Howe-Vachon 1

Franchesca Howe-Vachon

Professor Angela Pedrotti

English 1201

17 March 2019

Annotated Bibliography

In my research paper I will be discussing the consumption of organic and healthy foods

in the American culture. I will talk about the access of social classes have to organic and healthy

foods. The reason why consuming organic foods has a higher cost than conventional products

and there farming practices. Also discussing the choices people make based on their income,

education of products and the influence of society. The impact millennials are currently having

on the organic industry and the future they will have on the industry, by educating their children

on healthy eating practices.

Brosy, Jane E. “Are G.M.O. Foods Safe?” The New York Times, 23 Apr. 2018,

www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/well/eat/are-gmo-foods-safe.html.

In the article, “Are G.M.O. Foods Safe?” written by Jane E. Brody and published on

April 23 2018, discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and the reputation they have

with the general public. Discussing why farmers use GMOs to help produce aesthetically

appealing product, combat insect infestation, help with weed infestation and quicker yield of

their crop. It states the concern the public has when hearing the produce they purchase at the

supermarket has been altered by a GMO. Also discussed is the awareness of knowing that yes,
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products have been modified, but may not be as harmful; while some GMO products have been

proven to be extremely harmful.

This author of this article is an author on science and health for The New York Times, a

reliable newspaper. The article was writing for people concerned about the consumption of GMO

in foods. This article was written at the time people were questioning what they were consuming

and if they trigger any health risk. The information on this article will help understand and

discuss the other side of the conventional farmers and they purpose of using GMO.

Creel, Bridget. “Top reasons why organic food is so expensive.” Fox News, The Daily Meal, 18

Aug. 2015, www.foxnews.com/food-drink/top-reasons-why-organic-food-is-so-

expensive.

This article written by Bridget Creel on Fox News was published on August 18, 2015.

This article talks about reasons why organic food is more expensive than conventional foods.

Creel points out how organic farms have to spend more time and money to be able to maintain an

organic farm in comparison to non-organic farms. The cost of organic farms increases more due

to having more employees to take care of the crops, to pay fees to have an organic farm and

purchasing organic fertilizers.

The author’s purpose is to guide shoppers to understand why consuming organic foods

might have a higher cost in comparison to non-organic foods. This source was posted on Fox

News on a time frame when the consumption of organic food was starting to be more popular.

The author is a public health journalist that works for The Daily Meal and has focused her carrier

in fitness and nutrition. This article has been updated and the source is an American News
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Channel. This article provides me a good source of background of information to understand

why organic farmers have to sell their products in a higher price and gives me an idea of the

process of farming their crops and animals.

Howard, Jacqueline. “‘Healthy’ foods have most of us confused, survey finds.” CNN, 16 May

2017, www.cnn.com/2017/05/16/health/healthy-foods-confusion-study/index.html.

This article was written by Jacqueline Howard on CNN News published on May 16,

2017. The article talks about how Americans are not well educated when consuming healthy

foods. Howard uses the results of a survey done by the International Food Information Council

Foundation to learn how well Americans eat. Based on the results they could notice how people

are not very well educated when it comes to selecting healthy food. The time and cost of food

can be the major factors why American’s decide to eat unhealthy, but not always the reason. This

article based on the results, they notice how confused people are when choosing “healthy” foods.

Many of them just go based on the front label, what can catch their attention and of course, if it

tastes good. Americans are not looking at the Nutrition Facts or the ingredients the product

contains, as long as it taste good, it’s affordable and it doesn’t take much time to cook, that will

be the better option.

The article is informing people to educate more when consuming food, be more aware of

nutritional values of food and to see their health as a priority. This was written with the purpose

to alarm Americans about the high percentage of Americans suffering of obesity, high

cholesterol and diabetes.

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The author of this article is a health and science journalist for a trusted American News,

CNN. This article goes well with my research to point out how people no matter if they have

organic and healthier options to consume, they will focus more in the label, the taste and what is

less time consuming.

Huang, Yancui, et al. “Low-Income Shoppers and Fruit and Vegetables: What Do They Think?”

Nutrition Today, vol. 51, no. 5, pp. 242-250, Sep./Oct. 2016,

journals.lww.com/nutritiontodayonline/Fulltext/2016/09000/Low_Income_Shoppers_and

_Fruit _and_Vegetables__What.6.aspx.

