Greenopia Greens Up the Natural Products Expo West
by Katherine Butler
You know when you go to the supermarket, and people are handing out samples of tiny quiches that are so, so good? And know you shouldn’t ask for seconds, but somewhere you’re wearing a hat pulled low in line again, hoping the quiche lady doesn’t recognize you? Last weekend I played this scenario out times time when I attended the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. There, I was lucky enough to check out the latest foods, products and more the organic and natural products have to offer. The foremost show of the natural products trade industry, the Natural Products Expo West is made up of 53,000 industry professionals from across the globe.
And just what did this expo offer up? I saw supplements, organic foods, natural and specialty foods, and health and beauty products galore. The event was sponsored by Horizon, Muir Glen Organics, Silk, and Seventh Generation, among others. There were Pop Chips were on every corner, Stonyfield served of stalls of yogurt wares, and Steaz teas pouring into cups in every corner. And the Tofurkey people were offering up the latest in Tofurkey deliciousness. (Because yes, Tofurkey is delicious, and I stand by my strange addiction to pretend turkey meat.)
First I stopped by the Seventh Generation stand, which was showcasing cleaning products galore. What’s new for Spring? Their representative informed me that it was disinfecting sprays and wipes. These wipes will be registered with EPA – and this means that they can make an EPA-backed disinfecting claim that they can kill germs. Apparently, the active ingredient germs should be afraid of thyme – yes, the kind you can grow in your garden naturally. Thyme kills germs. Who knew? Apparently Seventh Generation.
Next I strolled by Nature’s Baby Organics, a baby-centered body care line. I spoke with Adena, who developed the line after she found that her young daughters suffered from skin allergies. As Adena told me, they offer “good, clean ingredients that perform well. I’m a self-proclaimed hair snob who wanted products gentle enough for my babies but rich and luxurious enough for me.” They offer 21 products, five which are USDA certified organic. They are free of parabens, phthalates, Propylene Glycol, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances.
I checked out the EO Organics booth, which was premiering a new hair care line. I spoke with Emma, who explained their new line is comprehensive. They offer up organic detanglers, styling serum and more, soon to be available at Whole Foods nationwide. She also showed off their new housecleaning all-purpose soap – which is apparently the only all-purpose soap closest to your skin’s natural ph level. It is biodegradable and safe to use to wash floors or your fruits and vegetables.
Low sperm count seen in Chinese workers exposed to high levels of plastics chemical BPA
CHICAGO (AP) -- Chinese factory workers exposed to high levels of the plastics chemical BPA had low sperm counts, according to the first human study to tie it to poor semen quality. The study is the latest to raise health questions about bisphenol-A and comes two weeks after Canada published a final order adding the chemical to its list of toxic substances. Whether the relatively low sperm counts and other signs of poor semen quality translate to reduced fertility is not known. Study author Dr. De-Kun Li, a scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., noted that even men with extremely low sperm counts can father children. But Li said finding that BPA may affect sperm is troubling because it echoes studies in animals and follows his previous research in the same men that linked BPA exposure with sexual problems. If BPA exposure can reduce sperm levels, "that can't be good" and means more study is needed to check for other harmful effects, Li said. The study was published online Thursday in the journal Fertility and Sterility. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health funded the research. Andrea Gore, a pharmacology and toxicology professor at the University of Texas who was not involved in the research, called it an important but preliminary study. The results "are at least suggestive of the possibility that BPA may be one of the compounds that are causing some of these changes" in sperm, she said. But Gore said stronger evidence is needed to prove that BPA is indeed the culprit. BPA is used to make resins and strengthen plastics and is found in many consumer products: hard plastic bottles, metal food container linings, dental sealants and eyeglasses. Most Americans' urine contains measurable levels of BPA. Studies in animals have linked the chemical with reproductive problems and cancer. That's led to millions of dollars in new research in people. Steven Hentges of the American Chemistry Council, an industry group, said the study in China "is of limited relevance" to U.S. consumers, who typically are exposed to very low BPA levels that pose no health threat. The study involved 130 Chinese factory employees who worked directly with materials containing BPA and 88 workers who didn't handle it and whose exposure was similar to that of typical American men. Low sperm counts were found in workers who had detectable levels of bisphenol-A in their urine. Poor sperm quality was two to four times more prevalent among these men than among workers whose urine showed no sign of BPA. The lowest sperm counts were in men with the highest levels of BPA. BPA in urine was linked with lower-quality semen even in men who didn't work with the chemical, although their average BPA levels were much lower than in the other group. Li said the average level in this group was similar to that detected in U.S. men. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been evaluating the chemical's safety but declined to say if it is considering following Canada's lead in declaring the chemical toxic. In an e-mailed statement, the FDA said it is working with the National Institutes of Health and others "to advance scientific understanding of BPA and inform our decisions." AP-->
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You know when you go to the supermarket, and people are handing out samples of tiny quiches that are so, so good? And know you shouldn’t ask for seconds, but somewhere you’re wearing a hat pulled low in line again, hoping the quiche lady doesn’t recognize you? Last weekend I played this scenario out times time when I attended the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. There, I was lucky enough to check out the latest foods, products and more the organic and natural products have to offer. The foremost show of the natural products trade industry, the Natural Products Expo West is made up of 53,000 industry professionals from across the globe.
stand by my strange addiction to pretend turkey meat.)
