Food Safety

BPI Suspends 70 Percent of Ammoniated Beef Production

By Helena Bottemiller

Responding to a dramatic drop in consumer demand, Beef Products Inc, the nation’s leading maker of ammoniated beef now widely known as “pink slime,” announced it is suspending production at three plants. The suspended plants account for approximately 70 percent…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/bpi-suspends-70-percent-of-ammoniated-beef-production/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120327

Study Finds Pathogens in Italian Vending Machine Raw Milk

By Mary Rothschild

A study in Northern Italy found that some unpasteurized milk sold from vending machines contained potentially harmful levels of pathogens and did not meet public health standards.The Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli O157 and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) detected…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/study-finds-pathogens-in-italian-vending-machine-raw-milk-1/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120327

Will BPI’s Plant Closures Affect America’s Ground Beef?

By James Andrews

Following Monday’s announcement by Beef Products Inc. that the company would suspend operations at three of the four facilities that produce lean finely textured beef (LFTB), many wonder what lasting impact major supermarkets and restaurant chains will have as they…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/how-will-bpis-plant-closures-affect-americas-beef/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120327

Growing Crops with Conservation and Food Safety in Mind

By Alli Condra

The subsidy discussion in the United States most often focuses on the impact of subsidizing certain crops, such as wheat and soybeans, through the direct and counter-cyclical payments program to the exclusion of fruits and vegetables and therefore to…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/agriculture-practices-and-food-safety/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120327

Health

Some insurers paying patients to get cheaper care

Patients offered $50 to $200 to have tests, elective procedures at less expensive facilities than doc recommended

In recent years, insurers have tried to cajole consumers into using less-expensive health-care providers by promising lower co-payments and other cost-sharing breaks for members who select those doctors and hospitals.

Lately, they’re trying an even more direct approach: cash rewards.

Some Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield members in New Hampshire, Connecticut and Indiana can receive $50 to $200 if they get a diagnostic test or elective procedure at a less expensive facility than the one their doctor recommended. The offer covers nearly 40 services, from standard radiology tests such as mammograms and MRIs to such surgical procedures as hip and knee replacements, hernia repair, bariatric surgery and tonsillectomies.

“We identified a subset of highly utilized services with cost variances that we thought would have a big impact,” says Denise McDonough, regional vice president of sales for Anthem BCBS of New Hampshire. “We want to provide information to members to drive health-care costs down.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46861349/ns/health-health_care/#.T3JrPbRZe8Y

Too many babies still at risk of SIDs

Parents in the United States changed how they put their infants to sleep after a campaign to prevent sudden infant death, but the decrease in babies dying has stabilized in recent years and some deaths remain preventable, according to a study.

Sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, kills about 2,500 babies each year in the United States, most often those who are between two- and four-months-old.

Babies put to bed on their stomach and side, especially with blankets and pillows, or those who share a bed with their parents, are known to be at extra risk of SIDS, also known as “crib death.”….

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46867543/ns/health-childrens_health/#.T3JsDLRZe8Y

Popcorn as healthy as veggies? Depends how you pop it

By Joy Bauer, TODAY nutrition expert

Who doesn’t love unwinding on a Friday night with a terrific movie and a great big bowl of fluffy popcorn? When prepared with just the right ingredients, popcorn is low in calories, heart-smart, and surprisingly chock-full of healthy nutrients. Adding to popcorn’s wholesome reputation, researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania reported this week that popcorn has more antioxidant substances called polyphenols than fruits and vegetables.

Polyphenols have been linked to a reduction in heart disease and certain cancers. And, since it’s 100% whole grain, popcorn is also a great source of fiber — you get 5 grams in a 4-cup portion. That’s pretty darn impressive for a snack food.

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/23/10833588-popcorn-as-healthy-as-veggies-depends-how-you-pop-it

Secret superfoods you’re already eating

By Keri Glassman

Superfoods don’t just come from your supermarket’s produce aisle and they don’t have to have weird names — like acai, chia and jicama — to qualify. In fact, those chocolate candy bars next to the gummy bears have superfood powers that often no one ever speaks of. Anyone can get on the superfood bandwagon without having to leave their comfort zone! Simply take a browse through your cabinet to find these unsung heroes — your secret superfoods, which are probably sitting in your kitchen right now!

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/26/10833035-secret-superfoods-youre-already-eating

New Obamacare regulation calls for free sterilization for all college women

By Ethan A. Huff,

(NaturalNews) At the prompting of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which has already been exposed as playing a covert role in promoting the interests of the military-medical complex (http://www.naturalnews.com/033455_Institute_of_Medicine_vaccines.html), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued new guidelines mandating that all college-age women have free access to sterilization procedures. Building upon the agency’s announcement just a few weeks prior that all private…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035334_women_sterilization_Obamacare.html

Holistic Health

Neurosurgeon issues public challenge to vaccine zealots: Inject yourselves with all shots you say children should get!

