SHEN+the+Farmer

SHEN the Farmer by YiShen Tey

"Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer."  //— **Dave Barry**//

Recalled that I have this assignment when I watched a video, "Genetically Modified Food" at [|National Poison Centre], at USM pharmacy school. Let s talk about GM later. "Modern food sold in the supermarket are no more than a cocktail of chemicals." Shen agree with fellow friends that actually everything is chemical [ technically speaking, yes - KARIM ], including human milk, salt, coloring, ect.

Yes, there are natural (such as meat and vegetables) and the artificial type (from lab). But nowadays the food manufactured from plant, which produce in a vast amount, use almost the artificial type. Why? None factory or company wants to has deficit, right? Artificial chemical can be produced more economically and with greater purity, by using technology, machine, specific calculation, quality control and more. This ensure their products to have consistent quality, with the specific functional properties we want. Whereas natural chemical ingredient, eg. beet color from beet root, basil, pandan, the stability of the chemical/harvest highly depend on its environment, weather, soil, humidity...

Let s take [|VANILLA] as an example. You love the ice-cream, cakes, chocolate or even vanilla cream with the fragrance, yeah? Vanilla can be extracted naturally. [|Watch here].







Mexico, the leading producer of natural vanilla with an annual 500 tons. An estimated 95% of "vanilla" products actually contain artificial [|vanillin], produced from [|lignin]. The demand for vanilla flavoring has long exceeded the supply of vanilla beans. As of 2001, the annual demand for vanillin was 12,000 tons, but only 1800 tons of natural vanillin were produced. Thus, vanilla flavoring needs to be artificial synthesis in order to satisfy the global demand. Here is the interesting one:-D. Do you know that in October 2007 Mayu Yamamoto of the International Medical Center of Japan won an [|Ig Nobel] prize for developing a way to extract vanillin from cow dung? Check it out your self! Consumers are not always informed totally by the manufacture of how the products come, especially the "interesting/special/amazing" one. Another example,[| nata de coco].

"Every thing is chemical". Like human's milk [ mother's milk is not always the best - some babies are even have allergic reaction to mother's milk...like my own son - KARIM ], the natural and best food for babies, contain all the paramount complete nutrient for the earth human newish. However, this is not true due to this technology era now, where human pure milk is contaminated, either by food or environment. hmm...I am not happy with this, now the babies cant be provided with PURE mother milk. One common example, [|trans fat]. It has been established that trans fats in human milk fluctuate with maternal consumption of trans fat, and that the amount of trans fats in the bloodstream of breastfed infants fluctuates with the amounts found in their milk. Reported percentages of trans fats (compared to total fats) in human milk range from 1% in Spain, 2% in France, 4% in Germany, and 7% in Canada. We consume trans fat so easy in our daily life now. Fast food, snack, french fries, burger, baked food...By the way, now, human s milk which is contaminated is no more absolutely not harm to newborn!

Chatted with Prof. Karim (friendly and cheerful one who really impressed us) on the first day, Hari Bersama Pusat Pengajian, were having light refreshment at TI school foyer. 4-5 of us, including Hui Ying, See Ngar, Mun Lai..(sorry, not that remember who exactly were involving) [ hmm...I don't remember this ...KARIM ]. "My ambition is to be a farmer," popped out from my mouth, seriously. Why am I here in USM? Studying Food Tech? Well, haha, not to talk more about this here. Heart beat boost up each time thinking of Monsanto or GM food. Too long if want to share specifically on Monsanto/GM food. What I would like to state here, most food are genetically modified globally, the natural resources eg. chicken, tomato, potato, corn, and countless. In this case, my view is the natural resources are no more natural after being genetically modified. Usually, consumers don't know what they are eating or the risks from foods they believe safe. This makes everyone part of a mass human experiment, perhaps the results could be seen after generations, the results of which are unknown. Health problems eg puberty may take years to show up. They will be no way to trace the cause, and they may be serious, irreversible, and potentially life threatening.

I personally think that it is still OK as long as we consume whatever chemical, as long as not over the amount that we need or we can afford [ This is usually defined by Acceptable Daily Intake, or ADI - KARIM ]. Bear in mind that there are also chemicals which are hazardous and threatening even in trace amount. Each creature on earth has specific diet. Remember food pyramid for human? Even we claim that the food (chemical) is 100% natural, eg, ORGANIC RICE, or NATURAL SEA SALT, it is not ok if we eat it too much [ so the rule of thumb is...eat in moderation - KARIM ]. Please, never consume any single thing even you think it is very good for you, or you love it very much. The cocktail of chemical some times are needed to ensure we gain variety nutrients, in enough amount. Dealing with chemical and food trend in our life, consumer should be moderate.

I found this video years ago, I am not sure whether it is a threat or truth. But it makes me salute the food technology trend now. Share with you all here, warning: [|click] if you are brave, hahahah. Sorry if it you are mentally impacted.... [ I have watched the video. I'm not sure whether it was a true story but I don't think the burger didn't spoil at all after one year, especially the bread part. I think the story was exaggerated - KARIM ].

Every one, any one, kindly feel free to edit or drop any comment/critics:-) let s learn together