image from gourmet.com

We sent editorial intern James Williford to attend the Tate Lecture Series with Michael Pollan, the best-selling author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. Here’s what he learned from the Pollanator:

Last night, after toting bagfuls of Tom Thumb groceries onstage at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium, Michael Pollan opened this year’s Oncor Lecture with a familiar pronouncement: Americans have a disastrous relationship with food. Aside from an apple, the locally-bought foodstuffs—which, one after another, he pulled out of the bags and joked wryly about—were over-processed junk with appallingly misleading label copy. Holding up an almost neon-yellow tube, he said: “No one has ever confused Pringles with health food, right? But now you can get Pringles Multigrain. ‘Cheesy Cheddar,’ artificially flavored, but multigrain. So that’s a real winner. You put ‘multigrain’ on everything, because we’ve read that it’s good for you.” The audience laughed.

Pollan has his shtick down, but his message is serious and not quite as uncontroversial as it might at first seem. It’s not just the quality of the food that we eat, he says, but the way that we think about food in general that, over the last 30 years or so, has swelled our guts, impoverished our culinary culture, and left us increasingly susceptible to coronary disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. And how do we think about food? As nutrition.

According to Pollan, we don’t see whole, simple, recognizable items to be placed on the table and consumed anymore—we see a collection of nutrients, each either “good” or “bad,” depending on the prevailing and highly variable trends in dietary research and marketing. “You don’t eat a steak,” he said, “you eat a quantity of protein and fat and salt and iron.”

He calls this attitude “nutritionism,” and identifies it as an ideology, not a science. Consider: Have you ever seen a nutrient? Most of us don’t spend our time peering through microscopes at our dinner plates. And even if we did, without at least a modicum of scientific training, we wouldn’t be able to distinguish the carbohydrates from the proteins, much less decide which of the two we should be putting into our bodies and in what amounts. Nutrients are effectively invisible. And the upshot of basing our understanding of food on its invisible qualities is that we have to rely on experts to tell us what to eat. “It’s sort of like a religion,” Pollan said, “a religion in which the gods no longer talk to us. You then need a priesthood to mediate your relationship to those gods. Well, we’ve come to that point. We need a priesthood of experts.”

The problem with that, of course, is that the experts don’t quite seem to know what they’re talking about—not yet. Their science is young, given to errors, and too easily co-opted by crafty big food marketers (recall those “healthful” Pringles). We don’t know, Pollan pointed out, exactly what happens to our bodies when we drink a soda, or why we have as many neurons in our stomachs as we have in our spinal columns (“What are they thinking?”), or why some people get sick from beta carotene extracted from carrots. Our blind faith is an unproven science, he argues, at the heart of our dietary dysfunction. “As I see it, nutrition science is today approximately where surgery was in the year 1650—really promising, really interesting to watch, but I think I’ll wait to get up on the table.”

In the meantime, Pollan insists, the situation isn’t hopeless. His advice poses the wisdom of culture—which he says is just another word for “mom”—against the bizarre logic of nutritionism. “Don’t eat meat in an airport,” he remarked, reading one of the 83 rules detailed in his latest book, Food Rules. “Avoid products containing ingredients that a third grader can’t pronounce.” And one of his favorites, “The Great-Grandma Rule”: “Pretend that your great-grandmother is there with you, rolling down the aisles of the supermarket. If she would not recognize something as food, then it’s not food.”

“Siri, how do you like the steak?”

“What do you think of the waiter, Siri?”

“Siri, your microphone icon is lookin’ sexy tonight.”

A better title for your column, Mr. Reitz, would be “Five Places to Take Your Phone Out on a Date.” That means you need a fifth restaurant, though, because it’s pretty impossible to eat tacos and touch your phone at the same time.

Editor’s Note: Please come back after you pick up your sense of humor from the dry cleaner’s! Have a nice weekend.

SideDish @scottreitz I question people who eat out alone and commenters are bashing me for it. bit.ly/y6COek #nobodycantakeajoke

Scott Reitz @DSideDish Siri is a shit date anyway. She doesn’t put out.

SideDish @scottreitz Sounds like you have some experience, eh?

Scott Reitz @DSideDish try. It’s funny. She’ll tell you “she’s not that kind of assistant.”

