The Guardian
By Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
Ten years after the birth of the world's first cloned animal, Dolly the Sheep, America was set yesterday to become the first country to introduce meat and milk from cloned cattle into the food supply.
After five years of study, the Food and Drug Administration, the government regulatory agency, yesterday ruled it saw no difference between conventionally raised farm animals and clones. The products of both were equally safe to eat.
"Meat and milk from cattle, swine and goat clones is as safe to eat as the food we eat every day," said Stephen Sundlof, director of veterinary medicine for the Food and Drug Administration. "There is just not anything there that is conceivably hazardous to the public health."
Read more...
Friday, December 29, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Just add milk ... among other things
The Guardian
The technology used today is essentially the same as that developed from kitchen experiments by American religious reformers in late 19th century, although the sugar, salt and flavourings were generally added later.
Read more...
The technology used today is essentially the same as that developed from kitchen experiments by American religious reformers in late 19th century, although the sugar, salt and flavourings were generally added later.
Read more...
Saturday, December 23, 2006
First, stun your turkey: the day I looked lunch in the eye
The Guardian
By Emma Brockes
At Manor Farm in Bedfordshire, Richard Brown is about to kill the last turkey of the season. It's an 18kg whopper, known in the business as a catering bird. Mr Brown has performed in front of witnesses before. A woman from environmental health once came and was sprayed with turkey blood when a vessel in the bird's mouth exploded in the final stages of strangulation.
"She was wearing a beige raincoat," he says. "Ready?"
Read more...
By Emma Brockes
At Manor Farm in Bedfordshire, Richard Brown is about to kill the last turkey of the season. It's an 18kg whopper, known in the business as a catering bird. Mr Brown has performed in front of witnesses before. A woman from environmental health once came and was sprayed with turkey blood when a vessel in the bird's mouth exploded in the final stages of strangulation.
"She was wearing a beige raincoat," he says. "Ready?"
Read more...
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Town hall tussle to keep Perrier French refuses to lose its fizz
The Guardian
By Angelique Chrisafis in Vergèze
Small village seeks to reclaim name of mineral water from Nestlé.
Read more...
By Angelique Chrisafis in Vergèze
Small village seeks to reclaim name of mineral water from Nestlé.
Read more...
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Top chefs' tips for Christmas dinner
The Guardian
Interviews by Andrew Shanahan
How do you keep turkey moist? How do you cater for vegetarians? Can sprouts be interesting? We asked leading British chefs to dish up their festive secrets
Read more...
Interviews by Andrew Shanahan
How do you keep turkey moist? How do you cater for vegetarians? Can sprouts be interesting? We asked leading British chefs to dish up their festive secrets
Read more...
Mouthfuls of snobbery
The Guardian
By Zoe Williams
The way we behave in restaurants shows that class still rears its ugly head at the table.
Read more...
By Zoe Williams
The way we behave in restaurants shows that class still rears its ugly head at the table.
Read more...
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Drink up your greens
The Guardian
By Lucy Atkins
Juicing fruit and veg is all the rage for detox, weight loss and even disease prevention. But how much good does it really do?
Read more...
By Lucy Atkins
Juicing fruit and veg is all the rage for detox, weight loss and even disease prevention. But how much good does it really do?
Read more...
Celebrity restaurant passed off cheap meat as organic
The Independent
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
With its Gothic romance, golden velvet sofas and steep prices, Julie's in London makes no secret of its reputation as a celebrity hangout. Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Colin Firth, Kylie Minogue, Jeremy Paxman and U2 are just a few of the glitzy guests the restaurant lists on its website.
As part of its commitment to fine dining, Julie's proclaims its use of organic food, which it says keeps the earth healthy and minimises pesticide residues.
But what it fails to mention is that guests who ordered organic dishes last winter were routinely cheated by the restaurant, which bought cheap meat and pocketed the change.
Now it has emerged that so great was the swindle uncovered by environmental health officers when they visited the kitchens of one of the oldest fixtures on the capital's dining scene, that its manager only just escaped prison last week.
Read more...
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
With its Gothic romance, golden velvet sofas and steep prices, Julie's in London makes no secret of its reputation as a celebrity hangout. Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Colin Firth, Kylie Minogue, Jeremy Paxman and U2 are just a few of the glitzy guests the restaurant lists on its website.
As part of its commitment to fine dining, Julie's proclaims its use of organic food, which it says keeps the earth healthy and minimises pesticide residues.
But what it fails to mention is that guests who ordered organic dishes last winter were routinely cheated by the restaurant, which bought cheap meat and pocketed the change.
Now it has emerged that so great was the swindle uncovered by environmental health officers when they visited the kitchens of one of the oldest fixtures on the capital's dining scene, that its manager only just escaped prison last week.
Read more...
Monday, December 18, 2006
Diet products left on shelf as shoppers opt for healthy food
The Independent
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Weight-watchers are shunning "tasteless" diet products in favour of more normal food, suggests a survey of our shopping habits. An annual check on the brands shoppers buy shows sales of low-fat yoghurts, breads and ready meals have plunged.
The Grocer survey reflects a move from specialist products that replace fat and sugar with artificial sweeteners. Instead, shoppers seem to be spending more on naturally healthy foods such as fruit juice and soup.
Sales of 500 food and non-food brands were checked for the 52 weeks to October by the survey, which excludes fruit and vegetables. Although less stark than last year when sales of chocolate and cakes plummeted, the trend for healthy eating was marked.
Anna Suckling, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, said: "Dieting is probably increasing along with people being more concerned about their weight but the way dieting is different. People are going back to basics and having smaller amounts of normal products rather than low-fat brands."
Read more...
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Weight-watchers are shunning "tasteless" diet products in favour of more normal food, suggests a survey of our shopping habits. An annual check on the brands shoppers buy shows sales of low-fat yoghurts, breads and ready meals have plunged.
The Grocer survey reflects a move from specialist products that replace fat and sugar with artificial sweeteners. Instead, shoppers seem to be spending more on naturally healthy foods such as fruit juice and soup.
Sales of 500 food and non-food brands were checked for the 52 weeks to October by the survey, which excludes fruit and vegetables. Although less stark than last year when sales of chocolate and cakes plummeted, the trend for healthy eating was marked.
Anna Suckling, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, said: "Dieting is probably increasing along with people being more concerned about their weight but the way dieting is different. People are going back to basics and having smaller amounts of normal products rather than low-fat brands."
Read more...
Sales of 'sexy' berries romp to record levels despite poor harvest
The Independent
By Andrew Johnson
Britain may be a nation of binge-drinkers and over-indulgers - especially at this time of year - but new figures show we are also a nation of berry lovers.
Sales of British strawberries, blackberries and raspberries have broken all records and suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand.
The soft fruits, which are credited with staving off cancer and enhancing sexual prowess, have seen sales hit £204m this year.
"It's because people are becoming more aware of the health benefits of eating fresh fruit, especially berries," said Laurence Olins, the chairman of British Summer Fruits (BSF), which represents nearly all of Britain's soft fruit growers.
The strawberry remains the quintessential summer fruit, with £165m worth sold this year, the figures from BSF show.
That represents a 5 per cent sales increase. In comparison, sales of blackberries shot up by 31 per cent to £4m while raspberry sales were up 26 per cent to £35m.
Such is the demand that none of Britain's home-grown fruit is exported. And in July and August, when demand is at its highest, berries have to be imported from Europe.
The berry bonanza is not just explained by Britons choosing the healthy option, however. BSF acknowledges it is also partly due to the increased availability of the fruit - more and more acres are being planted to keep up with demand - and a strong marketing campaign.
The increase in sales has been boosted by an extensive advertising campaign. This year's launch of the strawberry season saw the model Sophie Anderton pose naked with just strawberries to cover her modesty.
"The entire marketing campaign in June focused on the health benefits, more vitamin C, good for digestion, lots of anti-oxidants," a BSF spokeswoman said. "Sophie helped us create some noise to let us know it was the start of the British berry season. We did that because it was the World Cup, and sales traditionally fall during the World Cup while sales of beer and crisps go up."
BSF also recently used a marketing campaign headed by the television sex inspector Tracey Cox to extol the aphrodisiac qualities of berries.
Cox claimed the secret to improving attraction is eating raspberries and strawberries.
The main reason is that the berries contain high levels of zinc which is said to enhance sperm production in men and make women more receptive to sex.
Raspberries and strawberries also have high levels of anti-cancer molecules.
This year's record-breaking sales came despite a poor harvest due to adverse weather.
"It was hard this season for growers - most of which are family businesses - to satisfy the increasing consumer demand and maintain positive financial results," Mr Olins said. "Given the weather was against us pretty much all year, the sales figures are encouraging.
"The wet and cool weather in May, followed by record-breaking high temperatures in June and July, coupled with an extremely wet August and a mild autumn made for just about the worst growing conditions possible, negatively impacting on production levels."
Read more...
By Andrew Johnson
Britain may be a nation of binge-drinkers and over-indulgers - especially at this time of year - but new figures show we are also a nation of berry lovers.
Sales of British strawberries, blackberries and raspberries have broken all records and suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand.
