Doug's Domain

Safer Russian Roulette?

Managing Editor — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:32:00 GMT

Eat raw, unpasteurized eggs? Indulge in tartare from time to time? Like to lick the cookie dough bowl and beaters?

If so, you’re playing a game of food-safety Russian roulette, and odds are that someday, if such unscrupulous activities continue unabated, you will hit that loaded chamber and come down with disease.

That last example above is the subject of much hemming and hawing of late (except these folks were likely just squeezing or spooning dough from the chub right from the fridge…), when consumption of raw cookie dough hospitalized 30-odd people.

Of course, the industry should be (and is) working toward safer processing and handling protocols on and ongoing basis. But when an op-ed writer in The New York Times decides to wait until the very last line of their piece (almost an afterthought…) to suggest that it’s a mistake—and dangerous—to eat raw cookie dough (particularly manufactured cookie dough!) after lambasting the industry for its food-safety shortcomings, something has gone horribly wrong with our logical patterns of thought. Perhaps I should drive my car to the store blindfolded and then sue Chrysler when I end up in the hospital. Both lines of reasoning are equally spurious.

Perhaps it’s a situation of too little information, but E. coli is literally everywhere, and we should all take the appropriate preventative measures Mom always told us about. It’s just common sense, people.

Informing the Sugar vs. HFCS Debate

Managing Editor — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:20:00 GMT

I’ve been seeing those ads in magazines my wife reads on parenting, kids, etc. of late with interest—you know, two people facing each other with dialogue balloons overhead saying something along the lines of: “The other day my barber was talking about how high-fructose corn syrup causes obesity and heart disease,” and the other person retorts, “Your barber is a registered dietician?”

The efforts by industry associations to debunk this word-of-mouth colloquial advice disguised as factual information in the consumer’s mind is certainly needed, and I’m interested to see what sort of real-world impact it has on general perception of the ubiquitous sweetener.

Along similar lines, I was interested to see a piece in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune on this very subject—and was surprised to see that it actually spoke some truth—namely that sugar and HFCS are virtually identical and that both should be consumed in moderation (perhaps someday we’ll finally realize that pretty much everything should be consumed in moderation…). (Caveat: I wish I could say the same for the article’s sidebar on sugar substitutes—a fair amount of specious, science-light misinformation there…)

Maybe the message will finally start getting out that swapping HFCS for sugar is by no means a health issue. It’s a fuzzy, cuddly perception issue du jour. It’s preferences—namely a growing preference for what people feel they can justifiably call “natural.” Make no mistake: That latter bit is a horse to bet on in the coming months and years. But in the process, let’s be honest with ourselves and stop this “let’s pick on the food industry because it’s an easy target and I need something to complain about and blame all my woes on since my last scapegoat ran away” business.

Knowledge is power, and arming consumers with real information, proven via hard science, is a noble pursuit.

Interesting Finds—Organic or Not

Managing Editor — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:13:00 GMT

As I walked down the bowling lanes that comprised the All Things Organic show last week (go ahead, roll a ball … we few amblers are the pins…), I was interested to find a small handful of truly intriguing products—organic or not. Despite the less-than-lively feeling (I really hope the show did OK and that my visit was just an irregular blip in the overall scope of things…), I was interested to find items like green tea and ginger beer (interesting use of tea), black malted barley flour (fiber-rich, whole-grain source of dark color, cocoa replacer), yacón syrup (prebiotic-rich, glycemic-friendly sweetener from the Andes) and coconut sugar (another glycemic-friendly option)—and toss in a little popped sorghum and some grass-fed beef jerky just for fun.

One item that had already blipped onto my radar was a frozen yogurt fortified with DHA (from algae), inulin (prebiotic) and a good blend of probiotic cultures. It also provides a “good” source of calcium and vitamin D. I’m currently looking into whether or not they have any chain-level foodservice distribution. Fortified ice cream? Not a chance in my book. But yogurt already has a healthy halo surrounding it, so it just might work.

