Category Archives: ingredients

Sunscreen That’s Uv-a Protective

by Mirahealth, ingredients, reviews, summer

After the long dreary days of winter it seems that the sunshine is finally returning. Or maybe you live in an area where you have a high number of sunny days throughout the year. Which ever situation fits your environment you probably wear sunscreen. But are you wearing the right one?

We've all been told that we should be wearing sunscreen. With more than one million Americans per year having some form of skin cancer, we're conditioned to think about using it regularly. Many people seek out the highest Sun Protection Factor, SPF, that they can find. And their examination of sunscreen stops there. But it turns out there's more to it than that. One of the most important things to be aware of is what's in your sunscreen. Unfortunately many brands contain substances that are known to be harmful. Ingredients such as endocrine disruptors, toxic preservatives, highly allergenic ingredients, and more. These are things that we don't want in our food so why would we want them in our sunscreen. Especially when we stop to consider that the skin is the largest body organ and that it absorbs whatever we put on it.

As the author of The Pantry Principle I am passionate about helping people understand what's really in their food. That it's not just what you eat, it's what's in what you eat. The next logical step is to consider what we put on our body. At this time of year sunscreen is certainly a big player in the personal care product department.

I was amazed, therefore, when I had the opportunity to test a sample of a new sunblock that is…get this…food grade edible.* It turns out that it's also the only FDA approved sunblock currently on the market that protects again UV-B and UV-A. UV-B is what causes sunburn. UV-A is what causes aging, wrinkles, suppression of the immune system, and can, potentially, lead to cancer. So even though you're using sunscreen, if you're not using one which is effective against UV-A you could still get cancer and suffer other negative effects.

Developed by a Ph.D. research chemist with a crazy passion for safe ingredients this sunblock is unlike any other on the market. Highly water resistant, no endocrine disruptors, no fillers or other garbage, it's also high in antioxidants and provides optimal pH for skin protection. The absence of endocrine disruptors is huge; we are so surrounded by them in our environment (think BPA in receipt paper, cans, and more) that any lessening of this toxin in the environment is a good thing. According to a study published in the Journal of the Society of Toxicology there is a distinct difference between 3rd Rock Sunblock and mainstream competitors when it comes to endocrine disruptors.

And it's food grade edible. In my book that's pretty amazing given all of the chemical adulterants used in many products currently on the market. Not that I'm going to eat it mind you, but I'm glad that it's such a clean product.

I've been using it for a while now and find that it takes just a tiny bit to provide coverage. Honestly the bottle seems generously sized when you realize how little of the product you actually need for coverage. It seems to go on smoothly and so far I have not had any issues with uneven coverage even though in the beginning I thought I wasn't using enough. The website claims it's a one time application and you're done for the day; so far I have not reapplied at all, even on those days when I am outdoors more, and have not noticed a problem.

Overall I think this a great product and am excited to see sunblock of this quality and ingredient safety available to everyone.

*full disclosure: I did receive a free sample of this product to try however I was not paid for my opinion and was under no obligation to give a positive review of this product.

New Food Label

by Miraingredients, labeling

The FDA has recently proposed a new food label. Our current food label has it's origins back in the late 1960's when the FDA passed the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act which required “all consumer products in interstate commerce to be honestly and informatively labeled, with FDA enforcing provisions on foods, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices.”

This was followed in 1990 by the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act which standardized terminology, mandated federal food standards, and set standards for foods, labeling, and health claims. The label was further modified for nutrition facts in 1992, the addition of trans-fats in 2003, and the food allergy labeling requirement in 2004.

This new change however is the most significant overhaul of the label. Some of the changes include larger, bold type for things such as calories and adjusted serving sizes. Current serving sizes are based on habits from the 1970's (before the era of super sizing). Calorie measures are a bit of a challenge as they are approximate and can vary quite a bit. There is also a change in nutrients with the removal of vitamins A and C and the addition of vitamin D and potassium.

