THIS SECTION IS FOR NEWS AND INTERESTING STORIES RELATED TO FOOD, NUTRITION AND FOOD PROCESSING. THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO KOSHER BUT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE KOSHER CONSUMER, MANUFACTURER OR MASHGIACH.
January 6, 2020 - from The Spoon:
"Wegmans Food Markets plans to pull single-use plastic bags from all of its 47 New York stores on Jan. 27."
"Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans said Monday that the move follows a pilot launched in July in which the plastic bags were removed at two stores in Corning and Ithaca, N.Y. The retailer noted that it’s phasing out the bags before a New York state ban goes into effect on March 1."
"At stores where the county or municipality hasn’t already implemented a 5-cent fee for paper bags, Wegmans will charge 5 cents per paper bag. The amount collected from the paper bag charge will be donated to the local food bank serving each region."
January 6, 2020 - from The Spoon:
"NovaMeat, the Spanish startup which creates realistic meat alternatives through 3D printing plant proteins, has developed a new version of its faux steak." This mimics "simultaneously the texture and the appearance of an animal whole muscle cut, in this case a beef steak.” The steak cost €1.35 ($1.50) per 50 grams to produce."
"Down the road, however, that will likely change. Redefine Meat is also using 3D printing to make realistic meat alternatives, Atlast Food is developing a mycelium (mushroom root) based scaffold for whole cuts of plant-based meat, and Emergy Foods is creating plant-based steak that looks eerily similar to the real thing — but neither of them have brought a product to market yet. On the cell-based front, Aleph Farms has already successfully grown cultured steak the width and thickness of a credit card (though that’s also a ways from being available)."
"NovaMeat’s Steak 2.0 has yet to be put to a public taste test, so it’s hard to substantiate Scionti’s claims regarding its superior taste and texture. It’ll be a while yet before we’re able to taste it ourselves. The startup will license its micro-extrusion technology to plant-based meat manufacturers in two to three years. However, Scionti told me that he hopes to start selling his steaks at a small scale to restaurants in Europe by the end of 2020."
January 9, 2020 - from the CPSC:
Libby 33.5 oz. Milk Bottles have been recalled because the bottles can break unexpectedly during use, posing a laceration hazard.
This recall involves the Libbey Glass 33.5 oz. Milk Bottles. They are clear colorless glass bottles with no markings that measure about 8.5 inches in height by 3.25 inches in width at the base. The recalled bottles can be identified by their original packaging. Bottle cartons with item number 92129 and manufacturing dates of either August 15, 2019 or August 31, 2019. If your establishment received these bottles after August 15, 2019, contact your distributor to determine if you received affected bottles.
Remedy: Foodservice establishments and customers should immediately stop using the recalled milk bottles and contact the firm to receive a refund in the form of a credit voucher or a free replacement bottle
Remedy: Foodservice establishments and customers should immediately stop using the recalled milk bottles and contact the firm to receive a refund in the form of a credit voucher or a free replacement bottle
Consumer Contact: Libbey Glass at 800-982-7063 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.libbey.com and click on "Product Recall" for more information.
January 3, 2020 - from CNBC:
"A U.K. employment tribunal has ruled that ethical veganism is a “philosophical belief” that should be legally protected in the same way as a religion."
"The ruling, confirmed to CNBC Friday by lawyers acting on the case, means ethical vegans in the U.K. will be protected from discrimination by law."
"While all vegans eat a plant-based diet, ethical vegans avoid all forms of animal exploitation, such as products made from wool or those tested on animals."
"In order for ethical veganism to be protected under the U.K.’s Equality Act, it needed to satisfy a series of criteria proving it could be classified as a 'philosophical or religious belief.'"
"Those criteria require a belief to be acceptable in a democratic society and to not conflict with the fundamental rights of others. Political beliefs are not eligible for protection under the Equality Act."
