Government Recommends Stocking Up on Canned Tuna

Yahoo! News (press release)
Government Recommends Stocking Up on Canned Tuna
Mar 16, 2006

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060316/dcth045.html?.v=49

New HHS Checklist Advises Buying Extra Canned Tuna to Prepare for the Possibility of a Flu Pandemic

WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Got enough canned tuna on hand? You should, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which just published new recommendations encouraging consumers to prepare for the possibility of a bird flu outbreak by stocking up on canned tuna and other healthy, nutritious canned foods and juices.

In conjunction with the release of a new Pandemic Planning Update report issued on March 13, HHS has published a series of checklists to aid in influenza preparations, including a Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families. Among the recommendations listed, HHS advises consumers to have adequate stores of canned tuna and other ready-to-eat meats, fruits, vegetables and soups as well as canned juices, bottled water, canned baby food and pet food.

Stating that no one in the world is prepared for an influenza pandemic, HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt said, "When you go to the store and buy three cans of tuna fish, buy a fourth and put it under the bed. When you go to the store to buy some milk, pick up a box of powdered milk. Put it under the bed. When you do that for a period of four to six months, you are going to have a couple of weeks of food, and that's what we're talking about."

But canned tuna is much more than a convenient, ready-to-eat food, which is why consumers looking for healthy, nutritious sources of lean protein will also see a can of tuna on "MyPyramid," the new food guidance system recently introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help consumers meet the recommendations contained in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Reflecting a key recommendation of the guidelines calling for consumers to eat two eight-ounce servings a week of foods rich in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), "MyPyramid" features canned tuna to drive home the message that fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Of the top 10 most commonly consumed fish in this country, salmon and canned albacore tuna have the highest levels of the omega- 3 fatty acid DHA, according to the USDA Nutritional Database.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also urge consumers to consume lower-fat protein sources, which is why "MyPyramid" features canned tuna along with lean meats and poultry, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. In fact, canned tuna is so high in protein that one six-ounce can yields one-third of the recommended daily amount. Moreover, canned tuna is very low in calories compared to other protein sources. There are 116 calories in a 100-gram serving of water-packed canned tuna compared with 208 calories in the same serving of turkey. According to "MyPyramid," adults and children over age 2 should consume 5 1/2 ounces of lean protein every day.

"The fact that a can of tuna is featured in the food pyramid reinforces what nutrition experts have known for years," said Barbara J. Moore, Ph.D., president and CEO of Shape Up America! and a member of the Tuna Nutrition Council, which advises the U.S. Tuna Foundation (USTF) on nutrition and public health matters. "Not only is canned tuna a rich source of the essential omega- 3 fatty acids, but it is low in fat, rich in certain vitamins and minerals and an excellent source of protein."

According to experts working with HHS on flu pandemic planning, the best way for families to plan ahead is to have adequate supplies of nonperishable foods, water and other essentials on hand, which is also useful in other types of emergencies, such as power outages and storms. HHS's Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist for Individuals and Families is available on the agency's Web site at http://www.pandemicflu.gov.

More information about canned tuna and its health benefits is available at the USTF Web site, http://www.tunafacts.com.

Established in 1976, the U.S. Tuna Foundation (USTF) is the national organization representing the canned tuna processors and the fishermen who supply them and addresses issues ranging from fishing access arrangements to federal and state regulations and domestic marketing.


Source: U.S. Tuna Foundation

The cat would have nightmares if it knew I had a dozen unopened cans of tuna

I hope the Chimp some how does not communicate his suggestion to the Cat.

and you've only opened some pineapple? :evilgrin:

Pavlov had an experiment about this I believe

At least that's my experience with my cat.

Uuummmm, what's the sub-title to this glorious idea:

HHS's RECOMMENDS STOCK'G UP ON MERCURY CONTAMINANTS FOR FAMILY USE INCLUDING PREGNANT WOMEN

can be eaten safely:

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/tuna.asp

Suffice it to say, you shouldn't be eating that tuna every day.

If you eat more than one can every 4 days

so many batteries if the lights go out. Whee!

:bounce:

I don't eat it more than twice a week anyway, so I guess it's ok, although I imagine as the world becomes more polluted, they may have to update their recommendations.

Stating that no one in the world is prepared for an influenza pandemic, HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt said, "When you go to the store and buy three cans of tuna fish, buy a fourth and put it under the bed. When you go to the store to buy some milk, pick up a box of powdered milk. Put it under the bed. When you do that for a period of four to six months, you are going to have a couple of weeks of food, and that's what we're talking about."

Gotta have a place to store all this!

Remember Tom Ridge and the duct tape? I think he had a connection to Home Depot...

I don't trust anything these SOBs say or do!

is very high. However soon we won't know because food labels will no longer be required

They gave $300,000 to Bush and IIRC one of his cabinet member was the head of Alcoa and refused to place his stock in a blind trust.

In the case of a bird flu, people can't leave their homes? I thought that the gov. just gives out vaccines or culls birds, or whatever. This seems to be envisioning some scenario where people won't be able to leave their homes for a week. Is it typical to have a mandatory curfew because of a flu?

going out to the store. Because there might be people with germs (gasp!) at the store!

That duct tape will also come in handy to seal out the germy people. It's just a silly "plan" & makes me think this was just put out mostly to scare people. Actually, I hope that's all it is. Cause if tuna is seriously the gov.'s plan to deal w/bird flu, that's even scarier.

Is the government plan to quarantine everyone in the country for weeks or months if the bird flu mutates to the dangerous, transmissible form in humans? If so, why don't they come out and say it?

What will happen to the tap water supply? The power supply?

Or is this just what will happen, with people voluntarily staying home indefinitely in the hopes of riding it out?

I don't know. That's what's odd. We're not given any specific evacuation or quarantine plans, told what utilities could be affected, or what safety measures to take to prevent infection. We're just told: Buy Tuna. That's not a plan, that's an ad slogan.

signed a bill that gives the Dept. of Defense funds to deal with the avian flu epidemic, among other things.

"President's Statement on Signing of H.R. 2863, the "Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006"

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 2863, the "Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006." The Act provides resources needed to fight the war on terror, help citizens of the Gulf States recover from devastating hurricanes, and protect Americans from a potential influenza pandemic."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/12/20051230-8.html

This is purely conjecture at this point, but I've heard it kicked around that if DOD is involved, we may be confronted with martial law to enforce quarantines on the pretext of stopping the spread of the flu.

These recommendations and the reports that we've heard about Halliburton winning a contract for detention camps bring up all sorts of images. Do I have my tin foil hat on too tight?



:tinfoilhat:

The executive branch shall construe section 8104, relating to integration of foreign intelligence information, in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief, including for the conduct of intelligence operations, and to supervise the unitary executive branch. Also, the executive branch shall construe sections 8106 and 8119 of the Act, which purport to prohibit the President from altering command and control relationships within the Armed Forces, as advisory, as any other construction would be inconsistent with the constitutional grant to the President of the authority of Commander in Chief.

The executive branch shall construe Title X in Division A of the Act, relating to detainees, in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief and consistent with the constitutional limitations on the judicial power, which will assist in achieving the shared objective of the Congress and the President,....the executive branch shall construe Title X not to create a private right of action. Finally, given the decision of the Congress reflected in subsections 1005(e) and 1005(h) that the amendments made to section 2241 of title 28, United States Code, shall apply to past, present, and future actions, including applications for writs of habeas corpus, described in that section, and noting that section 1005 does not confer any constitutional right upon an alien detained abroad as an enemy combatant, the executive branch shall construe section 1005 to preclude the Federal courts from exercising subject matter jurisdiction over any existing or future action, including applications for writs of habeas corpus, described in section 1005.


Language in Division B of the Act, under the heading "Office of Justice Programs, State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance," purports to require the Attorney General to consult congressional committees prior to allocating appropriations for expenditure to execute the law. Because the President's constitutional authority to supervise the unitary executive branch and take care that the laws be faithfully executed cannot be made by law subject to a requirement to consult with congressional committees or to involve them in executive decision-making, the executive branch shall construe the provision to require only notification. At the same time, the Attorney General shall, as a matter of comity between the executive and legislative branches, seek and consider the views of appropriate committees in this matter as the Attorney General deems appropriate.

He's a freaking dictator according to this document. He answers to no one and the Congress and courts mean nothing to him.

That's why I find the reports of Halliburton and detention camps so frightening.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=ENG20051106&articleId=1190

If Rumsfeld holds the controlling interest and is the Secretary of Defense, Who would control the distribution?

You don't need a foil hat to find that troubling.

I can't remember the name off-hand, but he's the guy who went to Africa with Bono. Oddly enough, he may have actually be competent (albeit a Republican) , which is why he wa a poor fit for the Bush white House.

And isn't he buddy-buddy with the Bushes?

We know Rumsfeld will make millions from the sale of TamiFlu, but who in the criminal Bush administration has stock in fishing or tuna canning companies?

Follow the money!!

Tuna sales are down, due to reports of elevated Mercury levels.

So pH33r.

And no dolphens are ever harmed. Also the Salmon industry is completely an American industry while Tuna is largly foreign owned vessels.

because of all the Mercury in it; I will buy - a 30 day supply - of canned Salmon.

xxxxx

http://www.drweil.com/u/Page/General403/

"... Calcium: eat more dairy foods, dark leafy greens such as kale and collards, broccoli, canned salmon with bones, sardines, and dried figs. Also look for calcium-fortified foods such as soy milk and cereals.
Vitamin D: get more oily fish (wild Alaskan salmon or sardines are good choices), fortified soy milk, orange juice and cereals into your diet."

as the heart. Omega 3 they are finding out is a very critical part of good health. The brain is over sixty percent fatty material and Omega 3 is very important especially for Depression or Alzheimer's or ADD or many many other brain disorders.

a lot ... especially how George W. Bush could get enough votes to make his two stolen elections seem plausible to some.

Fatty material between the ears of many Americans.

and then hope someone knows the Heimlich maneuver when you choke on them!

There are concerns on the west coast that sea lice from farmed salmon are infesting wild salmon, among other environmental concerns. Just for the record.

Sort of takes away the whole appeal of Fresh fish any time any place. That is the only thing farmed fish has over commercial caught fish. The Commercial fleet is limited to Seasons and Government meddling such as area closures and openings so can't deliver a fresh product year round. The product it does deliver is hands down a much better product in all regards. Taste, health factor and appearance. They have to dye farmed fish just so they will look natural. Not to mention the chemicals they feed those fish while in their holding pens. They also live directly above all their bodily waste. I wouldn't touch a farmed fish with a ten foot pole but that's just me...

I would hope it would say on the label, but I don't know for sure.

Otherwise excellent food sources that are too dangerous to eat everyday.

be careful..
tuna companies accused of sneaking hi mercury species into mislabeled low merc brand tins.

Pretty high, I'd guess. Last week consumers were told it was bad, this week the tuna lobbyists fought back.

IF and WHEN (and I stress those words) an avian flu pandemic occurs, and if it's bad, people must be able to quarantine themselves for perhaps months at a time and will need a stockpile of supplies.

We cannot depend on any government agency in a worst case scenario and must take care of ourselves.

Not sure why they're pushing tuna though. Plenty of other canned stuff with nutritious value - canned chicken's pretty good.

Fed Gov: your on your own poor peons.

Despite the lowest tuna prices in 30 years the consumer is generally not seeing lower pricing. While chains are paying about 33 cents for 6 oz Chunk light the retail shelf price continues to be 69 - 79 cents. Even "two for $1.00" is rare. This is not unique to tuna, we are seeing it across most private label categories.

What this seems to add up to is that the USA market is in another changing cycle which is going to be very difficult on the vendor community. Retailers are not interested in moving cases as they used to be , but in making the greatest profit for themselves. They know that they may sell less cases but will make more absolute dollars. They also know that if they do not move the cases, the vendor will be in a weak position with excess inventories that he cannot move and therefore will be in a weak negotiating position. It is a short term mentality as it will cause many suppliers to exit the business ultimately resulting in even higher costs to the retailer and his consumer.

Over time the same high profit margins will allow for the return of the independent grocer who has been nearly eliminated. Wholesale grocers are already moving into this retail niche. The cycle has been seen many times over the years and will repeat itself. The difficulty for the tuna industry is that fishing does not seem that it will decline. No one is willing to exit the catching industry. Even if prices increase, retailers may become accustomed to the high margins and may take the shelf price up with the market. It may be years before we see a return to a normal competitive retail market in the USA.

http://www.atuna.com/Opinions/My%20Opinion/Archive/how_us_retailes.htm

I think they want us all to get sick with mercury poisoning.

WTF??

Please tell me I am still dreaming and that we are not actually getting advice like this!

That's what you'd get under MY bed!

so completely insane they actually believe they are making sense when they issue ridiculous dictums.

Tuna under the fucking bed. What the hell kind of advice is that?

Why not Pop Tarts behind the sofa or Kraft Mac & Cheese in the linen closet? I mean, it's SOOO arbitrary! :eyes:

Cans of kipper snacks under the coffee table!

Jars of preserves under your shoe rack!

That's it - I'm starting a whole thread in the Lounge about this!

mikey_the_rat

It's kind of fun, isn't it? :)

If I had 60 cans of tuna under the bed, I'd always know the exact location of all three members of Team Meow!

mikey_the_rat

Checking it twice.

I just thought I'd buy myself a few chickens and start my own little subsistance farm. :sarcasm: Maybe I'll do a Koi pond instead. Put some tuna in it.

Mz Pip
:dem:

bird flu, remember? Got to get tuna and put that in the pond.

