Organic vegetable powder (pref. UK), anyone?

[Simbindi]

Regarding organic certification of non UK/EU organic food products.

If it helps your evaluation of various organic products that may have been grown abroad, any company that wants to import organic products from countries other than the EU or the list of countries that are considered to have comparable standards to the UK/EU, must have them certified by DEFRA.

https://www.gov.uk/food-safety-as-a-food-distributor/organic-produce

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...-the-eu-organic-products-from-third-countries

 

[Simbindi]

This is the USA organic certification scheme:

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/201...nic,most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

 

[Maria1]

Have you looked at Bulk Powders? I know from memory they do broccoli powder and other green powders quite cheaply. I’m not sure if they are organic.

Don’t know if it help but I freeze organic spinach to add to smoothies. You can buy it frozen but it’s not as nice. I read somewhere that freezing kills bacteria- so much easier than washing and it saves the spinach from going off too!

 

[Trish]

I read somewhere that freezing kills bacteria- so much easier than washing and it saves the spinach from going off too!

Unfortunately freezing apparently preserves viruses. That's why there's concern about them coming in on frozen goods.

 

[Sasha]

Ah, OK fair enough. Would powdered veg be any better? I'm wondering how to use them - soup?

I was just going to force it down. I think it's only a teaspoon or two.

 

[Sasha]

Have you looked at Bulk Powders? I know from memory they do broccoli powder and other green powders quite cheaply. I’m not sure if they are organic.

They don't seem to be organic, unfortunately. Leafy veg get the highest doses of pesticides, which is why I'm keen to find powders that are organic.

 

[Simbindi]

If concerned about the amount of pesticide residue on veg and fruit, it is worth understanding some are 'cleaner' than others. See for example:

http://www.paleominds.co.uk/fruits-...st-buy-organic-the-clean-fifteen-dirty-dozen/

So if I were buying spinach or kale powder, I would definitely opt for organic myself.

 

[MeSci]

I was rather surprised to see this as a matter of concern, but perhaps I am missing something or being too trusting?

I get my veg from Riverford, and don't take any precautions other than using rubber gloves on the veg and the cardboard box on the day it's delivered.

On their website https://www.riverford.co.uk/about/faqs

they say: "Coronavirus is not considered a food safety issue by the Food Standards Agency or the European Food Standards Authority. Our main focus is on limiting the risk of spreading the virus through human contact."

 

[Sasha]

I haven't seen any rationale for not being concerned about the transmission of coronavirus via food. Food is some thing that that other people handle or breathe on and then pass on to you. Why wouldn't it be a vector?

 

[MeSci]

You may be right, of course - a lot of it is guesswork. Just found a government page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...or-consumers-on-coronavirus-covid-19-and-food

I'm not very reassured by "When food defrosts, its core temperature rises. This provides the ideal conditions for bacteria to grow if left at room temperature."

Bacteria...? Coronavirus?

 

[MeSci]

Not very with-it at present, but thought this BBC article might be relevant:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53783890

It's called 'Coronavirus: What are the risks of catching it from food packaging?'