Recently VRG was visited by 10 dietetic interns from the University of Maryland Dietetic Internship Program. Below is one student’s report about the day. Thanks for visiting with us – we enjoyed having you all here at the office!

A Class Day to Remember
By: Lauren Morgan

We all walked out the door excited about what just happened. We quickly walked towards the cars smiling at each other after this unique class day. You see, we spent some of the afternoon at the Vegetarian Resource Group located in Baltimore, MD. We all sat in a circle and discussed vegetarianism, veganism, and so much more than I had ever thought of (which was obvious by my overwhelmingly large number of questions). Why do people become vegans or vegetarians? What products out there are truly good, authentic vegetarian products?

Consider this: If you’re a Registered Dietitian and you personally are a vegetarian, would you work for a large steak producing company who wants YOU to promote and sell their new line of veggie burgers?

Would you promote a soy milk from a company that is owned by someone in the dairy industry?

Oh… my mind was racing! Would I?

We heard personal stories from 3 interns working at the group. It was so interesting to hear how each of them came to be a vegetarian or vegan. One is a vegan bodybuilder; I never knew such a thing existed. One struggled with becoming a vegetarian because in her family and her culture it is not common. She told stories of not seeing eye-to-eye with her mom, and then how they compromised and now everyone supports her. Another told the story of how she worked with her college dining services to make their food choices more appealing to vegetarians- the process of this sounded pretty involved.

Charles Stahler, the man behind the Vegetarian Resource Group, was fantastic! One of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and he was so good to us. He answered my many questions, gave us things to talk about, and really inspired us to be mindful and equipped when counseling vegetarian and vegan clients. Charles provided us with tons of information to make us excited and equip us to be better RDs.

Thank you to Charles and the staff at the VRG!! We are appreciative of the time you spent with us and the investment you made in us!

If you would like to support Vegetarian Resource Group projects, such as education of dietetic interns, please donate at https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

For several years, the gourmet hamburger chain Red Robin has offered Boca Burgers or Gardenburgers containing eggs and/or dairy products. Recently, we received reports that Red Robin offers the vegan Boca variety.

The VRG asked Red Robin to confirm this report and Jennifer, a customer service representative, has confirmed it. The Boca Original Vegan Burger is offered at all of its 442 US locations EXCEPT at the following nineteen Red Robin restaurants:

• Lake Havasu City, AZ
• Tucson, AZ
• Tempe, AZ – 1375 W. Elliot St.
• Enfield, CT
• Manchester, CT
• Milford, CT
• Waterford, CT
• West Hartford, CT
• Holyoke, MA
• Millbury, MA
• Wilbraham, MA
• Pharr, TX
• Salt Lake City, UT
• American Fork, UT
• Murray, UT
• Provo, UT
• Layton Hills, UT
• South Jordan, UT
• West Valley, UT

Red Robin told us that the vegan burgers are prepared apart from all animal products. Travis, a customer service representative, recommended that interested customers should ask the general manager at a particular Red Robin for details "on exactly how they are prepared."

Greenbacks, a new program from the folks at Live Green, offers huge, limited-time discounts to certified green businesses and events.

Their current deal – available until this Friday, June 18th – is $120 worth of spa services at Holeco Medi Spa for just $60 with coupon code vrg1. Holeco Medi Spa, is a beloved, eco-conscious medi spa and healing center that uses only organic and non-toxic products.

To redeem this offer, register at www.greenbacks.livegreen.net, type in vrg1 and you’ll only have to pay $60 for a $120 gift card. If you are already a Live Green member, you’ll get this price anyway!

We are currently working on an article related to salad bar options in
public schools. If you are a public school student, foodservice staff member, or otherwise affiliated with public school foodservice, we would love if you would help us by filling out this survey. Thanks!

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

Apparently in its quest to keep profits high in an economic recession and to attract customers who may frequent competitors for tasty beverages, McDonald's recently debuted an entire line of iced and hot beverages including iced coffees and teas, lattes, mochas, and frappes to add to its shakes and smoothies. Considering all the possible syrups, drizzles and milk choices, McDonald's now offers over fifty iced and hot beverages each available in three sizes.

