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What the Carrot Recall Exposes About Food Monopolies
The Cornucopia Institute reported:
Late 2024 brought rumblings about a recall of organic carrots. The story behind this story requires a nuanced examination of the forces at play in our food system. Together, Grimmway and Bolthouse sell 60-80% of the carrots in the U.S., both organic and chemically grown. Because they supply so many carrots across the country, any contamination can have a wide footprint.
How did we get a carrot monopoly in the first place? It’s not as straightforward as you might imagine. In 1984, when Danny Duncan started Cal-Organic Farms, every organic farmer used compost and cover crops. Grimmway Farms was still family owned in 2001, when they bought Cal-Organic. Even as they scaled up to the almost-50,000 acres they manage today, Grimmway enjoyed a unique reputation among large-scale producers for their foundational soil management practices.
Grimmway and Bolthouse were both acquired by private equity in the last five years. Food & Power reports that carrot prices have risen 55% in that period. And where the carrots are sold matters. Massive retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon sell a jaw-dropping amount of food. Shoppers in the U.S. spend up to one-third of our grocery money at Walmart alone! Big Retail doesn’t source produce from local organic farmers. It’s far more “efficient” to work with a few, very large, producers.
Cows Have Been Infected With a Second Form of Bird Flu
Dairy cows in Nevada have been infected with a new form of bird flu that is distinct from the version that has been spreading through herds over the last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday.
The finding indicates that the virus, known as H5N1, has spilled from birds into cows at least twice — leading to these two sets of infections — and that it could continue to do so.
It also suggests that the virus may pose a persistent risk to cows and to the people who work closely with them. Before last year, scientists did not know that cows were susceptible to this type of influenza.
Fiji Water Lawsuit Raises Concerns About Microplastics
The Plastic Pollution Coalition has accused The Wonderful Company, LLC and FIJI Water, LLC of misleading consumers about the purity and environmental impact of FIJI Water.
Filed in the District of Columbia Superior Court on Jan. 31, 2025, the lawsuit claims that despite FIJI Water’s marketing as “natural artesian water,” independent tests have found the presence of microplastics and bisphenol-A (BPA), which are harmful to human health.
Growing concerns about microplastics in drinking water and the environmental impact of bottled water are at the forefront of the lawsuit against FIJI Water. FIJI Water is promoted as a pristine product, untouched by human activity and protected from external elements. However, the presence of microplastics and BPA contradicts these claims, according to the lawsuit, pointing to a broader issue of plastic pollution in supposedly natural products.
Scientists Slam New Zealand’s GMO Deregulation Push
In a new expert report, independent scientists have strongly criticized the New Zealand government’s proposal to radically weaken its genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations. The scientists are based at the Centre for Integrated Research in Biosafety at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and the lead author is Prof Jack Heinemann.
The proposed legislation would remove a whole subclass of gene-edited plants, animals, and microbes from the scope of the GMO regulations, meaning that they would be exempted from pre-market risk assessment for health and the environment, traceability requirements, and GMO labelling. In short, they’d be treated just the same as non-GM. The gene-edited GMOs to be exempted are those classed as the products of SDN1 (gene disruption) and SDN2 (gene modification).
As with the recent deregulation of gene-edited GMOs in England, the New Zealand government assumes that these organisms could also arise from conventional breeding, so no special regulation is needed. The New Zealand government has opened a public consultation on the proposals, with the comment period closing on Feb.17.
FDA Changes Raise Concerns About Food Recalls
As President Donald Trump’s second administration looks to make major cuts to reduce government spending, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could be on the chopping block.
That has some policy experts confused about the FDA’s ability to implement efficient recalls and protect Americans from foodborne illness or public health hazards.
More Americans became sick from contaminated food last year, with the number of hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illness doubling compared to 2023.
The number of recalls because of listeria, salmonella or E. coli increased significantly in 2024 and comprised about 40% of all recalls for the FDA and United States Department of Agriculture combined, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
Carrageenan’s Gut Health and Insulin Risks
Carrageenan, a common food additive used to enhance texture in products like dairy and meat, is under scrutiny for its health risks. This widespread ingredient, known scientifically as E 407, has been linked to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation in the gut.
Insulin resistance is a condition where your body’s cells don’t respond effectively to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. Characterized by fatigue, increased hunger and weight gain, insulin resistance is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes — a disease affecting millions worldwide. Research published in BMC Medicine highlights that carrageenan disrupts your body’s insulin sensitivity, especially if you carry extra weight.
As carrageenan consumption has surged over the past decades, understanding its impact on metabolic health is important for public health. The BMC Medicine study underscores the need for caution regarding consumption of carrageenan-containing foods. Future research must further investigate the long-term health effects of carrageenan to ensure public safety and well-being.
Supplement Recall Update as FDA Sets Highest Risk Level
A supplement which was recalled at the end of 2024 has been given the highest recall classification for its removal. Several VidaSlim supplements were voluntarily removed from shelves by their distributor Motivate Me Ashley, LLC of San Antonio after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated a recall for their products on December 11.
Now, the FDA has provided the supplements recall with its classification, labeling it as a Class 1 recall. The FDA said this is “due to the presence of Toxic yellow oleander.”
A Class 1 recall means, per the FDA, exposure or consumption of these supplements could lead to “serious adverse health consequences or death.”
Ingestion of toxic yellow oleander, which was present in the recalled supplements, can result in adverse effects to the brain, stomach and heart, which are sometimes fatal.
