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30 January 2012

Will you have chemicals with that?


Will you know if you have chemicals or other unwelcome additives in the food you buy?

It probably depends on where it comes from. Almost certainly you will not know if it comes from China, fair chance you will if it comes from Australia. Barcodes provide a very useful answer.

The problem is we need to think hard before buying any foodstuffs from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam or Thailand as these countries have little or no laws that regulate food production and processing and erratic policing of what controls there are. It is particularly wise to avoid buying processed food packaged in China, Vietnam and Thailand. We just do not know what else may be in those packages.

Also, do note that many Mainland Chinese companies now use a Hong Kong address in an attempt to avoid the poor reputation Chinese produce has developed.

Some companies are going to greater lengths to mislead you. For example, according to CBC TV’s “Marketplace”, Highliner Fish Products all come from China where they are pen raised using chemicals that are banned in Canada as cancer causing, but are legal in China. Once processed in Canada, their packaging quite truthfully declares “processed in Canada”! Clearly “processed” does not mean “ originated in”.

So do beware of items like a bottle of organic Tamari I saw recently. On the label was “Produce of China”, “packaged in Australia” and certified “organic” in Australia. I am sorry, but I do not have enough confidence in the Chinese food production system yet to buy that.

The fact is that some countries like Australia do have pretty good food regulation Laws and labeling to match, as do countries like New Zealand, the USA and Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain.  At least in Australia, buying Australian prepared food, you have a good chance of knowing what is in the food you buy. True you could buy an ice cream for yourself or a child and it could have 6 – 10 chemicals in it, but at least the label will tell you it has 6 – 10 chemicals in it. What you do after that is up to you!

So how do you know where your food comes from?

Look at the barcodes! The first 2 or 3 numbers on every barcode define the country of packaging. Australia is 93, New Zealand 94. These two countries are right up amongst the best food standards, and if it really was grown and packaged in either, what is on the label is likely to be what you will get (barring criminal activity which is fairly well policed). However, watch for the "packaged in Australia", "product of somewhere else" routine. Again, at least on produce packaged in Australia, you will be able to find this information if you look hard enough.

Clearly, the need is to read labels thoroughly.

Countries I avoid and their codes are:

China:  690 – 695
Thailand: 885
Vietnam: 893  
Japan (due to the radiation misfortune): 450 - 459 and 490 - 499

There are several others that warrant suspicion, so the full list is included below.

What to do?

First: Grow as much as you can. How is the home veggie garden going? If you are still thinking about it, this is a great time to start. If you need help, try the books listed below or ask a friend.

Second: Buy local produce.

Third:  If local produce is not easy to come by, try harder! Buy local produce.

Fourth: If you are still having trouble sourcing local produce, try really hard!

If we get into the habit of seeking local produce, it will get easier and easier. When I first developed cancer in 1975, there was one organic veggie shop in Melbourne. It was a big effort to get there. Now, in our small country town of Yarra Junction we have a terrific organic shop and who knows how many there are in Melbourne?

Buy local and our children may have more of a future. Less transport pollution, less unknowns in the processing, more local knowledge and suitability, more sustainable communities.

Buy local produce.

Fifth: If all else does fail, read labels. It makes heaps of sense wherever possible to choose foodstuffs from Australia and New Zealand. Heaps of sense to use organic produce. Heaps of sense to buy as much unprocessed food as reasonably possible – eg buy the raw ingredients and prepare your own sauces etc. It also makes heaps of sense to read labels if you do buy things that are processed.

Find out where things originated from, where they were packaged and what is in them.

Happy eating and good health!

Maybe this is a good blog to share with those you care about - you could save them a problem!

Here are the Country barcodes which are in numerical, not alphabetical order. Good luck.

code
country
000 – 019
020 – 029
Restricted distribution (MO defined)
030 – 039
040 – 049
Restricted distribution (MO defined)
050 – 059
060 – 099
100 – 139
U.S. (reserved for later use)
200 – 299
Restricted distribution (MO defined)
300 – 379
380
383
385
387
389
400 – 440
Germany (440 code inherited from old East Germany on reunification, 1990)
450 – 459
460 – 469
470
471
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
484
485
486
487
488
489
490 – 499
500 – 509
520 – 521
528
529
530
531
535
539
540 – 549
560
569
570 – 579
590
594
599
600 – 601
603
604
608
609
611
613
615
616
618
619
621
622
624
625
626
627
628
629
640 – 649
690 – 695
700 – 709
729
730 – 739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
750
754 – 755
759
760 – 769
770 – 771
773
775
777
778 – 779
780
784
786
789 – 790
800 – 839
840 – 849
850
858
859
860
865
867
868 – 869
870 – 879
880
884
885
888
890
893
894
896
899
900 – 919
930 – 939
940 – 949
950
GS1 Global Office: Special applications
951
EPCglobal: Special applications
955
958

NEWS

1. Any tired tennis fans? Wow, if you want a model of determination, perseverance, endurance, never give up attitudes and incredible skill, the Djokavic, Nadal final had it all! What a pair of champions. Congratulations to them both.

2. Happily the online Mindbody Mastery program can accommodate anyone who wants to join, but the meditation retreat Ruth and I will lead pre- Easter, "Meditation in the Forest", is filling, as is "Wednesdays with Ian", the follow-up program for people with cancer who have already attended a Gawler Foundation program. May be wise to book soon if you plan to attend.

RESOURCES

Books:

Esther Dean's No-dig Gardening Book: the simple, quick and reliable way to start a veggie garden.

Jeffery Hodges: The Organic Garden: another very useful guide.

You Can Conquer Cancer has detailed food guidelines for well people along with those dealing with cancer.

CDs: 

Eating Well, Being Well has the Wellness Diet outlined, ideal for all the family and the starting point for anyone interested in preventing illness or recovering from it.

Eating for Recovery is the specific Healing Diet for those seeking to overcome cancer. It builds on the first CD, e.g.  if you are dealing with cancer, you need both.

Programs

Meditation in the Forest and the full range of Gawler Foundation programs