Chipotle sued over GMO-free menu claims
In her lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco, the plaintiff Colleen Gallagher also alleged that Chipotle violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act because its food labeling is false and misleading, and deceived diners into paying more for their food.
“As Chipotle told consumers it was ‘G-M-Over it,’ the opposite was true,” the Piedmont, California resident said. “In fact, Chipotle’s menu as never been at any time free of GMOs.”
Related: A fool and their veggies.
I can’t say whether organic is more nutritious. Likely so, but not materially so. If it is 20% more nutritious, eat 20% more non-organic. Big deal. Or have some liver, which is the king of all nutrient sources.
However, one thing I have noticed is that often non-organic iceberg or romaine lettuce will make my lips and throat numb and cause jaw clenching if I have a large serving. (I eat a lot of leafy greens. Often I will eat most of a head of lettuce as a snack.) I have never had this effect with organic lettuce, or with any other food, actually. I presume it’s the pesticides in the non-organic lettuce. I doubt it’s glyphosate, as I’ve never heard of GMO lettuce yet.
What in the world would lead you to believe that organic is more nutritious? A plant doesn’t know the difference between a mineral from one source or another. A mineral is a mineral. Add to this the fact that the word “organic” is one of faith and cheating is prevalent. Testing has shown that there isn’t much disparity in pesticide levels between organic or otherwise. In fact, it is pretty much impossible to grow vegetables on a commercial scale without pesticides. Numb lips, my ass.
Again, for the scientifically stupid out there, ALL food is organic. Has been and will be since people started eating. Without carbon, which is what makes it organic, it just doesn’t grow. And as for numb lips, thanks for the laugh. Try a numb head from lack of reasoning power. Are you even over 16 yet, Murray? Didn’t think so. Not brain wise. Now go join your other commie friends who are severally screwing up the world. Want leafy greens, try the dandelions in your yard.
A Scientific American article on pesticides.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogsscientificamericancomscience-sushi20110718mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/
– If it is labeled ‘organic’ it will!! be more expensive.
– It may be labeled ‘organic’ but may not!! be ‘organic’.
– In the unlikely event that it was grown ‘organically’ then it may be more dangerous than conventionally grown produce. *
* [ Organic food is more dangerous than conventionally grown produce because organic farmers use animal manure as the major source of fertilizer for their food crops. Animal manure is the biggest reservoir of these nasty bacteria that are afflicting and killing so many people.
The new reality is quite sobering. Organic and “natural” food producers supply only about 1 percent of the nation’s food, but the Centers for Disease Control have traced approximately 8 percent of the confirmed E. coli 0157 cases to such foods. Consumer Reports recently found much higher levels of salmonella on free-range chickens than on conventionally raised ones. Many other organic foods also pose higher salmonella risks than “supermarket” foods. To be sure, most strains of salmonella are mild and are easily killed by cooking one’s food adequately. But the new salmonella, S. typhimurium, is far stronger than other varieties. Infection often proves fatal. The CDC estimates that there are up to four million cases of salmonella poisoning per year in the U.S., and it has identified one-fourth of the culture-confirmed cases as the more virulent S. typhimurium.
As if that were not frightening enough, organic and “natural” food consumers also face increased risk of illness from toxins produced by fungi—and some of these toxins are carcinogenic. Refusing to use artificial pesticides, organic farmers allow their crop fields to suffer more damage from insects and rodents, which creates openings through which fungi can enter the fruits and seeds. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regularly tests samples of various foods for such dangers, and it routinely finds high levels of these natural toxins in organically grown produce. It found, for instance, that organic crops have higher rates of infestation by aflatoxin, one of the most virulent carcinogens know to man. Unfortunately, the FDA has issued no public warnings about these risks so far.]
Dennis T. Avery is based in Churchville, Va., and is director of global food issues for the Hudson Institute of Indianapolis.
http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~anthro/articles/Hidden%20Dangers%20In%20Organic%20Food.htm
You obviously have not tasted the difference between a home-grown garden tomato where due attention is put on soil content and polyculture and a hothouse tomato. Soil variation makes a significant difference in both flavour and nutrient content. As far as what a plant “knows” (frankly, I don’t think plants are that knowledgeable, but if you insist), it doesn’t matter. If the soil has less of a mineral, the plant will be mineral deficient, whatever its state of “knowledge.” Many plants need microbiotic symbiants to fully develop various properties, such as fungi on roots and such. Biology is complex. I could see where this would elude someone who thinks plants “know” things.
Yes, all growers use pest control methods. The issue is with synthetic pesticides. The fact cheating is prevalent is a comment on cheating, not on the effect of synthetic pesticides.
