Fast Food Phenomenon and Its Impact on Consumer Health

Advancement of science and technology is growing rapidly in various fields, including in food sector, these technological advances bring both positive and negative. The positive impact of these technologies can improve the quantity and quality of food, also increases diversification, hygiene, sanitation, practical and more economical. The negative impact of these technological advances were large enough for the health of consumers by the use of harmful additives. The way of life today is characterized by the high cost of living, emancipation or for some other reason causing the woman to work outside the home. Statistical data in 2002 showed that women who work in the labor force totaled 33.06 million or 44.23% of the total number of women aged between 15-60 years. Women as housewives and others by profession working outside the home, due to limited time and busy, and the difficulty of finding maids causing fast food becomes the main menu daily at home. The rhythm of life that demands all things fast-paced, time-limited, the child must go to school while the mother and father should immediately go to work, as a shortcut for breakfast then fast food provided that the preparation takes 3 to 5 minutes. During the day home from school, mother and father still work at the office, the kids come back to enjoy this fast food. In addition to this easy to prepare foods generally have a savory taste and is generally preferred, especially by children of school age. Another problem in the community so the phenomenon was the availability of packaged snacks that can be ascertained "rich" additive. Recorded 13 kinds of snacks containing additives is high enough. The question that arises is the extent to which such additive materials consumed and accumulated in the body, how the impact of health? And how the actions of consumers, especially the mother-housewife in choosing, safe food processing, hygienic, well-nourished and healthy family members? Fast Food

Fast food in question is the type of foods that are packed, easy to prepare, practical, or treated with a simple way. These foods are generally produced by the food processing industry with high technology and provide a variety of additives to preserve and give flavor to the product. Fast food is usually in the form of side dishes in the packaging, instant noodles, nuggets, or even corn flakes as food for breakfast. Substances Food Additives Additives are chemicals that are mixed into the food with the aim of improving quality, adding a sense of freshness and solidify the product. Food packaging Food packaging is the container or the food to the food quality remains good, improve product performance, and ease of transportation. Healthy Healthy functioning of body organs are physiologically normal. In food consumption from the consumers not only evaluate the flavor and nutritional value but also consider the influence of food on health and fitness, or reduce the negative effects of an illness, and if possible to cure the disease. Types of Packaging Materials and Food Additives According to Majeed (1996) these additives can be divided into several groups based on their intended use, namely: 1) agent emulsion additive that is made from fat and water for example lecithin 2) stabilizing agent and pemekat eg alginate and glycerin, 3) barrier agents crust to prevent clumping , 4) agents increased nutrients eg vitamins, 5) agents for example preservatives nitrate and nitrite salts, 6) an antioxidant agent eg vitamins C and E; BHT (Butylated Hydroxy-toluene) and BHA (Butylated Hydroxy-anisole), 7) agent developer for bread and cake, 8) flavoring agent example monosodium glutamate (MSG), 9) dye. In addition to the above additives Denfer ninth (2001) also stated there are other ingredients are added in the diet include: 1) laxative agent, 2) animal fat, 3) marinade ingredients, 4) material separator, 5) modified starch, 6) alcohol, and 7) gelatin. In addition to the materials mentioned above involving the use, size and the rules have been determined according to the Indonesian National Standard (SNI), which we should be aware of is the presence of dyes and preservatives that are added are not for food use such as, borak and formalin as a preservative that has been reported by Suriawiria (2003). Where 86.2% wet noodle was allegedly found in the market and supermarkets contain formalin. The color red in the paste 50% is using Rhodamin B dye that should be used for textiles. In addition Rhodamin also commonly given in syrup to create a red color. Packaging Food Ready to Eat Until now, according to Chairman of the Indonesian Packaging Federation in Indonesia Hengky Darmawan new packaging system 10% of the corresponding rules of SNI. The selection must consider the type of food-grade packaging and food safety (Kompas, 2003). Several factors affect manufacturers in selecting packaging is to look nice, can protect the packaged product, and economic considerations. Materials used for this form of plastic or Styrofoam (packing instant noodles and nuggets), PVC (polyvinyl clorida for wrapping confectionery), cans (food fruit, milk, food side dishes). Impact of Fast Food Benefits Fast Food Eating fast food is outstanding at this time recorded 500-600 types (Media Indonesia, 2003). This type consists of beverages and foods that are produced in small and large scale. The availability of fast food, this will allow the selection of foods, food variety, food quality and practical. Danger Fast Food World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) states that the potential threat of food residues on human health is divided into 3 categories, namely: 1) toxicological aspects, categories of food residues that can be toxic to the organs of the body, 2) aspects of microbiology, microbes in food ingredients that can upset the balance of microbes in the digestive tract, 3) imunopatologis aspect, the presence of residues that can lower immunity. Negative impact on the health of these additives may directly or indirectly, in the short and long term. Efforts to Minimize Negative Impact To reduce and minimize the negative impacts of food additives can be attempted in several ways, among others: 1. Internally Reduce consumption of prepared foods, increasing consumption of vegetables and fruits as well as taking vitamins. Some vitamins thought to contain substances antikarsinogen include Vitamins A, C, E found in many vegetables and fruits; folic acid found in broccoli, spinach and asparagus: Beta-carotene, Vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin D in the active form (1.25-hydroxy) there in butter, milk, egg yolks, liver, rice and fish. Giving meaning to the family about the dangers of additives, supervise, control, administration and use of spending money and getting used to bring food from home healthy 2. in External Producers; necessary awareness and responsibility of manufacturers toward the use of food additives are produced, providing clear information, including the composition of food additives that are added Government; exercise supervision and crack down on manufacturers who violate the rules and regulations. Continue the activities of PMT-AS (Supplementary Food Program-School Children) by making use of local food sources. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs); facilitate the formation of consumer groups, encourage community participation as a watchdog of public policy, global policy anticipates that impact on consumers, to supervise and act as a defender of consumers

