News
Birds Eye Settles On Pollution
July 23, 2010 4:20 am | CommentsFENNVILLE, Mich. (AP) — Birds Eye Foods Inc. will install a new treatment system and take other steps to deal with groundwater contamination caused by its spraying of wastewater on farm fields in southwestern Michigan, state officials said Wednesday. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment said it had reached an agreement with the company over pollution from its Fennville cannery, which produces fruit fillings, sauces and glazes made from cherries, blueberries and apples.
Hershey Net Income Falls 35 Percent
July 23, 2010 4:15 am | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Hershey Co.'s second-quarter net income fell 35 percent because of charges for restructuring and to write down the value of a joint venture in India. But backed by a massive advertising push, revenue rose as the company sold more chocolate. The maker of Hershey's Kisses and Reese's peanut butter cups earned $46.
Ag Panel Concerned With GIPSA Rule
July 21, 2010 5:04 am | CommentsMembers of a House Agriculture subcommittee expressed deep concern with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule on livestock and poultry contracts and marketing arrangements, a regulation that would limit pork producers’ options in selling pigs to processors, according to the National Pork Producers Council.
Foodies Learn The Art Of Butchery
July 21, 2010 4:59 am | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Get out your knives and prepare to get blood on your clothes: more Americans are learning how to butcher their own meat. Cooking enthusiasts and eco-conscious food lovers are signing up for classes where they learn how to carve up whole hogs, lambs and other farm animals, the latest trend among foodies who want a closer connection to the meaty morsels on their forks.
Sugar Trade Turns Sour In Thailand
July 21, 2010 4:54 am | CommentsBANGKOK (AP) — Bangkok's ubiquitous street food vendors who feed millions of the Thai capital's residents each day are being hit by surging costs for sugar after a government failure to ensure adequate supplies of the sweetener forced Thailand to import it for the first time in 30 years.
Perdue Farms Recalls Frozen Chicken Nuggets
July 21, 2010 4:50 am | CommentsPERRY, Ga. (AP) — Perdue Farms, Inc. is recalling thousands of pounds of frozen chicken nugget products officials say could contain foreign materials. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Monday that the products include 1-pound, 13-ounce bags of "GREAT VALUE Fully Cooked Chicken Nuggets.
China-Based AgFeed To Buy U.S. Hog Producer
July 21, 2010 4:46 am | CommentsDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — China-based pork and animal feed manufacturer AgFeed Industries Inc. said Tuesday it will buy U.S. hog producer M2P2 LLC for $16 million in cash and stock in a move to further modernize its farming methods and nearly triple its hog production by 2015.
Fruit Stand Celebrates 50 Years
July 21, 2010 4:42 am | CommentsHOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Robert is here, and he's been here for more than five decades. Officially established in 1960, the Robert Is Here fruit stand is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Robert Moehling, who's been running the stand since he was 6 years old, can still be found behind the counter on any given day, chatting with regulars and answering questions about exotic fruits.
Louisiana Governor Urges Faster Seafood Testing
July 20, 2010 4:56 am | CommentsKENNER, La. (AP) — Louisiana's $2 billion seafood industry is threatened not only by the BP oil spill but also by a government bureaucracy that has been too slow to re-open waters off the state's coast to commercial fishing, Gov. Bobby Jindal and industry representatives said Monday.
China Fights Filthy Cooking Oil
July 20, 2010 4:51 am | CommentsBEIJING (AP) — China has ordered food safety officials nationwide to step up the fight against "gutter oil" that is illegally skimmed from kitchen waste and resold, part of a government crackdown on foods tainted with potentially lethal substances. China's Cabinet, the State Council, said the black market trade in waste oil posed "serious potential food safety risks" to the public.
Coffee From Cat Droppings Declared Clean
July 20, 2010 4:47 am | CommentsJAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia's top Islamic body declared Tuesday that Muslims can drink civet coffee — the world's most expensive coffee, which is extracted from the dung of civet cats. A preacher recently suggested the beverage might not be "halal" — or religiously approved — because its unusual provenance makes it unclean.
Garbanzo Beans: Idaho's Next Big Crop?
July 20, 2010 4:37 am | CommentsBOISE, Idaho (AP) — Doug Moser still winces about the time he introduced J.R. Simplot to green garbanzo beans. "It was at a lunch in Boise about five years ago," Moser said. "I spent 10 minutes telling him about them, and he leaned across the table and said, 'You know what? If I was 20 years younger, I'd be all over this.
200-Year-Old Champagne Found In Baltic Wreck
July 20, 2010 4:31 am | CommentsSTOCKHOLM (AP) — Now that's some vintage bubbly. Divers have discovered what is thought to be the world's oldest drinkable champagne in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea, one of the finders said Saturday. They tasted the one bottle they've brought up so far before they even got back to shore.
Biologist Sees Future In Shrimp Crawfish
July 20, 2010 4:24 am | CommentsNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Way down South, where football and food are close to religions, tailgate parties could turn into crawfish boils a few autumns from now if a Louisiana State University project works out. "I certainly hope so. It would be a nice option to have," said Greg Lutz, an aquaculture specialist at the university's agriculture center.
Longhorn Beef Rancher Goes Direct
July 19, 2010 4:54 am | CommentsBEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — Across the pastures of James Gentz Jr.'s family ranch north of Winnie, longhorn cattle lie around, chew their cud and fatten up. Looking over the field, Gentz, 56, admired the breed he has raised for 30 years, known for their diverse colors, wide-set horns and hardiness in tough Texas summers.
Fishing Families Turn To Other Food Sources
July 19, 2010 4:48 am | CommentsPOINTE A LA HACHE, La. (AP) — Grow up on the water, the children of southern Louisiana learn, and you'll never go hungry. As long as you can toss a line, a net or a trap, you can eat — and eat well. Or you could, until now. Millions of gallons of oil from the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig have fouled some of the world's richest fishing grounds from Florida to Texas, and even though BP stopped the leak for the first time Thursday, more than a third of the Gulf of Mexico remains closed.
Texans Prepare For Shaky Shrimp Season
July 19, 2010 4:42 am | CommentsHOUSTON (AP) — Texas shrimpers concerned about what the BP oil spill means for them are preparing for what could be a shaky season and watching the horizon for longer term changes that could bring more shrimpers from neighboring Louisiana. The commercial brown shrimp season opened on Thursday night, but state waters could close if oil spreads to Texas slowly or with a fast push from a hurricane.
Your Address Could Determine The Size Of Your Waistline
July 19, 2010 4:37 am | CommentsTORONTO — You want to lose weight? Live near a supermarket — but far away from restaurants. In a recent study, researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo looked at women's body mass index in relation to their neighbourhoods' food amenities. They found that women who lived near a supermarket tended to have a lower body mass index, meaning they were less likely to be obese, than those closer to a convenience store.
Study Questions Olive Oil Virginity
July 19, 2010 4:32 am | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Many of the olive oils lining supermarket shelves in the United States are not the top-grade extra-virgin oils their labels proclaim, according to a report from the University of California, Davis. Researchers analyzed popular brands and found 69 percent of imported oils and 10 percent of domestic oils sampled did not meet the international standards that define the pure, cold-pressed, olive oils that deserve the extra-virgin title.
Dairy Owners Promote Camel Milk
July 19, 2010 4:27 am | CommentsLOS ANGELES (AP) — To milk a camel, you need warm hands, a gentle touch and quick timing — camels give milk only in 90-second bursts. Gil and Nancy Riegler, owners of the nation's largest camel dairy near San Diego, said the extra work pays off with milk that is therapeutic, nutritious and delicious.
