DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS

• Aim for healthy weight.
  
  
• Exercise at least 30 minutes each day.
  
  
• Make food choices based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture food pyramid diagram
  
  
• Eat a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains
  
  
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily

FOOD SAFETY

Technological advances in food manufacture and processing have done much to assure that the food we eat is fresh and safe.  Yet there is growing concern that certain recent developments may also produce harmful effects on humans.  For example, the preparation, handling, and storage of food, irradiation of foods, and genetic engineering of foods all contribute to the safety of our food in terms of food contamination.

Food Poisoning

Foodborne illness or food poisoning is the result of eating contaminated food.  The symptoms of food poisoning can be easily mistaken for the flu – fatigue, chills, mild fever, dizziness, headaches, upset stomach, diarrhea, and severe cramps.  Illness develop within 1 to 6 hours following ingestion of the contaminated food and recovering is fairly rapid.

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

In 2000 it was estimated that Americans spent 17 billion dollars on a wide array of over-the-counter (OTC) products known collectively as dietary supplements.  These nonprescription products are legally described as:

·         Products (other than tobacco) that are intended to supplement the diet, including vitamins, amino acids, minerals, glandular extracts, herbs, and other plant products such as fungi

·         Products that are intended for use by people to supplement the total daily intake of nutrients in the diet

FOOD LABELS

Since 1973, the FDA has required food manufacturers to provide nutritional information (labels) on products to which one or more nutrients have been added or for which some nutritional claim has been made.  Originally, there was concern about whether additional information would be required.  So the FDA, in consultation with individual states and public interest groups, developed new labeling regulations.  Revised labels began appearing on food packages in May 1993.

FOOD ADDITIVES

Today many people believe that the food they consume is unhealthy because of the 2,800 generally recognized as safe (GRAS) food additives that can be put into food during production, processing, and preparation.  But should these additives be banned?

Food additives refer to substances added to food to provide color or flavor, replace sugar or flat, or improve nutritional content, texture, or shelf life.  Food additives must undergo FDA testing and approval to ensure that the benefits outweigh any risks associated with these additives.  For example, emulsifiers help to give peanut butter a more consistent texture and prevent separation while stabilizers and thickeners can ice cream a smooth, uniform texture.  Preservatives such as antioxidants prevent apples from turning brown from exposure to air and fats and oils in baked goods from spoiling.  The three most common additives are sugar, salt, and corn syrup.

FUNCTIONAL FOODS

At the forefront of healthful nutrition is the identification and development of foods intended to affect a particular health problem or to improve the functional capability of the body.  Functional foods contain not only recognized nutrients but also new or enhanced elements that impart medicine-like properties to the food.  Alternative labels also exist for various sub classes of functional foods, such as nutraceuticals or food elements that may be packaged in forms appearing more like medications (for example, pills or capsules), and probiotics or foods that improve the microbial flora that reside within the human digestive tract.