Seriously, I gave away my 14 hens and a rooster because I don't want to be there when the guys in the white coats and masks come.

I really miss geese, though. I was going to get six goslings this spring but I'll give it another try next year, hopefully, when this thing passes.

One of them is a feral I rescued as a kitten. She's quite affectionate to me but still loves to hunt stuff and brings me the spoils of her conquests. The dead rats are a good thing, but the birds could certainly become problematic.

If it was just our incompetent government yammering about this I might not be concerned but it seems to be raising red flags world wide.

Sarcasm aside, it's not a bad idea to stock up for an emergency. We have supplies in case of an earthquake. Getting extra stuff might not be a bad idea.

Mz Pip
:dem:

while I think most of us also agree that Bushco is not above using this as a smoke screen, it is also big news in other countries as well. So we should not poo-poo it too much. Well, we can poo-poo it but we should be somewhat ready, I guess.

My biggest worry is blood pressure meds. I take two and if I suddenly stop taking them, not good. And there are a few other meds that would be very uncomfortable to stop. I have read that in cases of interruption of usual supplies, that is the biggest problem: prescription meds. I'm not quite sure how to "stock" up on them as my hmo only pays for one a month and they are mega expensive without that insurance.

check with your HMO about getting a 3-month supply through the mail? My HMO will give you 3 months' supply for most meds that way.

but I live on the Gulf Coast and the idea of my meds sitting on the porch all day in 90-degree heat is none too appealing. OTOH, having subpotent thyroid meds would be better than having none at all...

I'll get on the phone right away and check. That would be wonderful. Much more convenient, too.

You have to get your doctor to write the prescription for this. He or she will have to triple the amount and say it is a 3-month supply, I believe. We are going to do this for my husband's meds for the convenience but haven't gotten around to it yet.

OK, having emergency supplies on hand is a good thing. I get it. But Michael Leavitt needs to let me decide what is the best place in my house to keep them.

Make sure there's a bedpan and a healthy person to help change it down there, too.

You can buy the Canned Personal Assistant in the Domestic Help section at Wal*Mart and other major retailers.

Meanwhile, any healthy people that are still in the house have to enter the sickroom to get their supplies. Not too smart.

Don't you understand? Me either.

Bird flu is the last of my worries with this administration.

some form of gun control.

Now, I'm starting to think that a Glock and a few hundred rounds might be a wise investment.

Or, is the Glock to shoot down the black helicopters that carry squads of Ninja USDA food inspectors?;-)

..and contains fatty Omega 3 acids, which help fight depression and mental illness, which is very useful while living through this Administration.

The price is already rising. Myself, I wouldn't put it past this bunch to have captured a few squawking chickens in Asia someplace, then inject them with the virus. All they had to do then was to sit back and wait while issuing a few dire warnings. Look at the money they are making off of this.

just as soon as we can arrange it. we are working on it in our labs, as we speak.

i would post the sarcasm smilie, but i don't trust these criminals, period. if they can make money off of it, they will do it.

besides, it is just another angle of the terra terra terra warnings. we MUST be afraid, so they can get away with all their nefarious plans...

That's the Fed guidline for non-pregnant adults. "up to 12 ounces per week..."
Now I checked, and that's for "Chunk Light Tuna" ONLY. About 12 ppM of Mercury.

But I think Chunk Light looks, smells, and tastes like BAIT nowadays, so I eat albacore. 36 ppM of the silver shit, so I extrapolated that to mean FOUR ounces a week are "safe".

Somebody in the Tuna Industry owns a Congress-Critter who is owed a favour by somebody in the Department of Duck-Tape and Visqueen...

nfm

at behest of tuna industry.

http://www.mercurypolicy.org/new/documents/WSJonmercury.pdf

Page 3

:patriot:

to buy more beds in order to put the tuna and powered milk under. :grr: Of course my 900 sq bunker is housing my duct tape and plastic so I am glad I do not have to put the tuna and milk THERE! OMFG...is the AVERAGE age of Americans 3?

http://money.cnn.com/2005/03/14/news/midcaps/fish_fund/

a main Republican contributor? I mean last time it was duct tape and someone made a killing. Go lemmings, go---stock up just like the great unevent of 2000. I hear people spent thousands of dollars stocking up on food supplies for the non-event. Well, if you stock up on tuna, try to get the non-mercury kind--better yet, sardines are apt to have less mercury or no mercury, so buy sardines!!!! Come on everyone, buy SARDINES!!!!

flu thing is another scare tactic.

First color-coded alerts. Then duct tape. Now tuna. Why not cereal? Why not canned soup?