There are still a few challenges that I see with this label however since it isn't due to be fully implemented for as much as two years there may be more changes before it happens. Some of the things that come to my attention when I look at the new label are:

Calories are still based on 2,000 per day with no explanation of how/why consumers should recalculate
I do like the added sugars section and wonder if this will be further modified to include types of sugar
Calories from fat is no longer on the label — most people seem confused by this anyway so removing it shouldn't be a problem
Trans-fats are still on the label in spite of the fact that they have been declared no longer GRAS
There is no information for fiber that is meaningful in terms of gut health
I'm not clear on whether the new %DV will be adjusted to more functional levels

Overall I think it's a positive shift since there is room for comment and change. And presumably the introduction of a new label may trigger more interest in reading the label.

Currently the FDA is seeking public comment on two issues related to the label.

1. Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Label, and

2. Serving Sizes of Foods that can Reasonably be Consumed at One-Eating Occasion; Dual-Column Labeling; Updating, Modifying, and Establishing Certain Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed; Serving Size for Breath Mints; and Technical Amendments

Consider taking a moment to give input and help shape the new future of nutrition labeling.

Peaches – What’s In That Can

by Miraadditives, gmo, ingredients, labeling, thanksgiving, Uncategorized

Thanksgiving is a very special time. It's become one of my favorite holidays. After all, what's not to like about spending time with people you love, eating your favorite foods, and having a little downtime. Of course shopping for the holiday feast comes to mind as one of those less-than-fun activities. Mostly because the stores are crowded, and if you didn't plan well you're in the thick of the fray looking for what you need.

This year I wasn't cooking. We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter, her fiance and his family. Our responsibility was to bring mashed potatoes, braised carrots, and homemade cranberry sauce. I also wanted to bring canned peaches. It's a tradition in our family started by my father-in-law. He likes canned peaches and he always wants them at the Thanksgiving table. Even though we weren't spending the holiday with him it's been adopted as a permanent part of our family tradition. One which we wanted to share.

I haven't made canned peaches in a while so we had none on hand. This meant buying them at the grocery store. Something I haven't done in a very long time. I was stunned by the sheer number of canned peaches available at the store. I was amazed at the ingredients in them. I thought I'd share the results of my canned peaches shopping expedition so you can see what's really in that food.

It's important to note that peaches are one of the dirty dozen foods (those foods highly contaminated by pesticides). I did not find any organic canned peaches at my local grocery store. Also, the notes about these containers do not include the issue of BPA which is often found in plastic containers, the linings of cans, and the lids of glass jars. Therefore all these containers are equal in respect to those issues.

Note: If you want to read the labels you'll need to click on the images to enlarge them.

Above you have the information you need to make the right choice for you depending on what's important to you. For those who want to take it one step further it is possible to make your own canned peaches. There are many recipes out there on how to do this, one of my favorites is the Ball Blue Book Honey Spiced Peaches recipe substituting evaporated cane juice crystals instead of white sugar.

Shellac: A Horrifying Additive Probably In Your Halloween Candy

by Miraadditives, ingredients

With Halloween just around the corner, there will be a huge assortment of candy going into goody bags and candy dishes all over the country.

Candy corn, malted milk balls, milk duds, jelly beans, chocolate covered nuts and fruits, and more are all part of the holiday festivities.

In addition to the potential for artificial colors and chemical additives, these treats also come with a little something extra. A “natural” ingredient that falls into the GRAS (General Recognized As Safe) category — Shellac.

In the interest of helping you to understand what's really in your food, I wanted to explain exactly what shellac is and where it comes from.

Most of us tend the think of shellac as something found in furniture polish. It can also be found in personal care products such as hairspray or shampoo, in cosmetics like mascara, or even in perfumes. Shellac also has the potential to be used in dentures.

It also appears in the above-mentioned foods as well as some others. Sometimes hidden on the label (because food manufacturers would prefer that you not know what's in your food) it may be referred to as “confectioner's glaze,” “confectioner's resin,” “candy glaze,” or even simply “natural glaze.”

So what is shellac? It's essentially the insect version of castoreum*. Harvested from trees where the female lac bug lays down cocoon-like secretions, it is scraped off the trees (often along with bark and insect parts) and heated until it liquifies.

It's strained and then allowed to cool in thin sheets. This is then reconstituted with denatured alcohol when manufacturers are ready to use it to give foods that shiny coating. Because these secretions, or resin, are not harvested until after the female has died (according to web research) The Vegetarian Society has determined that it is a vegetarian product. Vegans, on the other hand, do not consider it to be an acceptable food-product because it is produced by an insect.

