Product Research - Garden of Eatin' Tortilla Chips

Research:

1. What is "blue corn"? - "This saying holds true in the corn arena: Blue corn does contain more of the amino acid lysine and the antioxidant anthocyanin than "regular" yellow corn, however loses much of these nutrients when it's processed into a chip. Blue corn chips may be slightly more nutritious in this sense, but if you're trying to increase the amounts of lysine or antioxidants in your diet, fresh and whole fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins are much better sources." - goaskalice.com

- it seems that blue corn is technically better for you but making it into a chip, which means frying it, takes away most of its health value. 

2. Where does Garden of Eatin' get its corn from? - I wrote to the company and am waiting for a reply. I haven't really found any good information about this on the web.

3. Who started the company? - From the website, it seems that a man from Pennsylvania named Al Jacobson started the company. Born in the early 1900s, Al lived on a farm through his childhood, according to the website. He started the health food company in the 1970s. One interesting point - as a young man he worked for a company called "Hain Pure Foods", an organic company on the West Coast. I wonder if this company is related to Hain Celestial Group, which eventually bought Garden of Eatin'.

4. What are "corn syrup solids"? - "Dried corn syrup (derived from corn starch) is referred to as corn syrup solids. It has a relatively low level of sweetness (dextrose equivalent of 24) and bland flavor making it useful in blended mixes. Corn syrup solids are added as a flavor enhancer, stabilizer (to reduce product separation during shipping, storage, etc.), and thickener. Corn syrup solids are used in many food applicatons; baked goods, candy, ice cream, jellies, condiments, powdered sugar, and numerous beverages." - from frontiercoop.com

This website, one that focuses on organic products, does not say whether this is a good or bad thing.

Other information:
1. According to goodguide.com, a large database that provides information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of various products, Garden of Eatin' chips received a 6.9 out of 10. The product received a 10 out of 10 for health, 5.1/10 for environment, and 5.7/10 for society. It scored particularly low on quality management (4.6) and for not having many minorities or women on its board of directors (4.6). I compared its scores to other chips and found that Garden of Eatin' is kind of in the middle. While the product is quite healthy, its actions as a company (how it treats its workers and how it uses energy) is not so hot. However, as always, I wonder how these numbers are calculated. I wish this website provided more information to explain what they mean by "quality management".

2. Hain Celestial Group - Turns out it is totally separate from Hain Celestial Group. This company was actually bought by the H.J. Heinz Company (known for its ketchup) in 2000. The company owns many, many smaller brands, like Garden of Eatin'.

Product Research Resources

Below are some websites that may provide useful information as you conduct your product research. Remember to always question what you learn and double check the information that you find.

The Food and Drug Administration's official website - This is the government agency that is supposed to be protecting our food.
Food, Inc. website - This website has many links and background information on the film.
Nutritiondata.com - Great tools for learning about what's in your food! You have to sign up to access this information. Use your gmail account, BUT be careful to select "no" on the questionnaire when it asks you sign up for newsletters and magazines.
Nutri-facts.com - Provides helpful information about food nutrition.
Eatwellguide.org - Provides information about where to buy organic products in your area.
The American Diabetes Association - Lots of great information about the disease and its causes.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention website - A government agency that provides information on E. coli and other food-related illnesses.

In addition, here are some articles that might catch your interest:
"Learning What Food Looks Like Before It Goes Into The Package" - Check out this New York Times article about high school kids in Brooklyn doing a very similar project!
"Six Meaningless Claims on Food Labels" - Interesting information about the misleading advertising on food packaging.
"What are your food rules?" - Read what other kids around the country say about how they eat and add your own comments.

Jim Crow in New York City?

New York Times columnist Bob Herbert demands an end to what he calls "Jim Crow policing" in New York City. What do you think about what he has to say? Do you think it is appropriate to call this kind of policing "Jim Crow"? Why or why not? What do you make of the data Herbert presents?

Here is an excerpt. Click on the link below to read more... "The New York City Police Department needs to be restrained. The nonstop humiliation of young black and Hispanic New Yorkers, including children, by police officers who feel no obligation to treat them fairly or with any respect at all is an abomination. That many of the officers engaged in the mistreatment are black or Latino themselves is shameful."

Op-Ed Columnist - Jim Crow Policing - NYTimes.com

Food and the Achievement Gap

How is the food we eat related to the achievement gap? I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Here are some journal articles and other reports that raise some pretty interesting questions... Dig in :

• Good Food in the City by Anthony Geraci The Baltimore City School District improved its "cafeteria food" with some far-reaching farm-to-school innovations. (from Educational Leadership)
  

• Those Persistent Gaps by Paul E. Barton and Richard J. Coley Unequal school conditions are just part of the problem. Poor nutrition, lead poisoning, and too much TV watching also negatively influence achievement. (from Educational Leadership)
  

• Farmer in Chief By MICHAEL POLLAN What the next president can and should do to remake the way we grow and eat our food. (from the New York Times)

• Special New York Times section on Food Prices and Supply
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