Organic or not—and I’m anticipating the rise of “natural” and a leveling of “organic” in the marketplace in the coming year or so—ATO always manages to throw a few fun curve balls my way.

Cozying Up to Tea

Managing Editor — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:05:00 GMT

A handful of companies last week at IFT suggested tea is poised for a major breakthrough in the American market. What’s a key driver of superfruits? Antioxidants. Well, tea has those foils to free radicals in spades. Also, it’s hard to get more natural than tea. And once you account for the varying points of fermentation—yielding types like oolong and black tea—it also boasts a complexity on par with coffee just begging for astute flavor pairing in foods and, natch, beverages.

One of the firms clearly on the tea tip is Virginia Dare, which steeping its entire show presence in various aspects of Camellia sinensis. At its off-site, invitation-only press conference, tea ambassador and author of “New Tea Lover’s Treasury” James Norwood Pratt led a tasting of teas that provided high-level edutainment (Pratt was also on hand at the company’s booth, illuminating the masses on the finer points of tea).

China very well may be poised to take the economic world by storm in the coming years, but one of its key exports is already ready to take the food world by storm. Expect to see tea not only on the continued rise in beverages in the coming months and years (in both adult and family-friendly drinks), but also in foods across the menu and from shelf-stable areas to refrigerated sections and the freezer.

IFT Impressions

Managing Editor — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:35:00 GMT

Yesterday I hit the floor running at IFT 2009 in the land of magical mice and amazingly perfumed atmosphere. Everything is in bloom here, and I bet something is always blooming regardless of the time of year. This is Southern California, after all. We're not in LA, so many call it paradise.

Impressions? Functional flax that fortifies while it emulsifies. Myriad omega-3s. Stevia everywhere. Lots of "cut the sodium" talk. Oh and then there's the renegade apple butter guy. Mix apple butter and chili sauce? Who would have thought. Capped the day with an almond-centric custom dinner at Catal. Salad with blue cheese, bacon-fried almonds and a 62 degree egg. Baramundi with brown-butter viniagrette and almond milk pearls (spherified). And nougatine semi-freddo with Sauterne-macerated nectarines. Oh my. Life is good.

Off to Anaheim

Managing Editor — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:36:00 GMT

IFT time is yet again upon us, and I’m gearing up to head west to Anaheim, the land of magical, oversized mice and delicious California sunshine—and likely some delicious food, too. If there’s one thing we food-industry folks know how to do, it’s eat well. I fully anticipate to see much attention paid to methods of improving products without upping the price point—whether through fortification, flavor or functionality. Health will undoubtedly hit the show floor with force, as well. And I bet I’ll see more buzz about “natural” than “organic” this time around—always an interesting endeavor when we try to pin that little buzzword down to specifics. Stay tuned for an update from the West Coast.

Stop the Price Wars

Managing Editor — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:03:00 GMT

If I could name one topic that crept up more often than any other during the recent NRA conference, it was undoubtedly economics. Yes, the bottom line is a perennial concern, wounded economy or not, but these days it’s do or die for some folks.

One common knee-jerk response to hard times is to cut prices—and if that doesn’t work, cut and cut again, often to unreasonable lows. This can be seen across the board in foodservice these days, as well as in some sectors of retail. And from the consumer’s perspective—what with the diminishing level of cash in their pockets—it seems like a great deal. Super-low prices might dictate higher sales, and the operator then sees more profit (albeit at a slower rate due to the lower prices…). Win-win, right?

Wrong. Lose-lose.

As pointed out during a conversation this week with noted Chicago food reporter Steve Dolinsky, such behavior only hurts both operators and consumers in the long run (he led a panel at NRA the likes of Daniel Boulud, Steve Ells and Sally Smith, among others, on it, and this was a key point of discussion). Price-cutting wars force operators into untenable positions with illogically dictated margins. And then what are they to do when the economy recovers (which it is already showing signs of…)? That’s right. Raise prices. Think the consumers will appreciate that?