January 1, 2020 - from Globes:
"Today, nine years after leaving Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport, the McDonald's fast food chain launched a new branch on the site. McDonald's already has a branch at Terminal 1, which serves mainly low-cost airlines."
"The new branch will be kosher, even though it will be open 24/7, including on the Sabbath. The branch will sell hamburgers, in contrast to the branch launched in Terminal 1 several weeks ago, which is barred by the tender terms from selling hamburgers."
"One of the noticeable trends in the civil aviation industry, which is spreading to more and more airlines, is elimination of inflight meals. What was once confined to low-cost airlines is now spreading to other airlines. For example, food is not served on Air Europa's flights from Tel Aviv to Madrid, unless paid for. Airport restaurants are preparing for this by offering food packages for flights. The new McDonald's branch will also offer takeaway packages opening into two trays for convenient inflight eating. Another McDonald's branch will soon be opened in the Shakim Hall in Terminal 3."
"McDonald's will also soon be joined by another hamburger chain - Moses, which will open a branch in Terminal 3 in place of Schmoozy Bar near the children's stores in the duty-free area."
"At the same time, within the James Richardson store, preparations are being made for the mandatory change, starting on January 8. The store will have to conceal its cigarettes and smoking products from shoppers. Cigarette packs will disappear from the shelves, and will be supplied to shoppers only upon request. This change follows the third stage of legislation aimed at reducing smoking. Cigarette packs and tobacco products will have to issued in a uniform color described as the "ugliest in the world," and the health warning will be enlarged to cover 65% of the cigarette pack's area."
November 28, 2019 - from Yeshiva World:
"The McDonalds restaurant operating at Ben-Gurion International Airport opens on Shabbos but is certified kosher by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel."
"The restaurant was awarded the license to operate in Ben-Gurion Airport’s food court. It is a kosher branch and requested to remain open on Shabbos to service the travelers coming and going on Shabbos."
"Towards this end, McDonalds turned to the Zomet Institute towards learning if and how the branch may be operated on Shabbos without Chilul Shabbos. Zomet’s chief engineer, Yoni Ben David and his colleague, Daniel Shinsinsky, visited the branch at the airport."
"Some of what was explained to branch managers includes:
"There is currently one lawsuit against the Chief Rabbinate of Israel pending with the High Court of Justice, regarding hotels around Israel that operate on Shabbos and are certified kosher, some even mehadrin."
"A Jerusalem restaurant is suing the Chief Rabbinate because they want a kashrus certificate despite operating on Shabbos, as food is not cooked, only warmed, and persons buy vouchers before Shabbos. No money is taken, or meals charged on Shabbos. They feel since the restaurant is like a hotel, and as such, it should receive kashrus certification."
"To date, the Jerusalem Rabbinate has rejected requests for certification, prompting the case with the High Court."
January 1, 2020 - from Hamodia:
"A long-awaited reform in food product labeling kicks in on Wednesday. Consumers will now be able to look at a label and determine if a product is high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, and other ingredients. “Problematic” products will bear a distinctive red label, while those with levels of ingredients considered safe will bear a green sticker."
"The red sticker will appear on food products that have 13.5 or more grams of sugar per one hundred grams, 500 milligrams of salt, or 5 grams of saturated fat. Liquids must contain less than 400 milligrams of salt, 5 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of saturated fat to avoid a red sticker."
"Getting a green sticker will be products the Health Ministry recommends, including tofu, soy products, dairy products, vegetable oil, nuts and seeds, whole wheat products, legumes, tehina, fish, eggs, chicken, fruits, and vegetables. Packaged products will bear a sticker on its label, while products that are purchased in open bins will have a sticker affixed nearby."
Israel - Labeling/Marking Requirements - Israel Country Commercial Guide from US export.gov website
December 18, 2019 - from United With Israel:
"Israel permitted farmers from Gaza to use Ben-Gurion Airport and Allenby Crossing to ship its produce to countries in Europe and the Middle East.
