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The Potential for Eating Insects

Most people in western countries shudder at the thought of eating an insect, this author included. However, in some developing countries eating insects is part of the traditional cuisine of at least two billion people worldwide. Raising insects for food and feed has a huge potential, according to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Forestry Department.Insects are plentiful in t .....

2013 Farm Bill Becomes a Battleground for State GMO Labeling Laws

When it comes to the fight to label genetically modified foods, the 2013 Farm Bill is proving to be a battleground. The House Agriculture Committee passed an amendment to the Farm Bill on May 15 that would prohibit states from passing laws that put conditions on the means of agricultural production for goods sold within a state, but produced in other states.Introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA), the amendment is being called the Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA), or in less enthusiastic circles .....

Researchers Link Sunlight Exposure to Lower Blood Pressure

University of Edinburgh researchers found that exposing skin to sunlight may help reduce blood pressure, cut the risk of heart attack and stroke, and maybe even extend someone's life. The study showed that when skin is exposed to sunlight, a compound is released in blood vessels that helps lower blood pressure. The researchers studied the blood pressure of 24 volunteers who sat underneath tanning l .....

Beef and Chicken Carry Highest Risk for Contamination

Meat and poultry are popular in the American diet. The average American eats about 130 pounds of beef, pork and poultry every year. Some of that can carry dangerous pathogens, particularly chicken and ground beef, which are responsible for the largest numbers of outbreaks and illnesses, according to a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). .....

Vermont Passes GMO Labeling Bill

The Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill (H.112) that will require labeling of GMO foods sold in the state. The House voted 107 to 37 on May 10. This is the farthest any bill requiring labeling has made it through the legislative process in the U.S. Since the House voted on the bill on the last day of Vermont's legislative session, the Senate won't take it up until January 2014. If pass .....

Subway is Almost as Unhealthy as McDonald's

There is a perception that Subway offers healthier fare than its fast food counterparts like McDonald's. That is not necessarily the case, as a recent study shows. Researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) found that adolescents who bought Subway meals ate almost as many calories as they did at McDonald's.Published in the May 6 Journal of Adolescent Health, the study looked at the .....

Worldwide Rallies Planned To Protest Monsanto on May 25th

Back in March, Congress passed a provision in a government funding bill that allows biotech companies including Monsanto to bypass judiciary hearings and makes it easier for genetically modified (GMO) food to be allowed on the market. Specifically, the provision, commonly known as the Monsanto Protection Act, takes away the rights of federal courts to stop the sale or planting of GMO crops during .....

Supreme Court Sides with Monsanto Against Indiana Farmer

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against an Indiana farmer and in favor of biotech giant, Monsanto, in a case involving patented soybean seeds.The 75-year-old farmer is Vernon Hugh Bowman, who bought Roundup Ready soybeans from a company affiliated with Monsanto for the first crop of the season. He then planted all of the seeds, and sold his crop to a grain elevator. For his second crop of each season, Bowman came up with a way to save money, or as the .....

Smart Phone App Highlights Gluten-Free Products

People with the autoimmune disease celiac disease (CD) experience a toxic reaction when they eat gluten, the common name for the proteins in certain grains. The toxic reaction does damage to the small intestine, and doesn't allow food to be absorbed properly. People with CD are affected by even small amounts of gluten in foods. .....

FDA Less Than Thrilled with Caffeinated Snack Products

There are a number of products in the  launch queue of big food companies which contain added caffeine. PepsiCo's Frito Lay created a caffeinated version of Cracker Jack's, called Power Bites Cracker Jack'd. The two-ounce snack contains 70 mg. of caffeine .....