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.
July 3, 2019 - from Courier Tribune:
"Missouri officials and a company that makes plant-based foods have scuttled their attempt to settle a lawsuit over a new labeling law targeting fake meat."
"After more than five months of closed-door talks, attorneys for the company that makes Tofurky-brand products told U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan that the two sides have been unable to reach a final agreement."
"The latest development could mean a potentially lengthy trial, keeping a 2018 law aimed at cracking down on how companies like Oregon-based Tofurky label their fake burgers, mock hot dogs and soy-based crumbles."
"The law states that if a product isn’t derived from an actual cow, chicken, turkey or some other animal with two or four feet, it can’t be marketed as meat."
"Supporters said the measure will protect ranchers, pork producers and the state’s chicken and turkey farmers."
"The lawsuit, filed by Tofurky and the American Civil Liberties Union, alleged Missouri officials would be violating the free speech rights of plant-based meat manufacturers if the law was enforced."
"The top official at Tofurky told the Post-Dispatch in December that the law could force them to stop distributing in the state."
"At the same time, a study commissioned by the Plant Based Foods Association found that sales of plant-based foods grew by 20 percent last year."
"A federal lawsuit also is alleging Mississippi is violating free-speech rights by banning makers of plant-based foods from using terms such as 'meatless meatballs' and 'vegan bacon.'"
"The Good Food Institute, which also is involved in the Missouri litigation, says 12 states have enacted what it calls “meat label censorship” laws. In addition to Mississippi and Missouri, the states include Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming."
"It remained unclear Wednesday why the settlement talks were abandoned."
July 3, 2019 - from CNN:
"Nearly two years after receiving an inquiry from Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman Ron Johnson, the State Department is finally revealing details about its investigation into multiple deaths and illnesses that occurred shortly after Americans drank alcohol at Mexican resorts."
"The response, obtained by CNN, said that two bars were ultimately shut down by Mexican authorities after the State Department pressured them to inspect a number of establishments."
"In several of those cases, families have alleged that the victims became ill just after consuming alcohol, leading the FBI to look into whether tainted alcohol might be a factor there as well."
"The State Department pressured the Mexican government to inspect 30 bars, restaurants and hotels. Two bars -- including one that served Abbey and Austin Conner", people who have died - "have been shut down as s result. Raids were conducted by Mexican authorities that did end up finding "a significant amount of alcohol of 'undetermined origin'" and led to the identification of one supplier of questionably-sourced alcohol."
"Gary Davidson, an attorney for the family of Abbey Conner, continues to seek answers and compensation for the family's loss. 'There is basically homemade liquor down there, circulating in the community of hotels -- and a lot of the hotels are buying it,' he told CNN."
July 3, 2019 - from YeahThatsKosher:
A number of Jewish websites listed that Norwegian Cuise lines now offers kosher food. YeahThatsKosher lists the various options for people going on cruises for that line and others.
June 10, 2019 - from Medical Press:
"Eight of every 10 American households buys sodas and other sugary drinks each week, adding up to 2,000 calories per household per week, new research shows. "
"To put that in perspective, 2,000 calories is equal to the recommended average caloric intake for an adult for an entire day."
"With the obesity epidemic continuing for Americans young and old, it's still tough to get the message out that sugary drinks may prove lethal over time, one expert said."
"In the soda consumption study, the CDC team looked at data from a government survey of the weekly grocery-buying habits of nearly 5,000 U.S. households, compiled in 2012."
"The findings showed that on any given week, 77% of households bought sodas, sweetened juices, sports drinks or other sugary beverages. In about half of cases (47%), these drinks were bought for consumption at home."
"On average, households consumed more than 2,000 calories' worth of sugary drinks each week —about 1,200 calories while at home and nearly 760 calories outside the home, the CDC team said. Sodas were by far the leading calorie source, with 678 calories' worth consumed at home and another 472 calories taken in outside the home."
"What can and should be done to help lower these numbers? Two innovations—bold health warnings on drink labels and "soda taxes"— do seem to help, other studies presented at the same meeting showed."
"One group of shoppers were sent to a store where the sodas had prominent health warnings emblazoned on their labels; while the other group went shopping in a store where sodas didn't have such labeling."
"The result? Folks sent to the "warning labels" store bought an average of about 110 calories' worth of sugary beverages, compared to 143 calories among shoppers sent to the store without such warnings."
"The researchers concluded that implementing policies that require sugar-sweetened beverages to carry health warnings could discourage sugar-sweetened beverage consumption."
"In another computer-modeling study, a team led by Christina Griecci of Tufts University in Boston estimated that a 1 cent tax per ounce on every sugar-sweetened beverage could prevent around 17,000 new obesity-associated cancer cases and 10,000 cancer deaths."
