As FDA Implements FSMA, NASDA Seeks Support to Get the Rules Right

By Bob Ehart | September 24, 2013 OpinionAssurance of safe, wholesome food is a responsibility of all of us in the food chain, whether producer, regulator or consumer. When a foodborne illness is identified, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) members realize that the job of providing...

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Ten Pufferfish Poisoning Victims Released From Hospital

By News Desk | September 24, 2013 Ten people from the French island of Réunion who were hospitalized after consuming a meal of pufferfish on Sept. 10 have all been released from the hospital.According to the Regional Health Agency, Indian Ocean, the victims were affected by the tetrodotoxin in the pufferfish,...

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'Monsanto Protection Act' Set To Expire

The so-called Monsanto Protection Act is set to expire, and will not be included in a bill designed to avert a government shutdown, according to a statement Tuesday from the press office of Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).House Republicans earlier this month released legislation that would include an extension of the Monsanto measure in their continuing resolution. The measure shields sellers of genetically...

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Biggest Chinese Takeover Of An American Company Is On

Sept 24 (Reuters) - Smithfield Foods Inc shareholders on Tuesday "overwhelmingly" approved the pork packer's $4.7 billion sale to Shuanghui International Holdings Ltd in what is shaping up to be the biggest acquisition yet of a U.S. company by a Chinese one.More than 96 percent of the votes cast at a special...

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Anna Lappe: Wake Up and Smell the Soil! Groundbreaking UN Report on the Paradigm Shift Needed to Feed the Future

Project Director, Food MythBusters and author of "Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork"Get Green Newsletters: Subscribe A doorstop of a report arrived in inboxes this morning. Not so subtly called: "Wake up Before It Is Too Late," the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development...

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One Puppy vs. Lemon vs. Mirror vs. Yoga vs. The World

Loki, the puppy, fights a lemon, faces himself in the mirror, gets the hiccups, learns new tricks and even does some yoga on the side. Is there anything this guy can't do? Though this dog seems to be healthily progressing into adulthood, it is important to note that introducing a dog to citrus can have damaging effects like vomiting or diarrhea. Nevertheless, puppy reactions to lemons can be adorable...

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USDA’s Meat Police Report More Enforcement Activity After Reorganization

By Dan Flynn | September 24, 2013 Noncompliance with USDA’s meat inspectors moved only a nudge last quarter as the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reorganized its enforcement agencies.The nation’s meat police folded the international inspection functions of the Office of International Affairs (OIA)...

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Even Low Arsenic Exposure Linked With Heart Disease Risk

By Rachael Rettner, Senior Writer Published: 09/24/2013 11:15 AM EDT on LiveScienceExposure to even low levels of arsenic in drinking water and food may increase the risk of developing, and dying from, heart disease, a new study suggests.In the study, researchers analyzed urine samples from 3,575 American Indians in Arizona, Oklahoma and North and South Dakota, living in regions where arsenic levels...

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Update: 95 Now Reported Ill With Salmonella Following NC Church Barbecue

By News Desk | September 25, 2013 The tally of Salmonella victims has now hit 95 following a fundraising barbecue held Sept. 7 at a church in Shelby, NC.News reports on Tuesday stated that there were now 44 cases in Cleveland County, 47 in Rutherford County and four in other North Carolina counties. Another...

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Neil Parmar: Start-Up Wins $1 Million to Tackle Global Food Crisis -- With Edible Insects

Get Impact Newsletters: Subscribe And the $1 million Hult Prize for the best start-up idea that secures food for undernourished slum-dwellers goes to... a group of five students from Montreal, Canada, who want to grow, process and sell edible insects.Unconventional? Maybe to North Americans. But roughly 2.5 billion people are already eating insects seasonally around the world, according to data...

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Multiple Spinach Brands Recalled in Canada for Salmonella Contamination

By News Desk | September 24, 2013 Three brands of bagged spinach — Frisco’s, Queen Victoria and Metro — have been recalled by Ippolito Fruit and Produce Ltd. because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.These products were distributed in Ontario and Quebec, and possibly other provinces.The identifying information...

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We Tasted It: Burger King's Lower Calorie Fries

On Tuesday, Burger King launched a new crinkle-cut french fry that has about 20 percent fewer calories than the chain's regular fries. These "Satisfries," which have 270 calories for a small serving size compared to the 340 calories in the same serving of regular fries, use a new batter that doesn't absorb...

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Thrillist: 11 Legitimately Great Chicago-Style Pizzas Outside the Windy City

We're a quick, free, daily e-mail ...Get Taste Newsletters: Subscribe The ingredients aren't exclusive to the Windy City, so why is it so damn hard to find a decent Chicago-style pizza outside Illinois? Most places claiming to serve the sauce-on-top deep-dish goodness come up with something that's about as...

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Weis Brand Salads Recalled for Possible Listeria Contamination

By News Desk | September 23, 2013 Weis Markets, Inc., the Sunbury, PA-based supermarket chain with 162 stores in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland, is recalling Weis Quality salads for possible Listeria contamination.No illnesses have yet been associated with the recall, which Weis...

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Civil Eats Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Enhance Food Coverage

By James Andrews | September 24, 2013 Five years ago, Civil Eats began as the modest blog for the 2008 Slow Food Nation event in Washington D.C., intended to be the first online presence of the burgeoning good food movement.Today, it’s widely respected as a food news hub and platform for otherwise unheard voices...

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Foodbeast: Munchie Monstrosities (or Stoner Dreams)

Get Taste Newsletters: Subscribe JUST IN: Jack in the Box is catering to stoner dreams nationwide and launching Jack's Munchie Meal. The behemoth of a combo features two tacos, Halfsie fries (half curly fries, half French fries), a 20 oz drink and your choice of one of their four new late night entrees. All...

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Gort’s Gouda Raw Cheese Outbreak Sickens 21 with E. Coli, One Dead

By News Desk | September 24, 2013 At least 21 people have now fallen ill with E. coli O157:H7 after eating raw cheese products made by Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm in Salmon Arm, B.C.One elderly victim died in August, while others developed symptoms between late July and September.The number ill by province is as...

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Wegmans To Require Best Food Safety Practices From All Produce Growers

By News Desk | September 24, 2013 Wegmans has announced that as of Sept. 30, the grocery store chain will require all of its fresh produce growers to pass a Good Agricultural Practices inspection.In 2008, the chain began phasing in the requirement for growers of high-risk crops like spinach and melons and has...

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Flula Wants To Taste You Like Yogurt

You might recognize German comedian, DJ and vlogger, Flula Borg, from one of his many bizarre viral videos. If not, get ready to have your mind blown.Flula's back with another ridiculous video and he wants to taste you. Yes, taste you. Like yogurt. Because who doesn't like yogurt? And who doesn't like you? You really can't argue with that logic, so stop trying. Also on HuffPost: Subscribe window._taboola...

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PHOTOS: Ramen Beard And Other Strange Beard Stylings

What does one do with an incredible beard? Why, dress it up in odd ways to showcase its beard-y powers, of course. O.K., so that's not for everyone. But it's what Isaiah Webb, better known as "Incredibeard," decided to do.Every Monday via various social media channels, Webb showcases his many impressive facial...

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Sam Hiersteiner: 5 Cookbooks I Forgot to Write About, OK?

Contributor to Art of Eating, Refinery29, Washington City Paper, DC Modern Luxury, Capitol File. Smoked meats, whiskey, what else is there?Get Taste Newsletters: Subscribe It has been a dangerous year for cookbook lovers, so much so that the following disaster scene played out in my recent dream: It's quiet....

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No One Throws A Tantrum Like Julia Louis-Dreyfus

If there was any doubt as to whether or not Julia Louis-Dreyfus deserves the Emmy she won on Sunday, her performance on Monday night's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" should quiet any nay-sayers. After pulling off a very convincing viral video prank earlier this month, Kimmel released this hilarious video of JLD staging a coffee shop meltdown on his show (you know, instead of tricking us into believing it was...

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E. Coli Found in Colorado Drinking Water

By News Desk | September 23, 2013 Lyons, CO, a foothill town north of Boulder that has been devastated by flooding, reported the presence of E. coli in its water system last week.“We don’t want you using any of the water, so it was turned off,” said town administrator Victoria Simonsen during a public information...

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Daniel Klein: Lunch With Italy's Best Chef

Get Taste Newsletters: Subscribe Italy is full of passion and generosity. Whether it's parmesan, balsalmic vinegar or even an espresso, Italians are eager to share both their goods and their story. And that's why we weren't planning on making a film while dining at Osteria Francescana in Modena. But when the restaurant's chef sat with us as we ate and shared his passion for his food, his journey...

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Smithfield Shareholders Approve Sale to China’s Shuanghui

By News Desk | September 25, 2013 Shareholders of Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork producer, approved on Tuesday the company’s sale to Shuanghui International Holdings, Ltd., a Chinese food giant.The sale landed approval at $4.72 billion, making it the largest-ever Chinese purchase of a U.S. company....

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11 Nifty Uses For Milk

From Networx's Katie Marks:Mmm, milk. For those who aren't allergic or refraining for ethical/religious reasons, milk is pretty awesome. But you don't just have to put it in your mouth (and there are uses yet for that jug in the back of the fridge that went off when you weren't paying attention). Welcome to the rundown of some brand new uses for milk, some of which might surprise you! (Don't forget,...

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Ken Ash: It's Time to Reform Farm Support

Get World Newsletters: Subscribe Global food demand is rising so fast that farmers are beginning to have trouble keeping up. Projected world population growth, coupled with the new eating habits of a rising middle class, are likely to continue putting pressure on prices and boosting farm income levels for years to come. Despite this strong outlook, governments in advanced economies supported farmers...

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The Main Change In American Eating Since 2000

The American diet, as a whole, changes at a glacial pace. Most individuals eat more or less the same thing, week in, week out, adding new staples and retiring old favorites only on very rare occasions. And zooming out to a scale of hundreds of millions, these individual shifts mostly cancel each other out. (One...

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Michael F. Jacobson: 9 Food Label Fails

When nutrition facts became mandatory on packaged foods in 1993, interested consumers could, for the first time, learn how many calories and nutrients were in their foods. Popular, readable, and consumer friendly, nutrition facts labels earned its designer an award for design excellence from President Bill Clinton....

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Thrillist: These Are the 33 Best BBQ Joints in America

We're a quick, free, daily e-mail ...Get Taste Newsletters: Subscribe Pizza was invented in Italy and perfected in America. Hamburgers were invented in America but given a really German-sounding name. Indeed, it's quite possible that no culinary tradition (except for the Hot Pocket) is more thoroughly American...

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PHOTOS: Chicken Lays Weird Egg Without A Shell

Of all oddities in the animal kingdom, egg defects are among the most intriguing. Perhaps it's because the chicken egg is so ubiquitous that these eccentricities strike us not only as different, but strange and frightening. Which is why the below shell-less chicken egg, photographed by a Reddit user, is so interesting."My chicken laid an egg without a shell," wrote user Warlach. "It only got weirder...

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Mary Bottari: Outsourcing America: Sodexo Siphons Cash From Kids and Soldiers while Dishing Up Subprime Food

Get Politics Newsletters: Subscribe By Rebekah Wilce and Mary BottariSince the 2008 financial crisis, cash strapped states have accelerated the outsourcing of America in hopes of delivering the same services more cheaply. "Desperate government is our best customer," said one executive specializing in infrastructure purchases.But in many instances, this explosion in outsourcing of government services...

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