He was one of the premier soil scientists, well respected in his profession. He was in Iowa and much of his work concerned hybrid corn. Later, I was on a Department of Ag. panel Some of the scientists told me that they felt uncomfortable around him because he was too good at defending his position.
> Brenda Rosser wrote:
>
> Daily Mail, March 5, 2001
>
> FRUIT and vegetables are not as good for us as they were 50 years ago
> according to a scientific study. Modem farming methods mean that the
> amount of essential minerals In the food we eat has been reduced
> alarmingly. There is up to 75 per cent less calcium and 93 per cent
> less copper . In fruit and vegetables, the study says. Runner beans
> which used to contain a significant amount of sodium - vital for the
> working of the nerves and muscles - now have almost no traces of it at
> all.
>
> The levels of other important minerals such as iron, phosphorous,
> potassium and magnesium have also plummeted. Nutritionist David Thomas
> said he was 'astonished' by his flndlngs. 'Minerals have been
> recognised as being very important to our physiology, but the general
> public has no idea that there has been this dramatic decline in the
> levels of such elements in our food,' he said. His research allowed
> that broccoli has 75 per cent less calcium, which is essential for
> building healthy body and teeth. Carrots have 75 per cent less
> magnesium, which protects against heart attacks, asthma and kidney
> stones.
>
> Spinach, famous as a good source of iron, was found to have 60 per C
> less iron than it did 50 years ago. Mr Thomas said he believed the
> reduction in the mineral content in food was a result of modern farm
> methods which use massive amounts of fertiliser on the soil. The
> fertilisers encourage ph growth, but this Is at the expense of the
> minerals which are Important for good health. Mr Thomas said: 'We
> are made up of these substances. If they're deficient then the body
> cannot cope as well as It would otherwise.'
>
> He based his conclusions on data from The Composition of Foods, a
> comprehensive study of the content of all major foods dating back to
> 1940. By comparing figures over a 50-year period he was able to plot
> certain trends. A similar analysis, comparing data from 1930 and
> 1980, was published in the British Food Journal in 1997. It compared
> 20 vegetables and found levels of calcium, iron and other minerals had
> declined significantly.
>
> Professor Tim Lang, of the renowned Centre for Food Policy at Thames
> Valley University, said the results revealed an important trend which
> needed to be exposed. 'These are big percentages,' he said. 'The
> nature of production is altering what we are eating. Plant breeders
> have been trying to develop tomatoes and carrots and fruit that look
> nice, resist disease and can withstand being shipped halfway around
> the world.
> 'They have been less concerned about the minerals in the food. 'We
> are dying prematurely of coronary heart disease and cancer and we are
> being told to cut down on fat and eat more fruit and vegetables. But
> at the same time they are changing the content of what we are eating.'
> Mr Thomas runs a company called Trace Minerals UK, based in Sussex,
> which distributes a mineral supplement called ConcenTrace.
>
> Professor Lang said that despite his commercial interest, Mr Thomas
> had carried out a legitimate piece of research.
--
Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929
Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu