food world order ♨⊕♕ from mediamonarchy.com

1/26 binge & purge: lunch change, single strains

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:26:00 +0000

32 million reasons to cheer the USDA:
Video: School Meals Changes to Fight Obesity*

Video: First Lady visits Tampa grocery store*
U.S. food-stamp program shouldn't be political toy*
Why You Absolutely Must Personally Treat Your Own Water*
Video: Bill Gates Talks About Modified Foods*
Satire: Virulent Strain Of Soy Flu Traced To Single Tofurky*

Fetus to Feed Us? OK Senator Says No to Aborted Fetal Cells In Food

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:25:00 +0000

Oklahoma lawmaker wants to stop Pepsi from using aborted fetus cells in soda flavoring research*

from naturalnews.com: In order to simulate various flavors in processed foods, some food manufacturers are actually using aborted fetal cells to test and produce these artificial chemical enhancers that millions of Americans consume every single day. Concerned about the ethical and moral implications of such a process, Oklahoma Senator Ralph Shortey has introduced new legislation to prohibit this practice from occurring in his home state.

Senomyx, a California-based biotechnology company that specializes in developing food flavorings, is one such company that uses aborted embryonic cells to create "isolated human taste receptors," which are used in the production of food chemicals. And this company has partnered with several major food manufacturers, including Kraft, PepsiCo, and Nestle.

"There is a potential that there are companies that are using aborted human babies in their research and development of basically enhancing flavor for artificial flavors," Sen. Shortey is quoted as saying by KRMG News Talk Radio. "What I am saying is that if it does happen then we are not going to allow it to manufacture here."

According to Children of God for Life (CGL), a pro-life watchdog group, Senomyx uses HEK 293 to produce its artificial flavor enhancing chemicals. HEK 293 is code for human embryonic kidney cells that are manipulated to produce taste receptors that express a specific protein known as the G protein. But CGL says the company could also use animal, insect, or other more acceptably-derived cells instead, and still procure the same results.

While aborted fetal cells are not necessarily in the final products made by PepsiCo, Kraft, or Nestle, such cells appear to needlessly play a part in the production of artificial flavor chemicals used by these companies. And since there are viable alternatives to this questionable practice, Sen. Shortey, CGL, and many others are calling for its end.

As we reported previously, the Campbell Soup company used to be a Senomyx partner until CGL contacted them about the fetal cell issue. Shortly thereafter, reports indicate that Campbell's officially cut ties with Senomyx, which in 2003 filed a patent for "recombinant (genetically modified) methods for expressing a functional sweet taste receptor."

Wary, Japanese Take Food Safety Into Their Own Hands

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:24:00 +0000

from nytimes: Critics say farm and health officials have been too quick to allow food to go to market without adequate testing, or have ignored calls from consumers to fully disclose test results. And they say the government can no longer pull the wool over the public’s eyes, as they contend it has done routinely in the past.

“Since the accident, the government has tried to continue its business-as-usual approach of understating the severity of the accident and insisting that it knows best,” said Mitsuhiro Fukao, an economics professor at Keio University in Tokyo who has written about the loss of trust in government. “But the people are learning from the blogs, Twitter and Facebook that the government’s food-monitoring system is simply not credible.”

One result has been a burst of civic activism, rare in a nation with a weak civil society that depends on its elite bureaucrats more than citizen groups to safeguard the national interests, including public health. No longer confident that government is looking out for their interests, newly formed groups of consumers and even farmers are beginning their own radiation-monitoring efforts.

More than a dozen radiation-testing stations, mostly operated by volunteers, have appeared across Fukushima and as far south as Tokyo, 150 miles from the plant, aiming to offer radiation monitoring that is more stringent and transparent than that of the government.

