Consuming
Thoughts
by
Fay Strickler
Penn State Extension Home
Economist For Berks Co.
Most of us know that a pinch
of salt can almost magically
transform some foods from being
bland to very tasty dishes. Many
people, however, may be relying
too heavily on this innocuous
looking white substance. Re
search indicates that the Ameri
can love for sodium chloride as a
seasoning should be restrained.
Sodium intake is linked to hy
pertension, a health problem that
affects more than 60 million peo
ple, or more than one-fourth of
the American population. Un
controlled hypertension or high
blood pressure can lead to stroke,
kidney failure, heart attack, or
heart failure.
Many studies in diverse popu
lations have shown that a high
sodium intake is associated with
higher blood pressure. The Na
tional Academy of Sciences, the
American Heart Association, and
the federal government’s “Die
tary Guidelines for Americans”
recommend limiting sodium in
take to 2,400 milligrams a day.
Americans would probably
benefit from retaining their taste
buds by using the salt shaker
with a lighter hand. Often people
reach for the salt shaker before
even tasting their food. Sodium
chloride occurs naturally in
foods, and more salt is added to
commercially processed foods,
but the remaining one-third to
one-half of a person’s salt intake
is individually controlled. How
cooks use the salt shaker can
make a difference.
Limiting salt doesn’t mean
that food must be served taste
less. A multitude of herbs, such
as thyme, sage, or marjoram are
All-Plant
LIQUID PLANT FOOD
9-18-9 PLUS OTHERS'
• Contains 100% white ortho phosphoric
acid. Made in USA.
• Non-corrosive. Won’t settle.
• Top quality. Excellent service.
• Newest equipment
• Financially sound...and growing!
Big Demand Requires
More Distributors!
Q I sell to farmers.
How do I become your distributor?
□ I’m a farmer.
What’s the price?
Where do I get it ?
CALL or SEND FOR FACTS:
Phone: 814-364-1349
ALL-PLANT LIQUID PLANT FOOD, INC.
821 state Rd. 511 N.. RFD 3,
Ashland, Ohio 44805
often forgotten when seasoning
foods. Some seasonings such
as seasoning salts, soy sauce,
Worcestershire sauce, monosodi
um glutamate, and bouillon
also contribute sodium to the diet
and should be used with re
straint.
Foods that are preserved in
salt or brine, such as pickles,
cured ham, and bacon, are high
sodium items. Some high sodium
foods don’t even taste salty or are
not thought of as salty items: for
example, the cherry pie at a fast
food chain was found to have
more sodium than a serving of
French fries.
Frequent consumption of some
low items can cumulatively and
quickly raise the sodium intake.
People on low sodium diets, for
example, must watch their use of
bread and bakery products.
Some people use mixtures of
sodium chloride and potassium
chloride to cut sodium intake. In
dividuals who are on any med
ication should check with their
physician before using these mix
tures. Some medications interfere
with the proper removal of po
tassium from the body, and seri
ous cardiac problems can result
from a buildup of excess potassi
um in the blood. Potassium chlo
ride alone should not be used
without a physician’s approval
because individuals with undiag
nosed kidney problems could be
seriously harmed.
The use of salt is deeply in
grained in our history and cul
ture. It will not disappear from
the seasoning shelf, but curbing
its use may be healthful heart
practice.
Many fruits and vegetables
make their own natural waxy
coating to help retain moisture
because most produce is 80-9 S
percent water.
After harvest but before the
produce is packed and sent to
the supermarket, it is repeatedly
washed to clean off dirt and soil.
Such extensive washing also re
moves - the natural wax.
Therefore, waxes are applied to
some produce items at the pack
ing shed to replace the natural
ones that are lost. Waxes help
retain the fruit’s or vegetable’s
moisture during shipping and
marketing.
Waxes are also used to help
inhibit mold growth; to protect
fruits and vegetables from bruis
ing; to ' prevent other physical
damage and disease; and to en
hance appearance.
By protecting against moisture
loss and contamination, wax
coatings help fresh fruits and
vegetables maintain whole
someness and freshness. Waxing
does not improve the quality of
any inferior fruit or vegetables;
rather, waxing along with
proper handling contributes
to maintaining a healthful prod
uct.
Waxes are also used on can
dies, pastries, and gum and come
from natural sources.
Wax sources generally are
plants, food-grade petroleum
products, or insects (similar to
honey from bees).