Even tequila can be political…and not because of how or where it is made, but because of the man who makes it.  Two weeks ago the latest venture from singer-song writer, performer, entrepreneur, author, and former Texas Gubernatorial candidate, Kinky Friedman, launched, Man In Black Tequila.  A tequila for every man, a tequila of independence, a tequila that actually tastes like something more than the overly processed, filtered, sanitized and homogenized products that populate the shelves of liquor stores today.

I sat down with Kinky earlier today to learn more on the product he calls the “ultimate expression of the art of distillation,” and a tribute to “men like Paladin, Zorro and Johnny Cash who had moral clarity, knew right from wrong and tried to be a man of the people, unlike many who lead our country today.  A hero or scoundrel, he was the force to be dealt with.”  Our visit also led into his former run for Governor of Texas in 2006 and his continued firm beliefs of how to improve the state.  He still believes that the state could be better run by musicians than politicians, as musicians do get up late but work late and they would be honest, and musicians understand the qualities needed to be a true artist – that you have to struggle, you have to be lonely and you have be ahead of your time and behind on your rent. Something he notes not many politicians understand.

So why tequila?
He couldn’t get Guinness on draft, so tequila is a good stage drink, which is coming in handy during his current “Southern Discomfort” tour through 16 cities in the South, where Man In Black is giving his last two good taste buds one heck of  a party, and like a Barry Manilow song “will make you feel very good for a short period of time.”  The idea behind Man In Black Tequila was to abandon all 21st Century distilling techniques and instead use copper stills, like they did in the old fashioned Mexican distilling days, with the best quality 8,9 and 10 year old Weber Blue Agave grown in the Jalisco Highlands of Mexico.  This tequila tastes like the land, filtered just once to remove impurities, with aromatic floral, citrus and smoky aromas and smooth flavor coming from the quality of the plant, not over-processing and repeated filtering.

The brand comes in four styles, Plata, Reposado, Anejo and Black Extra Anejo, or Tequila Noir according to Kinky.  The Reposado is the tequila Zorro would drink, or any person with a little mystery behind them. His tequila for the people, aged 8 months in charred American white oak barrels, this is Kinky’s smoke of life and tequila for the man who could do it all, but didn’t feel the need to prove it.  The two Anejo Tequilas both rest in French red oak for at least 14 months, with the Extra Anejo aged for 8 years.  Kinky wanted to call the 8 year aged “Tequila Noir” for the dark, shadowy, smoky color and flavor, but Mexican officials wouldn’t allow a French word to be used with the product of its national pride.  Like everything with Kinky, there is a story.

This is his salute to the people.  According to Kinky, if you want to be a man of the people, drink a tequila for the people…his Man In Black.

After drinking, you may be up for contributing to what will surely be his next run for Governor.  He is definitely still interested and deeply concerned for our state’s future, with a hope to see beyond the horizon, much like he says Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan and Ann Richards did in their time.

Many think he is a comedian.  He is not.  He is a passionate, interesting, well read independent who believes in heros, a great cigar and quality tequila, drunk cowboy style.  Next time you see Kinky ask him how that is done.  A portion of all profits from Man In Black Tequila goes to support the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, a never kill animal shelter in the Hill Country .

My initial response is: if you can circle the earth twice, why don’t you just drop off a few million pounds in places where one chicken for a village causes more excitement than the Super Bowl.

My secondary response is actually a question: How many chickens does it take to make 25 billion chicken wings. Hah! You say: do the math dummy; one chicken has only two wings. But your assumption would be wrong. I turned to the Wing-onomics department (true!) at The National Chicken Council for an answer.

You’ll have to jump because you, like chickens, cannot fly.

Wing-onomics

The vast majority of wings, especially those destined for foodservice, are disjointed, with the third joint (the thin part known as the flapper) being exported to Asian countries and the meatier first and second joints being sold domestically.  The wing is usually split into two parts or portions, known as the “drumette” and the mid-section or “flat” and sold to food service or retail outlets.

A chicken has two wings, and chicken companies are not able to produce wings without the rest of the chicken.  Therefore, the supply of wings is limited by the total number of chickens produced.  When the demand for wings is stronger than the demand for other chicken parts, the price of wings will go up. Wing prices always go up in the fourth quarter of the year as restaurants stock up for the Super Bowl and prices usually peak in January during the run-up to the big game.

