create appealing food combining charts under the notion that this eating pattern will heal the gut. New food combining rules keep the five Hay principles and add several others, such as that fats should not be eaten alongside proteins unless a green […]

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The U.S. Food Supply Amid COVID-19

Amid the new normal of social distancing, video–call family reunions, and limited trips outside our homes, it seems that people are cooking more than usual. This may be the reason flour is flying off the shelves and yeast is nowhere to be found. Not only has the surge in stockpiling and buying more than we need put stress on grocery store employees and shoppers, but the entire food system is overwhelmed by the new challenges COVID-19 presents. While there has been no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted by food, limitations on human interaction and travel have forced food manufacturers and distributors to adjust without warning or preparation so that the world can continue to eat. The food supply adapts during emergency situations In the global emergency caused by the spread of COVID-19, the world’s food system has been forced to adapt quickly. While one of the most obvious changes may be that our favorite restaurants and cafes have been forced to close as a result of this pandemic, that’s just one piece of our food system. Farms, production warehouses, grocery stores, and every other part of the food supply chain have had to make adjustments in this unique time due to the restrictions in place limiting things like travel and the amount of people allowed in one space at one time. The federal government has identified many sectors as “essential critical infrastructure workers.” It has listed the types of jobs and people deemed essential to maintain infrastructure in society in order to keep things running so that our basic needs are met. This list includes healthcare professionals, law enforcement workers and public works employees who work to keep society healthy, safe and clean. Also listed are food and agriculture workers who are essential to keeping our society fed. The […]

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A Useful Guide to Understanding GMOs

As food producers aim to provide a secure and reliable supply of food for the growing public, food biotechnology advances are evolving fast. Genetically modified food resources are helping farmers, food manufacturers, and companies produce safe, healthy, great-tasting and environmentally-friendly foods. However, understanding how these foods are created, how they end up on our plates, and the science behind the ingredients can be confusing. Below we have some insightful resources to help you understand how GMOs are shaping our food supply. Food Biotechnology: A Communicator’s Guide to Improving Understanding Food Biotechnology: A Communicator’s Guide to Improving Understanding is your one-stop resource for preparing for presentations, patient and client questions, health fairs, media interviews, blogging, tweeting, and other community conversations around biotechnology and GMOs. GMO-Free Milk: Is There Really Such a Thing? Modern food production uses various technologies to ensure that our food supply yields safe and environmentally friendly foods. “Genetically engineered” foods, also known as “genetically modified” foods or GMOs, are safe for consumption, and this has been proven repeatedly by scientific research. So what do package labels such as “GMO-free” and “Non-GMO” really mean? Science Sent: GMOs Are Safe to Eat For years, the debate over the safety of genetically engineered crops (or genetically modified organisms or GMOS) has come down to one statement: the science isn’t there. According to a report published yesterday by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), there is no difference in potential or adverse health effects in GMO crops compared to non-GMOs. In other words, GMO crops are as safe to eat as their non-GMO counterparts. No Matter the Food, Ingredients Produced with Biotechnology Are As Safe As “Non-GMO” The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation would like to correct media reports raising concerns about infant formula containing ingredients produced using biotechnology (also referred […]

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New IFIC Study Reveals Over Half of Americans Are Impacted by Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities: Trust and Clarity in Labeling Remain Key Challenges

 (Washington, D.C.) — With Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-17) on the horizon, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) is highlighting new data that underscores the widespread impact of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities across the U.S.   According to the IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Food Allergens, Intolerances & Sensitivities, more than half of Americans (53%) either have, live with, or know someone affected by a food allergy, intolerance, and/or sensitivity.   Food allergies alone now impact 6.2% of adults and 5.8% of children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When factoring in food intolerances and sensitivities—conditions that are more difficult to measure due to inconsistent definitions—the prevalence of Americans affected increases.   “Food allergies and intolerances are no longer niche health concerns—they affect a significant portion of the population,” said IFIC President and CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN.  “While the prevalence of food allergy continues to rise, so does awareness. Serving the food allergic consumer has become a more visible part of everyday culture—from servers routinely asking about allergens at restaurants to expanded accommodations in schools and other public settings,” Reinhardt Kapsak added. “Still, there is more work to be done, especially when it comes to providing consistent, clear labeling and empowering people to make safe, informed food choices.”  One In Four Americans Report Having A Food Allergy, Intolerance, And/Or Sensitivity  According to the survey, one in four Americans (24%) say that they or someone in their household has a food allergy (13%), intolerance (8%), and/or sensitivity (9%). Nuts were the most reported allergen, while dairy ranked highest among both intolerances and sensitivities.  Looking at the broader landscape, the top nine food allergens—often referred to as the “Big Nine”—include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, and sesame. In 2023, […]

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