Food Fears

Food scares are headline-grabbing then seem to disappear from the public view very fast. However, the problems caused by intensive farming methods and a global supply chain remain real and present.

Pesticide covered apple

Crop intensification means that all sorts of chemicals are used in the production of the food we eat. Studies have shown that pesticide residue on many of the fruit and vegetables regularly consumed in the UK exceed recommended levels. More than 500 chemicals are allowed to be used by UK farmers who spray about one billion gallons of them each year. A Cox's apple on the supermarket shelf is treated to 35 pesticides before it reaches you.

Intensive animal farming has resulted in increases in disease which now spreads far more rapidly as animals are kept cramped conditions and transported long distances. Animals are injected with growth hormones and other anti-viral drugs to combat disease, many of which have not been tested for safety on humans. The consumer is the guinea pig!

Health concerns also focus on the changes in the eating habits of the nation. Overconsumption of processed foods with high levels of fat, sugar and salt is contributing to high levels of obesity and its associated health risks. Food poor areas have inadequate provision of the necessary range of foods for a balanced diet and many communities face economic and physical barriers to buying affordable healthy food.