I'm going to go find a deserted island somewhere and get off this friggen' nightmare.

Ignore these fools. Tuna is not a good substitute for chicken. Like people have posted above, canned salmon is better. You can also get other canned foods which are just as nutritious.

Put under your bed? Some people have food moths in their homes, and they would have a field day in this stored food.

Ignore these clowns. I swear, this government has turned into a circus.

If you are interested in food storage or preparing for an emergency, go to any one of the hundreds of web sites on this topic. They're very good. They teach you how to store food the RIGHT WAY, in plastic containers, store them properly, rotate your food. Something the idiots in Washington are clueless about.

that says to store "powdered milk". We've had food moths before (here in Oregon they're everywhere), and they will get into everything. Even powdered milk.

When we started putting our food storage into plastic tubs, the problem went away.

Now if they recommended Canned Heat while your "Goin up The Country" or "Rollin and Tumblin" your way through the Avian Blues, I'd agree.

But alas The Bushco Ship Of Fools speaks in confused tongues again.

:D

Sounds like we have a solution for the obesity problem at least.

Here's a question - my insurance company only lets me buy 30 day's worth of medications at a time. How do I stock up on the medications I need daily?

:rofl:
:rofl:
:rofl:

Excuse me while I panic.

I mean, really... :eyes:

They have no concept of logistics, of public health, of how cities work, of how food moves from warehouses to markets etc. None whatsoever. Our major cities went through the last flu epidemic without missing a beat. This bunch will cause more problems by panicking and reacting with middle of the night quarantines enforced by ill-trained militias than the flu itself, guaranteed.

a few days to a week is alway good idea anyway. Along with other areas I would think it's considered "normal" up here in the north country to stock up on things you'll need so you'll be okay for a week or so if there's an emergency such as a really bad ice or snow storm. I sure wouldn't trust the Feds to help me very fast in case of an emergency.

As for "tuna" I can think of other things I'd keep. I make a wonderful Salmon Loaf for one thing. :D One of the things DH and I have been wanting to pick up for a while now is a Food dehydrator. We both love various types of jerky and other dried food stuff and it would keep well for quite a while, hey it worked rather well for our ancestors right? B-)

Whatd' they put in the tuna?:tinfoilhat:

:sarcasm:

I have not eaten it in 11 years.

you and me both
ive been vegetarian for about 20 years but over the past 10 or so years have been able to be much smarter and more informed about my food choices

that mercury can do a silent number on your health thats for sure

Fish in general contains a good amount of jod

having it in good-excessive amounts would slow down the process of radioactive iode settling down in the thorax(thyroid)? due to previously saturating the thorax(spelling?).

Having lived in the yellow zone of a nuclear plant they have given out iod pills for a case of escaping radiation.

Well the recommendations ist somehow fishy. why not dried vegetables? or rice or pasta?


perhaps i'm just to :tinfoil:

Can't make tuna salad without them. Oh, and maybe some black olives for a bit of color.

Idiots.

:eyes:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4897660

mikey_the_rat

... it is a very good idea to have some (capable of long storage) food around. Not just for bird flu, but for any number of reasons.

Everyone should have at least a week's supply of edibles in case of some kind of emergency. You should store only foods that will withstand storage for a reasonable length of time (say a year or two) and you should only store foods you routinely eat so that you can keep the stock rotating.

Not every thing coming out of the mouth of a goverment man is a bad idea :)

fish and fired 75 regulatory agency employees in 1992 when he became gov of Utah. No wonder Bush put him in the EPA.

http://www.missoulanews.com/News/News.asp?no=3474


When the Missoulian declared Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt “A fine fit for EPA” in a recent editorial, the paper endorsed a Republican known to exact revenge on environmental professionals with whom he has a personal beef. President Bush has nominated Leavitt to replace the fleeing Christine Todd Whitman as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. And from this lofty post, there’s no telling how many personal scores Leavitt may choose to settle. After becoming governor in 1992, Leavitt fired 75 employees of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The bloodletting was perceived as payback for a $25,000 fine the DWR had levied upon the Leavitt family trout hatchery. Seems the Leavitts had been caught illegally transferring whirling disease-infected fish. Once in office, Leavitt not only pushed 75 dedicated fisheries professionals into a mass grave, he also removed hatchery oversight from DWR. In place of true scientific regulation, Leavitt created the Aquaculture Advisory Committee and stocked it with hatchery owners who were asked to regulate themselves. They happily agreed, and if Leavitt applies this same tactic as head of the EPA, expect an equally joyous response from coal, coalbed methane, oil, gas and any number of polluting foxes itching for a key to the henhouse.

Is it tuna in a can within a can?