In the Midwest, for instance which includes Indianapolis, home of Super Bowl XLVI, the price of wings (whole) for the week of January 16-20, 2012 was $1.96/lb wholesale, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Poultry Market News Service.   This represents a 50 percent increase in price from six months ago in July, 2011.

“The good news for consumers,” said NCC’s Roenigk, “is that food service and retail outlets generally plan months in advance for the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl Sunday, meaning that increased wholesale costs for the most part aren’t passed on to consumers’ plates.”

That’s great news. You might find this interesting as well.

According to NPD Group data, not all regions of the country are equal when it comes to eating wings.

This year’s Super Bowl matchup between the New York Giants and New England Patriots should hold wing consumption relatively steady compared to last year’s levels.   That is because New Englanders and Patriots fans are six percent less likely than the national average to order chicken wings at a food service establishment, but fans of the New York Giants and those others in the Mid-Atlantic region are 24 percent more likely.

A New York Giants – Baltimore Ravens match-up would have produced maximum wing consumption out of the four possible Super Bowl match-ups.   Those in the South Atlantic region, including Ravens fans, are 27 percent more likely than the national average to order chicken wings at a food service establishment.

Should the San Francisco 49ers have won in overtime and faced the Patriots, wing consumption would have taken a hit. Those in the in the Pacific region are 34 percent less likely to order wings.

I didn’t have the balls (that’s another story) to ask what would have happened if the Dallas Cowboys had made it to the Super Bowl, but my guess is that sales at Wingstop, based in Richardson, would have quadrupled and they would have probably had to rely on duck or grackle wings to meet the demand. As it is, Wingstop, with 500 locations, plans to “sauce and toss 5.6 Million Wings on Super Sunday.”

Chicken pot pie at Lady & Sons in 2008. One serving could feed a family of four.

In August 2008, I traveled to Savannah, Georgia where I dined at Paula Deen’s restaurant Lady & Sons. We ran a post titled “Paula Deen Wants to Kill You.” I wrote:

I can still smell the rancid butter that hit us in the face when we walked in the door. I’ve got to find the pictures I took of the food I ate–everything was dripping in butter. I remember the chicken pot pie was big enough for four and almost everything was fried. OK, she admits she’s “not your cardiologist,” but she really is contributing to the delinquency of dieters. The night we went, at least 75 per cent of the diners were beyond overweight–they were obese. It was sad–like people watching at the slots in Vegas–everyone was gambling with their lives.

Last week Paula Deen confirmed the rumor: she has Type 2 diabetes. I wonder how many of her dedicated fans also suffer from Type 2? This really chaps my sass because two members of my family didn’t have a choice: they both were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when they were young. They have to continually monitor their diet and control their blood sugar. However, Ms. Deen, and other people who put on blinders and continue to fill their body with fat and sugar, had an option. Like not eating a burger made with Krispy Kreme donuts. It’s now rumored that Deen may become the spokesperson for Novartis, a company with a drug designed to treat diabetes. If she personally profits from developing Type 2 diabetes (Hey yáll, I’m your endocrinologist!), I’m going to go berserk. I can already see the talk show circuit lighting up. It makes me sick.

I admit I was extremely uncomfortable. Not because he was religious and blessed his every meal and minute on earth, but, and I don’t know how to put this gently, because I felt he was imposing his beliefs on me. Now don’t go all crazy on me, I am being honest. Looking back at it, I realize it wasn’t that big of a deal. However, I would like to hear what you think about this situation. Should he have asked me if I would have liked to join in prayer or was it “fair” that he grabbed my hand and assumed it was okay?

I deputized Disher Melisa Ambers to cover last night’s sold-out Café Momentum dinner at the the Communities Foundation of Texas on Caruth-Haven. The concept behind the dinner series, developed by Chad Houser and Janice Provost of Parigi, is dedicated to teaching young, at-risk youth with life skills. Café Momentum works closely with the programs of the Youth Village Resources of Dallas. Local chefs and volunteers donate time and product and the kids work alongside the pros. Their common goal is to open a permanent restaurant for the program.

Last night was the largest and most formal Café Momentum dinner to date. The young men, under the direction of Phil Willis,  delivered flawless fine dining service. They passes appetizers in the foyer as the 100 guests arrived. Most of the young men were veterans; only one had never been a part of Cafe Momentum before. One of them, in fact, has already graduated from the culinary program at the Youth Village and has finished his time at the detention facility. He’s back in school but wanted to volunteer.