I know personally the growers of the lettuce and other greens I usually get. I get really good lettuce. The arugula I get sometimes has my wife accusing me of adding too much pepper to the salad when I haven’t added any. Sorry, your non-organic, industrial arugula in the supermarket isn’t even in the same league. In fact the large commercial growers purposely try to achieve bland arugula though soil depletion and various techniques. Mark Schatzker covers this really well in The Dorito Effect. He also reports on fascinating science experiments on subliminal flavour intelligence in animals and young children not yet spoiled by mismatched flavour-nutrient associations in processed food.
I see you are neither just nor thinking. “Organic” is a word defined with legal significance. You are taking a term from chemical terminology (organic chemistry) and equating two entirely different words. There are obviously homonyms. Your point is juvenile. Try thinking.
I’ve been called libertarian and conservative, but first time I’ve been called a commie. Your remark is based on a remarkable leap to conclusion from the narrowest of categorical thinking. Your conclusion is not based on evidence and thus not just.
Similarly you have flatly denied my testimony without a shred of evidence or explanation. Again, the antithesis of both just and thinking.
Do you use your handle ironically?
“You obviously have not tasted the difference between a home-grown garden tomato where due attention is put on soil content and polyculture and a hothouse tomato.”
Home grown tomatoes are designed for taste while commercial tomatoes are designed to withstand a tractor tire. Nothing to do with growth medium.
Similarly you have flatly denied my testimony without a shred of evidence or explanation.
Well, that’s because an anecdote isn’t really valid testimony. You’re the one making the claim that of two largely indistingushable plant sets, one will give you the symptoms of belladonna poisoning and the other one won’t.
Assuming you’re not simply lying, that’s an extraordinary claim, and it requires extraordinary proof. The burden of that proof lies on you; it is not our responsibility to perform the logically impossible task of proving the null hypothesis. It’s possible that you personally have a biological hypersensitivity to certain pesticide traces and you’re not washing your food thoroughly enough; it’s possible this is a result of confirmation bias or a psychosomatic reaction. Lots of things are possible. Until I see some rigorous double blind tests of this alleged reaction of yours, I’m going to stick with “Cool story, bro.”
I think there is a larger principle at play here besides this conflating GMO food and food labeling to be some left-right war – it’s about consumer protection and food industry integrity – IF you say on food labeling that some ingredient is or is not present, then consumers make choices on that basis , they place trust in the accuracy and integrity of the food labeling-regulating system/authority.
This is a case where that consumer trust was breeched and the guilty party should rightfully face fines or better yet the fallout of being found to be a fraud and have customers drop them like a stone on that finding.
Food labeling isn’t a left right issue, it’s about having the right to know what’s in our food and the confidence that it is what we choose to eat and is ultimately safe to eat.
That’s why I’m all for Organic Food being required to be labeled that it’s been fertilized with animal manure.
For the record I agree with you Murray and you provide the only rational arguments I have seen here on GMO foods – no one can say with any certainty if these foods are safe or not because no significant studies have been don yet.
I also have access to locally produced fresh garden produce, dairy and meats produced without herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers from Amish order farmers using pre industrial agri methods – the taste and quality of these foods is without doubt superior to supermarket food.
I place these foods in theame category as crafted non-chemical beer – simply better food.
Only two things that money can’t buy. . .
And that’s true love and home grown tomatoes.
Occam,
The only thing Murray said about GMOs on this thread is that he doesn’t think anyone’s come up with GMO lettuce yet.
For the record, what “proof” would you need that GMOs are safe, and more importantly, can you point to any similar “proof” that Organic Foods are any safer than anything else? I’m talking the same level of proof you require for GMOs.
Note that I agree that food from garden tastes better than what I buy in the store. I’d be pretty hungry in February if that’s all I had, though.
I hear their dedicating a new moutian Mt Obama its a real big moutian of animal manure
Interesting the left-tard quote “science has spoken” for AGW, yet rejects GMO.
Similar to gunpowder/tnt & nukes?
It’s not and never was about science. Ignore what loons say and look at what they do, and what the results of their favoured policies are. It’s always about destroying private property and prosperity and concentrating wealth and power in an unelected elite.
What’s the point of avoiding GMO’s and eating only “organic”?, the chem-trails are going to land on our food anyway. /sarcasm off
THe Endlessly Wrong Group (EWG) and their so-called “dirty dozen” are laughing stocks. But, they are doing it for the CHILDREN – so it does NOT matter if “dirty dozen” is NOT dirty, and never has been.
I think I’ll stick to eating stuff grown with all natural Sask. potash.
“I hear their dedicating a new moutian Mt Obama its a real big moutian of animal manure”
I hear there is a SLAG Mound near Chicago @ Flint, Michigan. The place where white doves are Black…Fits his status…
I’ll go with the thread caption.