WebProNews

Tag: Food

  • Velveeta Shortage Is a Temporary Concern

    Super Bowl revelers hoping to enjoy Velveeta cheese as part of a dip or entree during the big day may have to find other options this year. According to reports, there is a shortage of the tasty cheese. Advertising Age originally reported the disappointing news after receiving an email from Kraft spokeswoman Jody Moore. The email read as follows: “Given the incredible popularity of Velveeta this time of year, it is possible consumers may not be able to find their favorite product on store shelves over the next couple of weeks. Our retail customers are aware of the situation and we expect it to be a short-term issue.”

    Many stores located in Brooklyn and Manhattan have not received shipments since December. Unfortunately, consumers in these areas may have to wait until February for the next shipment to arrive. According to Key Food employee Thomas Murray, “We just keep ordering it. It’s not coming in.”

    Judy Moore explained the shortage during a recent interview with NBC News, where she said that shoppers in some geographic locations may be unable to purchase the popular cheese. “It is possible consumers in any part of the country may not be able to find some Velveeta products on store shelves over the next couple of weeks.” Moore said before adding, “This is really a short-term issue that’s more noticeable right now given the increased seasonal demand. This is really something that would likely have gone unnoticed at any other time of year.”

    Officials claim that increased demand for the food product is one main reason behind a shortage while also alluding to the influence of multiple additional factors. “I can tell you there is a combination of factors involved, but the driver is really the high demand. We really haven’t heard much from consumers about it at all. It’s a short-term issue amplified by the fact that this is a key time for the brand,” Moore said.

    Image Via NDN

  • CheeriosTo Become GMO-Free, A Big Business Decision For General Mills

    With all of the controversy surrounding GMOs and the way they are used in food, some companies are starting to take notice, and are altering their products as a result, which should be able to help their business.

    People all over the country have been working to get foods labeled that contain GMO ingredients, and eventually be able to have them removed. In a movement that keeps growing, it is likely to be something that will be beneficial to both the business owner and the consumer.

    Any company that is willing to alter their products to please those consumers are likely to have better business, and gain more customers of the product. There is no assurance that removing the genetically modified ingredients will be a solution, but General Mills has also struggled over the past year, and sales of Cheerios dropped about 7 percent.

    In case anyone has yet to encounter the term, GMOs are plants or animals that have undergone a process wherein scientists alter their genes with DNA from different species of living organisms, bacteria, or viruses to get desired traits such as resistance to disease or tolerance of pesticides.

    As a business, General Mills felt that eliminating genetically modified ingredients from their product would be beneficial to the consumer. In their announcement to the public, the company said “Why change anything at all? It’s simple. We did it because we think consumers may embrace it.”

    They also went on to say in a closing statement, “So take heart Cheerios lovers! Cheerios isn’t changing. It’s still the One and Only.” Cheerios will still be the product that everyone loves, and while it has always been made from whole-grain oats that are not genetically modified, they use a small amount of corn starch in cooking, and just one gram of sugar for taste.

    As Mike Siemienas, the spokesman for General Mills, said “For other cereals, the widespread use of GM seed for corn, soy, and beet sugar make moving to non-GMO ingredients difficult, if not impossible.”

    However, the short ingredient list for Cheerios that only includes whole grain oats, corn starch, sugar, salt, tripotassium phosphate, wheat starch, and vitamins and minerals is what made it such an easy task for General Mills.

    According to Mother Jones, GMOs are present in 60 to 70 percent of foods on US supermarket shelves, and the most common products to contain GMO ingredients are corn, sugar beets, soybeans, canola, and cottonseed.

    As of recently, Cheerios will only be using corn starch that comes from non-GMO corn and the sugar is only non-GMO pure cane sugar.

    In a smart business decision, General Mills has decided to cater to the many customers who have been demanding that the public have the right to know what is in their food, and not be subjected to eat products that have been genetically modified.

    Image via Facebook

  • Wal-Mart Recalls Tainted Donkey Meat In China

    Wal-Mart is recalling donkey meat at some of its stores in China. Donkey meat may not appeal to some Western palates, but in China they eat donkey. Tests revealed that donkey meat which was sold to Chinese consumers contained DNA of other animals.

