How Safe is Half My Plate?
With last week's release of the United States Department of Agriculture's long-awaited new food icon, MyPlate, came a round of applause from nutritionists and health experts. The government's advice to "fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables" has met with approval from even the most ardent critics of government food policy as a simple and healthful reminder to increase consumption of the healthiest of all food choices.
While this advice from government and health experts seems simple and easy-to-understand, there may still be a level of confusion among consumers who are bombarded with media reports questioning the healthfulness and safety of some of their favorite fruits and vegetables.
"A number of so-called consumer advocacy groups regularly publish "lists" of fruits and vegetables claiming they should be avoided due to safety concerns," said Marilyn Dolan, Executive Director of the Alliance for Food and Farming, a non-profit association which represents conventional and organic produce farmers. "At the same time, consumers also regularly see lists of 'super foods' touting the health benefits of these same fruits and vegetables and urging people to eat more."
While these mixed messages can be quite confusing to consumers, the science overwhelmingly sides with the "eat more" recommendation and that fruits and vegetables are very safe and grown under stringent government standards to protect consumers.
"It is widely accepted there are multiple and significant health benefits associated with the consumption of a diet rich in plant foods," says Dr. Carl Keen, professor of nutrition and internal medicine at University of California, Davis. "Decades of real-life nutritional studies show that the individuals who consume high amounts of fruits and vegetables are characterized by a reduced risk for chronic diseases. Health experts around the world agree that the consumption of a diet rich in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as other plant foods, is a goal we need to strive for."
"Regarding concerns about pesticide residues, consumers should know that recently released data from the USDA's Pesticide Data Program (a system for monitoring pesticide residues in foods sold in the U.S.) demonstrates that not only are farmers of fruits and vegetables meeting requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for pesticide residues, but their crops are shown to have either no residues at all or with residues 10 to 100 times below already stringent safety limits," said the Alliance's Dolan. To help communicate the facts about pesticide residues and provide consumers with more information, the Alliance for Food and Farming has launched an initiative to promote consumption of all fruits and vegetables by providing credible, science-based information to ease common fears.
Dolan urged consumers to visit its website at www.safefruitsandveggies.com to learn more about pesticide residues including a unique tool known as the Pesticide Residue Calculator. The calculator is designed to demonstrate just how low the pesticide residues that may be present on fruits and vegetables really are. The calculator is based on scientific analysis which shows that even a small child could eat hundreds or even thousands of servings of a fruit or vegetable without any impact at all from pesticide residues.
"Health experts, and even those who publish some of the so-called dirty produce lists, agree that the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh any theoretical risks from pesticide residues," said Dolan. "The best thing consumers can do is to eat more fruits and vegetables, whether they are conventional or organic. And, follow the advice of the FDA, which states that washing fruits and vegetables under running tap water removes and often eliminates any minute pesticide residues that may be present."
While it is clear that pesticide residues do not pose a threat to public health, when it comes to microbial foodborne pathogens, consumers may be alarmed by outbreaks such as the one occurring now in Germany.
"What's important to know is that food safety is something farmers take very, very seriously. After all, their families eat this food too," said Dolan. "It is crucial that everyone in the supply chain from farmers to consumers be aware of and take precautions to handle food properly, particularly when it comes to produce items that may be eaten raw."
Dolan noted that, despite some very high-profile foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years, illnesses associated with produce are relatively low in comparison to other foods recommended on MyPlate. Last year, the Alliance for Food and Farming conducted an analysis of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's database of traceable foodborne illness outbreaks and found that just two percent of all outbreaks between 1990 and 2007 were associated with a produce farming or processing operation. An additional 10 percent of outbreaks were associated with produce, but were due to improper handling in a restaurant or at home. The vast majority, 88 percent, of foodborne illness outbreaks were attributed to foods other than produce.
Dolan urged consumers to take precautions such as those recommended as part of the Partnership for Food Safety Education's Fight Bac program to carefully wash, separate and store fresh produce to ensure safety.
"It is also important for consumers to know that produce farmers have adopted rigorous food safety practices on their farms," said Dolan. "Nearly all retail grocery store and foodservice operations regularly request inspections of farms and processing facilities to ensure food safety practices are being followed. Many produce items have developed commodity-specific food safety standards and some are requiring mandatory government audits to verify these practices are being followed."
Dolan also noted the produce industry and government are devoting resources to research and investigate how foodborne illness outbreaks occur and what more can be done to prevent them. These efforts will likely be stepped up considerably since the newly approved Food Safety Modernization Act was signed by the President earlier this year.
The bottom line is this - fruits and vegetables aren't just the healthiest foods on your plate - but they're also the safest. Government and farmers are working hard to ensure all foods grown and sold in the U.S. are safe. Consumers should rest assured that the new USDA guidelines for healthy eating are just that - healthy. So, go ahead and fill up half your plate with healthy and safe fruits and vegetables. They're good for you.