Some waxes can be made from
dairy or animal sources, but we
are not aware of any such coat
ings being used on fruits and veg-
YORK (York Co.) High
school students getting ready to
take the Scholastic Aptitude
Test (SAT) can find help
through SAT Preparation
courses being offered at Penn
State York.
The two four-session courses
for verbal and math SAT’s are
designed to help students im
prove their SAT skills. Classes
Are Wax Coatings Used On
Some Fruits And Vegetables Safe?
Penn State York Offers
SAT Preparation Courses
• Wedding Invitations
• Brochures
• Business Cards
• Sale Cards
• Catalogs
• Newsletters
• Newspapers
Arl Haas
One East Main Street
P.O. Box 527, Ephrata, PA 17522
717-733-6397 • Fax 717-733-6058
etables in Mexico, the United
States or Canada. This is partic
ularly important for people fol
lowing Kosher or vegetarian
diets and who don’t want any an
imal-based wax on their produce.
Any commodities that do have
this type of coating must be la
beled “Coated with animal-based
wax. ”
Waxes are used only in tiny
amounts.
In fact, each piece of waxed
produce only has a drop or two
of wax. Waxes may be mixed
with water or other wetting
agents to ensure they are applied
thinly and evenly.
The government regulates wax
coatings to ensure their safety.
Coatings used on fruits and
vegetables must meet the food
additive regulations of the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration.
Extensive research by govern
mental and scientific authorities
has shown that approved waxes
are safe to eat. Waxes are indi
gestible, which means they go
through the body without break
ing down or being absorbed.
Waxes by themselves do not
control decay; rather, they may
be combined with some chemi
cals to prevent the growth of
mold. The safety and use of these
substances are strictly regulated
by the U.S. Food and Drug Ad
ministration and the Environ
mental Protection Agency.
Produce shippers and super
markets in the United States are
required by federal law to label
produce items that have been
waxed so you will know whether
the fruits and vegetables you buy
are coated.
are set for four Saturday morn
ings beginning Feb. 24. Each
class meets in four sessions on
Feb. 24, March 3, 10, and 17 in
the Main Classroom Building.
Students participating in the
Preparation for Your Verbal
SAT (9 a.m. 10:30 a.m.) will
review important skills assessed
in the verbal section and have the
opportunity to familiarize them
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 3,2001-B9
Consumers will see signs in
produce departments that say
“Coated with food-grade vege
table-, petroleum-, beeswax-,
and/or shellac-based wax or
resin, to maintain freshness. ”
None of these coatings is animal
based, and they all come from
natural sources.
Consumers are unlikely to see
any signs that say, “Coated with
food-grade animal-based wax” as
such coatings are rarely if
ever used. Any consumers
who have questions about wax
coatings should talk to their gro
cer.
Waxes may turn white on the
surface of fruits or vegetables if
they have been subjected to ex
cessive heat and/or moisture.
This whitening is safe and is
similar to that of a candy bar
that has been in the freezer.
Consumers do have choices.
Waxes generally cannot be re
moved by regular washing. If
consumers prefer not to consume
waxes even though the waxes
are safe they can buy
unwaxed commodities or can
peel the fruit or vegetable,
thereby removing any coating.
Ask your grocer if you have
questions.
Commodities that may have
coatings applied include apples,
avocados, bell peppers, canta
loupes, cucumbers, eggplants,
grapefruits, lemons, limes, mel
ons, oranges, parsnips, passion
fruit, peaches, pineapples, pump
kins, rutabagas, squash, sweet
potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, and
yucca. However, they are not al
ways waxed.
selves with the format and types
of questions on the Verbal SAT
test. Participants will also prac
tice test-taking in simulated
exam conditions. Cost for the
Preparation for Your Verbal SAT
is $7O.
Preparation for Your Math
SAT (10:30 a.m. noon) will fa
miliarize students with the SAT
format, and then SAT
math topics including
arithmetic, algebra, ge
ometry, graphs, mea
sures and quantitative
comparisons. Bring a
calculator to the first
class. Cost for the
Preparation for Your
Math SAT course is
$7O.
Register for both
sessions at $125 and
save $l5. The course
fee includes the book
Real SAT’s by the Col
lege Board. For a bro
chure or more inform
ation, call Penn State
York at (717) 771-4050
or visit the campus at
1031 Edgecomb Ave
nue.
Stanley
& Home
J Products
and
Fuller Brush
1143 Green Tree Ext.
Mt. Joy, PA 17552
m7J 6534416