Other food-grade uses for shellac include the coating found on some pharmaceuticals and supplements. A coating of shellac can be used to create the enteric coating on pills. Another use includes adding the shine back to apples in order to replace the natural wax coating lost when the fruit is cleaned before shipping.

Although research reveals that some people may suffer from allergic dermatitis from contact with shellac, there appear to be no other highly significant health issues, but rather a strong, “ick” factor. There is a vegetable alternative to shellac. It is called zein and is a corn-based protein. It is important to note that in order for this to be an acceptable solution it would need to be from organic corn as most corn is highly contaminated with GMOs. Zein can be hard to identify on the label as it is also frequently referred to as “confectioner's glaze.”

If eating shellac (and potential bug parts) is a concern for you I suggest you contact the manufacturer of any product with confectioner's glaze, confectioner's resin, candy glaze, or natural glaze on the label to identify its origin.

*I refer to this item as “beaver butt.” It's the anal gland secretion of beavers, used to flavor foods with vanilla, raspberry or strawberry flavoring. However, on the label, it always appears under the term “natural flavor.”

What’s In Your Juice?

by Miraadditives, ingredients

As you know, I'm all about reading the label. It's the most important skill you can learn when it comes to understanding what's really in your food. After many people responded via Facebook, twitter, and online to my blog post about ingredients in Ranch Dressing I thought I would share another post highlighting how your food isn't always what it seems to be.

Manufacturers spend enormous amounts of money trying to figure out how to misdirect and mislead you so that you will purchase their product. Leaving aside the issues of packaging inherent in plastic containers, here is a perfect example:

At first glance this seems to be exactly what a juice purchaser might be looking for. 100% in very big letters. 100% juice all together. The 100% directly above large print Wild Cherry. It even says “no sugar added” which more consumers are focusing on. Many people have learned that juice drink is not really juice. And they've learned that what they really want is a pure product. So manufacturers are shifting their labeling to try to take advantage of that.

Now for the ingredient panel:

So the first thing we notice is that while the item may be fruit juice it's mostly from apple, followed by pear. And these juices are from concentrate. The package also lists “natural flavors” which could be any number of things including MSG. Ascorbic acid, despite popular thinking, is not the same as vitamin C. It's a laboratory version and may not be as well absorbed. It's also frequently made from corn syrup making it highly likely that this ingredient is genetically modified. Ascorbic acid is often used instead of a more natural form of vitamin C as natural vitamin C tends to break down under the pasteurization process that most juices go through. Ascorbic acid doesn't, making it the vitamin C additive of choice for most manufacturers.

Obviously what the manufacturer wants to you to believe via the front-of-package labeling is not quite everything that you need to know. Read the label, learn to understand what's really in your food and become an educated consumer

What’s Really In Your Food

by Miraadditives, dairy, herbs and spices, ingredients, recipes

As you know I spend a lot of time at the grocery store and in people's pantries looking at labels. The other day I was at a grocery store for a book signing. I was there for two days. While I obviously couldn't see every person in the grocery store I was sitting in an area where I had a pretty good field of vision for quite a few aisles. It took until halfway through the second day before I saw someone actually look at a label. I was so excited that this woman actually read the label that I ran over and told her so. Most people either simply selected their favorites or only looked at the front of the package to compare products.

Unfortunately when we shop on autopilot we don't realize what's in our food. Reading the label is the only way to know what you're really eating.

Below is a list of ingredients that belongs to a very common item found in many homes. It's also especially popular with children so they consume quite a bit of it:

Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolk, Sugar, Salt, Cultured Nonfat Buttermilk, Natural Flavors (Soy), Spices. Less than 1% of Dried Garlic, Dried Onion, Vinegar, Phosphoric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Modified Food Starch, Monosodium Glutamate, Artificial Flavors, Disodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid and Calcium Disodium EDTA as Preservatives, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate.

So what is it?

Ranch dressing. Specifically Hidden Valley Ranch. I'm not focusing on them, I simply had to pick a bottle and a label.

So let's break this label down and understand what we're looking at:

Genetically modified – the soybean oil and quite possibly the modified food starch which often comes from corn.

