Is it Popeye's Revenge?

For those of you outside the U.S., you may not be aware that August 15 marked the beginning of a serious outbreak of E.coli, linked to bagged spinach. The bacteria has been traced to a company called Natural Selection Foods in central California. As a result, supermarkets pulled fresh spinach from their shelves and many restaurants stopped serving fresh spinach dishes. The FDA lifted its ban on Popeye's favorite energy food on September 29. The sources have been identified, but the real cause has yet to be identified.

E.coli is commonly found in human and animal digestive tracts. If you pick it up, your normal stomach acid is probably tough enough to kill it off and you're none the wiser. But this particular strain (E. coli O157:H7) causes diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. It a more severe case it can cause "hemolytic uremic syndrome," a kidney ailment which is normally treated with intensive care and often requires blood transfusions and kidney dialysis. Two to 7 percent of infections lead to this syndrome, and of those infected, it has a mortality rate of 3-5%. Of the more than 180 people known to be infected, there is one known death and two "suspect cases" in which E. coli may have been the cause of death, but it's not yet certain.

The true source of the problem isn't known. The fact that the outbreak is so widely dispersed, known to have covered 27 states, indicates that contamination happened early in the distribution cycle - in other words, close to the farm in California.

Typically, E. coli is spread through feces contamination. So somehow the spinach came in contact with raw manure. This most likely happened through one of three ways: water, domestic or wild animal life, poor worker hygiene, or fertilizer. Water is getting the most blame, especially since rivers and creeks in the Salinas Valley area, where the spinach came from, have been known to be contaminated. In fact, California spinach was responsible for an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in October 2003, where 16 people became ill and two died.

This is all background information, and it's been all over the news. The question I wanted to answer: Are we safer when we choose organic produce?

We know that the guilty spinach in this case was not sold under the "organic" label. But does that mean that the organic vegetables were protected somehow? My research tells me...it's going to take more research. I'll address that question in my next newsletter.

Stay on top of news, specials, deals, info...www.organic-food-and-drink.com!

Will the organic dream turn sour?

Sales of organic food are booming. Once it was the preserve of specialist shops but now every major supermarket wants a slice of the action. To meet demand superstores are air-freighting organics into the UK and encouraging the type of industrial-scale production it was meant to replace. Is organics still green?

Dangers lurking in fruit and veg

Toxic chemicals have been found in almost a third of the fresh food that families are being encouraged to eat.

A wide range of fruit and vegetables eaten by millions of Britons every day contained pesticides.

Wal-Mart Declares War on Organic Farmers

A report released today by The Cornucopia Institute, the nation's most aggressive organic farming watchdog, accuses Wal-Mart of cheapening the value of the organic label by sourcing products from industrial-scale factory farms and Third World countries, such as China.

Is It Worth Changing To An Organic Diet?

You have made the decision you want to eat healthier, but will "going organic" break the bank? It may not be as difficult or as expensive as you think.

Eating Well 21 / The unnatural glow of the organic logo

Lately there has been a change in the look of the organic logos that appear on local food products - from naive and credible to sneaky. Once this little seal bore the face of a goodhearted farmer, who offered nourishing products that grew in toxin-free soil, drank untouched water and avoided appalling sprays. Now, whenever I look at him, I check whether he's winking and in what direction.

Organic eats, a senseless investment

Walking through a Whole Foods grocery store is like getting an invitation to sit at the cool kids’ table — you are just a better person for being there.

Like Starbucks’ fair-trade coffee, Whole Foods lets you feel good by spending more. Instead of subsidizing Juan Valdez, you get to prop up family farms growing food the way nature intended — organically. But before you drop in for another pound of chipotle hummus, consider whether organic food is worth the increased cost.

