NPR Special Report: How Safe is the Food Supply?
Fighting Food-Based
Allergies
The audio for this program will be available online after 12PM ET, 9AM PT.
Aug. 17, 2001 -- Raising two toddlers is tough enough for any parent. But in Molly Craig's case, the job is even more demanding because one of her daughters, 2-year-old Claire, is severely allergic to peanuts, or any food that contains even the tiniest peanut particle.
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Molly Craig and her daughter Claire,
who has a severe food allergy |
"This is nuts, but you have to
check barcode," Craig tells NPR's Allison Aubrey as she checks Kellogg's
cereals. "If it starts with K or N, it's made in a peanut-free plant.
Otherwise it's not a peanut-safe plant." Ten years ago, parents like Craig
might never have heard about such contamination. But there has been a huge
increase in awareness of food allergies and their effects.
Each year, a couple of hundred people die from allergic reactions to common
foods including nuts, eggs, and wheat, and tens of thousands more are
hospitalized.
In the age of highly processed foods, there are dozens of ways common allergens
can inadvertently slip into the food supply. "We found that in a survey,
25 percent of the samples that were not supposed to have peanuts in fact did
have them," says Joe Levitt, director of Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition at the Food and Drug Administration. "That's
dangerous."
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"We found that in a survey, 25 percent of the
samples that were not supposed to have peanuts in fact did have them."
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Another problem for people with food
allergies is that labels often don't list trace ingredients. The food industry,
with pressure from consumer groups, is now promising new labeling systems and
is searching for better ways to avoid cross-contamination of allergens at
processing plants.
But Craig says she will remain vigilant until there are ways for parents to
test foods at home. At the grocery store, she often uses her cellphone to call
each manufacturer on the spot to check its allergen policies. "Not for a
moment can I let my guard down," she says.
Other Resources
For database of allergists and latest food industry recalls, visit Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis
Network.
For more information on proposed new label by the food industry, go to Food Processors Association.
Also visit Food and Drug
Administration's Web site for overall primer on the subject of food
allergy.
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Science & Health
# 349 AIDS in Zambia Morning
Edition
3 parts December 27-29, 2000
$21.70
Brenda Wilson
looks at the effects AIDS has taken on Zambia — in particular, its children.
It's a country where 30,000 children are born with the disease every year, most
of whom won't see their fifth birthday. The country's already struggling to
raise a huge population of orphans, some 600,000 of them. Wilson also profiles
communities that are pitching in to help victims and their families.
# 344 Osteoporosis All Things Considered
3 PARTS 8/30-9/1/2000
Osteoporosis received little public or medical attention until 10 or 15 years
ago. Now everyone knows about it. Milk ads and juice cartons tell us how to
prevent it. There are screening centers to diagnose it. And as we've heard,
there are drugs to treat it. Alison Richards has three reports on this disease that
is now squarely in the public spotlight.
# 321 Asbestos Contamination Morning Edition
3 PARTS 1/26-1/28/2000
Throughout much of the 20th century, the small town of Libby, Montana, was home
to one of the world's largest vermiculite mines. Vermiculite is a mineral
that's used in everything from insulation to animal feed to potting soil. But
Libby's rich vermiculite deposit was laced with asbestos, and now the town is
at the center of one of the worst incidents of asbestos contamination in
history. Hundreds of miners and their families fell sick or died as a result of
their exposure to the asbestos. In Libby, nearly 200 lawsuits have been filed
against the mine owner, W.R. Grace. More suits are pending elsewhere in
connection with the vermiculite that was shipped to dozens of processing plants
across the country. The mine was closed 10 years ago, but the Environmental
Protection Agency is investigating whether Libby residents still face health
risks.
#307 Human Genome Project All Things Considered
7/26-7/28/99 Harris, Richard (26 min)
$21.70
A decade ago, some prominent scientists set out to determine the complete genetic
blueprint of a human being. That meant decoding three billion bits of
information carried in the DNA in our cells. It seemed likean audacious goal at
the time, but 1999 is shaping up to be the year when most of our genetic code
will be deciphered. NPR's Richard Harris has the first of three reports on the
Human Genome Project.
#295 Dietary Supplements Morning Edition
3/26 - 4/2/99 Richard Harris
(51 min)
$21.70
Dietary supplements--vitamins, herbal remedies and similar products--are
generally safe, but there are some hazardous ones and it's not always easy for
the consumer to tell the good from the bad.