Sugar – added sugars in the diet increase inflammation, lower the immune system response, and, in things like dressing, are, in my opinion, not necessary.

rBGH – the buttermilk almost certainly contains this hormone which was given to the cows to make them produce more milk. Linked to an increase in IGF-1 which is linked to diabetes it's not something you want in your food.

MSG – flat out, right on the label. This ingredient may make things taste better but it can cause a wide range of symptoms from headaches, rashes, and flushing to muscle weakness and fatigue.

Artificial flavors – why would you want to eat anything fake?

Unknown ingredients – do you really know what Phosphoric Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate are? If you don't know what it is you shouldn't eat it. Just as a brief example of some of the health risks, phosphoric acid may be linked to lowered bone density, and calcium disodium EDTA is a preservative which has the potential to cause kidney damage.

I cannot recommend strongly enough how important it is to know what's in your food and to read the label.

Looking for an alternative to packaged ranch dressing? Try making your own, simple to make, fresh tasting, tangy and the flavors can be modified to be exactly to your personal preference.

homemade ranch dressing

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup organic whole milk*
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon fresh chopped chives
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons organic sour cream
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Pour apple cider vinegar into milk and let sit
In a separate, wide mouth bowl place garlic and salt
Mash together with a fork until garlic turns into a paste
Add chopped herbs, mayonnaise, sour cream, and black pepper
Blend this mixture with milk, combine well
Best served immediately, however leftovers store well in the fridge for up to a week

This is delicious not only on vegetables but as an addition to mashed potatoes, as a dressing for pasta salads, and is the perfect dipping sauce for homemade wings.

*Note: there was a typo in the original which called for 1 cup of milk. That will make a very thin ranch dressing. I prefer mine a little creamier and so have amended it to reflect my initial recipe.

photo: Diádoco

The Health Concerns Of Unhealthy Eating

by Miraadditives, health, ingredients

You may think that processed food is an inexpensive way to feed your family. But what are you really paying in terms of your health?

Processed Produce; The Health Concerns of Unhealthy Eating

Updating Pbj

by Mirachange, habits, ingredients

When I was a kid one of my favorite sandwiches was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My preferred version was the ones I got at my friend Donna's house where her mom used a creamy peanut butter. I don't remember the brand but I remember preferring it to the all natural, fresh ground peanut butter we had at home. She also used squishy white bread (probably Wonderbread) which I never got at home and adored. Donna and I would make our sandwiches with enormous amounts of peanut butter and a large heaping of jelly (usually grape) oozing out of the edges of the sandwich. We would lick the edges to “clean it up” and then bite into a sandwich so thick and sticky that our mouths were somewhat gummed shut.

Over time my tastes have changed and that pbj has gone through several modifications over the years. At one point I was making ezekiel bread; grinding the grains and legumes myself to make the flour before I baked the bread. This deliciously robust-flavored bread happens to make a fabulous, filling choice. I also, over time, lowered the amount of sugar, salt, and added fat in my peanut butter by making different choices. Then, eventually, I switched altogether and began to use fresh ground almond butter from the machine at my grocery store. I find it amusing that although I thought the fresh ground peanut butter of my youth was not that good, I've come full circle and now love the crunchiness and true flavor of fresh ground nut butter. And while I love jam it's usually either handmade or a purchase that is whole fruit, no added sugar or other chemical ingredients. But even that has now changed and I often find myself mashing up fresh berries with a tiny drizzle of honey as the “jelly” in my sandwich.

These days, due to digestive challenges, I find I do better avoiding gluten and so, unable to, as yet, make a good gluten free ezekiel-style bread I am using a brown rice bread which is very satisfying. But I've changed the sandwich again and now often have it open face using one slice of bread, some almond butter (just almonds, nothing else), a few mashed berries, that drizzle of honey and it's just as satisfying and comforting as the pbj of my youth.

I suspect that because the changes were gradual and because they were choices that I made, this seems perfectly reasonable to me. I'm equally certain that if I had abruptly changed from that fluffy air bread, sugar-laden, oily peanut butter, and over-processed grape jelly to today's version I would not have been a happy camper. While I know it's not the sandwich of my youth, it's what I reach for when I want that kind of food.

