Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Eat Tomatoes and Die

Mark Roh, U.S. Food and Drug Administration's acting regional director holds a bag of tomatoes being tested for salmonella bacteria

Federal officials hunted for the source of a 17-state salmonella outbreak linked to three types of raw tomatoes, while the list of supermarkets and restaurants yanking those varieties from shelves and menus grew.

McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Burger King, Kroger, Outback Steakhouse, Winn-Dixie and Taco Bell were among the companies that voluntarily withdrew red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes unless they were grown in certain states and countries.
-- CARLA K. JOHNSON
Usually when one hurls the epithet, “Eat [blank] and die” they usually use the “S” word. No not Salmonella the other “S” word, though you can die if you eat Salmonella tainted foods.

The “S” word that I’m referring to is what corporations that control agriculture has gotten this country into. A whole lot of “S”!

Is it just me or does it strike anyone else that lately the U.S. has been having some problems with its food supply?

Recent outbreaks of Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Botulism, and also Genetically Altered Foods, portend of something terribly wrong.

In the latest case same tomatoes are in question for salmonella contamination causing restaurants and stories to pull the raw vegetable. There as been a long line of such contamination;

Authorities have warned people not to consume bottled carrot juice after some people in Georgia, Florida and Toronto became ill with botulism poisoning. One person in Florida, and two in Toronto became paralyzed after consuming carrot juice. The carrot juice is produced by Bolthouse Farms, Bakersfield, California.

The Salinas Valley, California, was the focus of possible fresh lettuce E. coli contamination. The possible contamination affects California, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Nevada. It is possible that the retail outlets sold the lettuce on to restaurants, schools, prison, hospitals and other institutions. Consumers and retailers were told to look out for Green Leaf 24 Count and Green Leaf 18 Count packages, lot code 6SL0024.


Raw spinach, tainted with E. coli, from the same valley, caused the deaths of three people in the USA and made almost 200 people ill. (source)

The first GM food crop containing human genes was touted by the California-based Ventria Bioscience Company, The laboratory created rice which produces some of the human proteins found in breast milk and saliva.

This Genetically Altered yummy has been given preliminary approval to grow it on more than 3,000 acres in Kansas. And it is set to be approved for commercial production. (see article)

5,200 pounds of ground beef had to be recalled after federal inspectors had questioned the testing methods used at a slaughterhouse in Nebraska.

Hallmark Meat Packing of Chino California, was shown using forklifts, electric prods and high-pressure water hoses to force cows to their feet by law only a standing cow can be slaughtered for food consumption. (related Story)

Hallmark was the second-largest supplier of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program, which provides commodities and cash subsidies to schools. (see video) ***Warning depiction of animal mistreatment is graphic!***



Its Tomatoes today, yet I predict that a major food related disaster is about to befall the United States because of its failure to protect its Farmers and Agriculture industry from corporate interests that have driven the American family farmer out of business by Wal Martdizing the Agriculture industry in America.

This ensuing disaster will be more devastating than Global warming, Terrorism and high gas prices combined. Millions of Americans will have nothing to eat because our food supply is failing. Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Botulism, and Genetically Altered Foods are but the canary in the mine shaft, they warn us of the impeding disaster to our food supply.

Are you listening?

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