#290 Long Term Care All Things Considered
12/14- 12/18/98 various reporters (47 min)
$21.70
In the first of our five part series on nursing homes and long term care,
called Leaving Home For the Last Time: Long-Term Care In America, NPR's
Wendy Schmelzer looks at how families choose a home for their loved ones. We
look at two scenarios; one with a family sitting on the fence about their
decision, and another when a family has only days to find a good placement.
#200 Breast Cancer Journey Morning Edition
11/7-8, 11/30/94, 1/23-24/95, 1/2/96 Silberner (52 min)
$21.70
Women diagnosed with breast cancer undergo surgery, radiation, and
chemotherapy, in their battle against the disease. Another weapon has been
added - bone marrow transplants. This new treatment is considered risky,
costly, and nobody knows for sure if it's effective, yet, an increasing number
of women are trying bone marrow transplants, hoping to improve their chances of
survival. NPR's Joanne Silberner has the first of a series of reports on a
woman with breast cancer, Toby Quitslund, and how she's coping with the bone
marrow transplant decision.
#199 Subject is Sex Talk of the Nation
1/16/95 Suarez, Ray (120 min)(AUDIO ONLY)
$28.70
State of sex education in the United States.
#185 Tobacco Documents All Things Considered
6/14-16/94 Harris/Perl
(28 min)
$21.70
The tobacco industry has been the focus of intense scrutiny from the media,
Congress, and government agencies. Tobacco companies have been charged with
manipulating the levels of nicotine in cigarettes. The industry's also been
accused of hiding what it knew about the links between smoking and disease. Now
National Public Radio has obtained internal documents of the Brown and Williamson
Tobacco Company, the makers of Viceroy and Kool cigarettes. These documents
consist of more than 4,000 pages of reports, memos, scientific papers, public
relations releases, and legal papers primarily generated from the 1960s through
the 1980s.
The Brown and Williamson papers provide an unprecedented glimpse into the inner
workings of an often secretive industry and additional evidence of the
contradictions between what tobacco company officials told the world and what
they said to each other. This week we present a series of reports on what the
documents reveal.
#162 Organic Farming Morning Edition
11/1-4/93 Zwerdling, Daniel (30 min)
$21.70
In what amounts to a revolution in pockets of American agriculture, modern
agribusiness farms are kicking the chemical habit and going organic. They don't
use any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, shattering the notion that organic
methods work best on a small scale, as in your back yard. The Clinton
administration wants to help farmers reduce their dependence on petrochemicals.
NPR's Daniel Zwerdling reports that some brand name corporations are joining
the smaller farmers who've already done that.
American History & America Today
# 346 Leadership Morning
Edition
5 parts October 3-31 2000
$21.70
Susan Stamberg
examines the idea of leadership, and what qualities it takes to be a leader.
The series features five interviews with leaders, including amazon.com CEO Jeff
Bezos, legendary director Sydney Pollack, and the head of UNICEF, Carol
Bellamy.
# 358 Oil Century All Things Considered 3 parts March 7-9, 2001
$21.70
A three-part
series that examines the impact oil made in 20th century America. A spout on
Spindletop Hill in southeast Texas a century ago spawned an industry and
contributed to much of how we live our lives today. The series looks at the
history of Spindletop, examines the environmental damage oil has caused in Texas
groundwater, and looks at how new technological advances are revolutionizing
and reinventing the oil and gas industries.
#360 Literacy Morning Edition
5 parts March 19-23, 2001
$21.70
Is literacy the
ability to read and write, or is it something larger — what does it mean to be
a literate person in the 21st century? A series that examines literacy and
cultural literacy — as well as different methods of teaching reading, how
standards of testing affect teaching reading skills, and the inability of many
students to write well enough to succeed in college.
California Morning Edition
4 parts May 22-May 25, 2000
$21.70
The state of
California is different things to different people — it's still a new frontier
to many Americans, the first home in America for millions of immigrants, a
fascinating mosaic of people, and the trend setter for things and ideas that
eventually affect the rest of the country. This series looks at the role of an
all-Spanish radio station in Los Angeles, the important farming industry in the
state, the vital role water plays in Southern California, and the new issue of
"out-migration" — why many are leaving the state due to congestion
and lack of affordable housing.
# 329 National Security Agency Morning Edition
3 PARTS 3/14-3/16/2000
The National Security Agency is the most secretive of the 13 US intelligence
agencies. Its employees monitor the airwaves worldwide, tapping the
communications of both individuals and nations. They listen from airplanes
flying over combat zones and into wiretaps on private phones. The NSA is
currently under unusual public scrutiny. Civil liberties groups suspect the
agency may be spying on Americans and the government's own analysts suggest the
NSA is falling behind the pace of technological change.