Modest “economic incentive” price cuts may be welcome and even advisable in some situations, but all-out price wars never benefit anyone in the big picture. There are other, better, more-sustainable ways to get more folks cranking through the revolving doors. Give peace a chance.

Calling All Regionalvores

Managing Editor — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:54:00 GMT

Although the most-amusing bit I’ve run across in recent days deals with grass-fed-beef hot dogs and Ebola-infected spider monkeys running the back of the house (perch Anthony Bourdain and Alice Waters side-by-side on a stage and just wait for the lovely fireworks…), the most-poignant was the line of thought beginning with a recent bit in The New York Times on global companies (perhaps) commodifying the “go local” phenomenon and ending (for now…) with an NRA panel discussion on “glocalization” led by RCA President Harry Crane and featuring Robert Danhi (educator, chef, recent Beard Award nominee, RCA Board member), Tom Miner (principal of Technomic), Shannon Johnson (head of menu development at Applebee’s) and Susan Goss (chef-owner of Chicago’s West Town Tavern).

I’ve long pushed for the regionalization of food—and long before the word “locavore” entered common parlance. This concept is more about distinct regions of the country vs. the 15 or 150 miles (depending on however you define “local”) surrounding your home. Let’s call those who celebrate regional food connections “regionalvores,” and I’m proud to espouse all tenets of this new and unreservedly inclusive club (club charter and bylaws to follow in future).

I see great benefit in cultivating more of a regional identity in our food that encompasses not only a closer relationship between the farmers of the region and particular fruits of the area (whether sea, land or sky), but also historically ingrained culinary traditions, landmarks still visible on the regional foodscape that distinguish it from the rest of the country. Food steeped in these commingled traditions make great candidates for retail and menu development and serve to differentiate in a sea of ever-whitewashing sameness. And if such notions can capitalize on some level of “go local” buzz, all the better. We just need to make sure the stock of that locavore stew isn’t overly diluted in the pursuit of almighty marketing taglines and broadcast messages.

Sights Set on NRA

Managing Editor — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:48:00 GMT

Whenever the NRA Show rolls into town (or rather, whenever the masses—perhaps a bit less mass than some years—descend upon my town) the culinary whirlwind kicks into full effect. Yesterday saw a nice turnout for the Research Chefs Association reception and then a quick jaunt to a New Zealand products gig and off to dinner at The Bristol with fellow foodservice communication cohorts. Today I’m back in the Loop for an IFEC reception at The Gage, and tomorrow brings some quality time on the show floor and an RCA panel on “glocalization” that’s sure to pique the mental culinary taste buds. This year as I stroll the floor I’m particularly looking for nuggets of interest pertaining to delivering more bang for the buck when dining out while simultaneously exploring new flavor territories. Stay tuned for the decompression.

Soda's Ongoing Seismic Shifts

Managing Editor — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:00:00 GMT

The beverage world always tells quite an exciting tale. There’s never a dull moment in a realm where people have historically accepted everything but the kitchen sink—for a time, at least. That can mean fortification, flavors, formats—what have you.

But thriving in retail beverages can prove difficult (to say the least). It’s kind of like hot sauce. Take in the offerings at the local supermarket—or better yet, a specialty hot sauce store—and the sheer volume of available products instantly baffles. But rest assured, only a very small handful of those sauces have displayed any sort of large-scale commercial success.

The wake of our current migration away from traditional, full-sugar (OK, full-HFCS...) soda has revealed a handful of promising emerging categories. One that has piqued my interest is sparkling waters in a range of adult-oriented flavors (think summery, female-leaning types ... cucumber pops up a lot). This is going one step further for some (greener-leaning) folks who eschew the whole bottled thing and are making their seltzers at home. (The retail angle there? Flavor packs sold in the store next to CO2 cartridges for the machines.) Such products have popped in and out of the market before, but I think they have more potential now than ever before as we continually face our daily caloric intake via omnipresent obesity chatter and the whole silly, unscientific HFCS thing (nevertheless, we should have learned by now that each individual's perception is their version of reality...).