"Another Tufts computer-modeling study, this time led by researcher Yujin Lee, found that a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages would work best if the amount of tax went up along with the amount of sugar added."
June 3, 2019 - from FoodDive:
July 1, 2019 from the CNN:
"The city outlawed the material on January 1, 2019, but businesses were given a six-month transition period before the crackdown began. The ban largely affects food establishments that have used styrofoam for take-out or large beverages, and it also prohibits stores from selling "packing peanuts." Businesses are encouraged to switch to compostable materials, including paper."
"The city banned styrofoam, also known as polystyrene, because the material can't be "recycled in a manner that is economically feasible" or "environmentally effective" in its recycling program. Violators will be fined $250 for the first offense, $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for third offenses and beyond."
"The styrofoam ban in New York makes it the largest US city to ban the material. Other cities that have banned it include San Diego, Miami Beach, Seattle and Washington, DC. The material is considered environmentally unfriendly because it breaks into smaller pieces and is hard to clean up. It also absorbs toxins faster than other plastics, and it is not biodegradable."
"Maine announced last month that it will ban styrofoam food containers statewide beginning in 2021. Maryland also banned the use of the material, but that state is giving businesses a year to comply. Connecticut is also mulling a ban."
Eating fish‡ when pregnant or breastfeeding can provide health benefits.
Fish and other protein-rich foods have nutrients that can help your child’s growth and development. As part of a healthy eating pattern, eating fish may also offer heart health benefits and lower the risk of obesity.
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends:
Choose a variety of fish that are lower in mercury.
While it is important to limit mercury in the diets of women who are pregnant and breastfeeding and young children, many types of fish are both nutritious and lower in mercury.
This chart can help you choose which fish to eat, and how often to eat them, based on their mercury levels.
July 1, 2019 - from New Hope Network:
The Hain Celestial Group Inc., a leading organic and natural products company, on Monday announced it has completed the sale of Hain Pure Protein to Aterian Investment Partners.
"Pure Protein, which includes the FreeBird and Empire Kosher chicken businesses, sold for $80 million. The company announced on May 9 that an agreement had been reached regarding the sale, and that the closing was expected before the end of the 2019 fiscal year, which was June 29. "
May 7, 2019 - from FoodDive and Hain-Celestial:
"Hain Celestial is selling Hain Pure Protein Corporation to private equity firm Aterian Investment Partners III LP for $80 million. The deal will close before the end of the fiscal year on June 30 and includes brands like Empire Kosher and FreeBird."
"The transaction is expected to close before June 30, 2019, the end of the Company's fiscal year."
July 2, 2019 - from the Specialty Food News:
"The specialty food industry continues to be impacted by the retaliatory tariffs put in place by the current presidential administration. Prices of specialty food items like cheese, meats, and oils could increase by double, maybe more."
" The current administration has proposed retaliatory tariffs on a wide range of imports from the European Union, including olive oil. This is in connection with the World Trade Organization's ruling in favor of the United States in a longstanding dispute over EU subsidies to its large civil aircraft industry (i.e. Airbus). The North American Olive Oil Association has petitioned the United States Trade Representative to remove olive oil from the proposed list of tariffs because it will devastate the American food industry and consumers who have come to depend on olive oil as a staple in their diets, as it is the only product on the proposed list that is recommended by American doctors, nutritionists, and dietitians for the prevention or treatment of chronic diseases. European olive oil represents over 70 percent of the olive oil consumed in the U.S. and American producers could barely supply 5 percent of the U.S. demand. Prices will skyrocket, leading consumers to choose less expensive—and less healthy or even unhealthy—cooking fats instead."
June 4, 2019 from the JPost:
"Yehonatan Vadai, who owns Bab al-Yemen, argues in his petition, that a restaurant like his is no different than a hotel where people pay before and are still able to receive kosher food."
"A Yemenite restaurant petitioned the Chief Rabbinate, the Jerusalem Religious Council and the Chief Rabbis of Jerusalem on Monday to be certified as kosher and open on Shabbat."
"Bab al-Yemen – the “Gate to Yemen” – is part of a new Jerusalem trend where you can eat in a restaurant atmosphere on Shabbat, but all of the food and drinks are prepared according to Shabbat laws. Furthermore, the customer does not have to pay on Shabbat and can either prepay or pay after."
"The restaurateur argues that a restaurant like his is no different than a hotel, where people pay beforehand and are still able to receive kosher food prepared according to Jewish law with no issue."
"he petition refers to the same model Chabad uses worldwide to help Jewish travelers receive kosher meals."
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