Daily Bread

An Amazing Interactive Food Atlas

Call In the Calorie Count!

As First Lady Michelle Obama was announcing the creation of a task force to fight childhood obesity, the American Bevarage Association was announcing that beverage makers will start displaying calorie counts on package fronts, vending machines, and restaurant fountains.

The New Soda Scare Falls Flat

The headline on the Washington Post's health blog, The Checkup: "Study: Soda drinkers at increased risk of pancreatic cancer." The headline on the Village Voice's Edible News blog, pointing to the Post's item: "New Study Adds Pancreatic Cancer to Soda's List of Evils."

Burger King Discovers Female Customers

Burger King (BKC) identifies its targeted demographic as "superfans." Until now, that has meant young guys who regularly stuff themselves with fast food. But now Burger King is redefining the term: Advertising Age reports that the company has taken to defining a "superfan" as anyone who regularly stuffs himself—or herself—with fast food.

Democrats Want To Ban School Junk Food

The New York Times on Sunday reported that the Obama administration will soon introduce legislation to restrict junk food in public schools. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is talking about the proposal in a speech in Washington, D.C., today.

This sequence from the Times' article caught my attention:

Big Grocers Halt Sales of Endangered Seafood

Loblaw, Canada's largest grocer, has joined Safeway (SWY) and Target (TGT) in halting the sale of some endangered varieties of seafood. All three chains made their announcements over the past couple of weeks. It seems like the start of a real trend.

Are We Dumping Chicken on China?

China said Friday that it would impose hefty duties on chicken imported by U.S. producers including Tyson Foods (TSN) and Pilgrim's Pride (PPC). China is the American poultry industry's biggest foreign customer.

Why All The Fuss Over Wine Criticism?

There's a big debate raging on the Guardian's Word of Mouth blog over whether wine criticism is valid or useful. It was started by food writer Oliver Thring, who notes that "almost nothing is as fiendishly individual, as implacably subjective, as the taste of a glass of wine."

Decision Analysis: Steak or Stock?

The Smith & Wollensky steakhouse chain is offering "Steak for Stock"—swapping one USDA prime, dry, aged steak for any Nasdaq- or NYSE-listed stock.

AlterNet's New Food Section

If you prefer your coverage of the food industry with a healthy dash of progressive politics (and let's face it, many of you do), check out the newly redesigned AlterNet. The lefty, reader-supported news site has a new section on food.

How Clean Are Those Salad Greens?

Salad greens sold in bags or clamshell containers often boast on the label that they are "triple-washed" or at least "pre-washed," but Consumer Reports says its tests have found "room for improvement."

Kosher Doesn't Mean Healthier or More Eco-Friendly

I've heard from several people who eat kosher for reasons having nothing to do with religion but rather with quality, health, and safety. But I had no idea until I read Slate's item on the subject that nonreligious motivations are essentially driving demand for kosher meat. Sales were up 64 percent between 2003 and 2008.

Seafood Industry Lashes Out at BBC's 'Disgusting Food' Show

The BBC has an entire series focused on the most stomach-turning aspects of food, with a heavy focus on repulsive visuals. Necessarily for a show like this, industry practices are part of the nauseating package.
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School Nutrition Advocates Flunk Obama's Budget

Advocates for improving school meals aren't happy with President Obama's budget proposal, which adds $1 billion to be split between schools and the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program for low-income pregnant women and children up to age 5.

"McItaly" Burger Sparks War of Words

"If ever there was a sign of the moral bankruptcy of Silvio Berlusconi's government," writes the Guardian's Matthew Fort, "it is the sight of a McDonald's apron wrapped around the svelte frame of the Minister of Agriculture, Luca Zaia as he helped launch the new McItaly range of burgers."