The soft fruits, which are credited with staving off cancer and enhancing sexual prowess, have seen sales hit £204m this year.
"It's because people are becoming more aware of the health benefits of eating fresh fruit, especially berries," said Laurence Olins, the chairman of British Summer Fruits (BSF), which represents nearly all of Britain's soft fruit growers.
The strawberry remains the quintessential summer fruit, with £165m worth sold this year, the figures from BSF show.
That represents a 5 per cent sales increase. In comparison, sales of blackberries shot up by 31 per cent to £4m while raspberry sales were up 26 per cent to £35m.
Such is the demand that none of Britain's home-grown fruit is exported. And in July and August, when demand is at its highest, berries have to be imported from Europe.
The berry bonanza is not just explained by Britons choosing the healthy option, however. BSF acknowledges it is also partly due to the increased availability of the fruit - more and more acres are being planted to keep up with demand - and a strong marketing campaign.
The increase in sales has been boosted by an extensive advertising campaign. This year's launch of the strawberry season saw the model Sophie Anderton pose naked with just strawberries to cover her modesty.
"The entire marketing campaign in June focused on the health benefits, more vitamin C, good for digestion, lots of anti-oxidants," a BSF spokeswoman said. "Sophie helped us create some noise to let us know it was the start of the British berry season. We did that because it was the World Cup, and sales traditionally fall during the World Cup while sales of beer and crisps go up."
BSF also recently used a marketing campaign headed by the television sex inspector Tracey Cox to extol the aphrodisiac qualities of berries.
Cox claimed the secret to improving attraction is eating raspberries and strawberries.
The main reason is that the berries contain high levels of zinc which is said to enhance sperm production in men and make women more receptive to sex.
Raspberries and strawberries also have high levels of anti-cancer molecules.
This year's record-breaking sales came despite a poor harvest due to adverse weather.
"It was hard this season for growers - most of which are family businesses - to satisfy the increasing consumer demand and maintain positive financial results," Mr Olins said. "Given the weather was against us pretty much all year, the sales figures are encouraging.
"The wet and cool weather in May, followed by record-breaking high temperatures in June and July, coupled with an extremely wet August and a mild autumn made for just about the worst growing conditions possible, negatively impacting on production levels."
Read more...
Friday, December 15, 2006
Fancy squirrel stew or roast fox? TV chef gets meals from tarmac to table
The Times, Food & Drink
By Adam Sherwin, Media Correspondent
Will fresh badger burgers replace Turkey Twizzlers? A new series from Jamie Oliver will champion the culinary merits of roadkill.
In the BBC programme Road Kill Café, viewers are shown how to forage by the roadside for foxes, squirrels and chickens that have met a sticky end.
Fergus Drennan, a food forager who supplies restaurants including The Ivy and Oliver’s Fifteen, demonstrates how to test animals for rigor mortis. If the death is recent, Drennan promises to create a tasty meal from tarmac to table within 24 hours of bumper impact.
The programme, created for BBC Three by Oliver’s Fresh One production company, aims to show that fresh fox, hedgehog and badger have a nutritional value that is greater than supermarket meats.
Read more...
By Adam Sherwin, Media Correspondent
Will fresh badger burgers replace Turkey Twizzlers? A new series from Jamie Oliver will champion the culinary merits of roadkill.
In the BBC programme Road Kill Café, viewers are shown how to forage by the roadside for foxes, squirrels and chickens that have met a sticky end.
Fergus Drennan, a food forager who supplies restaurants including The Ivy and Oliver’s Fifteen, demonstrates how to test animals for rigor mortis. If the death is recent, Drennan promises to create a tasty meal from tarmac to table within 24 hours of bumper impact.
The programme, created for BBC Three by Oliver’s Fresh One production company, aims to show that fresh fox, hedgehog and badger have a nutritional value that is greater than supermarket meats.
Read more...
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
'Once you have eaten them you get obsessed'
The Guardian
They are said to appear only where lightning meets thunder, we need dogs and pigs to sniff them out, and a single one recently sold for £85,000. Just what is it about truffles? Pascal Wyse goes on the hunt
Read more...
They are said to appear only where lightning meets thunder, we need dogs and pigs to sniff them out, and a single one recently sold for £85,000. Just what is it about truffles? Pascal Wyse goes on the hunt
Read more...
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Mad scientist? No, I'm just serious about food
The Guardian
By Vanessa Thorpe
Heston Blumenthal, the king of 'molecular gastronomy', has a new, radical manifesto. He wants us to care less about technical wizardry - and more about good cooking.
read more...
