Gonzalez 1

Isabel Gonzalez
Carol Sieverts
English 2010
29 November 2017

This reflection was written for my eportfolio so that I can demonstrate what I have
learned in English 2010. As the semester comes to a close this assignment provides an excellent
opportunity to look back on my experiences in this class, and to provide my instructor with the
knowledge I have obtained. As the result of my participation in this class I have learned to
challenge myself in many areas of my academic education. I went from being a writer who was
not confident with her own writing to learning to just start and change things in the writing
process. For my signature assignment I chose the Report, the reason being is that this assignment
is the one that I struggled the most with but, I also learned the most from it. This assignment has
helped me learn how to be a team player, further my research, and how to use in text citations
properly.

In this class I have learned things that I will take with me forever like the skill of working
in a group. Working with different people who are strangers to you is always a challenge but, I
was able to work with them, learn from them, exchange knowledgeable feedback, and rely on
them for important information. I have learned to represent everyones opinions and ideas and
put them all into one piece of paper. This skill will not only help me in the academic world or in
the work forces, but also in my personal life. When writing the report I had to work with
everyone and make the report flow even though everyone has their own voices and different
topics.

This assignment has also helped me develop the skill of effective research on a topic and
not necessarily have an opinion to the situation. Also I have learned to detach myself from the
information, and simply just present the facts. This is a very important skill to have in
everything that we do in life we will have our own opinion, but it is important to be able to
deliver information without a biased opinion.

In this class I have also learned to use proper in text citations. At the beginning of the
semester I was not comfortable with adding in text citations to my writing. As the semester went
along I got more and more comfortable doing it. From this class I have also learned organization
skills. In order to succeed in school and in life you need to have a system in place to keep you
organized, and this class has only reinforced that. By having a clear due date I was able to
manage my time properly to finish my work on time. In this semester I have also had the
opportunity to help others succeed by giving them constructive feedback on their work. This was
a very important part of this class.
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Over all this English 2010 class has been an incredible learning experiences and
opportunity to meet new people and learn new things. As I continue my studies at Salt Lake
Community College, I plan on using the skills that I learned in when writing the report . Like the
skill of teamwork using proper citations, giving helpful feedback and being organized.

Isabel Gonzalez
Lauren Hudson
Marshall Nelson
Celia Oler

Carol Sieverts

English 2010

29 September, 2017

What Are You Putting In Your Mouth?

Does anyone really know what is in the food we eat? With the technological

advancements that are available, food is able to be mass produced. There is a lot of different

things that go into the production of food. There are preservatives, hormones, steroids, and

pesticides in the food we eat, and what organic food is. All of these things have different effects

on its consumers and the effects should be considered when we are trying to decide on what

should be put in our bodies.

What Are Preservatives?

Food is key for survival and preservatives are key for food survival. Anything that is not

grown out of your own garden has some type of preservatives within it whether we like it or not.

The term preservatives refers to the functional name for a wide variety of compounds that help

slow or prevent bacterial growth in a wide range of products, including foods, medicines, and
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personal care products. (Chemical Safety Facts, para 1) In the article Preservatives to Keep

Foods Longer, the author states that ...food spoils as time passes because micro bacteria present

in all foods starts to multiply and grows until its inedible. (Preservatives to Keep Foods Longer

para. 4) Preservatives have been used for decades to prevent food from spoiling and maximizing

its shelf life. According to the website Food Matters Preservatives are also used to maintain the

texture, color, size, and flavor of the food. There are multiple ways for keeping your food from

spoiling like drying it, adding chemicals, freezing it or heating the product until the bacteria dies.

In more recent years using nuclear radiation and techniques like vacuuming the packages

had become more popular. Yet chemicals are still the number one way of maintaining food from

spoiling. (Chemical Safety Facts, para 2) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration database

includes an extensive list of more than 3,000 food additives and chemicals commonly used in all

foods. Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are two common preservatives used in processed meats

to maintain the red color and prevent bacterial growth. These include hot dogs, ham, bacon, and

luncheon meats.