Giffords winds up congressional duties with Food Bank visit

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:23:00 +0000

from tucsonsentinel.com: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' last official act in her district was not a rousing speech to political supporters, nor a tearful resignation. Rather, she took a quiet tour of the good works others are doing in her honor. In what her office said was her final Tucson act as a member of Congress, Giffords paid a visit Monday to the Food Bank family assistance center named for her. Giffords, who announced Sunday that she would resign this week to focus on her recovery, quietly spoke with Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona staff and volunteers and toured the Gabrielle Giffords Family Assistance Center. She made no public comment and took no questions from the press. Her staff and plain-clothes security kept reporters at a distance. Giffords took a short tour of facility's warehouse, leaning on Food Bank CEO Bill Carnegie to steady her gait, which was affected when she was shot in the head on Jan. 8, 2011.

Food Waste Denounced by Ministers as Almost 1 Billion Go Hungry

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:22:00 +0000

from businessweek: Food waste was denounced by farm ministers and policy makers gathered in Berlin as almost 1 billion people in developing countries go hungry. Consumers in rich countries dispose of 220 million metric tons of food waste every year, equal to the entire food output of sub-Saharan Africa, Jose Graziano da Silva, the director general of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, told 64 agriculture ministers meeting in Berlin over the weekend.

flashback: calif. wastes enough food to fill 35 stadiums a year

Taco Bell joins other fast-food heavyweights vying for breakfast crowds

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:21:00 +0000

from ap: Taco Bell, the fast-food chain that caters to late-night snacking, is making a play for the breakfast crowd. The Mexican-style restaurant chain introduced a breakfast menu Thursday at almost 800 restaurants, mostly in nearly a dozen Western states. The rollout adds to the scramble among fast-food heavyweights competing for the morning allegiance of on-the-go consumers.

You have the right to know what's in your food

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:20:00 +0000

from brasschecktv.com: Genetically modified organisms (GMO's) are now the majority of foods that line grocery store shelves and produce aisles. More is known everyday about the harmful effects they are having on laboratory animals, livestock, and even humans. Counties all over the world are rejecting them, and at a bare minimum are requiring the proper labeling of GMO foods and products. Yet, in the 'Land of the Free' they still feel that you don't have a right to know what's in your food. You DO have a RIGHT to know. Here's how and why you should tell the FDA to label GMO foods...

on corbett report radio - jan19

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:11:00 +0000

on thursday nights, media monarchy joins corbett report radio live on republic broadcasting to go over all the latest stories from the world of food, environment and health ... this week we get a gmo gut check with fakes, fads and more...

previous: jan12 episode

1/19 binge & purge: fakes, fads & gmo omg!

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:19:00 +0000

Celebrity Chef Paula Deen Hid Diabetes, Pushed Hi-Fats*

Video: Deen Has Diabetes*
Anthony Bourdain slams 'most dangerous woman to America'*
Many Restaurants Fake it as Demand for Organic Food Rises*
'Put An Egg On It':
5 Ways to Embrace the Breakfast-for-Dinner Trend*
GMO OMG! Scientists Grow Meat in Labs*
Flashback: scientists 'grow' meat in laboratory*
Occupy Monsanto Jan24 in St. Louis*
Video: Children chained to cocoa fields*

A Gut Check for Many Ailments

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:26:00 +0000

from wsj: What you think is going on in your head may be caused in part by what's happening in your gut. A growing body of research shows the gut affects bodily functions far beyond digestion. Studies have shown intriguing links from the gut's health to bone formation, learning and memory and even conditions including Parkinson's disease. Recent research found disruptions to the stomach or intestinal bacteria can prompt depression and anxiety - at least in lab rats. Better understanding the communication between the gut and the brain could help reveal the causes of and treatments for a range of ailments, and provide diagnostic clues for doctors.

BASF to Stop Selling Genetically Modified Products in Europe

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:20:00 +0000

from nytimes.com: BASF, the German chemical group, has abandoned efforts to sell genetically modified products in Europe, including its Amflora potato, because of overwhelming opposition to the technology, the company said Monday.

“There is still a lack of acceptance for this technology in many parts of Europe — from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians,” said Stefan Marcinowski, a board member with responsibilities for plant biotechnology. “Therefore, it does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this market.”