According to the Ingredient Statement on its website, there are smoothies available that contain only non-animal ingredients such as the Strawberry Banana Smoothie without Yogurt and the Wild Berry Smoothie without Yogurt. McDonald's smoothies with yogurt contain "kosher gelatin."

All of the teas at McDonald's appear to be free of all animal products.

Iced Coffees (premium roast coffee) at McDonald’s may be ordered without cream or milk (whole or nonfat). All of the syrups (e.g., hazelnut, caramel, vanilla, and sugar free vanilla), optional as well, appear to be free of all animal ingredients.

The McCafe coffees (lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas, all made with espresso) may be ordered without milk products (whole or nonfat). The same syrups offered with the iced coffees are available with the McCafe coffees, too.

McDonald's mochas may be ordered without the whipped cream or the chocolate or caramel drizzles. The chocolate drizzle contains nonfat milk. The caramel drizzle contains condensed milk and butter. The chocolate syrup, optional in the mocha, appears to be all-vegetable.

The frappe base contains milk and cream. There are whipped cream and chocolate or caramel drizzles available that are optional on the frappes.

We asked two McDonald's customer service representatives, by email and phone, about the mono- and diglycerides in the whipped cream and in the frappe base. Jessica told us by email "that based on our supply chain and wide variety of ingredients, we cannot say with certainty that mono- and di-glycerides in the whipped cream are exclusively derived from a vegetable or an animal source." Paul repeated on the telephone the same response with respect to the mono- and diglycerides in the frappe base.

The VRG has recently asked several manufacturers of mono- and diglycerides about the most common commercial source(s) of these ingredients. The majority opinion is that most mono- and diglycerides today (over 80%) are derived from plant sources.

In recent years, McDonald's has been noting more frequently in its Ingredient Statement the sources of several ingredients. This information may not yet be provided about mono- and diglycerides in the McDonald's Ingredients Statement because mono- and diglycerides are not considered potential allergens by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Thus, suppliers are not required to list their sources and may not do so. Also, as McDonald's states, suppliers change and may vary from region to region, complicating a source listing.

According to an email we received from Red Robin’s Guest Relations, Red Robin now offers a vegan BOCA burger at its locations:

You asked about it… Now we have it! The BOCA Original Vegan Burger is now available at your Red Robin! Come on in today and ask your server to substitute a Boca patty for any of our more than 22 Gourmet Burgers & Sandwiches, or as a delicious addition to any Gourmet Salad!

As always, we are happy to customize your meal to meet your dietary needs, check out our CUSTOMIZER! http://www.redrobin.com/customizer/

PART-TIME JOB: Vegan group seeks Volunteer/Educational Materials Coordinator in Baltimore. 29 hours per week, with possibility for future full time job.

Please send resume, a writing sample, and cover letter addressing your short term and long term goals, interests, vegetarian and vegan knowledge, skills, strengths, and challenges to [email protected].

In a new report entitled Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption And Production, UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) calls for a global dietary shift away from animal products in the face of these findings:

Agricultural production accounts for a staggering 70% of the global freshwater consumption, 38% of the total land use, and 14% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

From the conclusions of the report:

Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth, increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.

Click here for the full UNEP report (112-page PDF).

By Gretchen Chlebowski

It really struck me how vegetarianism was not celebrated in the environmental movement in the past, but it is now! A friend of mine said people at these types of environmental events often responded to vegetarianism with hostility in the past, but that has changed now and is no longer the case.

When we would receive a question about the environment (e.g., “what does water have to do with vegetarianism?”), we were delighted to be able to answer and then give them a VRG water brochure. But usually the questions were about nutrition and cookbooks.

George Novak of Novak Electric Sign Company created a banner for us as a donation to VRG (he is a vegetarian). We had a three panel poster board featuring slides about livestock’s impact on the environment, with Vegetarian Journals and the VRG Save Our Water brochure in front. Most people were interested in picking up free items and browsing through cookbooks. On Sunday I stood to the side of the poster board and had some interesting discussions with people.

