Growers and Grocers

The USDA has released an extensive chart that calculates the added sugars in a wide array of foods. As the organization points out in the introduction, nutritionists advise that you reduce your intake of the sugar that goes into a product during processing. Americans currently eat about 74 pounds of added sugar per year, and […]

While you’re writing your local Representative to vote no on HR 4167, you should also take a moment to tell him/her to vote yes on HR 710, which would set aside federal funds for local farmer’s markets.
Local markets should be an important component of any economy. They help fund small farmers, who are vital to […]

This week, the House of Representatives will vote on a bill that would prevent anyone but the federal government from imposing labelling requirements for food.
The editorial slant behind Growers and Grocers is that consumers deserve the right to have information about the food they eat. They have the right to make educated choices about products […]

The eGullet community is abuzz over Chiquita’s decision to sell single-serving, individually wrapped bananas. You’re probably thinking the same thing I did when I read the article: How does this differ from normal bananas?
They’re not talking banana peels. Chiquita wants to use a new wrapping material that keeps the fruit at optimal ripeness for a […]

Jack of Fork & Bottle sent me a link to this op-ed piece in the New York Times. The author calls for the government to forbid advertising to children younger than 8 years old. The marketing campaigns encourage kids to eat junk food, which in turn contributes to the high childhood obesity levels in […]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggests in a recent article that nearby Buckhead is “ground zero” in the supermarket wars. However dubious that claim, it’s interesting to see how various upscale grocers jostle for market differentiation in a 3-mile area. They each pitch themselves a little differently, but it’s clear to anyone reading this that market pressures […]

Mainstream tech magazine Wired has a feature about “geek foods.” Printed Pringles, the disgusting Grapple, and other high-tech foods are featured.

Campbell’s Soup has found an unusual way to reduce sodium content in their soups, according to this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The iconic company, which has struggled to retain heart-healthy customers, has found a new type of sea salt with significantly lower levels of sodium than normal salt.
Not surprisingly, the corporation isn’t offering up […]

[Ed. Note: I’m thrilled to introduce Romney Steele, a cheese lover who works at San Francisco’s Cowgirl Creamery store. Due to technical difficulties, I’m posting this introduction on her behalf. Once we straighten those issues out, she’ll be sharing her cheese expertise.]
Cheese is a hot topic these days; at San Francisco’s Ferry Building, masses of […]

Consumer advocacy groups and the meat industry are fighting about the use of carbon monoxide to preserve the pink color of meat, according to this Washington Post article.
Didn’t know the chemical is being used on your food? That’s because the government doesn’t require that companies label CO-treated meat. The Food and Drug Administration currently […]