This article was writing by Yancui Huang, M.S, Indika Edirisinghe PhD, Britt M. Burton-

Freeman PhD, M.S on Nutrition Today published on September/October 2016. This source talks

about the factors that influence low-income shoppers in their decision making when purchasing

fruits and vegetables. These professionals divided two low-income communities to study and

analyze the cost, the farming practices, the chemicals and pesticides that are used and the

education of nutritional value between organic and conventional fruits and vegetables. They

discovered how low-income communities rely on physicians and dieticians when making choices

while shopping.

These professional purpose is to discover why low-income house hold aren’t consuming

as many fruits and vegetables as other higher income communities and their choice between

organic and conventional foods. The audience for this article will be for health professionals to

educate low-income communities to make better food choices. The context where this piece was

written is a city with a dense population, diverse low-income communities and ethnic
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backgrounds. This source was obtained from the Sinclair Library. The authors of this article are

health specialist for the Institute for Food Safety and Health in Illinois. The source is from a

Journal that publishes articles by nutritionists and scientists who promote healthy foods, for the

past 40 years. This source will help me utilize statistics and factors of why low-income

communities struggle to purchase healthy and organic foods.

Marusic, Kristina. “Why Eating Healthy Remains a Privilege Many People Cannot Afford.”

Women’s Health, 9 Mar. 2018, www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19934100/food-

deserts/.

This source from the Women’s Health by Kristina Marusic published on March 2016

talks about how low income people are less likely to have access to healthy foods. The areas in

our country called food deserts; they lack access to fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy whole

foods. It points out how low income families are generally surrounded by unhealthy, inexpensive

fast foods. A retailers being far from these communities it adds more pressure, time and cost of

transportation, pushing families to make poor decision choosing foods. Families having such a

small budget for consumption are forced to make decision based on their income and what can

feed them through the month, as healthier food or organic food have a shorter shelf life. Marusic

explains the high cost of consuming fresh healthy foods and how easier it is for a low income

family to purchase a large quantity of less nutritious, process foods.

The article states how the government for many years has had a lack of attention for these

communities that struggle to have options to consuming healthier products. Maurices also points
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out how companies as Aldi’s and Whole Foods are working to be able to reach these

communities.

Maurices is a journalist that wants to make people aware of what our country and many

communities are facing, how many are struggling to be able to have nutritious food in their

tables. She been an award journalist winner and has reported for many years for the

Environmental Health News. This source will help me focus on my research, for why low

income families have less access to nutritious food.

Sanger-Katz, Margot. “Giving the Poor Easy Access to Healthy Food Doesn’t Mean They’ll Buy

It.” The New York Times, 8May,2015,www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/upshot/giving-the-

poor-easy-access-to-healthy-food-doesnt-mean-theyll-buy-it.html.

The New York Times article written by Margot Sanger-Katz published on May 8, 2015.

This article points out how low-income communities can have access to groceries to buy healthy

foods, but they choose to consume low cost products. A study was done at the lowest-income

community in New York, in the city of Bronx, a grocery store was establish locally to help low-

income families purchase fresh foods. Researchers notice consumer having a closer supermarket

to purchased healthier foods, will still continue to buy foods of their preference, food that will

last longer, not expensive and less time consuming to cook.

The author is informing middle class communities to be more aware when consuming

foods at groceries stores. The article was written for low-income communities to make better

decision when purchasing foods, to be more aware of the lack of healthy food they are not

consuming. The writer of this article was a reporter for big Journalist in the U.S. The source is
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reliable due to being published by one of the largest newspaper of the country. This information

will help me understand if the problem of consuming healthy food is due to not being able to

access healthy food, the cost of food or people just don’t care about consuming better and

healthier foods.

Organic Trade Association, 14 Sep. 2017, ota.com/news/press-releases/19828

This article is by the Organic Trade Association published on September 14, 2017. The

focus of this article is discussing the impact millennials are having on the organic food industry.

It states that millennials are the largest consumers of organic foods in the United States. The

article then describes how this trend will be extremely beneficial for the organic food industry as

millennials become parents. Its states that when parents are conscious and aware of the food they

are consuming, the children will adapt those practices naturally.

Is a reliable source as it represents 9,500 farms in the U.S. and its members are from

every aspect of the organic farming industry. The audience for this article is for the farmers, with

their surveys they can prove how much the organic business has increase and how this

generation is carrying more for their health. This information goes well with my research to point

out how the millennials are focusing more about what they are consuming and about their health.