By Ethan A. Huff,

(NaturalNews) Dr. Russell Blaylock, a neurosurgeon, author and expert on “excitotoxins,” has issued a public challenge to vaccine pushers everywhere to put their money where their mouths are. During a recent interview with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, about the fraudulent science of the vaccine industry, Dr. Blaylock challenged Dr. Paul Offit, vaccine manufacturer CEOs, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) scientists, and others who insist today’s childhood vaccine regimens are…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035335_vaccines_Dr_Blaylock_children.html

New Chapter’s new owner (P&G) steeped in animal testing and led by directors with ties to weapons contractors, Big Pharma, Monsanto, Chevron and more

By Mike Adams,

(NaturalNews) NaturalNews has never really taken much of an interest in Procter & Gamble — until now. Having acquired New Chapter, a once-promising supplier of high-end herbal supplements such as Zyflamend, P&G now demands some honest scrutiny. Who are these people that New Chapter has decided to cozy up to? What are their business interests, and what are their ethics? To answer this question, NaturalNews conducted an investigation of Procter & Gamble’s board of directors in order to determine…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035337_P&G_New_Chapter_animal_testing.html

Study vilifying ‘fat’ as cause of low sperm count in men flawed

By Jonathan Benson,

(NaturalNews) The myth that all saturated fat is harmful to health continues to make the rounds, as a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction equates saturated fat with “junk food,” and claims that eating it reduces men’s sperm count. But this study, which is being repeated throughout the echo chambers of the mainstream media, is nothing short of erroneous pseudoscience predicated on outdated medical opinions. For their study, researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035338_dietary_fat_low_sperm_count_study.html

Special hormone released by bone cells plays an important role in blood sugar regulation

By Dr. David Jockers,

(NaturalNews) Most people have viewed bones as inanimate structures within the body that merely play a role in providing structural integrity to the body. New research is revealing just how dynamic bone structure is to the nervous, immune and endocrine system. A bone released hormone is now considered by researchers one of the foremost players in controlling blood sugar and inflammation. Poor blood sugar signaling leads to the formation of advanced glycolytic enzymes (AGE’s). AGE’s are created…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035345_blood_sugar_hormone_bones.html

Pet Health

Antioxidants and their Use in Dog Food

The reason your dog’s food can stay on the store shelves, and then sit in your pantry for a while longer, is that the food is preserved with antioxidants and other necessary ingredients called preservatives. Antioxidants are substances that provide health benefits and prevent ingredients in the food from spoiling (oxidation). They are very important to keep your dog’s food tasting good and help maintain its nutrients.

Oxidation is the process that occurs when foods are exposed to oxygen. Naturally, over time the oxygen will cause a breakdown in the nutrients and fats in a food and cause everything from discoloration to rancidity. An antioxidant works to block or slow down the rate at which oxygen causes damage. Antioxidants are added to foods during processing to extend the shelf life of the final product.

The success of antioxidants in pet food depends on several conditions. Generally, antioxidants work better if they are added early in the production process. Another factor to consider is the combination of antioxidants used in the formula. Specific amounts and types of particular antioxidants work better together than others…..

http://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_dg_antioxidants_and_their_use_in_dog_food#.T3JoibRZfe8

Eight Herbs to Improve Your Dog’s Health

Herbs. How boring would your Bolognese sauce be without them? Herbs have long been used to treat and prevent ailments in people, and apart from smelling good and adding an extra something to your cooking, certain herbs can help out your dog, too.

If you have room to grow herbs (and you really don’t need much, a window box is perfectly fine), why not grow a selection that can be used to treat some common dog ailments? Hey, it may help you save a few bucks on vet visits — and saving money is always a good thing…..

Aloe Vera ,     Calendula Flowers,     Ginger,      Goldenseal,     Milk Thistle,      Valerian,     Chamomile and California Poppy

http://www.petmd.com/dog/wellness/evr_dg_herbs#.T3JppLRZfe8

Recalls

Washington Firm Recalls Beef Patties Due To Possible E. Coli Contamination

Sysco Seattle Inc., a Seattle, Wash. firm, is recalling approximately 16,800 pounds of ground beef patties imported from Canada because they may have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7….

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_017_2012_Release/index.asp

Allergen Alert

Allergen Alert: Smoked Sausage With Whey, Casein

By Julia Thomas

J Bar B Foods of Waelder, TX is recalling approximately
pounds of smoked sausages because they contain whey and casein, allergens that are not declared on the label, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)..

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/allergen-alert-smoked-sausage-with-whey-casein/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120327

Strong America Ltd. Issues an Alert on Undeclared Sulfites in Golden Smell Brand “Dried Potato”

Strong America Ltd. is recalling 6oz Golden Smell brand “Dried Potato” package packages because they contain undeclared sulfites. People who have a sever sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious or life-threatening reaction if they consume this product…..

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm297520.htm