The Sunday News
I took a trip to London in April, and I can tell you that the British are on top of food-related issues. All over the city, food purveyors tout dishes as organic, vegetarian, this-free and that-enriched. And Prime Minister Tony Blair does have good table manners at international summits. But he is not so popular on the GMO front. The Soil Association, Britain’s most powerful defender of organics, reports that Blair is following President Bush’s lead on the GMO issue, despite the population’s overwhelming rejection of GM food.
Also from Great Britain, Felicity Lawrence of The Guardian takes a sobering look at soya. Even if you don’t use soy as a replacement for meat or dairy products, it is present in 60% of all processed food – at least in Great Britain – and largely considered healthy. But some evidence links it to disease and toxicity. Reread Kayenne So’s post on the subject and let the debate begin!
Eating local has also become a big issue in Great Britain and in the USA. Wednesday’s New York Times explains how local meats can now make their way more easily to Big Apple eateries rather than being processed for mass distribution.
Food in containers, food as containers? Smithsonian.com presents a new use for corn: PLA, or polylactic acid, a corn-based industrial resin which is already used for biodegradable packaging. The in-depth article explains the substance’s advantages and drawbacks. Thanks to GnG’s Derrick Schneider for the link.
World domination may not be as easy as it seems. Wal-Mart has just announced the sale of its 85 stores in Germany. Melissa Eddy of the Associated Press says Germans “rejected some of Wal-Mart’s signature features, like stores outside of town centers, employees required to smile and heartily greet customers, or baggers at checkouts.”
Finally, don’t think Western nations have a monopoly on organic eating. The Times of India reports that India’s middle classes are jumping on the organic bandwagon.
Have a tasty week and comment to your heart’s content!
