FDA announces 3 year phase out of partially hydrogenated oils

Since trans-fats have had their GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status rescinded the FDA is taking the next step and require that partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) be removed from products within 3 years unless companies petition for their incorporation. The FDA takes step to remove artificial trans fats in processed foods This is good news. …

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BMJ reports on conflicts of interest in medical guidelines

The report also includes reasons and evidence that doctors are inclined to follow the guidelines despite known conflicts of interest, lack of supporting evidence, and their own perceptions of what might be best for their patients: Doctors who are sceptical about the scientific basis of clinical guidelines have two choices: they can follow guidelines even …

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Sanders’ amendment regarding labeling of GE foods defeated

This amendment did not require the labeling of GE products. It merely asserted that States have the right to require such labeling. So, of course, every Republican senator save one (Murkowski), along with about half of Democratic senators, voted against it siding with the interests of corporations invested in GE products over the rights of …

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Potential Progress on Pink Slime in Schools

So it looks like the interest in pink slime in school lunches may be leading to changes. Amid a growing social media storm over so-called “lean finely textured beef,” the Agriculture Department announced Thursday that, starting next fall, schools involved in the national school lunch program will have the option of avoiding the product. Under the change, schools will …

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‘Pink Slime’ in Supermarket ground beef and USDA school lunches

There been a sharp uptick of people searching google for “pink slime”.  What is “pink slime”?  You probably don’t want to know but you probably should know. Pink Slime. Jamie Oliver Food Revolution. – YouTube Gerald Zirnstein grinds his own hamburger these days. Why? Because this former United States Department of Agriculture scientist and, now, whistleblower, …

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The effectiveness of food labeling regulations

This certainly looks like a victory for food labeling regulations and health education efforts. Blood levels of trans–fatty acids (TFAs) in white adults in the U.S. population decreased by 58 percent from 2000 to 2009 according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published in the Feb. 8 edition of the Journal of …

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When all you have is a hammer…

Doctors in the US have 2 primary modalities – medicine and surgery.  I don’t want to discount some of the effective treatments that can result from those modalities.  However, I keep hearing more and more stories of people having surgeries to remove organs and I really question whether this is in the patients’ best interests.  …

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