By Vanessa Thorpe
Heston Blumenthal, the king of 'molecular gastronomy', has a new, radical manifesto. He wants us to care less about technical wizardry - and more about good cooking.
read more...
Saturday, December 09, 2006
River Cottage chef takes on Tesco in battle of Axminster supermarkets
The Guardian
By Esther Addley
He has been described as the Jamie Oliver of seasonal food, championing good quality local produce with the same enthusiasm with which his fellow chef tackled shoddy school dinners.
But while Oliver has earned millions as the face of the supermarket giant Sainsbury's, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is taking a rather different approach to its arch-rival Tesco. The cook and food writer plans to tackle the supermarket head-on by launching his own food store, selling only local produce, in the Devon town of Axminster, in a direct challenge to Tesco's overwhelming influence in the town.
Read more...
By Esther Addley
He has been described as the Jamie Oliver of seasonal food, championing good quality local produce with the same enthusiasm with which his fellow chef tackled shoddy school dinners.
But while Oliver has earned millions as the face of the supermarket giant Sainsbury's, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is taking a rather different approach to its arch-rival Tesco. The cook and food writer plans to tackle the supermarket head-on by launching his own food store, selling only local produce, in the Devon town of Axminster, in a direct challenge to Tesco's overwhelming influence in the town.
Read more...
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Japanese bite back in noodle wars
The Guardian
By Justin McCurry in Tokyo
The instant noodle is an easy target for food snobs. What could be attractive, they ask, about spindles of artificially flavoured flour and water that have been steeped in saturated fat before being boiled and served in a polystyrene cup?
In Japan, the question would be met with incredulity. Here, instant noodles have risen from humble beginnings in Osaka to become an industry worth $4.4bn (£2.24bn) a year. To the Japanese, the "cup noodle" isn't just a quick and easy snack - it is a cultural icon.
Read more...
By Justin McCurry in Tokyo
The instant noodle is an easy target for food snobs. What could be attractive, they ask, about spindles of artificially flavoured flour and water that have been steeped in saturated fat before being boiled and served in a polystyrene cup?
In Japan, the question would be met with incredulity. Here, instant noodles have risen from humble beginnings in Osaka to become an industry worth $4.4bn (£2.24bn) a year. To the Japanese, the "cup noodle" isn't just a quick and easy snack - it is a cultural icon.
Read more...
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
'I'll make it but I'm not eating it'
The Guardian
Will teaching the kids how to make their own supper encourage them to actually eat it for once? Will Hodgkinson puts the latest raft of children's cookbooks to the test.
"A week in the kitchen has convinced me that children do indeed love cooking. Ours are as good at it as I am. They benefit from understanding how food works and enjoy the gratification that comes with creating a meal. But when it comes to getting them to eat, I can only offer this: bribes, threats, and outright lies."
Read more...
Will teaching the kids how to make their own supper encourage them to actually eat it for once? Will Hodgkinson puts the latest raft of children's cookbooks to the test.
"A week in the kitchen has convinced me that children do indeed love cooking. Ours are as good at it as I am. They benefit from understanding how food works and enjoy the gratification that comes with creating a meal. But when it comes to getting them to eat, I can only offer this: bribes, threats, and outright lies."
Read more...
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Superfoods: Cabbage
The Guardian
By Amanda Grant
Cabbages come in a number of guises, including red, savoy and spring. All have a great nutritional benefit, contributing good amounts of vitamin C, beta-carotene, fibre and folic acid to our diet. Dark green cabbages also contain iron.
Read more...
By Amanda Grant
Cabbages come in a number of guises, including red, savoy and spring. All have a great nutritional benefit, contributing good amounts of vitamin C, beta-carotene, fibre and folic acid to our diet. Dark green cabbages also contain iron.
Read more...
Friday, December 01, 2006
Cameron calls for 'good food' society
The Guardian
BY Hélène Mulholland
David Cameron today urged people to ditch TV dinners and spend more time in the kitchen preparing wholesome family meals to be eaten around the table.
As he nears his first anniversary as Tory leader next week, Mr Cameron drew on his own culinary passion to call for the re-emergence of a "good food" society.
Mr Cameron said that the British public "just don't respect food enough" as he vowed to take a lead on shaping a new outlook to food across Britain.
Read more...
BY Hélène Mulholland
David Cameron today urged people to ditch TV dinners and spend more time in the kitchen preparing wholesome family meals to be eaten around the table.
As he nears his first anniversary as Tory leader next week, Mr Cameron drew on his own culinary passion to call for the re-emergence of a "good food" society.
Mr Cameron said that the British public "just don't respect food enough" as he vowed to take a lead on shaping a new outlook to food across Britain.
Read more...
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