The company has instead decided to focus on “attractive markets” in the Americas and in Asia, he said.

The withdrawal of the potato leaves a type of corn produced by Monsanto as the only biotech crop grown in Europe.

portland's food creatives expand restricted diets' horizons

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:35:00 +0000

from oregonlive.com: For diners at Northeast Portland's Natural Selection, the seasonal, vegetarian, mostly vegan, often gluten-free restaurant doesn't always go far enough.

"I had one person call who couldn't have any sugar of any kind, natural or refined," says chef Aaron Woo. "I said I could make them something with agave, maple, all kinds of stuff, but I can't do a dessert without anything. They couldn't even have fruit juice."

With a week's notice, Woo is usually willing to design a menu for almost any diet, no matter how restrictive. That's partially because the chef, who trained at four-star restaurants in San Francisco, believes in good customer service. It's also because he's been there himself.

Woo is one of a growing number of Oregon chefs, restaurant owners, bakers and brewers who, faced with their own allergies or serious health concerns, have decided to open businesses offering food they can eat. Accommodating special requests isn't new -- just think of the gluten-free pizza crusts available at many pizzerias -- but some business owners are going further, with entire menus conforming to Paleolithic, vegan or (most frequently) gluten-free diets.

apple juice made in america? think again

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:59:00 +0000

from inquirer: Americans are finding some surprises lurking in U.S. government about where the food they eat comes from.

One food revelation came when low levels of a fungicide that isn’t approved in the U.S. were discovered in some orange juice sold here. It was then revealed that Brazil, where the fungicide-laced juice originated, produces a good portion of the orange pulpy stuff Americans drink.

While the former may have sent prices for orange juice for delivery in March down 5.3 percent earlier this week, the latter came as a bombshell to some “Buy American” supporters.

Overall, America’s insatiable desire to chomp on overseas food has been growing. About 16.8 percent of the food that Americans eat is imported from other countries, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, up from 11.3 percent two decades ago. Here are some other facts:

— Not all juices are treated the same. About 99 percent of the grapefruit juice Americans drink is produced on U.S. soil, while about a quarter of the orange juice is imported; more than 40 percent of that is from Brazil.

— About half of the fresh fruit Americans eat comes from elsewhere. That’s more than double the amount in 1975.

— Some 86 percent of the shrimp, salmon, tilapia and other fish and shellfish Americans eat comes from other countries. That’s up from about 56 percent in 1990.

where is the legal line drawn in animal rights activism?

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:15:00 +0000

from mclatchy: A federal courthouse in Boston and a ranch in California's San Joaquin Valley present competing faces of the animal rights movement. One side is peaceful. The other, decidedly, is not. Both can feel the weight of the law and the sting of being called a terrorist.

kraft foods to cut 1,600 jobs ahead of plan to split in two

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:14:00 +0000

from bloomberg: Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT), the food company planning to split in two this year, said it would eliminate 1,600 jobs and reported preliminary operating earnings per share for 2011 that trailed some analysts’ estimates. The job cuts will take place in North America through this year and about 40 percent are a result of reorganizing U.S. sales, the Northfield, Illinois-based company said today in a statement. Kraft, the world’s second-largest food company, is splitting up to help the snacks business push products into emerging markets. Full-year profit excluding some items probably rose to at least $2.28 a share, Kraft said in a separate statement. The average estimate of 19 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was $2.29. Kraft rose 1.4 percent to $38.30 at 11:34 a.m. in New York. The shares climbed 19 percent last year.

fast food made faster: burger king gives home delivery a try

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:13:00 +0000

from latimes: Just what this country needs: a Whopper and fries delivered to its front door. Burger King, in a bid to catch up with McDonalds and take a bite out of the competition posed by fast-food rivals such as Wendys, is experimenting with home delivery. Customers can order online or by phone, and the next thing they know - ding-dong! - dinner is at the front door. Right now, delivery is available only in the Washington, D.C., area and only from a handful of restaurants. But, if successful, the pilot program could see a nationwide rollout.