Potassium bisulfate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium and sulfur dioxide are types of

sulfites that are used to prevent discoloration in fruits and halt bacterial growth in wine.

According to the CNN, The FDA does not allow their use on raw fruits or vegetables. Some

people suffer allergic reaction to sulfites. Sulfur dioxide irritates the lungs and may cause severe

bronchospasm, or a constriction of the lungs, according to the University of Maryland Medical

Center symptoms also may include coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Sulfites and sulphur dioxide are both antimicrobials, used primarily as preservatives.

Sulfites are found predominantly in dried fruits and red wine, and sometimes in certain brands of

fruit juices. Sulphur dioxide is used in numerous foods. This compound slows the oxidation of
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fats called lipids. When sprayed on freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, it stops the natural

ripening process. These two compounds can cause an allergic reaction in certain individuals and

is a known allergen for many asthmatics. (Chemical Safety Facts, para 4-6)

What Are Pests?

Pests are known as a destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock,

etc. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences states that pesticides, therefore, are

any substance used to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life that are

considered to be pests (Pesticides, para. 1).

Katarina Lah from Toxipedia mentions that pesticides have been used for thousands of

years. One of the first known pesticides was sulfur used in China around 1,000 BC to control

bacteria growth and mold. The Chinese were also the first to use pesticides to control insects

(Lah, para 1-2). According to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the term Pesticide is

very broad and within the term are many different substances that have different purposes.

Among the many different types, some of the major different forms of pesticides are:

Bactericides- used to stop or prevent the spread of bacteria; baits, made or mixed with

food to control animals and bugs.

Fungicides- used to destroy or make harmless fungus.

Genetically Modified organisms (GMOS)- modifying crops to make them more resistant

to pests and diseases or other herbicides

Herbicides- used to prevent further spreading of weeds and unwanted vegetation.

Insecticides- used to stop the attacks of insects.

Lures- used to attract a pest to a pesticide to terminate it.

Rodenticides- used specifically to control mice and rats.

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Repellents- used to repel instead of kill (Environment Protection Authority, para. 4-13).

The EPA states that pesticides are often made from substances that derive naturally but

are also made synthetically. Plant extracts are useful for controlling pests, but they are often

difficult to purify and produce in large quantities. Consequently, the modern use of plant-based

pesticides didn't significantly increase until advances were made in synthetic chemistry and pest

biology (Lah, para. 2). In the 1930s, synthetic chemistry began advancing rapidly and there

were many new pesticides developed by the early 1940s. In 1937 a group of German Scientists

made a compound called organophosphate. These compounds were originally kept secret during

World War II and they were developed to be used during warfare. After the war these were

repurposed as insecticides and many of the organophosphate insecticides are still used today

(Lah, para.3).

The EPA states that fruits and vegetables our children are eating are safer than ever.

The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) is constantly working on using safer, less toxic

pesticides and it has lead to a lower risk from pesticides (Food and Pesticides, para. 2). They also

state that the amount of pesticides that remain on food is very small after it has been harvested,

transported, exposed to light, washed, prepared and cooked (Food and Pesticides, para. 4)

Why Use Hormones?

August Mclaughlin, writer for Live Strong, suggests that Natural growth hormones are

essential in young animals and humans alike for healthy growth and development. However, the

controversy lies in artificial growth hormones that are approved for use to enhance the growth

rate of cattle, poultry, and other animals. Hormones are present in most animal products like

beef and poultry. These hormones include rbGH, which is used to promote milk production in
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cows. The steroid hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are also given to help with

growth and development (Mclaughlin, para 1-3).

The Food and Drug Administration is a federal agency of the U.S department of health

and human services. They are responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety

of the food supplies, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA has approved

multiple steroids/hormones for use in certain animals including estrogen, progesterone,

testosterone, and all of their synthetic versions. All of these steroids increase the animal's growth

rate and the efficiency that the animals convert food into more meat. Studies have shown that

the meat used from these treated animals are safe for people to eat and the steroids have caused

no harm in the animals or the environment. The FDA approves them because they are supposed

to be well below the amounts found in a human body, therefore, preventing any negative effects.

