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.
May 22, 2019 from the Times of Israel:
"Using yeast that lay dormant for thousands of years, a team of Israeli biologists, archaeologists and beer makers has successfully brewed the beer that Goliath of Gath may have quaffed as he set out to meet a young shepherd named David. And assuming seed funding is secured, soon the brew will hit supermarket shelves, too. "
"In a multi-layered, interdisciplinary long-term experiment, scientists isolated six yeast strains from 21 sherds of beer or wine vessels excavated from four ancient Holy Land sites. Once populated by Philistines, Canaanites, Egyptians, or Judeans, the sites include biblical Tell es-Safi/Gath (ca. 850 BCE), Bronze Age En-Besor in the Negev and an Egyptian brewery found in Tel Aviv’s Ha-Masger Street (both ca. 3100 BCE), and Jerusalem’s Ramat Rachel (ca. 8th to 4th century BCE). "
"Using yeast that lay dormant for thousands of years, a team of Israeli biologists, archaeologists and beer makers has successfully brewed the beer that Goliath of Gath may have quaffed as he set out to meet a young shepherd named David. And assuming seed funding is secured, soon the brew will hit supermarket shelves, too."
"In a multi-layered, interdisciplinary long-term experiment, scientists isolated six yeast strains from 21 sherds of beer or wine vessels excavated from four ancient Holy Land sites. Once populated by Philistines, Canaanites, Egyptians, or Judeans, the sites include biblical Tell es-Safi/Gath (ca. 850 BCE), Bronze Age En-Besor in the Negev and an Egyptian brewery found in Tel Aviv’s Ha-Masger Street (both ca. 3100 BCE), and Jerusalem’s Ramat Rachel (ca. 8th to 4th century BCE)."
"After DNA sequencing and other high-tech medical imaging and identification methods, the six isolated strains of viable yeast were successfully revitalized and used to brew potable “ancient beers.” Each brew had a different aromas depending upon the yeast strain, according to the recent peer-reviewed mBio journal paper .”
May 22, 2019 - from Reuters:
"A surge of algae has killed an estimated 8 million salmon at Norwegian fish farms over the past week, wiping out more than half of this year’s expected sales growth."
"The algae, which has spread rapidly around the coast of northern Norway, sticks to the gills of the fish, suffocating them. Wild fish can swim away from the algae belt while farmed fish is trapped. "
Harmful algal blooms happen in warm weather.
"The Directorate of Fisheries said on Tuesday more than 10,000 tonnes of farmed salmon, with a sales price of some 620 million Norwegian crowns ($70 million), had perished, but Seafood Council said the loss would be much greater. "
"None of the large listed salmon farmer such as Mowi or Leroy had were affected, Johnsen said, and were likely to benefit from coming increasing salmon prices in the second half of the year. "
May 22, 2019 - from cRc Twitter Feed:
For the first time KosherstandZ will be vending at the Indianapolis 500. They will be serving their famous kosher hot dogs, polish sausages, drinks and more. Head over to stand 23 in turn 4, and stand 5 in turn 1, while also looking for vendors selling hot dogs in the seats
May 16, 2019 - from JTA:
"Despite opposition by the Dutch constitutional court, the local animal rights party has filed its second bill seeking to ban a kosher slaughter method it considers cruel."
"The bill would ban the slaughter of animals without stunning them first. Jewish religious laws require that animals be conscious when they are slaughtered for their meat to be kosher. Islam has similar rules for the production of halal meat."
"The Party for the Animals filed the bill Monday in the Tweede Kamer, the Dutch lower house, the RTL broadcaster reported. It was after Netherlands’ highest general administrative court issued an unusual warning about the bill, saying it would unreasonably compromise religious freedoms."
"In 2012, the Dutch Senate scrapped a ban, which the party had initiated, on the practice. Submitted by the Party for Freedom, the bill received support from various political parties, including the anti-Islam Party for Freedom. But the Senate voted down the bill, citing reasons similar to those cited by the Council of State."
"Defenders of kosher slaughter say the swift cutting of an animal’s neck is no more cruel or painful than stunning the animal with an electric charge or a bolt driven into its brain. The agreement includes a 40-second limit on the amount of time an animal is allowed to go without stunning after its neck is cut."
May 16, 2019 - from TheJC and United Synagogue Twitter Feed
"Skittles, one of the UK’s most popular sweets, has been approved as kosher by the London Beth Din."
The KLBD - the Kashrut division of the London Beth Din - now lists the "fruits", "tropical", "wild berry" and "crazy sours" flavours of the confectionary as kosher-parev."
"A spokesperson for KLBD confirmed that “all current stock is approved” meaning that the product is kosher wherever it is being sold around the UK."
Skittles, a popular sweet in Britain since the 1970s, were not kosher for many years due to the use of cochineal red — a colouring made from crushed beetles – in red skittles.
"Skittles were Kosher approved in the UK for a time in the late 2000s, they have not been approved for a number of years now – even as special kosher runs of the confectionary were made in the UK for sale in Israel."
"A Skittles packet may not have a KLBD label on it but - as with many kosher items in the UK - while KLBD has not certified it, it has been kosher approved. "
Ed. note: The above information is for product made in the UK. American consumers can call Mars at 1-800-WRIGLEY.
