Are We In A Sense To Blame For The Outbreaks Of Food Contamination?
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
July 6, 2008 7:30pm CST
Okay you might just wonder what I mean by this. But as many of you know, more and more we hear of some food that has either salmonella contamination (like the recent ongoing tomato problem) or e. coli. Think of it...lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, blueberries, cantaloupe, mangoes and on and on have had one form of contamination or another. But are we in a sense to blame for that?
You see what I mean here, is that we have gotten downright spoiled. We go to the market and expect fresh produce ALL YEAR LONG, and not just when whatever fresh produce is in season the way our parents or grandparents, or great-grandparents day. In the "old" days, crops were grown of whatever foodstuffs we needed or wanted...they were harvested and stored. In our grandparents or great-grandparents time, a supply of the fresh produce was then usually canned and stored for the fall and winter months allowing them to have that foodstuffs for the time the food wasn't grown and in stock until the next crops. Some time later on, when refrigerators and freezers came along they even would freeze fresh produce...even I used to do that. I would buy fresh produce in bulk, blanch the vegetables whatever they were (blanching meaning to cook them for a minute or two), like beans or spinach, cool them then freeze my own.
Now however, in today's world and society, we kind of expect and demand fresh produce all year long. Now naturally, fresh produce quite simply CAN'T be grown here in our country 365 days a year due to climate conditions...so we rely on crops grown in other countries. Unfortunately, we're paying the price. Many of these countries still use for instance pesticides that have long been banned in this country. And the means of irrigating the crops is less than ideal...I remember seeing a show, years and years ago, of this exact thing....the irrigation water mingling with the droppings of nearby cattle.....and specifically it was showing a crop of you can guess....tomatoes.
In other words, simple washing of fresh produce won't do the trick of eliminating any possible e. coli or salmonella contamination, if the water to irrigate the crops is contaminated itself, since that contaminated water is nurturing the food itself, making it grow...so viola...the contamination is INSIDE the food as well.
Even frozen vegetables such as broccoli aren't a safeguard that the food was grown here in this country and in season...next time...look at any frozen bag of vegetables and you'll see what I mean
So while we rant and complain about all these recent outbreaks of contamination of food and wonder just why it's happening at a more frequent pace, are we in a sense to blame for that for our demand of fresh produce all year long, rather than when it's in season? Like gee,maybe we need to go back and only buy produce in season again and only produce from one's own country
Oh...and I swear...I'm making plans to get some gigantic planting pots, some earth, seeds..and crap...I'm going to grow my own indoors in my apartment...!!

7 people like this
20 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
7 Jul 08
You're absolutely right. Eating in season, buying only local food and growing all you can yourself, is the safest and healthiest way to eat. People have done that for thousands of years. Our modern food system isn't very old and it seems to be proving itself unreliable.
You really can grow some things inside an apartment, but what you can't grow, look for farmer's markets or farmers themselves, where you can buy fresh food locally.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
It's kind of hard to get locally grown foods though when one lives in a city type area though since everything is shipped in, but all the more reason why I'm seriously thinking about growing some of my own things...and heck, then I could grow all year long...LOL...sort of transform my apartment into a greenhouse...LOL
3 people like this
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I very seldom buy fresh produce in the stores being they just taste so bland to me. Instead, I either buy frozen or canned veggies. Preferable, freeze my own from my garden or local markets. I'm sure Pyewacket and Kissy would just love to bask in their own private indoor garden.
3 people like this

@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Gotta have the catnip and maybe some cat grass. I'm trying to find a shallow container like a cake pan or something but heavier for my 3. Tigger and Simba will wreck havoc on small containers being they like to roll right in the container. lol
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Mmmmm...how about an old litter pan to use and grow catnip and greas as their "forest"??
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I actually did at one time grow home tomatoes and yikes I just couldn't believe the difference in taste...not only do the supermarket commercial kind taste bland, they taste like cardboard. Oh, yes, I'm sure Pyewacket and Kissy would love their own indoor garden...perhaps some catnip as well?

