Valerie
Baird
Blog post 3: Environmental impacts of your meal of product
May 2, 2017
One of my items is boneless chicken
breast from the Roundy’s production in Kenosha Wisconsin. These items get sold
to supermarket chains with 166 stores of Wisconsin and Illinois. What I buy is
the fresh and never frozen chicken breast. The second item I am going to write
about is Campbell cream of chicken condensed soup. Campbell Soup Company is a
global food company headquartered in Camden NJ. The chicken I had round some
research on what exactly is this chicken and where it had come from. The Jedwabnick
runs Roundy’s commissary, which is a 122,000 square foot kitchen. This product
is not shipped too far, even though according to environmental working group,
chicken is not the lowest but one of the lessor impacting on carbon emissions. It
says comparing to carbon footprint of car miles driven per 4 0z, it equals to
only 3 (EWG, 2017) . On the other hand it
is not frozen therefore needs to be fresh and takes less time and delivery for
it to get to the store. Different types
of meat vary on the quantity of chemical fertilizers, fuel and other production
inputs used, differences in soil conditions and production systems. For where
the bird comes from, these breeds are raised to grow fast and tender. Most of
these chickens are 13 weeks old or younger at the time of slaughter. Most of
these distributions do use antibiotics, which are risks for human health. Not environmentally
though. The environmental impact though, compared to other meats, chicken
production generates the lowest amount of greenhouse gases. As pick n save says on their website, this
chicken is 98% fat free, trimmed and has no added hormones or steroids,
contains no added ingredients (Roundys House brands made at Kenosha, 2007) . As some chicken
from the stores do, the one I had chosen and usually eat is on the healthier
side.
To start with the canned product,
there is veg oil in this. Canola and corn oil are made from genetically
modified corn and canola. These are hazardous to our health as they are
processed and cleaned with chemicals. They are heated to high temperatures and
this heat oxidizes the oils which frees radicals and dangerous for our health.
Another toxic chemical would be MSG. (There is modified food starch, wheat
flour, salt, cream, whey, MSG, soy protein concentrate yeast extract, flavoring
and dehydrated garlic.) The can itself has BPA (biphenyl) which has health and
environmental conditions. BPA is readily and inherently biodegradable in water,
meaning that is breaks down rapidly and does not persist in the environment (Understanding Labels, n.d.) . A research I had found about BPA says that “in
streams and rivers globally, typical concentrations are less than 1 microgram
per liter. “Therefore, studies have shown BPA has low potential for
bioaccumulation, and does not have many environment risks. The production of
this can and food had been delivered through trucks and therefore can
contribute to carbon emissions. I do buy my products at the supermarket, and
this therefore will travel farthest to get to me, my chicken breast is more
local than the Campbell’s soup. This is a global company and therefore these
ingredients and production will affect the world on a global matter. As though
recycling these cans will help overall in the long run.
first one is the comparison of meats and carbon emissions
http://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/eat-smart/
http://careers.campbellsoupcompany.com/wp-content/plugins/leaflet-maps-marker-pro/leaflet-fullscreen.php?layer=1
This map gives a good explanation on where Campbell soup all
distributes itself across the Us, and some in Mexico and Eaurople
The numbers indicate how many manufactures are located in
that state.
WORK CITED
Group, EWG -
Environmental Working. "EWG's Food Scores Just Took the Work out of
Grocery Shopping for Me!"EWG. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2017.
"Understanding
Labels - Cream of Chicken Soup." Happily Unprocessed. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2017.
"Roundy's House
Brands Made at Kenosha Plant." Journal Times. N.p., 18 Feb. 2007. Web. 02 May 2017.
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