Jump for photos and the full report.

Spinach and Jicama Salad with Hibiscus Vinaigrette and Grilled Homemade Queso Fresco.(photo by Melisa Ambers)

The crowd was a mix of repeats–some have been to all dinners to date–and new faces. While the dinners are an important part of the fundraising efforts, the organization is still in search of larger donations to help open the restaurant. To date, they’ve raised more than $50,000, through the pop-up dinners, including one private event coming up later this month at the Farmers Market, as well as individual donations. Upcoming dinners are sold out through December. Next up: Matt McCallister, at Hibiscus. Brian Luscher is December’s chef, and he’ll be cooking at Cane Rosso. The organization has a new website (www.cafemomentum.org), with a photo gallery from past events and information about the guest chefs.

Abraham Salum’s menu was delightful. People went bonkers over the corn soup. He said he had plans to add the corn soup to the menu at Komali–which elicited cheers from the crowd. But the biggest news of the evening came from two of the kids in the program: One of the young men has gotten a job in the restaurant industry; another got his GED and a $1,000 scholarship.

Here is the menu.

PASSED

Cream of Sweet Corn, Huitlacoche Sauté, Crispy Tortilla Julienne. (photo by Melisa Ambers)

Roasted Snapper Fillet, Pumpkin Seed Pipian, Nopal Salad. (photo by Melisa Ambers)

Mini Shrimp Tostadas with Aguachile

Beef Tinga Sopes

Wild Mushroom Flautas with Avocado Salsa Verde

FIRST COURSE

Spinach and Jicama Salad with Hibiscus Vinaigrette and Grilled Homemade Queso Fresco

SECOND COURSE

Cream of Sweet Corn, Huitlacoche Sauté, Crispy Tortilla Julienne

THIRD COURSE

Capirotada, Mexican Bread Pudding with Fresh Mango and Queso Cotija. (photo by Melisa Ambers)

Roasted Snapper Fillet, Pumpkin Seed Pipian, Nopal Salad

FOURTH COURSE

Seared Pork Tenderloin, Chicharron Crust, Pasilla Mole and Cilantro Rice

DESSERT

Capirotada, Mexican Bread Pudding with Fresh Mango and QuesoCotija

This quick assessment from a professional food critic who reviewed Dallas restaurants while taking copious amounts of sinus medication? After my ENT doctor read about Raskin’s sinus problems,  he called me and said: “She had no business reviewing restaurants. Her palate was dead.” If I were a restaurateur who was reviewed during her reign, I’d be demanding a redo. No wonder she called Dallas a “dining nowhereville.” She wasn’t able to taste anything. She blathers on:

I shouldn’t be surprised that the imagined relationship between rigorous professional criticism and good food doesn’t hold up. I moved here from Dallas, a city that’s covered ruthlessly by established food critics, including the Dallas Morning News‘ Leslie Brenner, D Magazine’s Nancy Nichols, and Texas Monthly’s Pat Sharpe. The food there isn’t any better for it.

Hanna, you take one trip to Portland and declare “Portland appears to have entered the post-professional critic era, and the food scene hasn’t suffered.” Oh my. I need a Xanax. Writers in Portland were sadly laid off by print publications. Raskin should be next.

I’m guessing you have a lot to say about the hair-splitting (or cavernous) distinction. I do so love a debate.

Tom Spicer: "Even cucumbers need a little shade."

This unedited list just in from Spiceman:

Developing and properly staffing any small business operation, especially a farm of any size, on less than a budget of shoe string potatoes isn’t easy… then throw a tanked economy on that camel. Fewph!

But I’ve DONE IT! My garden is filled out and flush, The new deck we built less than a year ago RULES, I have awesome garden workers, 2 lovely ladies to assist you with your produce needs (Ellen and Nicole)…now all I need is a driver.

Ok nuff said…here comes the good stuff:

Louisiana Chanterelles by this coming Wednesday…got the call from my buddies while they were still on a 12′ flat bottom boat, 15 hp Mercury trolling motor with a dingy loaded with ice chest of chanterelles in tow.

