Sandy asks…
How can you tell if a product/food has been genetically mutated?
Is there anything on the packaging saying it’s GM?
vti answers:
Http://www.gmofoodlabel.org/
© Center for Food Safety http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/
. . . A few corporations have been allowed to genetically alter many of our most important food crops, with little or no regulation. Most egregiously, under pressure from the biotechnology industry, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to regulate GE foods, failing to require any mandatory health or environmental labeling or testing of these foods. Yet consumers now more than ever want GE foods to be labeled so they have a choice in the marketplace. In fact, polls consistently show that more than 80% of Americans want GE foods to be labeled.
The failure to adequately regulate and control agricultural biotechnology has, and will continue to have, devastating impact on farmers, consumers, crops and the environment. Unsuspecting consumers by the tens of millions are being allowed to purchase and consume unlabeled genetically engineered foods, despite findings by FDA scientists that these foods could pose serious risks. New genetically engineered crops are being approved by federal agencies despite admissions that they will contaminate native and conventional plants and pose other significant new environmental threats. In short, there has been a complete abdication of any responsible legislative or regulatory oversight of genetically engineered foods. Clearly, now is a critical time to challenge the government’s lack of regulatory oversight on this technology, and demand labeling of all GE foods so that consumers have a choice in the marketplace.
Http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_21744.cfm
* Genetically modified foods are less nutritious, more likely to trigger an allergy, and contain higher levels of growth hormones and pesticides. Yet GM foods aren’t required to be rigorously tested for food safety before they end up in grocery stores and restaurants.
* Common genetically modified food ingredients include corn syrup from GM corn, sugar from GM sugar beets, vegetable oils from GM soy, cotton and canola, and cheese, eggs, milk and meat from animals given GM feed or shot up with GM growth hormones and vaccines.
* The same foods that are making people fat, sick, and undernourished are the ones that Monsanto has genetically engineered. High fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, fryer grease, chicken nuggets, and bacon cheese burgers all contain GMOs.
Richard asks…
How to start food truck business?
Where do I begin with starting a food truck business? I haven’t even started on what I might like to offer (depends on what type of truck I decide on-or should it) or the name. Only thing for certain is that I want to know the logistics of how the process goes.
Any help?
vti answers:
This is the summer of the food truck. From San Francisco to New York, restaurateurs seeking an extra boost in sales or entrepreneurs looking to sell food without paying rent are hitting the streets. From their kitchens-on-wheels, they’re serving everything from crème brulee to rotisserie chicken – and customers are gobbling it up. When it comes to the street food scene, “in the last couple of years, there’s been a groundswell of innovation,” says Sean Basinski, director of the Street Vendor Project at the nonprofit Urban Justice Center in New York, who regularly teaches a “Street Food Vending 101″ class. “It’s great to have a variety of food,” he says. “Why not have every culture represented in the streets, from hot dogs to caviar?”
Here are the three best ways to start a food-truck business:
1. Buy a used truck for cheap. While a hot-dog cart costs about $2,000 to buy, refurbished trucks can run $40,000 and upwards, since they have to be built according to health-department regulations. Kim Ima, owner of the Treats Truck of New York, which sells cookies, brownies and other baked goods, found a used vehicle for sale on eBay in fall 2006 and bought it for less than $20,000. Laurent Katgely, proprietor of French restaurant Chez Spencer in San Francisco, started a food-truck business called “Spencer on the Go” after picking up a $15,000 vehicle from a former burrito seller. Mr. Katgely sells take-away frog legs, sweetbreads, ratatouille and escargot.
2. Find a good location to sell your food. Getting a permit for your truck can be tough since certain cities have a cap. For example, New York limits permits to about 3,000 and the waiting list for them can run as long as 10 to 15 years, says Mr. Basinski. (Renting, borrowing or obtaining a permit on the black market is illegal, he adds.) Plus, some cities don’t allow trucks to be located in certain business districts and streets because they would affect surrounding restaurants or disrupt residential areas. Fortunately for Mr. Katgely, he doesn’t need to apply for a permit. He owns the parking lot where “Spencer on the Go” is located most of the time. It’s seven blocks from the restaurant, and he keeps menus in the truck to give to customers and direct them to Chez Spencer.
3. Use social-networking technology. Many of the new food trucks alert followers about where they’re located or what daily specials they’re serving at a certain time through Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Tweets or status updates can also help groom a loyal customer base. Mr. Katgely tweets from @chezspencergo to tell followers where and when the truck can be found. So far, the mobile business is paying off: Mr. Katgely says he makes a 50% profit on sales from the vending truck vs. 10% from his restaurant
If you are looking to start your own mobile food truck business, here are 10 things to consider:
1. Government Regulation. The food carts’ biggest challenge is the myriad (even outdated) government regulations, licenses, permit requirements and zoning rules. Some states have rules where the trucks can park, how long can they stay in a certain area, and even the size of the truck. Plus, the trucks need to meet the local health department specifications and food preparation rules. Some states regulate where the trucks should be deposited when not on duty, mandating food truck owners to park their trucks only in approved commissary locations.
2. Getting Permit and Licenses. Depending on where you are located, getting the permits you need to operate a food truck business may be tough.
In New York City, for example, there is a cap in the number of permits the local government can issue and the waiting list for new permits can be as long as 10-15 years. Hence, some food truck owners buy their Mobile Food Vendor License in the black market, driving the cost up even further.
In the District of Columbia, mobile food trucks need to pay for a license, inspections, and a one-time $1,500 sales tax fee.