As I walk the NRA aisles in the next handful of days, I fully anticipate hearing much more about beverage-based seismic shifts. Stay tuned for impending impressions.

Dennys Generational Demographic Digs

Managing Editor — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:29:00 GMT

I’ve been following the hipster-come lately late-night Denny’s makeover for some time now, and this latest bit that I ran across earlier today fits in nicely with the approach. I’m just waiting for the press release that outlines how the chain is now clearing 35% of the floor space come 1 A.M. on Fridays and Saturdays, in selection locations, for a limited time only, to accommodate rave dancing, along with associated new menu additions like miracle fruit lollipops and licorice marshmallow fluff shooters.

Interesting to see what some chains are doing to try to weather the current foodservice economic storm. After all, it’s not always 100% about the food, but rather the overall food experience that counts—whether in the form of packaging, marketing, perceptions or even potential elbow rubbing with aspiring, sponsorship-friendly musicians.

Snacks and Minis Go Big, Part 2

Managing Editor — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:28:47 GMT

My first post on this growing category touched on the purely savory, so here’s a look at the sweet side of the ongoing mini revolution—from that whole cupcake thing to mini donuts and more.

Just like mini sandwiches have been on the rise for a few years now, so has the cupcake—a bona fide mini that has long been part of the American baking scene, but in the last several years has caught on as a trendy, handheld dessert or treat. Cupcakes were originally baked in earthenware cups or ramekins (thus the name); across the pond, they call ’em “fairy cakes” likely due to their cuteness and a size suitable for sharing amongst fairies...

Photo: California Raisin Marketing Board

In the wake of a recent suggestion on using raisins for various reasons in cupcakes (valuable added humectancy, natural, fruit, etc.), the concept of the cupcake as a mini became plainly aware. A representative of the California Raisin Marketing Board passed along a handful of cupcake leads, like the Bay Area's Citizen Cake and Sprinkles, and New York's Cupcake Café and Magnolia Bakery. As someone who lives smack dab between those coastal examples in Chicago, I’d add Molly’s, Sweet Mandy B’s, and Phoebe’s to an ever-growing list of big-city cupcakeries.

And now we have tiny doughnuts, courtesy of Krispy Kreme—half-sized treats that I’m sure will tempt folks to eat by the handful. I’ve also seen these at restaurants—notably by the basket at Primehouse (David Burke also offers mini pies on the dessert menu) and a favorite breakfast spot in my neck of the woods, Juicy-O. Desserts served in shot glasses were big for a while, and P.F. Chang’s still has a nice selection that they came up with not too long ago.

Expect to see more desserts take miniature form in the coming days—just variations on petit fours by any other name.

Snacks and Minis Go Big

Managing Editor — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:28:30 GMT

I just surfaced from a full-fledged look at the growing restaurant snack category—think just about mini anything ... just put anything you can possibly think of on a little bun and price it below $3, and you’re there.

All across the board, market analysts are showing continued growth of this sector, which strives to add three new dayparts to the menu: mid-morning snack, mid-afternoon snack and late-night snack. Of course, these lower-priced, downsized portions just as easily fit into our traditional meal dayparts—and save consumers a bit of cash, to boot. It’s no surprise that these foods are one of the few bright spots in the restaurant world these days.

Product and menu developers can do much to differentiate their miniature offerings with innovative takes on flavor accents via sauces, seasoning blends, bread selection, etc. Some folks are also stepping outside of the well-accepted sandwich scene to offer takes on what can logically be called “American tapas—small plates geared to sharing and more-sociable settings. The Cheesecake Factory just jumped into this territory, and it appears to be paying instant dividends, as noted yesterday by Morningstar. Should be interesting to see how it plays out—and who else gets in on the game.