The Pacific Northwest continues to be the main stay of wild mushroomies though new venues like Montana are pushing up morels

Wild Sea Beans are here and looking to get some Huckleberries soon.

South Texas (Carizzo Springs and Sandia) are producing some really fine tasting melons, Canary/crenshaw, Israeli and Sugar Queen.

Marfa, TX Tomatoes are gapping but new crop Marfa maters may show as early as this comming Friday. These tomatoes are the best, utilitarian tomatoes for restaurants that blow through cases every day. I’ve had a hard time getting as good of a tomato out of Tennessee or back east.

Wolf Creek Farm in Tioga, TX is done on heirlooms but has still been delivering the finest produce selection (as usual) hats off to Tim McCullough… consisting primarily of Marconi and Gypsy peppers, baby okra, some eggplant, cipollini onions and really awseome jarred and “put up” bread n’ butter pickles, dill pickles, smoked red jalapeno salsa, Pesto made with his peacns in lieu of pine nuts, heirloom tomato base sauce, asian pear butter. His processing kitchen that runs the length of his barn is a work of art and state of the art. Another incredibly beautiful farm.

Sid Greer of Greer Farm in Daingerfield, Tx (stunningly beuatiful farm) has loaded me down with the best blueberries I’ve ever eaten…perhaps with the exception of those tiny lil Maine blueberries…Please come carry them berries away while they last.

Our FM 1410 Garden has arugula out the wazoogula in sizes and varietes from micro, petite, baby and full blown Wild (the word for wild in Mexico is Sylvestre though we call it Sylvetta and in France wild foraged is called Savage) also have Rucola, the Italian varietal.  We have in spades all the wild salads which love the summer heat and thus take the place of cooler weather salad greens like lettuces…what are those weeds? 4 varieties of amaranth including 2 varieties of the Jamaican Spinach they call Calaloo…I also have the coleus leaf varietal called Merah that I’ve deemed it ”Calico Calaloo” which normally I’d write a poem about however it’s not flowing here and now but this other stuff I’m telling you about is.

Then, 2 varieties of purslane (very high in triomega amino acids)  blended with 2 varieties of Lambs Quarters aka Quelites (K-lee-tes) in Mexico. This is an awesome salad blend of what Neal Sperry refers to as “noxious weeds” so come score a bag of  “Salad Noxois” or if you prefer “Weedorf Salad”. We toss in the sour, lemmony herb Red Veined Sorrel, and  Fennel Flowers, Salad Burnette (a nice cucumbery salad pot herb)and Red stem Malibar Spinach (no room for a kitchen sink in this salad)

Then there’s Lemon Basil, Thai Basil, Shiso, aka Oba Leaves (Japanes Basil-Mint)

The first thing we pick out back in the morning are the squash blossoms….and plenty for all of Dallas.

Ok, Have some freestone peaches from Terrel, Tx. don’t know how long I’ll be able to get them but have them now.

I’ll be picking up 240# of 5 varieties of fresh shelled legumes most of which are to air cargoed to Boston within hours of procuring them. Speckled Butter Beans, Creamer peas, Crowders, Purple Hull and Lima beans. I’ll keep some for us otay pankies? OTAY.

Have some nice fresh Sumac, Fennel Pollen and Dill Pollen in house. Ok friends, thank you for your support and sorry I didn’t post prices it just holds up the process of getting this info out to you. Besides…let me say that most of you know that I’m competitively priced on retail as well as wholesale.

As a reminder to my Chefs…we offer a consitant supply of commodity produce, e.g. a full line of Fresh herbs, Salad greens in spades, mushrooms too, accented with the best tasting seasonal fruits and veg. So come on down and shop hungry.

Best regards

Spiceman

Spiceman’s FM 1410
1410 B North Fitzhugh Ave.
Dallas, TX 75024

Read on…In it, she writes:

In 1960, there were just over three billion people alive in the world; now there are close to seven billion. So the global population of humans has more than doubled in 50 years. But at the same time people around the world have demanded more and more meat. (Consumption of animal products tracks closely with income, and, in the long term, per capita income has risen hugely.) So what has that meant for global livestock populations? Massive, massive growth.

In 1961, there were 3.9 billion chickens on earth, just over one per person. Now there are 19 billion, according to UN data analyzed by the Economist. That’s three for every person alive. The next most populous livestock is cattle; there are 1.4 billion of them.

