Daily Archives: June 16, 2015

Why the FDA’s new ban on trans fats may be most important change in our food supply ever – The Washington Post

When all the talk tends to center around how the U.S. food system is failing people, it can be easy to forget its successes. But one of those instances has been brought to the forefront this morning.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it will implement a new near-zero tolerance ban of partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of trans fats. Food companies will be given three years to phase the ingredient out of their offerings. The decision comes on the heels of a 2013 announcement that a ban was imminent.

And it is a very big deal.

“It’s probably the single m

via Why the FDA’s new ban on trans fats may be most important change in our food supply ever – The Washington Post.

Facing Consumer Pressure, Companies Start to Seek Safe Alternatives to BPA – The New York Times

For consumers, figuring out which canned foods and plastics contain the controversial chemical known as BPA can be nearly impossible. But determining whether newer alternatives are any safer may be even more difficult.

Some food giants like General Mills and the Campbell Soup Company have shifted away from using bisphenol A, or BPA, a chemical commonly used in the coatings of canned goods to ward off botulism and spoilage. But in many instances, some health advocates say, companies do not disclose which products are now BPA-free.

More worrisome, these advocates and scientists say, is a lack of information about alternatives, and a growing body of evidence suggesting that some newer options may not be any safer.

“We do want to push companies away from it, because it is a known toxin,” said RenĂ©e Sharp, the director of research for the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. “At the same time, we are also definitely worried about the chemicals coming on the market and we don’t have a lot of good information about a number of them.”

Studies linking BPA to developmental and reproductive health problems go back decades, and researchers, health advocates and even the federal government have voiced concerns about the chemical for years. But an enormous body of conflicting evidence has slowed efforts to regulate BPA more tightly.

via Facing Consumer Pressure, Companies Start to Seek Safe Alternatives to BPA – The New York Times.

Lobsters Pee From Their Faces And 8 More Facts About Our Favorite Crustaceans

If there’s one thing that any lobster lover knows for sure, it’s that this crustacean is absolutely delicious — especially when paired with warm, melted butter. Other than that, most of us don’t know much about this bottom-dweller of the sea. And there might be a reason for that.

A bit of research on lobsters reveals that they have a bizarre past and are known to exhibit some unique behaviors (for instance, they pee from their faces). Intrigued? Read on to learn nine strange facts about the crustacean in honor of National Lobster Day.

via Lobsters Pee From Their Faces And 8 More Facts About Our Favorite Crustaceans.

 

Union’s Bruce Kalman: Why Chefs Should Also Be Owners – Eater LA

Bruce Kalman is the chef of Union, which opened over a year ago to critical acclaim and a steady stream of diners in Old Town Pasadena. Partner Marie Petulla offered to give Kalman some of the ownership, which has set the restaurant up for long term success. Here now, Kalman bring his perspective as a co-owner and chef of the bustling operation.

via Union’s Bruce Kalman: Why Chefs Should Also Be Owners – Eater LA.