Food News
Staph found in Stone Meadow Farm raw milk cheese
Food Safety News | Posted on January 3, 2017Pennsylvania officials are warning consumers who have purchased certain raw milk cheeses from Stone Meadow Farm to discard them immediately because samples from the dairy have tested positive for the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus.
Florida Commissioner Of Agriculture, Adam H. Putnam, Launches Cooking Video Series
Space Coast Daily | Posted on January 3, 2017Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam has launched an educational video series titled “The Science of Cooking” to engage 5th to 8th grade students in the science in daily activities, such as cooking.
Move over vegans, there’s a new flexitarian in town
Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted on January 3, 2017Whole Foods Market’s global buyers and experts announced the trends to watch in 2017. Among them, a trend toward “flexitarians” who embrace individualized forms of healthy eating. “In 2017, consumers will embrace a new, personalized version of healthy eating that’s less rigid than typical vegan, paleo, gluten-free and other special diets that have gone mainstream,” the Whole Foods team explained in a news release. For example, some flexitarians may be eating vegan before 6 p.m., or eating paleo five days a week, or gluten-free whenever possible. Instead of a strict identity aligned with one diet, these shoppers embrace the “flexitarian” approach to making conscious choices about what, when and how much to eat.
Horse, possum and donkey meat on menu under South Australian food safety changes
The Guardian | Posted on December 29, 2016
Horse, possum, camel and donkey will be available for sale from South Australian butchers from September next year if recommended changes to food safety regulations are adopted. The SA government, which has to update the regulations by 1 September 2017, has suggested the state should adopt the Australian and New Zealand Food Standards code definition of “game meat”, which governs what wild animals may be sold commercially for human consumption. The proposed change would broaden the range of animals available at butchers to include wild horses and donkeys, as well as wild buffalo, camel, deer, pig and possum.
Cow’s milk growth hormone won’t alter human growth
Detroit News | Posted on December 28, 2016In the United States, about 17 percent of cows are treated with bovine growth hormone, called rBGH, which increases milk production. The milk produced from these cows has no more growth hormone than milk produced from cows who are not given the hormone. Further, growth hormone is not well-absorbed, and bovine growth hormone is not active in humans. So, there is no effect from cows treated with this hormone in terms of height of human children.
Panera Bread commits to slower-growing broilers
Watt Ag Net | Posted on December 28, 2016Panera Bread has revealed a new animal welfare policy concerning its broiler chicken supply, which includes a commitment to only source slower-growing chicken breeds by 2024. In addition to committing to only using slower-growing broiler breeds in its supply chain, the restaurant chain also promised to:Provide birds more space by reducing its stocking density Offer improved environments for the chicken, including litter, lighting and enrichment. Ensure that birds are rendered unconscious using multi-step controlled atmospheric stunning
Brexit 2017: Farmers express fear of unrestricted imports of foreign food
Farming UK | Posted on December 28, 2016A number of farming leaders in the United Kingdom have expressed their fear about the prospect of unrestricted imports of foreign food as a result of post-Brexit trade deals. But in his recent address to the WTO, Dr Fox said international trade is the 'lifeblood' of the British economy, the 'driver of prosperity', and that commerce is part of the 'UK's national DNA.'Dr Fox told trade envoys during a meeting in Geneva: "The UK will work towards the reduction and ultimate elimination of trade barriers wherever they are found." The National Sheep Association, particularly, has raised concerns about any such free trade deal with Australia.Chief executive Phil Stocker said he was “seriously alarmed” at the possibility of a completely free trade deal with a country that was a global sheep meat exporter. He said it could be “catastrophic” for British sheep farmers.“The UK sheep sector is already suffering unacceptably high levels of imports of New Zealand lamb, much of which is sourced by retailers at times of the year when UK product is in plentiful supply. We would be keen to see an outcome of Brexit being tighter controls on New Zealand lamb being allowed into this country, and we certainly need to avoid making the situation worse by allowing Australian product to head our way too,” he said.However, during a speech to the Australian-British Chamber of Commerce in Sydney, Lord Hill said: "As protectionist sentiment continues to spread around the world, I want the UK to be the most fervent champion of global free trade."
Faux meat: The protein of the future?
Watt Ag Net | Posted on December 28, 2016Beef, for example, has long been “the bullseye of the target for many campaigners” and the effort has successfully resulted in the decline of beef consumption due to negative PR surrounding food safety, environmental concerns and health risks (cancer, cholesterol, etc.). This sentiment created a significant opportunity for Beyond Meat to raise $180 million to develop the Beyond Burger, with backers such as General Mills, the Humane Society of America and Bill Gates. Additional examples of animal product companies dipping in to meatless territory in 2016: Unilever: After originally planning to sue “Just Mayo” purveyor Hampton Creek, the parent company of Hellmann’s mayonnaise decided to get into the eggless mayo game instead. Danone: The French dairy giant purchased non-dairy dairy business WhiteWave. Why are investors clamoring to get on the protein-alternative bandwagon? Is it a bellwether of things to come? The answer is yes, with hopes to profit from evolving consumer behavior and an aim to stay in touch with upcoming innovations in food science.
Meat critical for good health and development
The High Plains Journal | Posted on December 22, 2016A 14 percent decline in United States consumer meat consumption over the past decade has caused alarm with one Texas A&M AgriLife scientist who warns the effects could be dire for overall human health and child development. Dr. Guoyao Wu, distinguished professor in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University, said U.S. consumers have been overwhelmed with misinformation about protein and fats in meats, which in turn has led to many consuming less meat or no meat at all.“Obesity rates have gone up the last 20 years, while consumption of meat has declined,” Wu said. “So I don’t believe that we can blame obesity on eating meat. Rather I think excessive portion sizes and lack of exercise are more likely the causes of obesity.” Wu said animal meat has lots of beneficial antioxidants, such as taurine and carnosine, “which are extremely important to protect the gut, skin, heart, eyes and other organs. Plants do not provide these antioxidants.” Wu co-authored a paper that appeared in the American Society of Animal Science, http://bit.ly/2edWZv8, which examines the composition of amino acids in certain cuts of beef. According to the paper, meat consumption helps build muscle protein and ameliorates muscle loss in the elderly.
Genetically Modified Pink Pineapples Are Going On Sale In The US
Kobini | Posted on December 22, 2016riginally conceived to make crops more resistant to insects or viruses, genetically modified foods are almost unavoidable these days. We all know about Monsanto’s infamous GMO corn and bionic soybeans but today, there’s a new tampered food item in town. This time around, US food production company Del Monte has been fiddling with the DNA of pineapples. No, not to boost crop production or protect it against disease, but simply to turn it pink. Dubbed the Rosé, or Ananas comosus, the pineapple has been genetically engineered to boost its lycopene levels, the pigment that makes tomatoes and watermelons red. While Del Monte has been working on the project since 2005, it only received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration last week. Soon, the “pinker and sweeter” fruit will be arriving to supermarkets across the country.