Wild animals, meanwhile, have not fared as well. Since 1960, the global population of wild animals have tumbled by a quarter.

Now, I’m no economist, but I do have some questions. Given the massive numbers of religious and social vegetarians around the world and the number of people for whom chicken (or any meat) is still a luxury, the numbers grow even more staggering. My husband and I consume some chicken, but not more than one per week. I’m guessing you could probably say the same.

So,

• Are the numbers supply-driven or, like best-seller lists, are they based on projections?
• What happens to all of the waste?
• How many of those chickens end up being consumed in the US versus other countries?

Your thoughts?

If you spot the word YUM in a post after today, you will win a prize. Carry on.

California fisherman need fish in the ocean.

Flaming Bananas Foster injures four in Florida.

Where to sign the “Carne Asada is Not a Crime” petition.

LeBron James has all summer to choke chew on his mouthguard.

Texas peaches are available at the Dallas Farmers Market. However, the situation inside Shed 2 is anything but peachy.

Forgive me as I step up on my soap box for a minute. Last Sunday, I took my family to lunch at Pecan Lodge Catering in Shed 2 of the Dallas Farmers Market. I’m a long-time supporter of local farmers and both D Magazine and SideDish have promoted many of the events, cooking classes, and developments that take place at DFM. But I’ve got to say, I’m very disappointed in the progress inside Shed 2. The air-conditioned space designed to encourage local, artisanal food vendors and local handicrafters is still half-empty. At 1:00PM last Sunday, the cavernous space was sparsely populated. Unfair Park’s Robert Wilonsky wrote a great piece on the economic reality the vendors face: high month-to-month rents and little security as vendors can be moved at any time for any reason. (It’s all here.)

Fried chicken from Pecan Lodge Catering at the Dallas Farmers Market.

(Stepping down) Anywhoo, despite what goes on behind the scenes, we had a great time hanging in Shed 2. First, we feasted at Pecan Lodge Catering. As I mentioned earlier today, the barbecue side of PLC’s menu was “closed” because they were putting the finishing touches on their new smokehouse. Instead of going for the usual burnt ends, we explored other items on the menu. And you know what I found? The best piece of fried chicken in Dallas. The guy in line behind me said, “I drive all the way from Balch Springs every weekend to eat this chicken.” Who is going to argue with that?

Jump for more goodness.

I also caught up with Ben Rikhilal at Kurry King. He moved out of Shed 2 when the new rent rules went into play, but moved back in last June. What I didn’t know is that the affable Rikhilal played soccer for South Africa in the 1968 World Cup. “We lost in the first round,” Rikhilal said. “But I went on to become the president of soccer in South Africa.” Today, thanks to the high rent he is paying, he is barely making ends meet. I suggest you stock up on his products. His dip spices are a must have for your pantry as is his white bean chili mix.

We couldn’t miss Paul Wackym, the energetic pusher behind the addictive Wackym Cookies. My perfect nephew depleted Paul’s salted caramel samples. (I prefer the crunchy margarita cookies.) Since he started sampling his cookies at the Farmers Market, Paul has managed to get his cookies on the shelves in grocery stores around town. Brian Luscher serves them in his restaurant, The Grape.

Texas blueberries for $3 a pint.

Outside, our local farmers were slicing and selling some fine fruits and vegetables. I have a bag of peaches and a bowl of blueberries sitting on my desk.

I urge you to take a cooking class, participate in Days of Taste, join Farmers Market Friends, and get to know the regular vendors at the Dallas Farmers Market. They are so devoted to bringing you local goodies.  It breaks my heart to learn how hard Ben Rikhilal works to cover his costs.

Many consumers don’t realize that the FDA does not require genetically modified food to be labeled. That’s because the FDA has decided that you don’t care if the tomato you are eating has been cross bred with frog genes to render the tomato more resistant to cold weather. Some consumers may not be concerned with eating “Franken Food”, but for those who are, here is how to determine if the fruits and vegetables you’re buying are (GM) genetically modified.

For conventionally grown fruit (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8. Example: A conventionally grown banana would be 4011. An organically grown banana would be 94011. A genetically engineered banana would be 84011.

Dr. Dirt has more guidelines for steering clear of GM foods in your diet. Click here. If you have questions on this newsletter or any other topic, check his radio show schedule. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.