3. Startup Capital. Getting adequate funding is important as setting up a mobile truck can be expensive. It is not a business that you can start on a $1,000 budget. Old refurbished trucks configured to meet the health department’s requirements can cost $20,000 or upwards. Retrofitting a new truck in order to have vending windows, electricity, hot running water, and retail payment system can set you back as much as $100,000 depending on your truck’s configurations and features. To start this business on a lower budget, consider buying a used truck instead.
4. Think of Overall Experience. Gone are the old, plain white mobile food trucks of yesterday. Today, the mobile food trucks strive to give their customers a wonderful eating experience – from the overall look of their trucks, uniforms, product presentation, menus and even the website. Branding is heavily used by the new crop of mobile food trucks.
George asks…
are Organic food healthy ??
As i knew, inorganic Food is the natural healthy food … while Organic food is genetically medified to give the poduct certain quality but it causes diseases like cancer
Is that right??
vti answers:
No, it is the opposite. Organic food is not genetically modified, but some inorganic foods are. Organic food does not cause cancer.
One of the benefits of organic farming is the extremely minimal use of harmful pesticides. Despite the Center for Global Food Issues director of research Alex Avery’s statement that, “organic farmers are allowed to use a number of toxic chemical pesticides,” it has been proven by the ESRC Global Environment Program that there is less air and water pollution found on organic farms. The major ideal of organic farming is prevention rather than cure, meaning that organic farmers attempt to prevent problems before resorting to chemicals for a cure. Most organic farmers use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to control pests and disease, while non-organic farmers use insecticides. However, in some cases organic farmers must turn to pesticides. Before executing use of any chemical, organic farmers must first be evaluated by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements on several aspects including necessity, nature and way of production, impact on the environment, human health, ethics and animal welfare, and socio-economic aspects.
Nancy asks…
Are there any decent health food stores in CM?
yes, thanks, – I know there are many restaurants – - looking for actual names of health food stores and locations – - thanks
vti answers:
I personally do not think there is a health food store in the western concept as such in Chiang mai.
They do sell organic:
Saturday and Wednesday mornings there is a small organic market at JJ market , just behind Tesco Lotus (khamtiang branch) on Asadatorn rd. It is certified organic.
Chiang Mai University also have a market on Saturday mornings just off Nimmenhaeman rd on their space next the CMU arts center.
Charles asks…
How to get my cat to eat her food?
My kitty is getting a little tubby so I researched healthy cat food and I bought her new healthy dry food and healthy canned food, because the canned food has more protein and less carbs than dry but I also still want her to eat the dry food to have healthy gums and teeth. Well, I’ve tried feeding her one meal dry, one meal canned, and she’ll eat the whole canned meal but barely touch the dry throughout the day. They I tried mixing half and half, but she’ll eat around all the dry food and leave it there, never to eat it again! I know she liked the canned food and she seems a lot healthier but I don’t want her teeth to get tartar and unhealthy by eating a completely soft diet. How can I get her to eat her dry food?
vti answers:
You’re on the right track. A diet mixed diet of dry and wet can really help the health of your cat and help him reduce weight. I would not mix the wet and dry together because after a short amount of time the food will go bad. He may not like the kind of dry food you’re feeding. I’ve found that many cats prefer a higher protein food. I feed my four cats (and two of them are really picky) Nutro Natural Choice Indoor Healthy Weight Formula. It’s a great food because it’s a higher protein lower carb food that my cats really like. I feed both dry and wet. I measure out how much dry they should have in a day and then give them one meal of wet at dinner time. I’m a pet nutrition specialist with Nutro and have been feeding it for over 25 years now and it’s worked great for my furry kids. Here’s a link to learn more about Natural Choice and read some reviews http://www.nutro.com/natural-cat-food/natural-choice-cat-food/indoor-adult-healthy-weight-management-cat-food-chicken-meal-rice-formula.aspx Good luck and hope this helps.
And also an article about mixed food feeding.
Mix It Up For Better Cat Health http://www.nutro.com/pet-center/mixing-wet-and-dry-cat-food.aspx
Some cat owners swear by wet food. Others insist dry is best. And according to the WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition, both sides have merit. In fact, WALTHAM® research shows that mixing wet and dry cat food together benefits your cat in more ways than one.
Benefits of Mixed Feeding
Improved Urinary Tract Health — When you feed your cat a diet of dry kibble mixed with a high moisture, wet food, it increases your cat’s water intake resulting in more urine production. The higher water volume dilutes the urine while increasing the frequency of urination — both of which help prevent the formation of mineral crystals or urinary stones.
Better Weight Management — WALTHAM® studies have shown cats that are fed a high moisture diet eat less, gain less weight per calorie eaten and have increased activity levels compared with cats fed only a dry food diet. What’s more, owners tend to better control the size of their cat’s meal portions when part of the diet contains wet food.
Healthy Metabolism — With more real meat and fewer carbohydrates, wet food provides a healthy balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that satisfies a cat’s instinctive feeding behavior and helps maintain a healthy metabolism.
Enhanced Eating Enjoyment — When given a choice, cats prefer to eat a mixture of both wet and dry foods. Wet food is shown to increase enjoyment whereas dry food satisfies her desire to eat many small meals throughout the day.
Improved Oral Health — The crunchy texture of dry food helps keep teeth clean by scraping away plaque and tartar.
Recommended Mixed Feeding Program
While each cat is different, WALTHAM® studies have shown that a mixed feeding program is beneficial for both weight management and urinary tract health. For weight management, at least 1/3 of the total daily food intake should be wet food. If urinary tract health is the goal, then wet food should make up a least 3/4 of the daily volume.
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