US Olympians are brown bagging in Beijing

With all of the recent recalls on food produced in China, as mentioned in a blog last week, the United States Olympic Committee recently announced that they plan to bring its own food to Beijing for the Olympic Games, Aug. 8-24.

"The USOC is planning to transport tons of meat and other foods to a training camp at Beijing Normal University," The Associated Press is reporting. But the athletes will eat their meals at the Athletes Village, which does not allow outside food to be brought in because of doping concerns.

"The U.S. delegation also includes an additional 400-plus personnel — support coaches, trainers, etc. — who are not eligible for food service at the village and therefore will eat most of their meals at Beijing Normal," the story also said.

American athletes will eat some of their meals at Beijing Normal.

The plan is partially out of concern that Chinese-produced meat could lead to athletes failing mandatory drug testing during the games. According to a story in the Feb. 9 New York Times, a USOC caterer in China bought a chicken breast that measured 14 inches — it was big enough to feed eight people.

"We had it tested and it was so full of steroids that we never could have given it to athletes," Frank Puleo told the Times. "They all would have tested positive."

The Times is also reporting that USOC sponsors are preparing to send care packages to American athletes as they aim for Beijing.

"Tyson has provided all United States team members with duffel bags containing a hot pot, a power adaptor, recipes and replenishable pouches of chicken that they can take to international qualifying events over the next few months," the Times reported.

The USOC is the only organization to formally announce its intention to brown bag in Beijing. But some foreign athletes are planning on bringing their own chefs, according to Canada's Toronto Star newspaper.

A Star story is reporting Canadian Olympian Simon Whitfield and his triathlon teammates plan to their chef Cosmo to the Olympics. Hurdler Perdita Felicien also plans to hire a cook.

But after the athletes are done competing, most plan to sample the local cuisine. "That could mean munching on live sea horses or hard-boiled fertilized duck eggs," the Times said.

I think I would probably opt for some edamame. (It's a little piece of Trader Joe's served fresh in Beijing.)

Here is an inside look at Beijing's preparation for serving an estimated 13 million meals.

And if you're really wanting to be in the Olympic spirit, check out the USOC's Amazing Awaits video. Tucsonan Kerri Strug makes a couple appearances.

Until next time, happy eating.

Even the Oscar is going green

Welcome to the Green life, Academy Awards.

It’s Oscar week. And while almost everyone is thinking about the golden statue, producer Laura Ziskin and the entire production team are thinking green.

The “team endeavored to select supplies and services with a sensitivity toward reducing the threats we face from global warming, species extinction, deforestation, toxic waste, and hazardous chemicals in our water and food,” The Academy Awards Web site says.

Creating a statute with recycled plastic? Let’s get real.

Making those thousand dollar dresses with eco-friendly fabrics? Um, no.

Stocking those gift bags with all natural cosmetics? Probably not.

But the Academy Awards site does give tips on saving energy on the road, saving energy at home, saving resources at home, saving resources at work and conserving water. Here’s the section on you guessed it—the field of greens specialty, food—or supporting organic and sustainable farming as those Hollywood types would say):

• Ask for organic produce. Often, organic produce costs more and is more difficult to get, but many supermarkets and greengrocers are willing to stock organic food if they know customers will buy it regularly. Talk to your friends and neighbors about their willingness to buy organic and then let your produce manager know that many customers are interested. As organic produce becomes more commonplace, prices will drop.

• Deal directly with organic food growers and suppliers. If you can't find a local grocer who will stock organic food, contact organic growers and suppliers directly or visit a local farmer's market.

• Become a Community Supported Agriculture supporter. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) cooperatives bring together local farmers and consumers. As a member of the cooperative, you pledge to cover farm operation costs for the season. In return, you share in the harvest. CSA farms are not all organic, but they all strive to operate sustainably.

• Farmers: cut down on pesticide use. Innovative and successful farmers around the country are switching from conventional pest management practices, which are heavily reliant on pesticides, to profitable alternative agricultural practices that substantially reduce pesticide use.

There you have it folks—the ways those glamorous stars like Oscar winning leading ladies Halle Berry, Hillary Swank and Reese Witherspoon become glamorous stars.

(OK, so none of those actresses made Grist’s list of the greenest celebrities but Best Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett and Cameron Diaz did. Hunky hunks Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney and Brad Pitt did too.)

Until next time, happy eating.

Recalls prove organic items not always healthy

Recalls have hit the food industry hard over the past several months. Today, the United States Department of Agriculture recalled 143-million pounds of beef from a slaughter house where workers are accused of mistreating animals.

