"Guilt Free" Packaging?

Frito-Lay recently came under fire for introducing new biodegradable packaging for its SunChips snacks which consumers complain is unacceptably loud, annoying and embarrassing. The sound it makes has been compared to a "revving motorcycle" and "glass breaking." The company acknowledges that the new packages are "a little bit louder" than consumers are used to but expresses confidence that people will "appreciate the change and the positive environmental impact it will have."

The company website claims that "every 10 1/2 oz. SunChips package is designed to fully breakdown in just 14 weeks when placed in a hot, active compost bin or pile." What are the chances that the package is going to wind up in the compost pile? Probably very slim. A tiny percentage of Americans who are not required by local municipal laws (such as those in San Francisco and Seattle) separate compostable kitchen waste from trash (the stuff that by definition can not be composted, recycled or reused in some way). I imagine that the majority of SunChips packages are purchased at convenience stores & gas stations therefore suffer the fate of a typical drive-thru meal: a couple weeks on the backseat of the car followed by relocation to a garbage bag destined for the landfill.

Throwing new-fangled compostable food packaging (not to be confused with "biodegradable" materials which can leave traces of toxins when they decompose) into the garbage defeats the whole purpose of using it as an alternative to petroleum-based products. When organic materials, such as empty SunChips bags, are left to "rot" in landfills instead of undergo the intended biological breakdown process at a compost facility, they actually release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In an ideal world, all food scraps and man-made compostable food containers would be placed in the "hot, active compost pile" as described by the makers of Frito-Lay packaging for the purpose of producing a handy fertilizer for the idyllic Levittown yard.

Speaking of simple & carefree living, Frito-Lay would also like you to believe that SunChips are the answer to your craving for something crunchy & tasty AND desire to eat healthfully. Each serving contains 18 grams of whole grains so these chips are guilt-free, right? The Frito-Lay nutritionists figured that by including whole grains and adding two wholesome grams of fiber, "it was a little thing we could do for your heart while we keep your taste buds happy."

They also think you'll be thrilled by the fact that SunChips have 30% less fat than regular potato chips. What kind of standard is that? A two-ounce single serving bag contains 13 grams of fat! The nutrition facts panel will tell you that this translate to 110 calories from fat. However, if you do the math, you'll discover that Frito-Lay takes advantage of leniencies in the labeling laws. 13 grams of fat actually contains 117 calories since each gram of fat has 9 calories. The FDA Rounding Rules allow manufacturers to express "calories from fat" in 10 calorie increments when the total amount is greater than 100. They should technically round up to 120 since that's the nearest multiple of 10.

Why am I splitting hairs over 7 measly calories? I don't mean to be a number-crunching, calorie-counting nazi by this criticism. My point is that this numerical manipulation is just one indication of the misleading claims that Frito-Lay and other companies make to persuade consumers to buy their products. The FDA has actually made it relatively easy for junk food makers to sell their crap as health products. By establishing legal definitions for what ingredients and nutrients are beneficial vs. harmful, the government created a playground for creative marketing schemes that profit from consumer ignorance.

Moral of the story, don't believe anything you read on the front of a food package. Heck, don't trust the nutrition facts panel (as I just demonstrated, numbers are not always objective). Get out your glasses or a magnifying glass and read the ingredient list for yourself. In the case of SunChips, the second ingredient is sunflower oil. There's more oil in the product than there is whole wheat or whole oat flour. Is that what YOU would call a healthy "Multigrain Snack"?

Precocious Puberty

Another disturbing health study made headlines this past week. Researchers concluded that girls are reaching puberty earlier than ever - as early as 7 years old! Breast development was used as the diagnostic which means that the examiners were basically measuring FAT. Adipose tissue (aka. FAT) makes up the bulk of the female breast and is a source of estrogen in the body. It is also a medical fact that overweight girls have more insulin circulating in their blood which stimulates the production of hormones in the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Is this early puberty scare really news? No. Didn't we already know that kids are fatter than ever and obesity is affecting young & younger children? The CDC has been following the trend for over 20 years and the media hasn't failed to notice it either. Fat kids, both boys and girls, grow breasts before reaching puberty because the human body just naturally deposits excess fat on the chest and buttocks (T&A, you know?).

Behind the Wheel

Recent research studies suggest that roughly 20% of meals are consumed in an automobile. "Meals" in this context includes all types of eating episodes: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Today's multi-tasking American doesn't have time to waste behind the wheel so makes sure that every minute of his day counts toward some personal goal, professional ambition or necessity of life. Since you don't need your mouth to operate a car, talking and eating are the most popular activities performed in the driver's seat. And unless you drive a stick shift, you really only need one hand. Although, I do know caffeine addicts who drink coffee while driving a manual transmission.

Long distance commuters are likely to make a habit out of hitting the drive-thru for a latte or bagel on their way to work. Why wake up any earlier than you have to, to fix yourself a bowl of cereal at home when there's a Dunkin' Donuts on your way to the interstate? Others, myself included, either get the munchies or need something to do when inadvertently stuck in traffic - that's when the stash of nuts in the glove compartment comes in handy.

Future Food

I just stumbled upon the show Future Food on the Planet Green network. The show is hosted by two chefs in Chicago who have made a name for themselves in the culinary world for their molecular mischievousness. They playfully prepare familiar dishes out of unlikely ingredients using hi-tech equipment then see how people react to their 21st century edible concoctions. Each episode poses a unique challenge: how to turn a granola bar into French fries, prepare a burger out of the stuff a cow eats rather than the cow.

If you don't follow the celebrity chef scene, read food magazines or watch competitive cooking shows like Iron Chef (ie. live in a cave), you may not be familiar with the concept of 'molecular gastronomy.' It's basically the marriage of chemistry lab and home ec class. Chefs and amateur cooks who practice molecular gastronomy employ tricks, tools and chemicals used by scientists to refine recipes and prepare novel tastes and textures.

My scientific side thinks: "How cool! I'd love to try that." But then the Luddite in me protests: "The centrifuge is not a kitchen appliance." My mom was a great cook. She was able to whip up delicious meals with a whisk, Cuisinart and conventional oven. And since I bought a Vitamix (aka. blender on steroids), I am pretty satisfied with the equipment in my own kitchen.

Is molecular gastronomy really the future of food? I think not. While physics, chemistry and biology play an important role in cooking, most good chefs are inspired by heart & soul and don't need sodium alginate, guar gum or calcium lactate to create a magnificent meal. It is also very unlikely that many restauranteurs will invest in thousands of dollars worth of lab equipment to please their critics.