Stay tuned for two upcoming features in the June issue of CULINOLOGY® magazine along these lines—one that digs deep into current snack and mini activity at the chain level and another one where I take a fanciful look at the history of the slider in America—and how far it has come, hitting menus from QSRs to the finest of fine dining and everything in between.

Nothing to Not Like in this Kitchen

Managing Editor — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:02:59 GMT

As that vintage commercial goes, “Everybody doesn’t like something, but nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.” Although that jingly catchphrase is nothing short of grammatically horrific, it sure stuck in the consciousness of many an individual who weathered the 1970s in America. In fact, when I saw my wife earlier this afternoon upon my return from the newly unveiled Kitchens of Sara Lee “ribbon cutting,” she—a fellow child of the ’70s with the Shawn Cassidy LPs to prove it—immediately began singing the jingle.

Photo: Sara Lee Corp.

And, in fact, I would bet that most folks in food would be able to say that nobody doesn’t like the new Kitchens of Sara Lee. The place is an absolute slice of R&D heaven. State-of-the-are labs, a culinary center, pilot plants and more (including a beauty of a three-stage tunnel oven in the bakery pilot plant) combine to give the company’s food scientists and chefs (who frequently combine the two disciplines, ala Culinology®) everything they need in-house to effectively prepare for full-scale manufacturing runs. Of particular interest were the capabilities they built into the facility to speed time to market and eliminate the need for out-of-house functions.

I even had the pleasure of meeting the actual Sara Lee! The new facility is dedicated to her late father, Charles Lubin, who had named his prized cheesecake after his daughter. The new center is named after Lubin’s company (which he sold to Consolidated Foods in the 1950s; Consolidated eventually renamed itself after its top-selling brand and became the Sara Lee Corporation).

This morning I also had the pleasure of adding three deliciously combined words to my vocabulary: Caramel Pecan Cheesecake. After seeing one of these rich beauties made before my salivating eyes, I must find a slice at the first possible opportunity. (The cheesecake is part of Sara Lee’s Bistro line and is finished by hand, even—amazingly—in the plant.)

Sure, everybody doesn’t like something, but I bet that isn’t it for pretty much everybody.

Sweet Riffs

Managing Editor — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:29:12 GMT

We Americans perhaps prize the taste of sweetness above any other. After all, our evolutionary schema delineated a survival-linked preference for sweet foods. Those calories fuel the fire.

And sweetness is a big deal these days. Just look at the Pandora’s box of obesity (excess calories, insufficient fire), and the whole systemic demonization of high-fructose corn syrup. As I mentioned the other day, good-ol’ sugar is likely poised for a serious stint in the sun again—that is, if the numbers crunch out in processors’ favor. Not that dropping sugar in place of HFCS will do anything for obesity... Do the math folks...

Nevertheless, we love magic bullets. Back in the 1950s, when faced with a potential quick fix to the pound-packing sweetness paradox, we showed we were happy to begin accepting—and eventually craving—a bit of bitterness with the sweet in artificial sweeteners. In deference to my Tab-chiding teenage years, come maturity I actually developed a fondness for the taste and flavor of the stuff (well, specifically for Diet Coke ... these things seem very relative to each individual...).

Of course, the great artificial sweetener war escalated with the mass introduction of stevia-based sweeteners in recent months—something that has nothing artificial about it. Hard to argue with the natural-food clout of a plant derived extract (although I’m sure people will try...).

I even received a sample pack of “The Natural Sweeteners Your Patrons Want” skewed toward foodservice in the mail a short while ago, which bundles tabletop packets of classic turbinado sugar, evaporated cane juice and stevia—the “natural” side of the equation, now complemented with a zero-calorie option. The tabletop market is particularly active, what with the alternately ardent sucralose, saccharin and aspartame folks tossed into the multicolored mix, as noted by a piece in today’s New York Times.