2 people like this

@winterose (39887)
• Canada
7 Jul 08
yes pesticides and stuff can hurt us but even back in the old days, there were always outbreaks of botulism improperly from canned goods,
so I don't know seems every so many years they are coming out with something new and different.
3 people like this

@winterose (39887)
• Canada
7 Jul 08
yes I think that is also why cancer is on the rise, because of the pesticides.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Yes old time canning did have it's problems...my great-grandmother used to can her foods...gosh, I remember those Mason jars! But I think eating foods with all those pesticides could even be worse in the long run as that would mean we're constantly being exposed to them
1 person likes this

@polachicago (18716)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Believe or not this is what I was thinking today.
My parents always prepared own food for the winter.
I remember helping to prepare tomato for winter in jars.
We made tomato juice, tomato paste and much more.
I am going to do some food storage this year.
I have my own garden now and hope it will give me enough for now and later.
I will also buy harvest veggie from local organic farmers in September.
I agree, salad doesn't have to travel 5000 miles to be on my plate...
We have to change our habit for greener planet and for our own good.
Not mentioned to save some money.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
To quote you...Believe or not this is what I was thinking today
Brilliant minds think alike huh? LOL
I really see no reason why I can't grow some foods all year long...I have three excellent sunny windows..two in the living room and one in my bedroom that get sun a good part of the day all day long...perfect! Now...just to get those planting pots...maybe even find deep window boxes, but have them on the floor?? I used to have quite a "garden" indoors. Used to have these poles installed on the top underside part of each window so I had a lot of hanging plants...I got discouraged though as my mother made fun of my interest in gardening and called our apt the hanging gardens of Babylon...LOL...kind of put a damper on things..well now plan to start again

1 person likes this

@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
8 Jul 08
amgrowing tomatoes not sure how they are gonna taste as it is taking along tome for them to ripen lol.
Other than that not much will grow here.
but I remember when in Tn. my father in law always had a patch of greens growingturnip amd mustard some lasted into the winter time and he grew onions I loved to fry the young ones the whole green onion yummy.
3 people like this

@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
9 Jul 08
they should be but they arent! and when you plant tomatoes in Feb should have alot more.
hard here to grow them no rain to help and gets so hot early last year only got 2 tomatoes on 4 vines lol this year better moved them next year they will go to a different spot more under the screen part of patio and will try there.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Are they large type tomatoes? It's still kind of early in the season for homegrown tomatoes I imagine especially if they are the very large size
2 people like this

@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
7 Jul 08
It sounds like you're buying into media frenzy. Salmonella and ecoli are nothing new. Back in your grandfather's day people still got salmonella and people will continue to no matter what. The issues you hear about on the news are greatly exagerated and the recent tomato issues were limited to less than 200 incidents in a country with 300,000,000 people. That leaves you with less than a 0.00006% chance of catching salmonella. Tomato sales were largely stopped out of fear even after it was verified that all tomatoes from Florida and California were 100% safe and not the cause.
It's not the consumer's fault if some farms don't grow their food up to standards. There's always a chance those local farmers may have low standards.
If you want a tomato patch in your backyard or on your roof, good luck with that. I'll keep going to the store and buying what I want, when I want. I haven't caught salmonella yet and odds are I never will. Of course I don't like tomatoes so that issue never concerned me anyway.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Yes I know such contamination isn't anything new and been around for ages, but it does seem that there are more incidences of it than ever before. And the numbers are actually higher...there have been a reported 936 cases of salmonella poisoning just in the NYC area alone. I'm not into the "media" frenzy by any means...but I did have a case of food poisoning once in my life...if you've never had a case you have NO idea just how wonderful it is...NOT
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Yes it used to be salmonella was a thing that could be caused by undercooked meat and even eggs. Unfortunately salmonella and e. coli are now found in fresh produce as well....remember the problems not long ago with spinach, lettuce, blueberries, raspberries, etc etc...one has to remember not all our food is even grown in this country anymore but in countries where regulations aren't as stiff...they use pesticides that have been banned here and irrigation of water to water crops that aren't sanitary....As far as the tomato thing...yikes now they are claiming that it could also be jalapeno peppers--here's one link
http://www.washingtonindependent.com/view/jalapenos-the-real
The thing is...they aren't even really sure who or what the culprit is
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Pye, get yourself some grow lights for the shorter days. My niece has a nifty hanging something or other that has a tomato plant growing in it. I am trying to grow a few myself, and some peppers. I much prefer it that way. My other recourse is to buy at the Farmer's market. I was around my grandma's cellar, and all of her yummy canned foods. My mom said "Why work so hard, I can get it at the store?" I prefer freezing things when possible, but that is just me..
2 people like this

@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
10 Jul 08
My mom was weird and quirky, and negative about a lot of things. I think I often act like her. I am sure grateful, though, that she loved living things, both animals and plants, and I grew up with a good knowledge of them, as well as curiosity.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I might try and reinstall some kind of pole things like I used to have on the underside of the top part of all my windows...I used to have tons of plants hanging from them...my mother was kind of a killjoy and would make fun of it all, saying it looked like we had the hanging gardens of Babylon here.
--anyway kind of squashed my interest in having plants period and took those poles and plants down.
--anyway kind of squashed my interest in having plants period and took those poles and plants down.1 person likes this

@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
8 Jul 08
pye I still tend to buy what is in our natural season here in TN. In the winter months we eat more frozen vegetables then fresh. Not to mention fruit varieties out of season is more expensive and does not taste as good. I buy alot of fruit and produce from local farmers markets and I do freeze what I can.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I have a tendency to eat frozen vegetables all year long since at least it's frozen at it's peak time with all the nutrients in it. Like who knows how long "fresh" veggies are sitting in warehouses and then on the shelf in markets. That's actually one of the reasons they spray that waxy crap on many veggies to make them last longer. Ever try to get that gonk completely off?
2 people like this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
8 Jul 08
In a nutshell... it is up to the government to have some strict food regulations... and have a multitude of inspectors enforcing them.
We surely do that in Australia.
You cannot even transport fresh food from one state to another without going through an inspection.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I'm beginning to wonder if our govt has regulations to inspect any produce that is being transported interstate....don't think so...but then who can rely on our FDA here?
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51849)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
7 Jul 08
There is a serious "100 mile diet" movement happening... local eating for global change. I'm all for it.
When I lived in Vancouver I grew tomatoes, chives and beans on my balcony and even had rhubarb and some raspberry bushes on my roof deck. Here in Hamilton, I have a small garden patch, and lots and lots of raspberry bushes (red and black).
If you're serious about growing some food in your apartment, you might want to look into hydroponics... at least get a couple grow lights. (I take it, you don't have a balcony?)
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Nope no balcony. I do have the advantage of a lot of sunny windows that get the sun in for long periods of the day though. Years and years ago I did have window boxes in all the windows...and did grow tomatoes, peppers, beans...they were installed so well that short of a typhoon or hurricane nothing would budge them..my jerk landlord though told me to take them down...he was afraid if they fell could hurt someone...like duh? If they did fall all they would have fallen to was the patch of dirt area right in front of the building..in other words away from people passing by...what a killjoy
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
7 Jul 08
I thoroughly understand what you are saying, pyewacket, but I can't assume any personal responsibility for the demand for fresh produce all year round.
I definitely remember the days when most folks preserved food for the winter and happen to know a couple who still do so. I suppose there are some who demand fresh produce all the time(it's great if you can afford it), but I am not one of them. At any rate, I think it's much too late to close the barn door now because what the average citizen wishes doesn't seem to matter that much anymore.
I definitely remember the days when most folks preserved food for the winter and happen to know a couple who still do so. I suppose there are some who demand fresh produce all the time(it's great if you can afford it), but I am not one of them. At any rate, I think it's much too late to close the barn door now because what the average citizen wishes doesn't seem to matter that much anymore.1 person likes this

