Frozen Express

Debunking the frozen food myth

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

With the rise of the slow food movement, Americans have seen a shift away from the TV dinners of yesteryear toward more deliberate meal preparation with fresh ingredients — and, often, time-intensive recipes. But have we got it wrong? Some brands of frozen meals actually offer fewer calories and lower sodium than the real deal.

WHO urges tougher food marketing rules to curb childhood obesity

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The marketing of unhealthy foods to children has proven "disastrously effective," driving obesity by using cheap social media channels to promote fat-, salt- and sugar-laden foods, the World Health Organization's Europe office said Tuesday.

Judge: 'Gaping hole' in regulatory landscape for 'natural' claims, GMOs

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

A federal judge handling a lawsuit filed in California over "all-natural" claims on Mission tortilla chips has recommended the case be put on hold for six months to give the FDA time to determine whether products containing GMOs should be labeled "natural."

Related: Opinion: Genetic engineering and the alien wheat in Oregon (Los Angeles Times)

White House threatens to veto farm bill over food stamp cuts

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The White House threatened to veto a five-year farm bill because of "unacceptable deep cuts" in food stamps for the poor that could increase hunger across America.

Related articles:

More than 200 farm bill amendments filed in House (Rural Radio Network)

Seven farm bill fights to watch (The Hill)

Nancy Pelosi: 'Not likely' to back farm bill (Politico)

Boehner: No immigration bill without majority GOP support

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, privately reiterated to colleagues Tuesday that the House will not vote on an immigration reform package that doesn't have the support of a majority of Republicans.

Related articles:

Reid says he'll file cloture soon on immigration bill (The Hill)

Business round table prods House on immigration (The Wall Street Journal)

Christie to put off presidential decision until 2015

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he'll "probably" make a decision about running for president sometime in 2015.

Related articles:

Claire McCaskill endorses Hillary Clinton for 2016 (Politico)

Texas poll: Ted Cruz favored for 2016 (Politico)

USDA to buy sugar from domestic processors to cut surplus

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday it will buy sugar on the domestic market for the first time in more than a decade and adjust its re-export credit program in its latest bid to prevent processors from widespread loan defaults.

Protectionism move decried by WTO as Atlantic pact talks loom

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The world's largest economies are adopting policies to impede global commerce as growth remains sluggish, the World Trade Organization said in a study released as the leaders of the Group of Eight industrial nations met.

Will IDEO's school meal experience fly?

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The Sara and Evan Williams Family Foundation has hired design frim IDEO to lead an initiative to reform the school meal experience in San Francisco.

EFSA calls for safety tests for six food dyes

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The European Food Safety Authority has recommended further safety tests for six food dyes — including five of the so-called Southampton Six colors — although it says currently there is no reason to revise the acceptable daily intake.

SunOpta gains as shoppers go organic

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

As consumers buy more non-GMO and organic foods, SunOpta has surged 44 percent this year, almost four times better than average.

Sushi aid in $1 trillion farm bill irks watchdogs

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Tucked deep in the 1,198-page U.S. House ag legislation is an initiative to guarantee prices for sushi rice. This and other perks are drawing ire.

US man claims formula can replace fast food

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

A U.S. man who hasn't eaten three meals a day in months says his formula provides the exact amount of vitamins and minerals he needs to live.

Toll at 118 in Hepatitis A outbreak linked to berries

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

A nationwide outbreak of hepatitis A linked to frozen berries has sickened 118 people in eight states, sending 47 to the hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday. The strain of the virus found in the victims is rare in North America.

Cheaper food leads to lower-than-expected consumer price index

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The cost of living in the U.S. rose less than forecast in May, restrained by the first drop in food prices in almost four years and signaling inflation remains under control.

The struggle for food

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

A new Pew Research Report has some alarming numbers when it comes to the affordability of food for Americans: almost a quarter of Americans have trouble affording food.

Big Food goes 'indie': ConAgra behind gourmet food truck

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

ConAgra is not hip. The food giant, which boasts that its products are found in 97 percent of America's homes, presents itself as wholesome, family-friendly and reliable. But cool? Trendy? Hip? It leaves that to its quietly trademarked gourmet food truck, Wicked Kitchen.

Food makers strive for 'natural' look

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Food engineers have begun to focus on how their products look, believing the less "processed" and perfect food appears, the more consumers will embrace it as "natural" and wholesome.

Starbucks puts calorie counts on menus nationwide

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Starbucks Corp. is posting its calorie counts on menu boards nationwide beginning next week, making it easier for customers to decide just how many Frappuccinos their waistline can handle.

Safety, convenience and quality drive barrier packaging trends

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

With an increasingly global food retailing customer base, food packaging must meet longer shelf-life requirements and adherence to international food safety/quality standards.

Study: CPG companies might not be converting data into asset

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Consumer packaged goods companies have invested heavily in technology platforms to improve their trade promotion performance but may lack the talent or business proceeds to capitalize on those investments, according to a new study from Accenture.

Dining trends: Consumer cutbacks include protein

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Consumers interested in more healthful dining are reducing their servings of those foods they perceive to be less healthy or cutting them out altogether, according to new research by The NPD Group. Many of the choices diners said they make translate into less consumption of protein.

Pink slime maker AFA Foods reaches new bankruptcy settlement

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Meat processor AFA Foods Inc. has reached a new settlement with creditors, lenders and a class suing it for labor violations, telling a Delaware bankruptcy judge Friday that the parties had addressed issues that sank a previously proposed settlement resolving disputes over the pink slime producer's bankruptcy.

Mintel: Aging consumer market a 'massive opportunity' for industry

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

With the global population of "senior" consumers set to grow by almost 150 million in the next two years, there are massive opportunities for the food industry to target the older consumer, says Laura Jones of Mintel.

Fresh take: Wal-Mart strategic outlook

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

Wal-Mart Stores has cast itself as a fast-moving innovator intent on continued advances into the U.S. food and consumables market, including an aggressive campaign to expand fresh produce sales.

Conference tackles food protection technologies

18 Jun 2013 12:52:48 CDT

The Global Food Protection Institute is hosting a conference Wednesday aimed at developing innovative food protection technologies.