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baby healty : Are You My Mother?

In line with the development of the age, the higher of the necessities of life. And coupled with the emancipation of women, so many women who work outside the home. No exception for a mother. When this task concurrent housewife as a career woman. No real problem, if the mother can devote time to being a career woman and being a good mother to her children.

However, this is what happened. A mother can not be a good mother to her children. One example is not breastfeed their babies exclusively for children, but give cow's milk or formula. The reason that they often convey is that busy so not had time to give exclusive breastfeeding. Their babies were cared for by a baby sister who can only give cow's milk or formula. Their baby will never feel the benefits of breastfeeding mothers and maternal love. Baby just enjoy cow's milk.

As a good mother, a career woman is not a reason not to give exclusive breastfeeding their babies. There are solutions that can be done is to give milk milking breast milk. This milking's milk can be stored, so that any time a baby needs mother's milk can be given immediately even though there is no mother. Milking milk can be stored in special containers made of glass or plastic material that has a closed tightly.

Earlier this container is sterilized first by boiling. Once cool, the new breast milk can be poured into the container. Milking breast milk should not be too much to be saved, just for a drink that is only about 60 ml. breast milk that has been accommodated in the container, can be stored in the freezer. The freezer temperature gets colder the longer it can survive breast milk, which is about 3 months. If you want to use Milking breast milk, remove from freezer and then taken up to thaw breast milk.

After it warmed with boiling water. The trick, pour boiling water into a larger bowl of Milking breast milk container. Then place the vessel containing Milking breast milk into it. Make sure that boiling water does not enter into the Milking breast milk. If it is warm, the milk can be given to babies but have shaken first. Residual breast milk that can not last long (less than 24 hours) and can not be frozen again. This is why breast milk is provided should be sufficient.

Although Milking breast milk is not immediately given the mother, but at least the baby can feel mothers breast milk and their benefits. And more importantly, the child will feel if you are indeed her mother though indirectly baby also feel the love his mother. They are your children, so it was supposed to give breast milk to them.

taken from : http://pakarbayi.com

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MAKE OUR HOMES GREEN, COMFORTABLE AND HEALTHY

Global warming is the current rise in the average temperature of Earth's oceans and atmosphere. The scientific consensus is that global warming is occurring and was initiated by human activities, especially those that increase concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels. This finding is recognized by the national science academies of all the major industrialized countries and is not rejected by any scientific body of national or international standing.

An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, probably including expansion of subtropical deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects of the warming include more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events including heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall events, species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes, and changes in agricultural yields. Warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe, though the nature of these regional changes is uncertain. In a 4°C world, the limits for human adaptation are likely to be exceeded in many parts of the world, while the limits for adaptation for natural systems would largely be exceeded throughout the world. Hence, the ecosystem services upon which human livelihoods depend would not be preserved.

The Kyoto Protocol is aimed at stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration to prevent a "dangerous anthropogenic interference". As of May 2010, 192 states had ratified the protocol. The only members of the UNFCCC that were asked to sign the treaty but have not yet ratified it are the USA and Afghanistan. Proposed responses to global warming include mitigation to reduce emissions, adaptation to the effects of global warming, and geoengineering to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere or reflect incoming solar radiation back to space. According to a recent Gallup poll, people in most countries are more likely to attribute global warming to human activities than to natural causes. The major exception is the U.S., where nearly half the US population attributes global warming to natural causes despite overwhelming scientific opinion to the contrary.