@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
7 Jul 08
That's a great idea, pyewacket! I know they have the kind that you can buy commercially, but I believe it would be much cheaper to set up your own system. If I had enough room I would like to do the same.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
If I recall....didn't you mention in one of your discussions how some of the folks in your family used to can their own foods...???? As soon as I get a bit more of the green stuff, honestly going to start getting the makings to grow my own stuff...and by growing indoors I could grow all year long.
1 person likes this

@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Yes I think we're to blame for all this contamination that's going on. Not us ourselves but the idiots who get the fruits and vegtables off the trees and vines because they're most likely picking up the ones off the ground where the wild have gone and done their business OR these idiots aren't washing their hands or using gloves like they're suppose to while at work handling food. There may be more to it than that but for now, it's my opinion till I know more about it.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
What I find ironic is that we seem to have more contamination now than in our grandparents or great-grandparents time...doesn't make sense since we're supposed to be more technologically advanced now
2 people like this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I watched this show one time a long long time ago that I couldn't tell you where I learned this but if the product was made into a juice and is distilled then it's alright but if it's pure then it hasn't been through the process of being heated to a certain temp to kill all the germs. So being a vegtable, it can't go through such process unless it's to be liquified. I bet they had this problem back in the day but didn't know what it was or the cause of it and that's why it's not known til our day in age.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Pasturization??? Is that what you're thinking of? I think to keep milk safe as well, it has to be pasturized to get the germs or bacteria out
2 people like this

@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Jul 08
pyewacket you make a lot of sense, but I am pretty lucky here in Ca as we are getting in vons a lot of produce grown locally by farmers just a few miles away, and the food is fresh and not contaiminated like the stuff we get from Mexico. I willnot buy any of strawbeerries or tomatoes grown in Mexico as we have had too many times had salmonella and ecoli in those products. I buy only stuff that is grown locally and sometimes i do buy from the farmers market that we have downtown on tuesdays. i would love to try to grow some tomatoes in our patio here. they would really befresh and clean. lol.thanks for a great discussion.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
The one problem about living in a city type area like NYC is nearly ALL our food is shipped in and from god knows where--I mean I'm pretty sure there are quite a number of local farmers out in the Long Island area of NY and upstate...but you go to the supermarkets here and they'll have boxes of tomatoes that the guys are packing out and it says from Calif, or wherever...like duh? Doesn't make sense...you mean to tell me there aren't farms closer by??

@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
7 Jul 08
Lets put it this way. I had a pack of milk opened in my fridge for about this past week and yesterday drank some of it.
Last night, at about 11.30 I wake up and go to the bathroom only to discover I might have gotten a little case of food poisioning.
Nothing serious, it passed this morning. But its an example of how easy this thing is.
Some sour milk and there you go !
I'm not surprised about the salmonella business. It could be happening more often !
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I think I had a minute case of "something" last night...not enough to make me really sick but had a lousy, queasy stomach all night long...think it was the cottage cheese I ate as part of my salad...didn't taste bad but it must have gone sour itself..just like that milk of yours did
1 person likes this
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
11 Jul 08
This is something to think about. I must be one that takes it for granted. I never think about where the food is coming from- only that it is in the store when I want or need it. I do admit that I won’t buy a lot of fruits when they aren’t in season—Season in my area. I tend to buy more fruits and veggies from farmers markets—so I know they are grown in the area. They just taste better to me.
I do have my own garden- and I love it- We grow, tomatoes, peppers (sweet and green), beans (green and yellow), cantaloupe, watermelon, carrots, beets, lettuce, cucumbers, potatoes, squash, and zucchini. I love going to the garden and picking dinner! It’s cheap and safer to eat.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 Jul 08
Years and years ago, I used to have window boxes installed in all my windows and grew tomatoes, peppers, herbs...I couldn't believe the difference in taste of the tomatoes for instance from the home grown versus the cardboard tasting crap that one gets in the supermarket...that's why I can't wait to grow some again...but indoors..my kill joy landlord made me take down my window boxes...

