USDA and FDA: How Much Can We Trust Them?

At one time I trusted the USDA as well as the FDA for their opinion and guidance on foods and prescription drugs. But now I am very skeptical. Growing up, I always thought the government was out there making sure I was safe in any way possible. Now that I am grown up and not so naive, I learned I must be leery and watch out for myself and the ones I love.

Many times in the last year since I was diagnosed with multiple severe food allergies, I have become more aware of what is in our food and the dangers of some medications, especially those for asthma; I dealt with severe asthma until my allergies were figured out and I was put on supplements for immune system support.

When I learned I had food allergies, my allergist suggested I go organic to stay away from any hormones, pesticide residue, artificial flavors, colorings and preservatives used in non-organic foods. Some additives can cause reactions in sensitive individuals and some have been known to cause cancer in lab mice.

Going organic was a great change for me as one of the first steps to getting away from potential allergens. When I came across and article titled "USDA Announcement: Foods Carrying the USDA "95% Organic" Seal Are Now Allowed to Contain Factory Farmed Intestines, PCBS and Mercury", on the Organic Consumers Association's website, I was appalled! So many people rely on organic food because of its purity compared to other foods. What are these people going to do when the USDA allows ingredients such as intestines from factory farmed animals, PCBS, and mercury that may be found in fish oil, into our "organic" food supply? They are also considering allowing beer companies such as Anheuser Busch to use non-organic hops in making "organic" beer. The more the USDA allows into organic food, the less choice organic consumers will have when it comes to buying truly organic food. I am shocked the USDA is still doing this and still calling these foods and beverages "organic". How misleading and untrustworthy!

I am about ready to start my own garden and raise my own animals for my family's consumption than to worry about what the USDA and FDA will do next.

As if the USDA's adding harmful ingredients to our organic food isn't enough, there are also the actions of the FDA that are questionable. We rely on the FDA to regulate food and prescription drugs. For me, the reliability of the FDA's judgment remains in question and here's why:

1)They allow additives such as nitrates, sulfites, food colorings and preservatives in our food that have been known to cause reactions in some individuals.

2) Allow the production and market of Aspartame, a chemically produced artificial sweetener, that has been known for years to produce adverse reactions such as headaches, fatigue, rash, vomiting or nausea, mood changes as well as many other symptoms, equaling a total of ninety-two symptoms. (See www.aspartametruth.com/92symptoms for the complete list.)

Aspartame is known to cause cancer in mice, yet the FDA approved it for human consumption.

3) The FDA has allowed certain drugs, such as Xolair for asthma, out on the market only to recently put a warning on the packaging that says the drug may produce an anaphylactic reaction. Many drugs on the market have caused death or severe reaction. It's ironic that these drugs were put on the market to help people with their health, only to cause death instead.

4) The FDA does not require sunscreens to guard against UVA radiation from the sun.

UVA rays are linked to skin cancer, skin damage, aging and immune system problems. About twelve percent of sunscreens of at least an SPF of thirty, protect us only from UVB rays which cause sunburn. For more information visit:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6195.cfm.

5) The FDA doesn't regulate the term "hypoallergenic", allowing individual companies to regulate the term. Therefore, companies who produce hypoallergenic lotions, shampoos, etc., have their own set of standards for what is hypoallergenic, which means the substance is less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

Yet, in a regular shampoo I used there was extract of sunflower which I am very allergic to. I broke out in hives and once I realized why, I switched to using hypoallergenic products per my allergist's request. So one day I was in the store looking for lotion and snatched a hypoallergenic lotion thinking I was safe, that I wouldn't have a reaction.

When I got home my husband had me read the label of ingredients before I used the lotion and I'm glad I did. There was sunflower oil in the lotion. I was really outraged thinking that I couldn't trust hypoallergenic items either, not knowing then that hypoallergenic only meant a decreased tendency toward a reaction. I originally thought "hypoallergenic" meant I wouldn't have a reaction to any substance in the product.

But how can a hypoallergenic lotion contain ingredients I already know I have a reaction to?

What I cannot understand are the reasons behind the decisions of the USDA and the FDA. How hard is it for the USDA to keep non-organic ingredients out of our organic food market?

How hard is it for the FDA to withdraw harmful colors, additives, and artificial sweeteners from the market place? How difficult would it be for the FDA to make sure the right protection from the sun's UVA and UVB rays is in every bottle of sunscreen? Lastly, how hard would it be fore the FDA to regulate the term "hypoallergenic", taking the ability away from the companies, to ensure all ingredients are not from an allergenic nature. This includes no extracts of foods and their plant counterparts in the final product.

This is just my own personal list I've made concerning the USDA and FDA. I can't help but to wonder what they are really doing to help the American people live healthy lives. In my opinion, I don't feel they are doing all they can to protect us from PCBS, toxic metals such as mercury, preservatives, artificial substances in our food and so on.

With the list I have started, I am curious to see whether or not it will grow in the coming years. I feel my list will grow as I come across more ways the USDA and FDA are failing to watch out for the American People.