Collectively, these commingled tangents should make for quite a sweet, hot summer.

Expect a Year-Round Passover

Managing Editor — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:49:32 GMT

This time of year means one thing to a lot of people: sugar-sweetened Passover Coke is on the shelf. But it’s not there for long—and not just because Passover only lasts for week or so leading up to Easter. People, and not just those staying kosher, love the stuff. And it sells quick—often to the chagrin of Jews who seek it for purely religious reasons.

In a time when high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is increasingly finding itself the punching bag of the industry (undeservedly, but perception is reality...), soda sweetened with good-ol’ sugar is in demand.

Some other countries regularly retail sugar-sweetened Coke—Passover Coke and Mexican Coke are synonyms—and considering the perennial demand for such products and the misguided growing distaste for HFCS, I bet we’ll see year-round sugar-sweetened sodas from the big players in the beverage game soon. It’s just a simple matter of meeting consumer demand.

Spring Ballpark Food Roundup

Managing Editor — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:53:14 GMT

I’m sure it’s different for different types of sports fans, but this time of year I get to thinking about stadium and ballpark food. Yes, I follow that classic American summer pastime, professional baseball. Opening day has now come and past (Cubs win!), and the stories of updates to ballpark food are hitting the airwaves.

Around my neck of the sporting world, the “big news” was mainly that, in the wake of Sara Lee’s bow out of the kosher meats market (bye-bye Best’s Kosher), the dogs at the Cell (formerly Comiskey, where the White Sox call home on Chicago’s South Side) will now be Vienna Beef (and the company president is a Cubs fan ... horrors!). Personally, I’m indifferent to what happens with the dogs at either Chicago ballpark. Since Wrigley stopped selling Hebrew National a couple of years ago, I just stopped caring. What would get me excited? Secure a Hot Doug’s kiosk in the confines of Wrigley (and watch the lines start forming).

Chicago did announce some changes at the parks, and things look a bit more interesting on the South Side than the North (well, at lest in terms of food ... I like the build your own burrito option). And looks like there’s never a dull moment at New York’s parks, as noted in today’s Times. That Mexican stand, with pork carnitas and corn slathered with cheese and mayo, is now firmly on my radar. Camden Yards has some new twists in the works, and Royals fans can dig into a “steak on a stick” while taking in the game. All that’s missing is a novelty vino helmet that provides hands-free Cabernet quaffing.

But although I’m always happy to dabble, in the end, I already know that I’ll just stick with a dog—and as Chicago dog as they can get it—and an ice-cold, fully kraeusened Old Style when I hit the bleachers this summer.

Logical Extensions and Kitchen Sinks

Managing Editor — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:55:11 GMT

The other day I was considering Kraft Dinner. Not in its universally known format, but in that new snack cracker. And my initial thought was, “Jen would love these,” since, of course, she (my part-Cheesehead wife, that is) already adores Kraft Dinner. As do my young boys (and none of that instant “Kraft Lunch in a cup” stuff—they know the real deal and, for some reason, reject any substitutes; me, I’m partial to creamy blends of Gruyère and fontina thickly slathered around those big macaroni noodles, maybe a nice chunk of smoky lardon here and there, and a crusty, crunchy, buttery breadcrumb top when it comes to good-ol’ comforting mac-and-cheese, but that’s a story for another day...).

But then I thought: Will she translate that love to a cracker?

That might prove a difficult jump to make in a market that already has its gold standard (has to be Cheez-Its, with a sizable following for Goldfish, as well—and Kraft already has its Cheese Nips...).

Which brings me to logical brand extensions, ideal fortification vehicles and kitchen sinks.

Flavors are always a good bet for extending a product line. Add more diversity, attract more flavor-motivated consumers. Health can work, too. Add whole grains, cut fat and sodium, and a certain consumer segment instantly perks up its ears. But jumping food formats is another bag altogether—often a much-riskier venture. Consider the above macaroni to cracker example, which has yet play itself out on the market.

