Just listened to "Innovator Speaker Series" talk by Robyn O'Brien : Are we allergic to food or what has been done to it? <br>

<a href=http://www.robynobrien.com/on_line> Robyn OBrien site </a>

<pre>
I was deeply touched with it, here are some notes:

1. Double of peanut allergy in 1997 to 2002, gene don't change that often and things don't fall from sky. Same for cancer and other deceases - autism, Alzheimer.
What has changed? Allergies have skyrocketed due to change in food.
US spends a lot more on health expenses compared to other countries.

2. New Ingredients in Food: 
a. Pesticides and plants that can withstand pesticides (Roundup ready soya)
b. Artificial growth hormone in cow for milk. (cause cancer).
c. High fructose corn syrup

3. Other countries haven't allowed and the big companies have different ingredients for other countries. 
GMO is required in label in most developed countries (even India and China).
3.1 CIA: Life Expectancy at Birth US is 41st.
3.2  Beet root in UK vs Red no. 40 in US
Paprika extract vs Blue no. 1
3.3 Other countries don't allow many of the bad ingredients in food.
3.4 Being patriotic she questioned how US has been left behind.

4. Organic:
a. No GMO
b. No Pesticides
c. No Growth Hormone
d. No artificial color/dye
e. No artificial flavoring

4.1 Chipotle has done great with getting good ingredients.

5. Why high cost of Organic:
a. Food subside not given to Organic
b. No crop insurance

6. One thing that she targeted: milk, went organic with milk. Artificial growth hormone can cause cancer.

7. As consumer we need to take steps whatever we can to help food get better. Walmart and Kruger are pushing for good food to be mainstream due to consumer demand.

</pre>