# 317 GREAT THINKERS Morning Edition
6 PARTS 12/1-14/2000
As we approached the millennium, we asked some of the major thinkers in America
to choose a 20th century development in their area of expertise that they think
will endure into the next century.
# 325 UNSUNG HEROES OF CIVIL RIGHTS Morning Edition
5 PARTS 2/1-2/29
This series profiles men and women whose names may not be widely known, but who
have played a significant role in the nation's civil rights history.
#305 Getting and Spending Morning Edition
7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5/99 Gladstone, Brooke (43 min)
$21.70
The average adult sees some 3,600 advertisements a day. Add assorted logos and
labels and by some calculations, the total number of commercial images comes to
about 15,000. If you doubt it, consider that ads reach out from TV and radio
and newspapers and magazines, billboards and the sides of buses. They are
played in movie theaters, projected on ball fields and blared into your ear on
the telephone while you wait on hold. the psychology of getting and spending,
NPR's Brooke Gladstone examin
es the impact of endless advertising and the psychology of getting and
spending.
#304 US Legalized Gambling All Things Considered
6/21-6/24/99 various reporters (39 min)
$21.70
More and more states are allowing some form of legal gambling, from video poker
to state lotteries to casinos.
#303 Guns in America Morning Edition
6/14-6/18/99 various reporters (43 min)
$21.70
Recent school shootings have focused public attention on gun control and access
to firearms. This week Morning Edition will examine America's gun
culture.
#230 Bill of Rights Talk of the Nation
2/05, 2/14, 2/19, 2/26, 3/04, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/01, 4/08 1996 Suarez, Ray(10
hours)(AUDIO ONLY)
$84.70
Discussions about the Bill of Rights, amendment by amendment.
#195 TN: 20 Century US Presidents Talk of the Nation
10/10-1/9/95 Suarez, Ray (13 hours)(AUDIO ONLY)
$105.70
Discussions with historians and intimates of the Presidents of the 20th
Century.
#201 WW11 50th Anniversary Talk of the Nation
01/30/1995 Suarez, Ray
(8 Hours)(AUDIO ONLY)
$70.70
Remembering World War II from the battlefields to the homefront.
#158 Supreme Court Tape Morning Edition
8/30-9/1/93 Totenberg, Nina
(17 min)
$21.70
Since 1955, the Supreme Court has tape-recorded all arguments heard in the
courtroom. Access to those tapes has been limited to scholars, researchers, and
reporters, who apply to the National Archives and sign an agreement promising
not to reproduce the recordings for public use or broadcast. A scholar has
broken that promise, and the result is a set of edited tape-recordings that are
available in bookstores across the country. NPR Legal Affairs Correspondent
Nina Totenberg reports.
Religion
# 308 Polygamy in the U.S. Morning
Edition
3 PARTS 8/10-8/12/99
Polygamy survives and thrives in Utah, a remnant of Mormon pioneers. They
believe the practice was ordained by God to quickly build a religious kingdom
of righteous people. The Mormon, or LDS Church, eventually abandoned polygamy
in the face of national outrage. It ex-communicates polygamists now. But
polygamy persists in suburban Salt Lake City compounds, in entire towns of
massive homes and in scattered settlements in the desert.
#297 Youth and Religion All Things Considered
3/1, 4/8, 5/31, 7/7/99 Neary, Lynn (50 min)
$21.70
For much of this decade, the phrase `generation X' has been used to define
young people in their 20s and early 30s. The label is usually scorned by those
it aims to describe. Gen Xers are often characterized as too cynical, too
apathetic, too self-absorbed to believe in much of anything. Yet on Sunday
evenings in Seattle, two popular gathering places for the gen X set are
churches, two very different kinds of churches. NPR's Lynn Neary reports on
what these gen Xers might be looking for and finding in church.
#221 Islam In America Morning Edition
11/7-11/95 Neary, Lynn (40 min)
$21.70
When most Americans hear the word Muslim they think of Arabs but, in the United
States, the immigrant Muslim community is a rich mix of people from Asia, the
Middle East, and Africa. The largest number of immigrants come from South Asian
countries such as India and Pakistan. The influx of immigrant Muslims to the
United States is on of the reasons for the rapid growth of Islam here. It's
estimated that at least five million Muslims live here and not all of them have
settled in the big cities of the East and West Coast.