One woman turned out to be an ecology professor from Loyola University in Chicago who teaches a food systems class. She said her class is popular with the students and very well received by the school. I told her the slides were going to be available in a PowerPoint presentation on VRG’s website, and she seemed very interested in having access to that. She said environmental issues are extremely popular with the kids, and they are really responsive to any information related to that. I think the public’s increasing awareness about environmental issues will encourage many to explore vegetarian diets as part of the solution. It will be interesting to watch this unfold.

Thanks to Gretchen Chlebowski, Ashley Huser, Wilson Hur, Susan Hogan, Bruce Jones, Ross Kennedy, MSNW, RD, Julie Conry, Daniel Dunbar, Renee Dippel, and Eric Sharer, MPH, RD for volunteering for VRG at Chicago Green Fest!

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

Edible food coatings that resemble plastic food wrap, such as carnauba wax on apples or shellac in confectioner’s glaze, are not new to the food industry. These films are commonly used to improve food quality and food safety or to minimize packaging cost. Today, edible films are very common in the breath mint and cough and cold over-the-counter medicine industries, bringing in millions per year. They are also common in the meat and fish industries.

What is new in edible films are various substances being tested for their ability not only to protect and preserve foods but also to enhance flavor and physical appeal. In several test labs around the country, various films are being applied to many different kinds of foods ranging from chocolate to nuts to doughnuts, French fries, battered and breaded food products, vegetables including eggplant and mushrooms, and a host of packaged foods including breakfast cereals and freeze-dried products. Readers may find out more information at www.ediblefilms.org.

Of interest to vegans and those with certain religious restrictions on what they may consume are the sources of the new classes of edible food coatings. While many of the films being tested are derived from plant materials including corn zein or sodium alginate from seaweed, others are derived from dairy (whey) or crustacean (crab, shrimp) shells. Some films being tested contain several different components of plant and animal origins.

Dr. Tara McHugh, a scientist working in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed a number of edible films derived from common fruits and vegetables including apples and carrots. They are usually thinner than paper, flexible, and have good oxygen barrier properties. She is currently investigating anti-microbial films made with oregano oil and purees from broccoli, tomatoes, mangoes, or other produce.

While in graduate school at the University of California at Davis, she worked under Dr. John Krochta who is a leading researcher in perfecting whey-based films for a wide variety of foods. McHugh told The VRG, "No company that I know of is commercially producing foods in whey-based films."

A conversation with an Investigator (in food complaints) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2010 revealed a reason why whey-based films on some foods, especially produce, is unlikely. "Profit margins are very small in agriculture," she said. "Produce companies are reluctant to try anything new, especially when the economy is so poor, and hesitate to make new investments. It’s only when the investment will be sure to pad their profits, that they’ll try it." The investigator also noted that companies may hesitate to try whey-based films because of the additional regulations applicable to such a food product, including an allergy declaration required on its food’s package according to the Food Allergen and Labeling Consumer Protection Law of 2004. Such a declaration may hinder an otherwise acceptable product from being purchased by individuals with food allergies or those with religious proscriptions against certain foods/food combinations.

McHugh told us that California-based Origami Foods is an industry leader in developing vegetable- and fruit-based edible films. She has worked with Origami Foods’ president, Matthew de Bord, who is using and developing many of the films created by and/or with McHugh’s research team. de Bord uses them to create unique varieties of sushi…without raw fish or seaweed.

Origami Foods is looking for companies willing to invest in manufacturing a host of creations using the vegetable and fruit wraps. de Bord told The VRG that he’s created many of the recipes as well as the wraps himself, such as a strawberry wrap in the shape of a cone to encase chocolate cheesecake. An innovation on the wrap concept is forming them into bite-sized pouches for granola, dried fruit and chocolate chip mixes. "The possibilities for my fruit and vegetable wraps are endless," he told us. For more information, contact de Bord at www.origamifoods.com.

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