When you go to the grocery store, how often do you take the time to read what’s on the back of the package? How often do you do research on what's in the food you fix for yourself and your kids?
These were just two of the many questions that were answered at the ‘Food Myths’ seminar organized by the Extension offices from Franklin, Colbert, and Lauderdale counties. The event featured speakers from Georgia, Auburn and Huntsville whose focus was to educate the public on food safety and food awareness.
One of the speakers at the seminar was Lisa Kriese-Anderson from Georgia. Anderson worked previously as a beef producer consultant and helped decide which bulls were best for breeding. Anderson said she does the seminars for many different reasons.
“A lot of people have misconceptions about the things that are in their food, such as hormones, preservatives and other things,” Anderson said. “We want to help people find answers to the questions they have been asking for years, and we also want the parents to feel good about the products they’re buying and have a knowledge of what they’re serving their families.”
Alex Tigue graduated from Auburn with a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and a master’s degree in meat science. Before he began working for the Extension Office, he previously worked in the commercial poultry business. Tigue said his passion for dealing with the ‘Food Myths’ program began years ago and that it's something he enjoys doing.
“During college I was a part of a group that did research on the many myths that exist about a lot of the foods we eat, and I had a great time doing it and wanted to continue once I left college,” Tigue said. “We have the safest food supply in the world. It is safe and nutritious, and a lot of people are skeptical about the food they eat. If people want to make smart choices about what they eat, they need to understand the differences between the facts and the marketing schemes that are out there.”
The final speaker of the night was Dr. Rudy Pucumbaba, who studied and taught at Alabama A&M University before joining the Urban Affairs unit in the Extension Office. Dr. Pucumbaba’s research focuses mostly on GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms) and the perks they might have on our food supply.
“We have gotten together with the Cattleman’s Associations from different counties and discussed with them about the effects that GMO’s might have on the beef supply,” Pucumbaba said. “Both GMO’s and hybridization could help us understand some of the diseases that plague some of our farmer’s crops. The GMO’s can be used in all branches of science, and it's a tool that is used and should be used by farmers everywhere. It's very well regulated and, according to all of the studies, they are very safe.”
According to Tigue, this was approximately the 15th seminar that the group has held. They have participated in multiple counties across Alabama, and they are hoping to have more seminars in the near future.