But risk instantly diminishes as soon as you’re working with kitchen sinks. You know, products that can take all sorts of fortification and flavor without losing allure. Think beverages and bars, and even potato chips when it comes solely to flavor. Not all levels and types of fortification and flavor will prove successful over the long run, but God willing, it seems as though we will try them all.

And perhaps the Kraft Dinner crackers will make it based on their similarities—and in spite of their differences (which I bet some addled youths on YouTube have already tried to reconcile by nuking the crackers with some milk ... kids, don’t try this at home...). To my palate, they initially taste just like any other cheese-forward snack cracker—and then the lingering aftertaste kicks in. Pure Kraft Dinner all the way.

I believe logic will begin to play a more-prominent role in tomorrow’s products when it comes to flavor (think true-to-nature flavors, regional ethnic, etc.) and especially fortification (like upping already existing levels of vitamin E, omega-3s, resveratrol, etc.). The kitchen sink approach won’t work with every product, and—for a range of reasons—I believe this thinking will hang on the cusp of a new age of product formulation quickly coming down the pike.

Digging Inside Ethical Consumerism

Managing Editor — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:42:30 GMT

Last Saturday morning, I found myself at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on a flex line filling emergency food boxes for subsequent distribution throughout Cook County—aka, Chicago.

Photo: Allison Voss

How and why I was filling the shoes of the volunteer that morning is really another story for another audience, but it touches on an aspect of ethical consumerism that I see as ascending in tandem with sustainable, natural and otherwise “green” initiatives taking hold across our cultural and edible landscapes. More people than ever are putting more thought into the many decisions they face every day, and that can only lead to heightened awareness, often instilling a bit of evangelical furor as a result.

Preservation is a key component to these myriad components. For instance, sustainability avoids depletion of finite natural resources. And providing assistance to those who need it most—whether homeless, in the throes of an emergency (flood, fire, etc.), out of work and broke, or otherwise in need—can very likely help preserve a person’s life, one step at a time.

As more questions arise related to the progeny and process surrounding food (and all aspects of consumerism, for that matter), I hope to see a tandem rising awareness of the need to help preserve and better not only our own lives, but those of others around us. So-called ethical consumerism cannot exist in a vacuum, and should not live and die in the aisles of the local Whole Foods or hybrid automotive dealership.

Making large-scale donations to local food banks on behalf of food manufacturers is great place to start. In my conversations at the food depository last Saturday, I discovered that although more volunteers are always welcome, the real need is for more donated food to distribute. Any manufacturers—particularly those in and around the Chicago area—who can find a way to donate should contact Tom Hayes at 773/843-6804. It will help more than you can ever begin to conceive.

Beautifully Free Information—Soy Update Hits the Web

Managing Editor — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:39:58 GMT

As I’ve repeated ad infinitum, to my mind, one of the best aspects of the Internet age is the open, free dissemination of real information. No membership fees. No download fee. No hidden gouges. Although said informational purposes were the heart of the Internet’s original intent, such altruistic fodder is growing increasingly hard to find as folks attempt to cram as much self-spun unverifiable takes on reality as possible. The Internet can often seem like a prime example of information overload.

Nevertheless, scientific-backed food for thought still continually emerges amongst the clutter, and one spot where you can regularly find such new additions is the eBook series on this very site. Not content to simply post the same content readers receive in our printed products, we continually put forth a sizeable chunk of online-only content, such as the new eBook providing an update on soy ingredient research from the United Soybean Board, The Next Generation of Soy: Innovations in Soybean Oil and Soy Protein Technology. In addition to a wealth of bench-ready formulation information, USB tosses in a nice overview of recent market research on consumer perceptions and buying patters, which always helps.

Stop on by and check it out, basking in the still-valid glory of the Internet’s original intentions.