These steroids are usually used as implants that the owners place under the animals ear and

slowly dissolves under the skin, the ears of the animals are then discarded at slaughter. Steroid

implants are not approved to use in dairy cows, veal calves, pigs, or any poultry (Steroid

Hormone Implants Used for Growth in Food-Producing Animals, para. 1-4).

On the other end of the spectrum, Michael Sliwinski, a writer for Law Street Media,

research suggests that although hormones are used to make animals bigger and stronger there are

a lot of gray areas in terms of their health effects. The two largest concerns associated with the

use of hormones is the possible increased risk of cancer and early onset of puberty in children.

Existing studies have shown that on average, children have been starting puberty earlier than in

the past, which some scientists have linked partially to the presence of hormones in food.

Although food has low levels of these hormones, just the presence of them can cause children to

reach puberty earlier (para. 7-9). Seattle Organic Restaurants agrees with Sliwinskis research
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and says that some hormones can increase the chances of cancer, thyroid disease, diabetes,

obesity, infertility and more. Too much estrogen, which is used to control bone growth and

cholesterol levels as well as it is an important hormone for the female reproductive system and

development of female sexual hormones, has been linked to breast, prostate, and endometrial

cancer. These different types of hormones dont only exist in foods, but are a form of additives

in baby bottles, infant formulas, and food packaging. They think this is why they are seeing

hormone imbalances in women and young girls. Recent studies show that young girls are

developing puberty as young as the age of 10 (para. 1-3).

Writers for Organic Consumers carried out a study to assess the consequences of beef

consumption by pregnant women on their adult male children. After conducted by using many

mothers, the study showed that the sons of the mothers in the low beef consumption group (less

than 7 meals per week with beef) had a sperm concentration 24.3% higher than the sons of

mothers in the high beef consumption group (more than 7 meals per week). This same study also

showed that almost 18% of the sons born to women in the high beef consumption group had

sperm concentrations below the World Health Organizations threshold for subfertility, this also

supports our previous two writers claims that too much hormones can lead to infertility (para. 6-

9).

What Is Better? Organic vs. Conventional Food

What do the words organic food even mean? According to the Department for

Environment Food and Rural Affairs, organic food is the product of a farming system which

avoid the use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides; growth regulators and livestock feed additives.

Irradiation and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products produced from
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GMOs are generally prohibited by organic legislation (Department for Environment Food and

Rural Affairs, para. 1). Within the term of organic food, there are subterms to it. In the article

Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means written by Miles McEvoy, who is the

National Organic Deputy Administrator in Health Safety, states that to have the title of made

with organic ingredients ...at least 70%... of the product has to be made organically. To have

the label 100% organic it cannot have anything non-organic in it or used on it. Natural is not the

same as organic (McEvoy, para. 1-8) . The article written by Organic Its Worth It, classifies

natural as ...foods that are minimally processed and do not contain any hormones, antibiotics or

artificial flavors. For anything to be considered organic from meat to fruits and vegetables, there

is a very minimal amount or no amount of pesticides, hormones, or any other additives that are

man made put within the meat or fruits and vegetables (Organic Its Worth It, para. 1-2) .

There is a price difference in price between buying organic food and commercial food. In

an article written by Peter Weintraub for the Huffington Post called, Is Organic Food REALLY

Better for You? and on Consumer Reports: The Cost of Organic Food they both state that on

average, organic foods are 47% more expensive than commercially produced foods. In some

cases though, organic is the cheaper option or even the same price as a commercial item. Below

is an example of organic food prices and conventional food prices. A large reason to why organic

food is more expensive is because organic food is more labor intensive because fertilizers and

pesticides arent used as much as commercial farming. Another difference between organic food

and conventional food is the risk difference. The risk difference is the amount of risk that comes
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with consumption (Weintraub, para. 12 and

