Solutions Talk

She could believe her eyes...

Notable Quote: "I guess the truest way to explain how I feel about the way beef is produced after all I saw that busy day is to tell you that for dinner that night I thoroughly enjoyed a nice piece of beef tenderloin." - Ellie Krieger, from "An Inside Look at Beef Processing" - The Huffington Post

As a veteran of nearly 40 years in the food industry, I've seen a lot of things. One thing that I haven't seen (or heard credible rumors of) in dozens and dozens of visits to food processing facilities is the kind of sloppy (or evil) treatment of animals which is described in many popular books and magazine articles. Nor have I witnessed much reasoned debate about how to improve food production in the United States. Many, it seems, want to assign blame, and in so doing, disparage food-makers for things that they may not be guilty of. Aggressive accusations made in public forums come to be regarded as fact by those who have never set foot on a farm, feeder lot or factory floor.

We all want (I would hope) a clean, safe and plentiful supply of food. In the U.S., by and large - we have such a system in place. We also want to see the life expectancy and health of our citizens improve - something that is happening, based on the latest U.S. National Vital Statistics Reports. Here's an exerpt and link:

"From 2008 to 2009 the age-adjusted death rate declined significantly for 10 of the 15 leading causes of death. The preliminary age-adjusted death rate for the leading cause of death, Diseases of heart, decreased by 3.7 percent."  http://1.usa.gov/eW8ljK

It is refreshing to see someone with intellectual integrity write an article like the one I've linked to. Ms. Krieger almost certainly took some flak for her position - one that doesn't sit well with many who recommend only "pure and happy" food. Read on... http://huff.to/m8CmtR . Why don't we all join her tonight and enjoy a nice piece of beef tenderloin? Perhaps with a side of Organic Heirloom Tomatoes...

Pure Food Worship...really?



Worth noting: Author and provocateur Barry Glassner, in his entertaining and informative book "The Gospel of Food" asks the question "Why do we deify some meals and some foods, and demonize others?"  Good question...

In"The Gospel of Food", Glassner goes on to explain in well-documented detail how many of us have lost faith in medicine, and have turned instead to things we can change, like our diet. We attribute to certain foods the power to make us well or ill...and often without any real proof, christen alternative fare "natural" or "authentic" and revere it above similar "conventional" offerings.

Further into the thought-provoking work, he quotes Science Historian Steven Shapin, who refers to "the bad order of society." From his studies, Shapin has concluded that movements as diverse as the Atkins Diet, Vegetarianism, Organic and Slow Food all preach a common message. "A bad society makes bad food, and bad food makes badly motivated and badly functioning people."

I encourage fellow food-lovers and recovering Foodies to read this lively, informative work. I'll be following this with some thought-provoking facts and studies shortly. Stay tuned.