Our food is what we think of it and how we see those emotional connections and associations. What have you changed and yet it's still the same?

photo: Renee Comet

What's In Your Vitamins?

by Miraadditives, ingredientsVitamins

Not that long ago I was working with a client, we were having a Pantry Party. For those who may not know, a Pantry Party is where I come to your house and we play in the pantry.

Working with you, based on your health goals, we go through the contents of your pantry and I help you understand what may be in there that really isn't food.

We talk about ways to get rid of those non-food choices, suitable substitutions, and overall nutrition education. I love Pantry Parties, they're a lot of fun, and my clients love them too.

This particular client happened to keep their vitamins in the pantry. At one point, as we were talking about a number of the negative ingredients in various food items, I happened to grab one of the vitamin bottles. That vitamin bottle brings us to today's blog entry.

It's important for you to understand that nutrition applies not only to food; it applies to whatever you put in your mouth. If you eat it or ingest it in any way, you need to be aware of the ingredients that are in it; because if it goes into your mouth it gets into your system. This includes Food, medicine, vitamins, mouthwash, and toothpaste.

Gummy Bear Vitamins

I am going to focus on one particular vitamin here but this information and thought process would apply to any supplement. First, I will start by saying I do not get the gummy-bears-as-vitamin concept. Sure, it sounds good in theory, make vitamins fun and perhaps more people will take them. But vitamins are not candy and we should not be thinking of them as equivalents.

I am, admittedly, a huge proponent of food as medicine; however I do recognize the potential need for supplementation. My theory is supplement, replete, and stop (having corrected the diet along the way). Gummy vitamins/supplements fall very low on my list because all of that sticky, candy residue stays on your teeth and creates a perfect environment for bacterial growth.

I know, I know, some of you are going to complain that gummy candies are fun and I shouldn't be such a spoilsport. I get that they're tasty and the chewiness is fun. But every day? Not a good habit to get into in my book.

This particular vitamin is meant for adults. It's a calcium supplement with vitamin D3.

citracal

On the plus side: vitamin

Taking calcium with D3 is a good choice, the D helps the body to properly utilize the calcium and D3 is the better choice over D2.
This supplement uses maqui berry (also known as Chilean winterberry) juice concentrate for color. A good choice because it's a fruit, however why go all the way to Chile? Why not use something like cherries or blackberries?
The tricalcium phosphate is meant to provide the calcium supplementation. There is some debate about which forms of calcium are best, but leaving that out of the discussion this is not an unreasonable form.

And that brings us to the negatives with this product: vitamins

The very first ingredient is corn syrup which is essentially a sugar.
The second ingredient is sucrose, also known as table sugar.
If we look at the nutrition label we see that this product provides 7 grams of sugar for two gummies. That's as much sugar as a 3.5 ounce cheese danish (not that I recommend you eat the danish either).
The artificial flavoring, Yellow #6 and Red #40 are definite negative ingredients.

As many readers know, I am strongly opposed to artificial flavors and colors. The colors are made from petrochemicals. There is landmark study which shows a significant response among children who consumed artificial colors. I feel, quite strongly, that artificial colors are not good for anyone, child or adult, and need to be removed from our food. There are plenty of natural food color alternatives. But that's a blog post for another day. If you don't want them in your food (and believe me, you don't) then you certainly don't want them in your vitamins.

Inert or neutral ingredients would be the water, sodium citrate, citric acid and pectin. These are used to make the form, or body, of the candy. The citric acid is for flavor, the pectin is what makes it gummy.

Overall that makes this not a great choice if you are looking to supplement your calcium. Considering the food as medicine concept, it is important to remember that if you eat right you can, in fact, support your health with food. One study from 2007 concluded that, "Calcium from dietary sources is associated with a shift in estrogen metabolism toward the active 16α-hydroxyl metabolic pathway and with greater BMD and thus may produce more favorable effects in bone health in postmenopausal women than will calcium from supplements."

Am I telling you not to take supplements? Absolutely not, that's a decision that you need to make for yourself, in combination with all of your health professionals. But I am strongly suggesting that instead of trying to supplement your calcium with candy you may want to consider adding foods that are high in calcium to your diet. Obviously this includes dairy, but for non dairy sources consider the following foods:

salmon, sardines, collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, okra, white beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and sesame seeds

Update: I just found this article stating calcium supplements may not be good for your heart, possibly even leading to cardiac arrest. Especially if you are a woman. The article points out that the body handles calcium very differently (and very well) when it comes from food sources. The rush of calcium to the system from supplements however may not be so beneficial. One of the study researchers, Dr. Ian Reid was quoted as saying,"A reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in osteoporosis management is warranted."