@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
7 Jul 08
Wouldn't it be great if we had a back yard. What do you think you could grow inside?
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
I'm going to try my hand at growing just about anything...LOL. I did used to have window boxes and grew peppers, tomatoes, beans...until my killjoy landlord told me to take them down...so I'll just do a transfer and grow indoors...uh, don't think I could grow corn though...uh, a bit tall...LOL...
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
9 Jul 08
You're so right, Pye, we've come to insist on instant gratification in every way so if we want tropical fruit in January, we want it and that's that. I also remember when it was really a treat when we got our fresh, locally grown tomatoes in the summertime, now we want them year round. I've never been one to be afraid of change or progress but this is one of several ways in which I wish we could go back to the "good ole days"! I don't ever remember anyone dying or getting deathly sick from eating a tomato or spinach back when I was a kid!
Annie
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Jul 08
I never even really heard of salmonella or e. coli when I was growing up..botulism yes, but theat usually was with canned foods not properly processed. It was only some years ago that they suggested warnings about not cooking meats until done...remember having thick juicy medium--RARE hamburgers? or even slightly undercooked eggs? Like soft boiled? Like WTF is happening with our food in general anyway??
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
7 Jul 08
This is certainly a valid point, I think a lot of the problems are in inspection policies. We as a country have made an abundance of laws regarding everything yet no provisions are ever made for enforcing said laws. The way I see it is if there is a need for a law then you have to provide enforcement as well. Unfortunately not all people in this world are completely law abiding.
And while enforcing same laws you have to take into consideration those that will overlook infractions for a slice of the pie so to speak. Nothing is ever 100% because we can't count on ourselves to be totally true.
Supply and demand is a vicious circle and supposedly it is the basis of our economy, but unfortunately I don't think it is working well right now.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
I think our whole system has just been falling apart now for years, and since we're in such a "muck" like how does one get out of it? If we can?
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (209327)
• United States
7 Jul 08
I think we are somewhat to blame for the current food predictament. I myself am growing my own tomatoes, and some additional vegs. more this year than ever before. I would rather not take chances with store produce. I can grow perfectly good produce at home.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
I would love to grow my own stuff even though I live in an apt...heck why not? Hey, my apt would be "different" looking...LOL
@revellanotvanella (4033)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Im with you; growing my own produce. You know I read in the paper they want to try growing produce on rooftops and Philly is good for community gardens and I think its a great way to introduce energy efficiency to the city. Theres a teach supply store that is selling this greenhouse for 50$ and it has two levels, its like a little playhouse but just open in the front so you can grow your plants--I totally want that to try my green thumb out on. I grew up eating green beans, potatoes, corn, cucumbers and other summer produce because my father had a garden at the end of our alfalfa field and we had to pick it every summer. His parents had a big potato field and they were farmers too. My bf mother is from Turkey and they grow their own food too and her garden makes me drool every time I see it, she grows squash, eggplants, tomatoes, tons of different beans, peppers, the list is endless--and pumpkins. Im grateful that I still have these things to influence me but when you grown up that way it becomes a part of you and I love how California is encouraging local produce but think that we need to more than ever here on the east coast. I cant stand seeing all my produce come from Salina's California and Fresno so I look for PA produce which my local Acme as surpisingly done over the past year.
About the contamination, I think factory farms are to blame because they are polluting our water, the manure being used to grow our produce is the culprit and the inhumane treatment is unimaginable. I feel responsible and try no longer eat dairy products and only eat meat for special occasions like when my bf cooks us supper but we usually eat lamb. I feel like the awareness is key and instead of it being the Humane Society or PETA telling us I think we all could tell our friends the truth behind these big businesses and how staying close to home could make a dramatic difference--just like you chose to do, kudo my friend.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Grrr...don't get me going about factory farms...and then all that exposé about how downed cows are being processed in the slaughterhouses and the meat is being distributed to hospitals and schools...like yikes. While I am still a meat eater I go out of my way to get organically raised meats...we hear of too many meat recalls now too, not just produce



