on corbett report radio - jan12

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:30:00 +0000

on thursday nights, media monarchy joins corbett report radio live on republic broadcasting to go over all the latest stories from the world of food, environment and health ... this week we go over robot farms, dna mcspray, oil thieves & more...

previous: dec22 episode

1/12 binge & purge: oj, disputes & 'the stuff'

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:12:00 +0000

coke says it found fungicide in orange juice*

oj tumbles most in 2yrs as fda halts imports to test for prohibited pesticide*
orange juice futures plummet 9.5% as the ice cold kicks in*
superweeds spreading into canada*
leaked documents reveal US diplomats actually work for monsanto*
5 packaged foods you never need to buy again*
impending dc food truck crackdown?*
audio: food lion closing 113 stores & more*
food dispute triggered ohio murder-suicide*
navigating netflix: streaming 'the stuff'*
audio satire: pfizer's new prescription-only sandwich 'hoagizine'*

dna mcspray to foil thieves: mcdonald's to use new anti-theft spray

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:20:00 +0000

australian mcdonald's to spray synthetic dna on robbers

from news.com.au: McDonald's restaurants are fighting back against thieves by blasting suspected robbers with an invisible DNA spray as they attempt to flee. The spray, which remains on the suspect’s skin for two weeks and on clothes for up to six months, has been introduced in some of the chain’s busiest NSW stores... If the SelectaDNA “forensic marking” spray proves successful in apprehending bandits, McDonald’s will introduce the system across all its 780 Australian outlets. Developed in the United Kingdom by a police officer and a chemist, the spray has been used by McDonald’s outlets in Britain and Europe. Each outlet keeps the details of its distribution a close secret, but one McDonald’s restaurant in The Netherlands installed above the main door an orange device which was electronically linked to a panic alarm system. Staff could activate the device in an emergency... The spray contains a synthetic DNA strand composed of 60 variable chromosomes, said SelectaDNA director David Morrissey. “SelectaDNA is non-toxic, non-allergenic and perfectly safe to deploy. It meets all Australian standards,” he said.

tough times for twinkies: hostess files for bankruptcy

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:20:00 +0000

financial woes include high cost of ingredients, debt*

from nydailynews.com: For Hostess, there hadn’t been a lot to ‘ho ho’ about for a while. The maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in recent years, the Wall Street Journal reports. Those familiar with the company blamed the skyrocketing costs of flour, sugar and other key baking ingredients as well as snowballing debt. The company had attempted to get its finances together when it first filed for bankruptcy back in 2004. Since then, the embattled baker has been struggling with various investors to stay in the black. Hostess will likely attempt to renegotiate union contacts and find innovative ways to reduce debt. The company also suffers from its too-sweet image. People associate the brand with white bread and junk-food treats, according to WSJ. Its attempt at launching a whole grain line called Nature’s Pride has not succeeded in making a dent in the competition. The company was founded in 1930...it was called Interstate Baking Co.

restaurants' used fryer oil attracting thieves

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000

from smh: Companies that collect used cooking grease from US restaurants have turned to all forms of sleuthing in recent years. Private investigators. Surveillance cameras. And still containers full of used fryer oil are slipping through their fingers. For years, restaurants had to pay companies to take away the old grease, which was used mostly in animal feed. Some gave it away to local hoons, who used it to make biodiesel for their converted car engines. But with a demand for biofuel rising, fryer oil now trades on a booming commodities market, commanding about US40¢ per 450 grams. "It's very difficult to get district attorneys to take it seriously," the head of the California state agency that regulates the disposal of grease, Douglas Hepper, said. "They're busy with murders and meth labs and they have limited budgets themselves, so they have to set priorities." Few cases go to trial, and when they do, the offenders often get off with no more than a small fine, he said. An episode of The Simpsons has Homer Simpson trying to make a quick buck selling grease, but for years authorities seemed unaware that fryer oil was being stolen.

fast food: hotel room service speeds up

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:52:00 +0000

from usatoday.com: Some hotels are starting to deliver room service like Domino's delivers pizza: fast, and sometimes free if it isn't.

