Food/Nutrition News Briefs

• Because of inherent physiological and genetic characteristics, some food crops have a propensity to take up cadmium from the soil. Sunflowers are such a crop, and sunflower seeds have a higher natural concentration of cadmium than most other seeds, even when grown in uncontaminated soils. Intake of around two ounces or more of sunflower seeds daily could exceed World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits for cadmium. [Editor: Preventing toxin buildup is one reason why variety is so important in our diets.]
• The Oregon Department of Agriculture has warned against heavy consumption of blue-green algae products from the Klamath Basin. In recent years, consumers have occasionally reported nausea and other ill effects from consuming algae products. Tests by the department found that 35 of 36 samples of algae products contained the liver toxin microcystins, which was present due to contamination with another algae strain. The department recommends that adults limit their consumption to 2 grams per day, and children to ½ gram per day.
• According to a recent study published in the Western Journal of Medicine, if Americans regularly took just three vitamins—folic acid, zinc and vitamin E—hospital costs would be reduced by nearly $20 billion each year. Folic acid and zinc prevent birth defects, while vitamin E reduces overall mortality from heart disease.
• Clare Tomkins became the 22nd victim of a new form of human brain disease linked to the mad-cow epidemic in Britain. The disease is thought to be passed to humans from eating infected cow meat, however, Clare has been a vegetarian for 10 years.

Since the disease is suspected of having a long incubation period, researchers suggest that Clare may have been exposed to infected meat as a child. She also may have been infected from the many products that contain animal byproducts, such as the rennet in cheese, or the cow parts used to make the gelatin in lipstick and pharmaceuticals.

• Nomination for the Milestones in the Advancement of Human Nutrition Award: Callers to the Coca-Cola hotline are informed that, "If all the Coca-Cola ever produced were to erupt from the geyser Old Faithful at its normal rate of 15,000 gallons per hour, there would be enough Coca-Cola to flow continuously for 1,577 years, from 423 A.D. to the year 2000."

Based on information in: Environmental Health Perspectives, Oct 1997; Alternative & Complementary Therapies, Dec 1997; Nutrition Science News, Sept 1997; Business Week, 12-22-97; The Progressive, Nov 1997