If you think organic foods are free from the recalls, you hopefully have no packages reading “Organic Sesame Seeds Natural-Unhulled” in your pantry. Nurti-Foods, Inc., of Royal Oak, Mich., recalled the half-pound packages of sesame seeds because of possible salmonella contamination.

The possibly tainted products were likely sold at Nutri-Foods locations. Luckily, there are none in Tucson so most should be free from the most recent recall rocking the organic world.

In late January, Shiloh Farms, of New Holland, Pa., also issued a recall on Shiloh Farms Organic Unhulled Sesame Seeds, 12-oz., because it may be contaminated with salmonella.

My Organic Baby, Inc. also recalled some baby food last month because some products were believed to be rancid. They “only disclosed the fact after receiving a report that a baby had become ill after eating the food,” Canada’s The Globe and Mail reported.

The recalled products are Step A Organic Barley Baby Cereal, Step A Organic Brown Rice Baby Cereal, Step A Organic Oatmeal Baby Cereal and Step B Multigrain Baby Cereal with the "best by" dates of April or June 2008, the newspaper also reported.

New Era Canning Company of New Era, Mich., is recalling all cans of vegetable products because they could contain clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism.

The product recalls are no surprise to anyone who followed the news last year. Included among the many recalled items were:

• Earth’s Best recalled breakfast products because of botulism
  

• Organic Pastures Dairy Company's unpasteurized cream labeled as "ORGANIC PASTURES Grade A RAW CREAM" in one-pint plastic bottles was advised against because it could contain listeria monocytogenes

• Packages of Gerber Organic Rice and Organic Oatmeal Cereals were recalled due to a potential choking risk

• 365 Organic Everyday Value Swiss Milk Chocolate Bars were recalled because of undeclared milk and tree nuts

• Green Paradise recalled 5,500 pounds of basil grown in Mexico because of salmonella

In 2006, Dagoba Organic Chocolate of Ashland, Ore., recalled chocolate bars because they contain high levels of lead. It was not the first time that recalled rocked the organic world.

The bottom line is that even labeling something organic does not make it safe. Always purchase items from canned vegetables to creams with caution—the labels might not list everything that comes with it.

Until next time, happy eating.

The five rings could be going green

Eight, eight, oh-eight at 8 p.m.

If you have been watching NBC lately, you already know what that means. The days until the world’s largest sporting event hits your TV screens are limited—the Olympics’ Opening Ceremonies are August 8, 2008 at 8 p.m.

As the Beijing Olympics draws closer, the criticisms of their less than environmentally friendly ways will probably turn up a notch or two—maybe drowning out the sound of sportscaster Dan Hicks, an Arizona alumni. Poor air quality is rumored to possibly keep some asthmatic athletes from competing to their fullest ability.

(There is also a lot of ruckus with that whole “Free Tibet” issue too.)

But London’s calling might be hosting the greenest Olympics ever. “The Feeding the Olympics report from the Soil Association is lobbying for the 14 million or so meals served during the Games to be sustainable, by which they mean some combination of organic, local and seasonal foods,” Green Daily reported in December.

The Soil Association report says:

"Food plays a vital role in climate change; around 20% of the UK’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions are caused by our food and drink. These emissions can be significantly reduced if we all shift towards eating organic, local, seasonal food, and less meat and dairy products. The Games could also help promote sustainable fish consumption, and ensure that any imported food meets Fairtrade standards. Two of the leading sponsors of the Olympics, McDonalds and Coca-Cola, want to associate their brands with the image and ethics of the Games."

No, nothing has been decided yet. But wouldn't it be exciting if the Olympic green movement became as awesome as an Olympic gold medal? Only time will tell if the golden arches will go green to help make the 2012 Olympics an organic affair.

However, London is already well on its way to showing the world that even while hosting the Olympics and everything that comes along with it (from knocking down buildings to put up new stadiums, residence halls and more), it’s easy being green.

The BCC reported a few weeks ago that 95-percent of “materials they've recovered from the nine-month long demolition phase (for the new 80,000 seat stadium) are being recycled on site.” To me, that is worth at least a green star.

Until next time, happy eating.

Get your Trader Joe's edamame while you can

Companies including Mattel and Pro Dental are no strangers to recalling products, from toys to toothpaste, with the “made in China” label. Even pet food companies have had to recall China made animal food that contained tainted wheat gluten believed to have killed cats, dogs and fish, as well as farm animals.

And hundreds of stores across America have pulled China made products off the shelves because of the recalls—helping ease the worried minds of both parents and pet lovers.

