Newswise — The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has produced a series of videos on MonkeySee.com, an instructional video website, called "Understanding Food Safety and Toxicology" that educates viewers about the safety of the foods they eat.
"Consumers have a lot of questions about chemicals in food, such as pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables," explains Carl Winter, IFT spokesperson and a food toxicologist on the faculty of the University of California at Davis. "The main message we want people to take away from these videos is that the levels of exposure to chemicals in food, such as pesticides, is very low. We hope consumers will take this information and make good choices about food for themselves and their family."
The eight video segments, each under three minutes in length, address different topics of food safety, such as "Basic Principles of Toxicology," "Chemical Risks in Food," "How Scientists Assess Food Safety Risks," and "Eating a Balanced Diet."
"When we talk about the presence of very small amounts of chemicals in our food supply, the question is what risks, if any, do they pose to consumers?" says Winter. "Fortunately, for most of these types of chemical contaminants, we find that our typical human exposure is far lower than levels that don't even cause effects in laboratory animals. Our exposure to these chemicals is low; therefore our risks are very low."
One video explains how consumers today are free to make many food choices, including purchasing organic food if they are concerned about chemicals. Whether they choose organically grown or conventionally produced food, the goal should be to eat a balanced diet.
"There are no 'red light' or 'green light' foods," says Winter. "We need to think about having a balanced diet in moderation and that contains fruits and vegetables and grains. That can significantly decrease the risk of heart disease and many types of cancers. People concerned about potential exposure to chemicals in fruits and vegetables might reduce their consumption. But they should know that the benefits of consuming these foods far outweigh the potential risks from exposure to these very low levels of chemicals."
To view the videos, visit www.IFTFoodFacts.org.
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About IFT
Founded in 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists is a nonprofit scientific society with more than 20,000 individual members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT serves as a conduit for multidisciplinary science thought leadership, championing the use of sound science through knowledge sharing, education, and advocacy.
IFT publishes various resources for the food industry, including Food Technology and the Journal of Food Science. The organization also provides a wide range of food science-related continuing education programs. Each year, IFT conducts the world's largest annual forum, the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo ®, covering the latest food science trends, new product and technology innovations, and scientific applications. As the authoritative voice of food science and technology, IFT contributes to public policy and opinion at national, state, and local levels. IFT's Science and Policy Initiatives department advocates the scientific perspective on food science and technology issues. And, through the IFT Foundation, IFT supports programs such as undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, career guidance programs, and much more.
© 2009 Institute of Food Technologists
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