•The Four Seasons is rolling out "15-minute room service" at all its hotels. At resorts with long distances between the kitchen and rooms, the wait can be 20 minutes.

•At the new Public Chicago Hotel, guests order by number, and food from celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten arrives in to-go bags outside the room in 10 minutes.

•At the Buttes Resort in Tempe, Ariz., a $10.95 "Market Basket Lunch" in a bamboo basket is guaranteed to arrive in 20 minutes — or it's free.

The new world of fast-food room service is being driven by the fast-paced lifestyles of travelers and demands for convenience and instant gratification.

"One of the greatest luxuries in the world is time," says Guy Rigby, a vice president at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "Gone are the days when room service is for people who want to sit with their little candle and flower and beautiful appetizer."

Some of the hotels offer packaged food to go for travelers racing to the airport or determined to drive to their destination without stopping.

If some of it has the feel of pizza delivery or drive-in, it's because it's designed that way.

japan plans robot farm in disaster area

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:43:00 +0000

from upi.com: Japan says a futuristic robotic farm will be built on land swamped by the March 11 tsunami as part of an experimental government project.

The Ministry of Agriculture project will see unmanned tractors working the fields of the farm on a 600-acre site in the disaster zone, Britain's The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Robots will also box the produce grown on the farm, including rice, wheat, soybeans, fruit and vegetables.

The experimental farm will be located on a site in northeast Japan's Miyagi prefecture in northeast Japan that was flooded in last year's tsunami.

The project is expected to begin later this year with a predicted government investment of $51 million over the next six years, ministry officials said.

Farming land in Miyagi prefecture was hit hard by the disaster, with tsunami water leaving soil laden with salt and oil deposits, as well as radiation contamination as a result of the leaking Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

With more than 59,000 acres of once-fertile farmland damaged as a result of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear fallout, Japan's agriculture industry is struggling to recover.

"We hope the project will help not only support farmers in the disaster-hit regions but also revive the entire nation's agriculture," a spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry said.

virginia student's death spotlights food allergies in school

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:03:00 +0000

from cbs: The death of a 7-year-old girl at school from a peanut allergy has raised questions about a school's responsibility in treating kids with food allergies. Two days ago, Ammaria Johnson died after suffering an allergic reaction at Hopkins Elementary School in Chesterfield Country, Va., WTVR CBS 6 in Richmond reported. The death is still being investigated, but Johnson's mother told WTVR she learned from the school principal and a doctor that the allergy was to a peanut product.

update: vigilance needed for food allergies, doctors say

monsanto genetically engineered corn approved for sale in US

noreply@blogger.com (mediamonarchy.com) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:15:00 +0000

Wholesale Approval of Genetically Engineered Foods -
Obama Administration Disappoints/Angers Public*
from digitaljournal.com: Monsanto has been given the go-ahead to sell its genetically engineered, drought-resistant corn after the Obama administration quietly approved the variety, with the announcement being made during December’s Christmas break. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the controversial product after Monsanto submitted a petition for its approval in 2009. Monsanto maintains 40 percent of North American crop losses occur as a result of sub-optimal moisture. In a news release, Monsanto states the GE corn, MON 87460, carries the drought-tolerant trait to help maintain yield potential during drought stress. “Our drought system is designed to help farmers mitigate the risk of yield loss when experiencing drought stress, primarily in areas of annual drought stress,” said Hobart Beeghly, Monsanto’s U.S. product management lead, in the company statement. “This spring farmers in the Western Great Plains will have an opportunity to see how the system performs on their farm through on-farm trials.” Development of Monsanto’s drought-tolerant trait was part of a joint effort with Germany’s chemical giant, BASF.