#208 Islam in Europe All Things Considered/Morning Edition
3/27-28,31/95 Poggioli, Sylvia (80 min)
$35.70
There are an estimated 10 million Muslim immigrants living in Western Europe,
most of them in Germany, Britain, and France. And with the rise of militant
Islam in some of the immigrants' native countries, many Europeans are worried
that the militancy could spread to their shores.
#166 Ten Commandments Talk of the Nation
1/17-3/21/94 Suarez, Ray
(10 hours)(AUDIO ONLY)
$84.70
A Talmudic scholar, philosopher, a crime novelist, and a rap artist, are among
the guests who discuss the Ten Commandments, one by one.
#147 Beyond the Veil: Women in Islam Morning Edition/All Things
Considered/Weekend All Things Considered/Weekend Edition
2/8,9,13,14/93 Davis, Joyce (28 min)
$21.70
An estimated one billion people throughout the world are Muslims, united by
belief in one god and in the prophet Muhammad, but Muslims do not all agree on
how to interpret their holy book, The Koran, or how to implement these
principles in daily life, especially in regard to the role of women. In some
countries of the Middle East, religious authorities have convinced the
government to keep women segregated from public life, without the right to vote
or to have any direct voice in government. But that is not the total picture.
In fact, in most of the Muslim world, things are quite different. A growing
movement of intellectuals argue that Islam was never meant to confine women but
to free them, and some of the strongest arguments are coming from people the
West would label fundamentalists.
Foreign Affairs
# 313 Fall of Communism 5 Parts
Morning Edition
11/1-11/5/1999
This series marks the 10th anniversary of the dismantling of the Berlin Wall.
On November 9th, 1989, the Communist government of East Germany announced its
citizens were free to travel anywhere. That night, thousands of East and West
Germans held a giant party at the Wall and began tearing it down. That
evening's events sparked great optimism and expectation. But 10 years later,
many of those hopes remain unrealized.
# 315 Iran Hostage Anniversary 3 Parts Morning Edition
11/3-11/5/1999
Twenty years ago, in the fall of 1979, Americans heard, again and again, the
sound of angry, young demonstrators outside an embassy in a country few
Americans had visited and even fewer understood. On November 4th, Iranian
militants seized the US Embassy in Tehran and took scores of American hostages.
Fifty-two of them would be held captive for 444 days. The siege dominated the
news and nearly paralyzed the presidency of Jimmy Carter.
# 316 Monsoon Diary 3 Parts Weekend Edition Sunday
7/4, 8/8/, 9/12/1999
In much of Asia, perhaps the most important natural event is the monsoon. It
begins toward the end of June and lasts until mid-September. In India, life is
defined by the monsoon. If it appears on schedule, the dams and irrigation
canals fill and the harvest will be good. If it fails, misery and hard times
are ahead. Producer Julian Crandall Hollick wanted to experience what Indians
call the rainy season, so he decided to go to Kanpur, an old industrial city on
the banks of the Ganges in northern India.
# 318 War Crimes 8 Parts ME,ATC,WESAT
12/1-12/20/1999
More than a half a century after the Holocaust of the Second World War, the
world is still witnessing genocide and widespread war crimes. The use of
slaughter as a tool of war persists from Bosnia to Rwanda, from Sierra Leone to
Kosovo. It poses difficult, perhaps unanswerable questions about of the nature
of conflicts and the use of force to prevent crimes against humanity.
# 319 UN Peacekeepers 5 Parts Morning Edition
12/20-12/24/1999
The United Nations was established in the aftermath of the most terrible war
the world had ever seen. It was born with the idea it could prevent new world
wars from starting, and what better way to do that than by deploying UN troops
as peacekeepers in the world's hot spots? First in the Middle East, later in
Africa and beyond. By the 1960s, soldiers in blue helmets were among the
best-known symbols of the United Nations around the world, and they were
basking in glory. This series reports on the UN peacekeeping record and the
challenges ahead.
Entertainment and Culture
# 332 Play by Play Morning Edition
Spring-Summer 2000
In Aberdeen, Maryland, tonight, a new baseball team will take the field for the
first time. The Aberdeen Arsenal is an expansion franchise in the upstart
Atlantic League, one of the independent leagues that have sprung up across the
country. They bring professional baseball to cities and towns unserved by the
official minor leagues. The Arsenal has a few players with major-league
experience, a lot of career minor-leaguers and a couple who will play their
first professional game this season. They also have a rookie in the radio
booth. NPR's Neal Conan took a leave of absence from his duties here to
broadcast baseball this summer. His experiences are chronicled in this series
of commentaries called Play-By-Play.