May 16, 2019 - from CPSC :
Grand Gourmet french fry cutters have been recalled because the french fry cutter’s blade can detach, posing a laceration hazard.
This recall involves Grand Gourmet french fry cutters. The stainless steel cutters are silver and have black rubber pads at the base. They come with two interchangeable blades, one with 36 holes for thicker fries and another one with 64 holes for thinner fries. Model number 54078 and
UPC 7-13733-70625-4 are printed on the product packaging.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled french fry cutters and return them to any Meijer store for a full refund.
Meijer stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin from February 2018 through February 2019 for about $20.
Consumer Contact: Meijer at 800-927-8699 anytime or online at www.meijer.com and click on “Product Recalls” for more information.
May 16, 2019 from the Bloomberg:
"If your supermarket bill seems to be inching higher, it’s not just your imagination."
"The U.S. is in an 'inflationary environment' right now, according to Greg Longstreet, chief executive officer of Del Monte Foods Inc., with tariffs driving up prices on his company’s canned fruits and vegetables. "
Del Monte said that tarriffs impacted them immediately wiht a 25% tarriff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminum imports leading US producers to raise their prices as well. "Canned costs went up 25% overnight."
"Transportation costs, which he described as “out of control,” and a tight labor market are also causing prices to rise."
"Mandarin oranges’ cost has also climbed because of the tariffs."
"Consumers are going to pay a little bit more for household goods."
May 15, 2019 from the Newsweek:
"The United States envoy against anti-Semitism has condemned the spread of legislation in Europe that limits the slaughter of animals according to Jewish religious tradition as “disgraceful” and “intolerable,” claiming such laws are forcing the expulsion of Jewish communities."
"Elan Carr, President Donald Trump’s anti-Semitism ambassador, made the comments, also decrying the rise of anti-Semitism around the globe, while speaking at the Conference of European Rabbis in the Belgian city of Antwerp, Monday."
"The Times of Israel reported the conference had specifically chosen Antwerp to bring attention to local legislation enacted in Belgium’s Flemish region banning slaughter according to Jewish religious doctrine."
"The law, enacted in the Flanders region of the Western European nation, has required animals be stunned before they are killed, ostensibly on the grounds of animal welfare. The law is soon to be expanded to a second Belgian province. The rule contradicts both Jewish and Muslim teachings, which require animals to be fully conscious when they are killed."
"Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland have national bans on religious slaughter, citing animal welfare as the impetus behind the legislation. In July last year, a local council in England’s North banned meat from animals that had not been stunned from meals supplied to schools in the area. According to reports in The Guardian at the time, a local Muslim group called the law not only Islamophobic but also anti-Semitic."
May 15, 2019 from the The Tablet:
"Tel Aviv has always been considered a “bubble” within Israel—voting differently, partying differently, snagging the Eurovision celebrations from the country’s capital due to its liberal, cosmopolitan nature. The food scene has always been a part of the appeal—particularly Tel Aviv’s non-kosher food scene; from the bacon-selling supermarket chain Tiv Taam, to myriad seafood and sushi restaurants, Tel Aviv is, without a doubt, Israel’s capital of non-kosher food."
"Over the past couple of years, however, the city’s culinary landscape has seen an increase in kosher establishments, making a dent in its deliciously sinful image. What’s most surprising, perhaps, is the fact that behind Tel Aviv’s kosher movement are chefs previously associated with some of the most decadent, decidedly nonkosher establishments in town."
"Exposure to cooking shows, social media, and international travel have led the Israeli traditional sector to stop viewing dining as a necessity, but instead to expect an experience that matches everything nonkosher eaters get to enjoy on a night out."
"According to Reuters, Impossible Foods, maker of the plant-based Impossible Burger, has raised $300 million in the latest round of funding ahead of a possible initial public offering (IPO). The fifth equity funding round since its launch in 2011 brings the Impossible Foods’ total raised to more than $750 million and values the startup at $2 billion. By comparison, Beyond Meat had a market capitalization of just under $1.5 billion in its IPO May 2 but now tops $4 billion."
Impossible Foods launched its first plant-based meat burger, using its key ingredient heme, over two years ago. The Impossible Burger is now sold at more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide including White Castle, Qdoba, Red Robin, and at Disney theme parks. Burger King is currently testing the Impossible Whopper at select U.S. locations and then plans to release it nationally. In addition, Impossible Foods."
"Cargill has announced it will invest in Aleph Farms, a cultured meat company focused on growing complex meat varieties like steak. Cargill is participating in a Series A investment round led by VisVires New Protein and joined by several other investors looking to move Aleph Farms’ product from prototype to the commercial marketplace. Aleph Farms grows meat directly from beef cells using a 3D tissue engineering platform. In December 2018, it achieved a world-first by demonstrating it could grow a steak directly from bovine cells."
"Aleph Farms plans to begin building bio-farms and move toward a limited consumer product launch with steak grown under controlled conditions in three to five years."
The investment in Aleph Farms builds on Cargill’s other partnerships in alternative protein. In 2017, Cargill was an early investor in Memphis Meats, a company leading the way in development of cultured meat. Cargill also is an investor in plant-based protein through Puris, a firm that has launched a new pea-based protein that is non-GMO, organic, and allergen-friendly."
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