Tekmar Talk Blog

A recent headline in The New York Times called the changing eating habits of American consumers a “Seismic Shift.” Soda sales are down 25 percent since 1998, orange juice consumption is down 45 percent and sales of prepackaged foods such as cereal and frozen dinners are down 25 percent and 12 percent respectively. While sales of these grocery store staples are down, sales of fresh prepared food, as well as raw fruits and vegetables are on the rise.

The article cites a lack of trust in packaged goods for their lack of nutrition and high sugar and salt. “According to one recent survey, 42 percent of millennial consumers, ages 20 to 37, don’t trust large food companies, compared with 18 percent of non-millennial consumers who feel that way.” As consumers move to more fresh, raw and natural products, food manufacturers are making changes to their business strategies.

A search across the Internet, and it’s clear that the answer to whether the statement, “Organic foods are safer for you,” is fact and fiction depends on whom you ask.  Nearly 95% of people surveyed by the Soil Foundation said the top reason they buy organic food is to avoid pesticides, but unfortunately, organic farmers still use pesticides and fungicides to protect their crops.

While debate over the legalization of marijuana continues, states that have legalized the plant for recreational and medical use are facing a challenge that may have been overlooked. Most farmers use federally approved pesticides to help control bugs and mold, but marijuana, while legal in some states, has no oversight by the Federal government. This means that no one is regulating what pesticides can be used to keep bugs away and prevent other damage to the crops. Nonetheless, the crops are valuable, and to protect their investment, many growers have started to use chemicals, which may or may not be safe for the plant or consumers. 

What is exactly causing the decline in bee colonies across North America remains a hot topic for debate. In our September 2014 blog, we addressed the concern of neonicotinoid pesticides, which according to some reports affect the nervous system of insects resulting in paralysis and death. Approved in 1994 in the United States, neonicotinoid pesticides have quickly become the target of environmentalists who claim that it was at the same time that the beekeepers began to notice severe colony loss, upwards of 30-90%.

It’s no secret that eating fruits and vegetables is important to a healthy diet. Studies show that eating high levels of produce is associated with lower risks of chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. It’s probably no secret either that Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. In the March 2014 issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health researchers found that 80 percent of Americans don’t eat the daily recommend 1.5 to 2.5 cups of fruit while 90 percent don’t eat the daily recommended 2-3.5 cups of vegetables. . In other words, we are a long way off from where we need to be.

So why are we talking about eating more fruits and vegetables?

What would you do if someone gave you a glass of Roundup weed killer and said, “Go ahead, drink it?” If you are like most people, you might look around for the cameras to see who’s in on the practical joke and/or question the request and the person offering it to you. Recently, a proponent of genetically modified foods, went on French TV Canal+ to defend Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup and to downplay recent reports that glysophate, the active ingredient in the weed killer, is responsible for the growing rates of cancer in Argentina. Scientists in Argentina have detected it in the air, water and food, although the levels have been low.