Next Wave in Access to Healthy Food: Target Launches Private Label Organics Line

As consumer demand for organic product grows, Target and SuperTarget stores are introducing a private label organics line offering guests a one-stop-shopping experience for their grocery needs. Target guests no longer have to choose between
organic and affordable prices. The Archer Farms brand, exclusive to Target,
will include a variety of organic groceries complementing the core line of
popular items that Target guests know and trust. In addition, the produce
department at SuperTarget is now certified organic by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA), offering superior quality and prices on produce such
as strawberries, apples, and other fruits and vegetables found in nearly
everyone's home.

Shopping tips help cut cost of going organic

Good news for organic consumers: A 10-year surge in sales of food has made buying organic cheaper.

Five years ago, consumers paid up to 50 percent more for tomatoes, chicken, milk and other organic foods. Today, smart shoppers can convert from conventional to organic foods without taking a night job.

Big business accused of corrupting organic label

At the local supermarket, the organic fruit and vegetable display can be a frequent stop for health-conscious consumers. But turn to the next aisle, and shoppers are likely to find a different array of "natural" and "organic" foods.

All-natural potato chips. Organic breakfast burritos. Traverse the frozen foods aisle and one can unearth multiple varieties of organic threecheese lasagna.

'Green’ Consumers Force Retailers to Rethink

“Look Behind the Label” is the name of the campaign that Marks & Spencer, one of the U.K.’s largest retailers, has launched since the beginning of this year. The company says that consumers should pay attention not only to the price on the label but also to whether genetically modified ingredients were used in manufacturing the food they are purchasing, or whether the fish they are buying was responsibly sourced. Middle-class consumers in their 20s and 30s have begun to look for environmentally friendly agricultural products and fair trade products, made or grown by farmers in developing countries who are guaranteed a fair price for their goods. This means that “green consumers” have become a force to be reckoned with, encouraging a trend toward sustainable business management.

How To Avoid Hidden Dangers in your Food

Fruit, veg, oily fish and wholegrain bread are all vital parts of a healthy diet. But, according to new research, these foods could contain a worrying level of chemical contaminants.

A survey by the World Wildlife Fund found that every sample showed at least one pollutant, while some contained a cocktail of toxins.

Now we have produce too!

You can already find a huge variety of organic goods - even the non-edible ones - at our Amazon storefront. But we've just added a whole section on organic produce too. What a project - even just including the Web sites that sell and ship direct to consumer, the list is huge and I feel like I've only just started it. Next time you must find organic kumquats, I can tell you where to find them!

Chinese domestic market grows rapidly for organic vegetables

Four years ago, Daniel You went to a Shanghai Carrefour supermarket to look at how organic products were selling. The deputy general manager of Shanghai E-solution Agricultural Technology Co Ltd (SEAT), a Sino-Germany joint venture company, was disappointed with what he saw. No one was showing any interest, except for a couple who bought a potato for their son, even though it was too expensive for them.

Your guide to going organic

"Organic" is a hot topic in the food world, as in other areas of life, and many products bear the wholesome-sounding label. But it's not as simple as it sounds.

Many questions about organics, including its purported benefits, remain unanswered

Here are some of the basics, a guide to questions you should ask and a sampling of opinions to help you make informed choices as you shop for food.

Rice farmer who went organic

Nestled in the foothills of the Belumut mountain forest reserve is the only organic rice eco farm in the country.

Rice farmer who went organic

Nestled in the foothills of the Belumut mountain forest reserve is the only organic rice eco farm in the country.

Good results for organic fruit growers

Despite higher than expected fruit losses this year, organic kiwifruit growers are celebrating excellent returns, an industry leader said today.

Fair trade coffee sales have reaching effects

More so than any other product, coffee is seeing a transformation in consumer awareness, accompanied by a growing interest in free trade beans that ensure a sustainable and brighter future for beleaguered workers in developing countries.

Can coffee brew a better world?

All great missionary endeavors begin with a road trip.

And so it came to pass that Kyle Cureau and Jess Arnsteen climbed into a truck and drove through Mexico to Guatemala to visit coffee farmers. Now they’re helping launch an organization that will import organic coffee directly from some of those farmers.