NPR Health is reporting that growing your own produce or buying from local farms is not necessarily safer than shopping at the supermarket, even as many Americans took up gardening this summer to avoid foodborne pathogens such as Cyclospora found in some commercial produce.
It said James Rogers, director of food safety for Consumer Reports, notes that large and small growing operations each have safety advantages and drawbacks. Large operations are subject to Food and Drug Administration cleanliness standards and can trace outbreaks quickly using barcodes, but co-mingling huge volumes of produce in washing and processing warehouses can lead to large outbreaks if one lot is contaminated. Most small growers are exempt from FDA rules on irrigation and testing for microorganisms, so their safety practices vary widely, Rogers said. He advised rinsing all produce with water and keeping it separate from raw meats.
NPR said Michigan State University food educator Phil Tocco recommends keeping animals out of garden plots with fencing to reduce fecal risks, avoiding rain barrels because collected water can become what he called bacterial soup, and sanitizing hands and buckets before harvesting. Tocco said washing with water alone eliminates only about 90% of most pathogens, leaving enough to potentially sicken a person.
In a separate report, NPR said the viral social media food trend known as "boy kibble" — a single-bowl mix of ground beef and white rice that resembles dog food — is marketed as high protein and quick to prepare. It said Zachary Mulvihill, a clinical professor and physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, notes that many recipes are missing a crucial component: vegetables. He recommends that half of a plate be vegetables, with 25% carbohydrates and 25% protein, and suggests precooked beets and frozen vegetables to maintain convenience. Los Angeles personal trainer Erik Rokisky suggests potatoes instead of white rice because they are higher in fiber and lower in calories, and urges attention to micronutrients.
NPR also reported advice from marriage and family therapist Cassidy Freitas, author of the book "Mom Needs A Moment," on handling difficult parenting moments. It said Freitas places a hand on her chest during high-stress situations to prompt slow, intentional breaths with extended exhales, and reflects afterward on the true source of her anger. When parents feel torn between socializing and time with their children, she suggests offering themselves the same grace they would give a friend. Freitas said every parent loses their cool at some point, and that acknowledging the mistake in an age-appropriate way helps children see parents as human and learn from their own errors.