As we walk down the aisles of a supermarket, even a so-called “natural foods” one, we see an ever increasing number of products. Hundreds of different soft drinks. Dozens of different vegetables, flavors, styles, and claims. More “dairy” products than you can possibly imagine. A seemingly never-ending array of breakfast foods, specialty breads, and more.

All these things have at least one thing in common. They are “GRAS” – “generally recognized as safe.” Safe to sell, and theoretically, safe to eat. On every package, unless you are a rare member of a specialized profession, you see a very long list of ingredients that appear to be baffling and just plain confusing – even scary. And perhaps a few warnings about peanuts, dairy, etc. And you see all of the “plant-based” products: fake milk, fake meat, and more, as these are listed more and more. Supposedly introduced into the food stream due to popular demand.

As a correspondent recently shared, “Most Americans hear those words and assume the FDA has independently reviewed the ingredient, declared it safe, and given it the government’s blessing. That is not what GRAS necessarily means. In fact, the phrase itself deserves much closer scrutiny. Most of us might imagine panels of “independent” government scientists reviewing years of evidence before deciding that a new ingredient belongs in the food supply. That is not how the modern system works. For one thing, who pays all these “independent” analysts? The FedGov (Congress) or some State legislature. We know how well that works, don’t we?

Instead, food manufacturers pay someone to do safety studies. They assemble scientific evidence, find “outside experts” to review everything. And then (shocking reveal here – warning!) the manufacturers who want to sell the ingredient conclude that their own ingredient meets the legal standard for GRAS. Of course their food (and supplements and drink, etc.) is pure as the driven snow!

You can look up the resumes of those expert hirelings. They are impressive, often accomplished toxicologists, physicians, and food scientists. No, their credentials are fine. But more important questions must be asked, just as we do with USDA, FDA, NIH, and other government agencies. Agencies that have sold us a bill of goods before: lies and more. Questions like “who picked them,” “who paid them,” and “does this system really substitute for truly independent review?” And… most important, are they ethical? Or do they pay attention to be sure and give their clients what they want, so the money keeps on coming in? That is, are they corrupt?

An article from thefocalpoints.com was recently posted on LinkedIn, the “professional” social media platform for engineers, scientists, technicians, and at least some academics. (Those at trade schools, that teach and train people like engineers and technicians. People that produce real things, or help and lead those who do.) It is rather damning, even though it is a third party that filed the lawsuit: A RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) lawsuit has been filed against a highly-respected professional organization.

The opening paragraph points out the problem: “For decades, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been treated like an untouchable authority on child health — the gold standard that parents, doctors, schools, and lawmakers were told to trust without question. But today, that image collapses. Children’s Health Defense (CHD) and multiple plaintiffs just filed a federal lawsuit alleging the AAP spent decades running a racketeering operation that sold parents false safety assurances about the childhood vaccine schedule.”

While for many of us, this comes as no surprise, it is shocking to the vast majority of Americans.

We are familiar with the sordid history of organizations like the American Red Cross, the March of Dimes, and dozens of others: corrupted by money and increasingly by power. The so-called “non-governmental organizations” are now pretty much partners in something which smells very much like corporatism – fascism by another name. Foremost among the organizations that have and continue to betray their (official) reasons for existing, and usually, their solemn oaths for their professions, are organizations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and their fellow medical/health care groups.

Which means, simply, that we are indeed eating GRAS – with about as much control over our food supply and our destiny as those cows in that pasture over yonder. Unless we wake up and take action to reduce and eliminate the power of government and those that government uses or supports. The choice is ours.