The world has seen its' share of food contamination scandals and American consumers have endured their share of skepticism and cause for concern.
Unfriendly words like, melamine, E. Coli and others have popped up in our vernacular. Tainted food supplies have become a growing reality. Milk from China, peppers from Mexico, Spinach from California and beef from Nebraska to name a recent few
Is COOL (Country Of Origin Labels) really cool? Yes and no in my opinion. Foods that fall under the COOL guidelines: meat (whole cuts and ground); fish and shellfish; fruits and vegetables; nuts and ginseng.
Michael Pollan has weighed in with his 5 cents. Here's the loophole catch - food can be produced under control in one area but then processed and/or packaged in another.
- Raw chicken at the grocery store will have a label, yet that same raw chicken that has been roasted in the grocery deli does not need a label.
- Raw peanuts would need a label, roasted peanuts would not.
- Cantaloupe would require a label, however if the store cuts it up for sliced fruit or in a salad it does not need a label.
- I may love New Zealand lamb and look for it in stores, but once it is processed the control is lost.
- This also only distinguishes from country to country vs. state to state within the USA. Food can be produced in one state and then packaged in another. How do we track that properly?
Processed foods seem to have been the source of recent scares. Perhaps, as COOL matures, we can figure out a more robust, practical and relevant application. It's a good start, but we need more detail to food labeling measures so they can accurately advise the consumer and be relevant in today's world. Would love to hear your thoughts.
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