Want to connect with me for a Pantry Party? Send me an email.

Another Helping Of Meat Glue?

by Miraadditives, FDA, ingredients

First it was pink slime. And no matter what anyone says I do not believe that is something that should be considered fit for human consumption. But I've already written about that. Now we have meat glue as an adulterant in the food supply.

What is meat glue?

Approved for human consumption by the FDA, allowed in Canada, and defended by the American Meat Institute it is made from something called Microbial Transglutaminase (mTG). mTG is made utilizing Streptoverticillium mobaraense which is a micro-organism that secretes mTG. (For a more extensive explanation visit the American Society for Microbiology.) Used to put together pieces of meat, this powder can be used to make them look like a better cut of meat. It is also used to improve the texture of certain foods.

According to my research, mTG, or meat glue, can be found in processed meat and other foods such as imitation crabmeat, fish products, constituted “chicken breast”, and processed meats such as hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and ham products. However it's not just used for meats; mTG can also be used in those food products where a gelling process is needed such as cheeses, jellies, yogurts, or frozen desserts. Additionally mTG can also be used to increase volume and texture in breads. gluten free products such as pasta and baked goods.

One complaint is that producers may be selling cheaper cuts of meat as a higher grade because it looks like something it's not. This is a valid point; it would definitely be a reason to get upset for being overcharged by a producer making cheap cuts of meat pieces look like a very expensive filet. Searching the web it appears that one area where this may happen is buffet restaurant settings. Those places where you can get as much filet mignon as you want for one low low price. Apparently there's a reason that price is so low; it may not be what you think it is. I want to point out, in all fairness, that there is a big kerfluffle about this issue but so far I have not found any legal cases where a producer or seller is being charged with this practice.

Health issues

The health challenge is potentially different. The use of meat glue means that there could be a higher risk for bacterial contamination due to the increased number of surfaces. The more surfaces, the more area for bacteria to live. For those consumers who like their meat less well done this creates more risk. If the meat is not fully cooked (i.e., rare rather than well done) the joined parts may not reach a temperature capable of killing bacteria. With the new meat nutrition labeling requirement we should be able to see if mTG is used on the meat at the grocery store. However, I have yet to see a single package that is using this new labeling.

According to Dr. Peter Osborne, gluten expert and author of No Grain, No Pain, mTG treated dairy is a problem for those with gluten sensitivity issues. This is because the immune system registers mTG treated dairy as a form of gluten. This means that for those who struggle with gluten sensitivity, if you feel like you've been “glutened” you may also need to consider dairy as a possible source of contamination.

Made by Ajinomoto, the same company that makes MSG, I would like to point to a few other health issues that concern me. This ingredient comes with a dose of maltodextrin and sodium caseinate. Maltodextrin is corn based so there is probably some GMO exposure as the use of organic corn would not make financial sense. Sodium caseinate is a milk protein and according to Truth In Labeling always has free glutamic acid making it a form of MSG. Additionally there is a possibility that the milk used to obtain the protein has rBGH in it, a hormone that makes cows give more milk. That's a whole blog post in and of itself, but the bottom line is you don't want to consume rBGH. The issue at hand is the possible reaction to corn or dairy that could be brought about by ingestion of meat in those with high level food sensitivities.

Avoiding meat glue

How to avoid meat glue? That appears to be a little trickier. It makes sense to be extra diligent about reading labels at the grocery store lately. However, as yet, I have not seen mTG listed on any ingredient labels. For meat products I believe the answer to be the purchase of organic meat or to buy from a trusted source. It is important to note that Kosher meat is not exempt from the use of meat glue as there is a kosher version available. Otherwise, until meat labeling actually happens, and unless they include mTG on the label, you won't know. For other products I don't have an answer at the moment. Purchasing organic dairy, which I recommend anyway, is a good option. But until this product is properly labeled or removed from the food supply we may not know if we are ingesting it.