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Hi All,
   I recently attended a conference on added value of agricultural
products (I have a B.Sc. in Agr. & I farm full time). The issue was how to
obtain more from a base product (ie. extracting components of a
agricutural product that would sell for more than the raw product). This
is a real issue in times where farm gate incomes are lowering.
 
   But many of the 'new' products have 'strange' names that do not identify
their origin.  These added value extracts can then be added to other processsed
or manufactured products and there is no immediate way for the consumer to know
where these products oringinated from.
 
   So...? Well some of the products are fractions extracted from wheat & milk,
re-named and are intended to be used in foods for human consumption,
medicines, cosmetics and flavourings.
 
   I think this may be a problem. Already we have many examples of this type
of problem. For example lecithin: unless the label says soy or wheat, I
assume it's wheat to be on the safe side (my husband, son and self all
have celiac). Then there's, tomatoe sauce, if it is added to another product the
label only has to list tomatoe sauce and not the ingrediants of the sauce.
 
   I saw a lot of excited producers/manufacturers who want to get in on the
added value products.  Not one mentioned the problem of allergies, etc.  and the
need to include in the label (trade) name the oringinal sources of the product.
One of the products they discussed was fractionated proteins of gluten (among
its uses is to be added to foods as a thickener).
 
   When I attended college one thing I learned of was the ongoing effort of
plant breeders to develop higher gluten content wheat.  Why?  So that less flour
needed to be used when making bread (less flour=less cost to manufacturer=higher
profits).  No mention was made of the inherent problem of increasing gluten
content nor that a percentage of the population cannot ingest this protein.
There seems to be a lack of dialogue between the food producers and the
consumers here.  I am wondering if it is enough to look for legislative changes
(labelling, tax breaks for food costs, etc.)  or if we may want to consider
informing producers and Ag.  institutions of celiac disease, in particular, and
food intolerances and allergies in general and the need for 'full disclosure' in
labelling?
 
   Hmmm.... Anyone out there have any thoughts on this?
   From Karen