Now Trader Joe’s is turning into an almost China free operation. USA Today reported today that by April 1, all 285 Trader Joe’s stores in 23 states—including all four Tucson area locations and nine others across Arizona—will have phased out all single item products from China.

What products you ask? Edamame, garlic and frozen spinach.

"Our customers have voiced their concerns about products from this region, and we have listened," spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said to the USA Today. But Trader Joe’s will continue to sell products that have an ingredient made in China.

The Arizona Daily Star reported on Jan. 9 that the stores already “discontinued single-ingredient items from mainland China but will continue to carry products that have an ingredient from China in their makeup.”

But you can still find some China-produced edamame in the freezer at 4209 N. Campbell Ave. The package clearly states that the edamame is “hand picked in China” in black letters.

(Edamame is a fancy Japanese word for soybeans with sea salt, if you haven’t experienced the cheap treat at local sushi restaurants including Yoshimatsu at 2745 N. Campbell Ave.)

The number of blue and yellow packages has dwindled over the past few weeks. Shortly after the Star reported that the products were nixed, there were none of the blue and yellow packages at the Campbell location. But there were some in late January and 10 packages on Feb. 8.

(OK, only six after I decided to live dangerously and stock up.)

A Trader Joe's worker, who declined to be named, said he was not sure when the Campbell store would stop carrying the Chinese edamame. He also did not know if there would be a replacement.

So pick up the edamame while you can—because it might be gone for a while.

Also, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, China is the leading exporter of seafood so you might need scratch those products off your next Trader Joe’s shopping list (until they find a non-China made replacement of course).

On a slightly unrelated note, The Epoch Times reported that over 1,000 people in Japan recently became sick after eating frozen dumplings from China Tianyang Food Processing Ltd. The newspaper said “the questionable dumplings were proven to contain the pesticide methamidophos, a highly toxic chemical that could kill an adult weighting 50 kilogram by as little as 1.5 grams.”

Will that prompt other stores to follow Trader Joe’s? Stay tuned.

Until next time, happy eating.

Is it fair to drink Starbucks?

When it comes to an organic lifestyle, many consumers in the know opt for fair trade items including sugar and tea. But a newbie to the organic scene might be a bit confused about fair trade. What exactly does it mean? And what’s an easy way to get started?

Fair trade is a market-based model of international trade. It encourages companies to pay a fair price to the farmers who grow and produce a variety of goods from cotton to wine. The fair trade movement also promotes fair environmental and social conditions in production areas so farmers and farm workers can have a comfortable way of life in their location.

One of the products at the center of the fair trade movement is coffee—because Americans “spend $9.2 billion dollars in the retail sector and $8.7 billion in the food service sector every year,” according to a 1999 survey by the National Coffee Association. You've probably helped the industry by grabbing a cup in the morning... or maybe several cups the night before a big project is due.

And it probably also helps that “coffee is the oldest and second-largest, globally-traded commodity” but Hawaii is the only state that grows it, according to the National Coffee Association. No matter how you brew it, coffee is a big business.

Major coffee sellers across the country are taking notice of the organic connoisseurs push toward fair trade.

Now Starbucks is brewing Fair Trade Certified coffee in stores nation and worldwide in Austria, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom, according to it’s Web site. But it’s not even close to having half it’s products being fair trade.

McDonalds is also getting into the fair trade trend. In 2005, the company started serving fair trade coffee at stores in New England and New York. It has since expanded fair trade distribution to stores across America and the globe. Yet, the sale of fair trade barely makes a dent in comparison to how much coffee McDonalds sells every morning.

The best advice for anyone who is trying to convert all their cups of Joe into a fair trade crusade is to buy coffee at smaller shops instead of major chains. Try Bentley’s House of Coffee and Tea, near the University of Arizona campus at 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. (Bentley's offers free WiFi too so you can read up on organic issues while sipping some fair trade coffee.)

Or just make a cup at home from coffee bought at one of the many Trader Joe's or Wild Oats locations scattered around town. Or head on over to the AJ's Purveyor of Fine Foods or Aqua Vita chain stores. Want to shop someplace a little more local? Go to the Rincon Market, 2513 E. Sixth St.

Some of the fair trade coffee sold in those locations is from local suppliers Adventure Coffee Roasters and Arbuckle Coffee Roasters.

One more thing, remember the best way to enjoy some fair trade coffee is by keeping it organic. Accompany your java with organic cream or milk. And remember, use some fair trade sugar in that brew too.

Until next time, happy eating.