"The IDF’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has coordinated and facilitated the export of strawberries from the Gaza Strip to England and the Gulf states, which represents the first time such an arrangement has been undertaken."
"About five tons of strawberries were shipped on Tuesday to England via Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, and last week a similar amount was sent to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar via the Allenby Crossing into Jordan."
"The IDF noted in its statement that since the beginning of the season, more than 450 tons of strawberries from the Gaza Strip were exported abroad and to Judea and Samaria."
December 13, 2019 - from Food Safety News:
"A bipartisan pair of influential Western senators wants to 'cement into law how government agencies regulate food produced using animal cell-culture technology.'"
"Sens. Mike Enzi, R-WY, and Jon Tester, D-MT, have introduced legislation to ensure that an agreement reached earlier this year between the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will have the force of law."
"Enzi is one of the most senior Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate. He chairs the powerful budget committee. Tester was the sponsor of the only successful major amendment to the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. The Senate’s only organic farmer, Tester’s amendment exempted small producers from the law."
"Enzi and Tester say the FDA-USDA agreement was designed to leverage the expertise of both agencies to protect the country’s food supply and help ensure safe and accurately-labeled products."
"Cell-culture technology may allow developers in labs to grow animal tissue for human consumption from animal cell cultures. Commercialization of the resulting products is expected in the coming years."
"For food products derived from livestock or poultry cells, the agreement — which this legislation would codify — charges FDA with overseeing the process of multiplying collected cells to make edible tissue and USDA with overseeing the processing, packaging, and labeling. For products not derived from livestock or poultry cells, FDA would oversee all phases of development and production."
Bill text is here
November 13, 2019 - from Progressive Grocer:
"A Pennsylvania federal jury has rejected claims of conspiracy to reduce the egg supply that were originally brought by 12 retailers, including such heavy hitters as the Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos."
"The plaintiffs alleged that Seymour, Ind.-based supplier Rose Acre Farms, the second-largest egg produce in the United States, along with two industry groups, United Egg Producers and United States Egg Marketers, had conspired with others to raise shell egg prices, including the creation of an animal welfare program as a pretext to boost their prices."
"After a six-week trial and a day and a half of deliberation, the jury returned its verdict. The plaintiffs had planned to seek about $1 billion in damages, which could have resulted in $3 billion after trebling."
"An antitrust class action of direct egg purchasers in 2018, which the retailer plaintiffs in the current suit weren’t part of, also ruled in favor of the defendants. The case dates back to 2008, when various egg buyers filed a class action against 13 egg producers, and a federal probe was initiated."
"The case is In Re: Processed Egg Products Antitrust Litigation, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs are Kroger, Giant Eagle Inc., Publix Super Markets Inc., H-E-B, Safeway Inc. (merged with Albertsons in 2015), Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (part of Southeastern Grocers since 2012), Albertsons, Hy-Vee Inc., Walgreens Co., Supervalu Inc. (acquired by UNFI in 2018), Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc. (acquired by Kroger in 2015), and A&P (ceased business operations in 2015)."
December 17, 2019 - from Arutz 7 :
"Anti-Israel professor calls to boycott Trader Joe's for selling Israeli cheese. Instead, customers flock to the store, emptying the shelves."
"Last week, Berkeley's Peace and Justice Commissioner Hatem Bazian called on locals to avoid purchasing Israeli feta cheese."
"'Trader Joe's is having Israeli Feta on its shelves! One more reason to stop shopping at the store,' Bazian, who lectures on Islam at UC Berkeley, wrote on his Facebook page."
"However, the call for boycott backfired after Joe Zevuloni, an Israeli living in Florida who heads the 'Israeli Army of Publicity," met the call for boycott with a call of his own: "Urgent call-up to publicity soldiers: I need you to lend me a hand here.'"
"Zevuloni's call worked: Within hours, pro-Israel customers had emptied several Trader Joe's branches of their Israeli feta cheese, and moved on to purchasing other Israeli products instead."
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