KNOW YOUR FOOD-GET THEM LABELLED

SOURCE : http://justlabelit.org/right-to-know/labeling-around-the-world/

Labeling Around the World

Currently, 64 countries around the world require labeling of genetically engineered foods.  Unlike most other developed countries – such as 15 nations in the European Union, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Russia and even China – the U.S. has no laws requiring labeling of genetically engineered foods.

Below is a full list of countries that require labeling (courtesy of The Center for Food Safety):

1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Belarus
4. Belgium
5. Bolivia
6. Bosnia and Herzegovina
7. Brazil
8. Bulgaria
9. Cameroon
10. China
11. Croatia
12. Cyprus
13. Czech Republic
14. Denmark
15. Ecuador
16. El Salvador
17. Estonia
18. Ethiopia
19. Finland
20. France
21. Germany
22. Greece
23. Hungary
24. Iceland
25. India
26. Indonesia
27. Ireland
28. Italy
29. Japan
30. Jordan
31. Kazakhstan
32. Kenya
33. Latvia
34. Lithuania
35. Luxembourg
36. Malaysia
37. Mali
38. Malta
39. Mauritius
40. Netherlands
41. New Zealand
42. Norway
43. Peru
44. Poland
45. Portugal
46. Romania
47. Russia
48. Saudi Arabia
49. Senegal
50. Slovakia
51. Slovenia
52. South Africa
53. South Korea
54. Spain
55. Sri Lanka
56. Sweden
57. Switzerland
58. Taiwan
59. Thailand
60. Tunisia
61. Turkey
62. Ukraine
63. United Kingdom
64. Vietnam

Crafty Food Labeling Tricks the Industry Hopes “U NEVER” Learn…

SOURCE : http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/20/how-to-read-and-understand-food-labels.aspx

AUTHOR : Dr.Mercola

What’s the first thing you need to know about reading food labels? Too often, people with the best of intentions don’t realize that unless you read the entire label, you’re not going to get a true idea of the food’s ingredients. Even then, you have to know how to interpret what the label says to be absolutely certain that you’re getting what you want.

Image taken from articles.mercola.com

“When it comes to processed foods, if it says it’s natural, ignore the claim,” says Organic Lifestyle Magazine. “It means nothing. If it says it’s organic, it doesn’t have to be 100 percent organic unless it says it is. Remember processed foods can be labeled organic if only 80 percent of the ingredients are organic. And organic junk food is still junk food.”

The best advice is to simply not eat any processed foods at all. But if you must, a short list of ingredients and phrases to avoid includes artificial colors, artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, sodium nitrates or nitrites, and others.

What Do Those Codes On Stickers Of Fruits And Some Veggies Mean?

Author : Dr.Frank Lipman

Source : http://www.drfranklipman.com/what-do-those-codes-on-stickers-of-fruits-and-some-veggies-mean/

Image take from http://www.franklipman.com

Although they seem like a nuisance, the stickers or labels attached to fruit and some vegetables have more of a function than helping scan the price at the checkout stand. The PLU code, or price lookup number printed on the sticker, also tells you how the fruit was grown. By reading the PLU code, you can tell if the fruit was genetically modified, organically grown or produced with chemical fertilizers, fungicides, or herbicides.

Here are the basics of what you should know:

1. If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.
2. If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is impossible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011
3. If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011

Incidentally, the adhesive used to attach the stickers is considered food-grade, but the stickers themselves aren’t edible.

And here is the full list from the Environmental Working Groups of fruits and vegetables with the least to most pesticides. When shopping, the most important produce to buy organic are those at the bottom of this list http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php .