Need Green Houses initiated

Green homes have high economic value, though not require expensive. Indonesia's traditional house has environmentally friendly design as well as cheaper.

This was conveyed Energy Efficiency Design and Architecture Engineer Tri Harso Karyono on Media Meeting with Occupancy with Integrated Green Concept on Mercantile Club Tamara Building, Jalan Sudirman Jakarta, Monday, March 23, 2009.

According to Tri, green housing does not mean expensive. Green residential architecture relies on environmentally friendly causing minimal waste. "The design extreme home Bali and Bedui," he said.

Actually, the green house is not a very difficult and expensive, but most local designers and architects have not much to know, so ignored. In addition to the use of solar power, which is quite expensive, traditional houses adopt housing may be implemented in regular housing.

Tri said, the development of green areas will benefit all parties, not only for homeowners but also for the environment and the government.

He said the government needs to step in green housing provision as set by the government of Scotland. "In Scotland the developer who claims the concept of green, but the reality could not be arrested," he said.

Tri judge, the government is too slow to apply the rules needed some regions. Big cities like Jakarta, which affected the risk of contamination is quite large, green housing needs is essential.

Chairman, Department of Environmental Health of Public Health Faculty on University of Indonesia Budi Haryanto said, environmentally friendly residential areas should be supported and the device that is also environmentally friendly.

Mass transport to reduce energy wastage. Similarly, by expanding the accessibility of pedestrian green housing to reduce the use of transport cause pollution. "But most of that happening now can only be designed residential design with private transport," he said.

Budi said the green housing concept education process must be done from the level of government until the executor (contractor). Because, often the contractor doing the construction of polluting the environment.

Examples of fact, the construction of septic tanks should have good air-tight and usually must be drained in three years. "Contractors are often built of brick septic tank where the water is seeping into the ground. so the time drain up to 7 years. Education to these bad contractors are often loose, "said Budi.

The concept of Energy Efficient Houses

A company in the United States succeeded in developing an energy efficient home. The concept of home is called Enertia Building System (www.enertia.com) can maintain the condition of the home stay warm in winter and stay cool in summer. Both day and night, the air inside the house can stay comfortably without having to spend fuel for heating or electricity for air conditioning.
An air flow and access channel, or Envelope, runs around the building, just inside the walls - creating a miniature biosphere. Here solar heated air circulates, pumping and boosting geothermal energy from beneath the house, storing it in the massive wood walls. Thermal inertia causes the house to "float" between the cycles of night and day, and even between the seasons.

references:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
http://bisnis.vivanews.com/news/read/43159-rumah_hijau_perlu_mulai_dirintis
www.enertia.com

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Iodized salt to prevent a radioactive poison

As the Indonesian community, we must be quite familiar with iodized salt and benefits. That iodized salt is the spice of the kitchen that is used widely in the community are the media in addressing malnutrition Iodine Deficiency Disorders, better known in the community with mumps. Furthermore, it has been identified that people with iodine deficiency disorders have low intelligence level and low labor productivity.

However, we know if Iodine has other functions, especially with the occurrence of nuclear reactors in Fukushima conditions are still not handled. Iodine is believed to ward off nuclear radiation, radioactive, and iodized salt is an alternative. So the Japanese government asked its citizens to consume iodine to prevent radiation from nuclear reactor explosion, so the demand for iodized salt is high.

It is true, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States, said the iodine pills can prevent radioactive iodine has been dragged into the thyroid. Radioactive iodine from nuclear activities can pollute the air and the food. The thyroid gland rapidly absorbs radioactive substances and cause adverse effects. According to Professor of Chemistry from Bandung Institute of Technology, Ismunandar, Active iodine powerful enough to counteract the radioactive poison. Iodine is used as an antidote for the body system is not damaged. "In order for the thyroid gland is not exposed,"

How it can happen, Iodine is used in our body by the thyroid gland to produce hormones that are useful for the body. When the condition of the body exposed to radioactive, thyroid is likely to absorb radioactive iodine (I-131) generated by the radioactive reaction products to produce hormones. The impact allowing the destruction of the thyroid gland and cause cancer in some future year. Which is considered the best solution is to eat clean so that the possibility of iodine I-131 to be absorbed will be smaller.

However, prefers to be considered for not only salt but salt should be iodized, and even then have to be carefully as to make the thyroid gland is no longer absorb any iodine from iodized salt we should consume in large amounts and may exceed the tolerable limits of the body.

Another option that can be done and quite safe to consume potassium iodine tablets to cover the possibility of the thyroid gland to absorb I-131. Options consume iodized food certainly much better than chewing the salt is for example just from food sources such as yogurt, cow's milk, eggs, strawberries, and cheese.

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