Things go bad. It happens. It's expected. The process of dying, including the eventual act of death itself, is not a pink-hued aspect of life that most of us relish. We generally try to keep the eternal slumber at arms distance and out of our daily consciousness. That is, unless you become a captive member of a "Deal or No Deal" television audience in which case sudden death would be welcomed and probably evenly actively solicited. But in the recesses of our minds we understand that death is normal, natural and even critical to the evolution of the world.
Creative playwrights, authors and screenwriters have dared to imagine the miracle of life, devoid of the finality of death. The concept has been termed "zombie," "undead" and "Martha Stewart. " Who amongst us doesn't remember a sleepless night in our childhood hatched from lingering images of television monsters? I can still see the glowing, unblinking eyes of Jimmy Swaggart peering into my soul from the depth of my closet.
AAAaaaaaghghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
My modern day night terrors arise not from images filmed on a Warner Brothers' stage or from a stump speech delivered by a Republican hopeful, but rather from what appeared to be a package of UNDEAD TORTILLAS!
I purchased these tortilla wraps on Monday, June 11. I'm just guessing, but I imagined that the process of manufacturing and delivering to my store took at least a few days. A "sell by" date of August 30 meant that these tortillas were guaranteed fresh for upwards of 50 days. The ingredients listed are:
Water, oat fiber, whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, soy flour, high fructose corn syrup, oats, sunflower seeds, millet, cracked flax seeds, extra virgin olive oil, brown rice flour, baking powder, guar gum, citric acid, L-cysteine, sea salt, cracked wheat, lactic adic, cultured wheat starch, sorbic acid, calcium propionate
I found myself scratching my head (and not because my scalp was dry). I penned the following letter to the La Tortilla Factory:
June 12, 2007
Dear La Tortilla Factory:
I've purchased and enjoyed your company's Multi Grain Wraps for some time. Just yesterday I purchased a package and noticed something for the first time -- the expiration date. I was somewhat shocked to notice that the package of tortillas I was buying boasted a "sell by" date of 8-30-07. That date falls a full 50 days from the date I purchased them. I can only assume that the package was produced, packaged and shipped from Santa Rosa to Burbank, CA, (where I purchased them) at least a few days prior to that.
I am a home cook and not a professional manufacturer of baked goods. However, I am puzzled over the possibility that a product containing wheat grains, sunflower seeds and olive oil can still be considered fresh and saleable close to two months after it was produced. Do the preservative agents added to your product keep molds from forming for this length of time? Does the packaging play a major role in keeping freshness intact? Can a consumer expect that an opened package of wraps will continue to be fresh until the date stamped on the bag, or is that date only promoting the last advisable date for an outlet to sell the product?
I would not categorize myself as someone who is constantly hyper-vigilant and alarmed by the use of preservative agents in packaged goods. However, I do find myself rather shocked to realize that I could unknowingly purchase tortillas that have been sitting on a store shelf for close to two months time. I would be greatly appreciative of any feedback you could provide me with regard to these issues.
Kind Regards,
Kevin Smalley, Los Angeles CA
This morning I received their response:
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for taking the time to send in your comment; and I hope I can address each of your questions below.
Our products have been especially formulated and produced in a clean environment so to assure taste, flexibility, and freshness for up to 90 days. Our tortillas usually arrive at the within 3-14 days of baking in the So Cal area and are stored in refrigeration until placed on a store shelf for consumer purchase. As long as they are kept at room temperature in the stores and at home, then they perform well throughout the duration of the code date.
The preservatives added are mold inhibitors and are used to maintain freshness. The bag does add to product freshness in that the package can be opened and closed without drying the product or exposing it too much air. We do guarantee freshness though the date on the bag. I personally store my tortillas in the refrigerator; I think it keeps them fresher longer.
If you’d like to; visit our website to look at the “Eye on the Bay” video, you’ll get an idea of the environment we’re manufacturing in. If you have any further questions, please feel free to respond or contact me directly at the number below. If you’d like to try some of our other products, replay with your mailing address and we’ll get some coupons to you.
Again, thank you for taking the time to inquire; please know that responses like this are shared with our Research & Development and Quality groups for further knowledge of what our customers want.
Sincerely...
Okay, I'm not a chemist or food additive expert so my thoughts here simply reflect the musings of an average consumer. However, I am still rather uneasy with the idea of these perishable ingredients sitting on my counter for just shy of two months and still being given the stamp of approval from their manufacturer, much less 90 days (did I mention 90 DAYS?). What the hell am I putting into my body?
As I stated in my email to the company, I don't generally consider myself to be a card-carrying member of the food police, outing companies who stuff our packaged foods with chemicals that aren't even pronounceable to most people without advanced college degrees in chemistry. I generally don't cook with too many packaged foods because I understand that a list of ingredients longer than a transcript of "The View" isn't a desirable thing. Also, most pre-prepared foods just don't taste that great.
Ed hates this because when he gets the desire to snack on something there are no easy quick snacks available--just lots of real "ingredients."So what's a guy to do? Let's be real, I don't have time to make everything from scratch. I like tortillas. I'm not planning on giving them up.
Coincidentally, I did make some homemade tortillas the other night using whole wheat, corn and green chilies. They were rather rustic, but the flavor was amazing. Perhaps this is the very reason that so many people choose not to examine what they drop into their grocery carts. Am I to assume that the USFDA (or whichever agency is charged with this responsibility) has studied the effects of these preservatives and concluded that they are harmless beyond any shadow of doubt? Isn't jarred peanut butter, packaged ground beef, toothpaste and dog food also proclaimed safe?
I think it's reasons such as these that the
Slow Food movement seems to be gaining such strength. As a country we've been ignoring food for generations, sticking or heads further and further into the sand.
A fantastic discussion about our addiction to prepared foods broiled recently on David Lebovitz's blog. It is difficult, even for people who enjoy cooking, to reduce their dependency on pre-packaged food. But this really sounds like an instance where ignorance is not bliss.
I am slowly edging closer to the food police recruiting office.
I hear its siren song.
And I believe that tortillas should die in far less than 90 days.
