Food in the News

If those you love happen to love chocolate, should you worry?

Especially when children and/or grandchildren are involved, there's always some risk to worry about.  But just in case you're temporarily between worries, here's  a new candidate: In late March, 2016, a nonprofit consumer health protection organization named As You Sow published (online) an alarming and highly publicized article dealing with the presence of lead and cadmium in many popular  brands of chocolate candy.  

CRF Frozen Foods Lead to Food-born Illness Outbreak

Because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, CRF has now recalled all of the company's frozen vegetable and fruit items, both traditional and organic. Check your freezer for the frozen  produce listed in this announcement:

 

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm498841.htm

 

Health Risk from Sliced Apple Products

Those little bags of  sliced apples, sold  under various brand names, have been involved in recalls before.  On April 5, the FDA posted another one. The company name is Fresh From Texas; it's based in San Antonio.  In September, 2015, recalled sliced apples were sold under this cute name: Appeeling  Fruit Inc., cleverly named by a Dauberville, PA firm.

 

What's Happening in Restaurants These Days

RestaurantDo you spend more of your food dollars in restaurants than in grocery stores?  That's the American trend, and the reason why you should keep up with what's happening in restaurants these days.  To help you keep pace, let's talk about calorie counts on menus, McDonald’s new all-day breakfast policy, and the widespread restaurant shortage of cooks, a growing problem.

 

Food Warnings: raw eggs, frozen spinach, veggie smoothies, soft cheese, powdered pure caffeine, and kombucha tea

raw eggAs your Shelf Life Advice editor, I read a lot of online articles, newspaper and magazine food sections, and university newsletters about food safety. From all this reading, I learn a lot about what's NOT safe or beneficial to eat.  Here are some interesting, and, in some cases, life-saving, bits of advice that can keep you away from risky foods and too much food.

Bad Publicity for Chipotle Mexican Grill and for Foods Processed with Hexane

chipotleI said to my husband, "I need to take a photo of a Chipotle restaurant for my Shelf Life Advice article about the Chipotle outbreaks.  Come with me, and we'll have lunch there, my treat."

 

Coffee, coffee everywhere--but how much can I drink?

coffeeStroll along almost any street with small retail shops and you're likely to come to a coffee shop.  What?  You don't like the taste of coffee?  That doesn't matter.  It can be doctored with any number of high-calorie sweet flavorings to give you a beverage you'll adore.  But the big question is this: considering both the benefits and the unpleasant and sometimes unhealthful side effects, how much of the caffeinated version should you allow yourself to consume each day? 

Caffeine in Drinks and Snack Foods--Will it Harm Children?

drinks and snacks with caffeineCaffeine added to soft drinks has been worrying the FDA for awhile.  Now there's a new concern: solid foods laced with added caffeine or coffee.  There are a surprising number of these products on the market now, and most of them are snack items popular with children. These are sources of caffeine that children have easy access to, so the FDA has launched an investigation to find what physical, psychological, and behavioral effects more caffeine in food products might have on younger children, adolescents, and teens. What options would the government have if the investigation indicates danger?  Let's look into the matter.

Odd products: Should you try them? Are they safe?

Butter coffee

Nothing odd about coffee or peanut butter, but when butter is added to coffee and caffeine is added to peanut butter--well, I consider that odd. Let's learn more about these stimulants and decide whether you should indulge in or steer clear of them.

 

 

Butter/Bulletproof coffee:

 

Recent Government Actions Concerning Food Labels

No, the U.S. government hasn't come out with a decision on GE labeling. However, the FDA has taken a first step toward  defining the word "natural" on food labels, and Congress has  loosened regulations about country of origin labeling (COOL) on meats. Here are the latest developments in  these news stories.

 

 

 

"Natural" on a Food Label:

 
 

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