Consumer Reports, para, 1-4). In the article by

David C. Holzman on the Environmental Health

Perspectives website says that there is a 30% risk

difference between conventional and organic

foods. He continues to talk about what the 30%

is: it is a 30% lower risk of contamination

(Holzman, 10-26) . In another study done by

Newcastle University on Organic vs. Non-organic Food, they found that organically grown food

had higher amounts [18-69%] of antioxidants in them than conventionally grown foods. Higher

amounts of antioxidants help fight diseases from chronic disease to cancer. There is also an

average of 48% less heavy metals found in organically grown foods as well. Other benefits of

organic food is less use of pesticides if any are used, antibiotics, hormones and animal

byproducts arent given to livestock, and preservatives arent used as well (Newcastle

University, 1-15) .

No one knows everything that is actually in our food but this report just talks about a few

of the things that go into the consideration of picking out the foods we eat. The technology we

have is remarkable and what we can do with it is amazing, but is it the best thing for us?

Works Cited
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Breaking News. Pesticides - History, Katarina Lah, Sept. 2011,

www.toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Pesticides+-+History.

Departmentfor EnvironmentFood & Rural Affairs. Department for Environment, Food &

RuralAffairsGOV.UK,www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-

environment-food-rural-affairs

Environmental Health Perspectives Organic Food Conclusions Don't Tell the Whole Story.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, ehp.niehs.nih.gov/120-a458/.

Food and Pesticides. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 14 Mar. 2017,

www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/food-and-pesticides.

Food Matters. Sulphates and Sulphites the Good, the Moderately Bad and the Ugly,

www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/sulphites/articles/sulphates_sulphites.h

tml. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017

Hormones and GMO's in Our Food Supply. Hormones and GMOs in Our Food Supply,

seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-foods/hormones-gmos-harms/.

Marks, Tod. The Cost of Organic Food. Cost of Organic Food - Consumer Reports, 19 Mar.

2015,www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/cost-of-organic-

food/index.htm.
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McEvoy, Miles. Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means. USDA, USDA,

www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-

means.

McLaughlin, August. The Effects of Growth Hormones in Food.LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf

Group,14Aug.2017,www.livestrong.com/article/98816-effects-growth-hormones/.

Medicine, Center for Veterinary. ...Steroid Hormone Implants Used for Growth in Food... U S

Food and Drug Administration Home Page, Center for Veterinary Medicine,

www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/productsafetyinformation/ucm05543

6.htm

Naturalvs.Organic.Organic.It's Worth It, www.organicitsworthit.org/natural/natural-vs-

organic.

Organic Foods: What You Need to Know. Organic Foods: What You Need to Know: The

Benefits and Basics of Organic Food and How to Keep It Affordable,

www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm.

OrganicvsNon-OrganicFood.PressOffice,8Oct.2015,www.ncl.ac.uk/press/news/2015/10/orga

cvsnon-organicfood/.

Pesticides. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, 2017,

www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pesticides/index.cfm.
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Preservatives | Uses, Benefits, and Chemical Safety Facts. ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 22 Sept.

2017,

www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/preservatives/?tab=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmK3OBR

BKEiwAOL6t1JkPipu7c3q5zeZ2g0uF53MCpHeBEr96fUqqAVMCEActa7ftlT6

HbBoCrz4QAvD_BwE. Accessed 24 Sept. 2017.

Preservatives to keep foods longer and safer. Preservatives to keep foods longer and safer:

(EUFIC), www.eufic.org/en/whats-in-food/article/preservatives-to-keep-foods-

longer-and-safer. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017.

Sliwinski, Michael. What's in Your Food?: A Look at Regulating the Food Industry. Law

Street,23July2016,lawstreetmedia.com/issues/health-science/you-are-what-you-

eat-what-is-that-exactly/

Sulfur. University of Maryland Medical Center,

www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/sulfur. Accessed 20 Sept.

2017.

Weintraub, Peter. Is Organic Food REALLY Better for You? The Huffington Post,

TheHuffingtonPost.com,27Apr.2016,www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-weintraub-

/is-organic-food-really-be_b_9786964.html.