    Wal-Mart’s China CEO, Greg Foran said, “We are deeply sorry for this whole affair. It is a deep lesson (for us) that we need to continue to increase investment in supplier management.”

    On Wednesday, Wal-Mart announced that it will refund customers who purchased the contaminated donkey meat. The company is now working with Eastern Shandong food inspectors to investigate it’s Chinese suppliers.

    China is a country that has suffered rampant tainted food scandals, and scares like this one are a big deal. Recently, KFC’s chicken supplier, Yum Brands, saw a steep decline in sales after it was found to be using high levels of antibiotics in its meat products.  Wal-Mart is now concerned that it may lose consumer confidence in China. This could become a big problem for Wal-Mart given that the company is jockeying for market share against retailers like Sun Art Retail Group Ltd and China Resources Enterprise Ltd.  China represents a $1 trillion dollar food market in which Wal-Mart plans to add 110 new stores to the 400 facilities they currently have in the country.

    According to China’s livestock industry, nearly 2.5 million donkeys were slaughtered in 2011. This makes donkey meat a relatively popular food in China.

    This is not the first food safety issue Wal-Mart has had in China. It was fined in 2011 for selling duck meat past its expiration.

    Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, will likely need to do some damage control —  quickly. Word is already spreading fast in Chinese social media and some consumers are starting to have a negative perception of the company.

    Image via Wikipedia

    Donkey Meat Restaurant in China

  • Social Factors Heavily Influence Food Habits, Shows Study

    Social Factors Heavily Influence Food Habits, Shows Study

    It’s often pointed out anecdotally that food portion sizes in the U.S. are larger than those in other countries, which could contribute to the country’s increasing obesity epidemic. Now a new study has shown that this and other social factors might actually contribute to the food choices made by everyone.

    The study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shows that peer pressure is a significant influencer on human food choices. Researchers found that informing study participants of others’ eating choices could influence whether they chose to eat high- or low-calorie foods. Having others suggest that participants eat more also increase the amount of calories consumed.

    “It appears that in some contexts, conforming to informational eating norms may be a way of reinforcing identity to a social group, which is in line with social identity theory,” said Eric Robinson, lead investigator on the study and a psychologist at the University of Liverpool. “By this social identity account, if a person’s sense of self is strongly guided by their identity as a member of their local community and that community is perceived to eat healthily, then that person would be hypothesized to eat healthily in order to maintain a consistent sense of social identity.”

    The study’s authors found that these factors can influence eating habits even when people are eating alone. Social norms were found to alter the normal behavior of study participants, even when they did not believe their behavior was influenced in such a way or when they had no motivation to please others.

    “The evidence reviewed here is consistent with the idea that eating behaviors can be transmitted socially,” said Robinson. “Taking these points into consideration, the findings of the present review may have implications for the development of more effective public health campaigns to promote ‘healthy eating.’ Policies or messages that normalize healthy eating habits or reduce the prevalence of beliefs that lots of people eat unhealthily may have beneficial effects on public health.”

  • Hottest Pepper on Earth Grown in South Carolina

    Last month the Guinness Book of World Records deemed the Fort Mill, South Carolina-grown Carolina Reaper pepper to be the hottest on earth, ending a 4-year debate on the matter.

    The bumpy, oily, bright red fruit, which resembles the shape of a scorpion tail at the base, is grown by Ed Currie, and is nearly as hot as most standard issue pepper sprays used by law enforcement.

    The heat of the pepper, gauged by Scoville Heat Units, was determined by students at Winthrop University. A zero rating is bland, and a regular jalapeno pepper registers at around 5,000 on the Scoville scale. Currie’s record-setting Carolina Reapers came in at 1,569,300 Scoville Heat Units, with an individual pepper measured at 2.2 million. Police pepper spray typically scores at about 2 million Scoville Units.

    Check out a clip of Chuck From the Bronx sampling a Carolina Reaper:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD65inj7KGQ

    The science of gauging the heat of peppers is centered around chemical compounds called capsaicinoids. The higher the concentration of capsaicinoids, the hotter the pepper, according to Cliff Calloway, a Winthrop University professor whose students tested Currie’s peppers.

    Currie calls his record setters HP22Bs, for “Higher Power, Pot No. 22, Plant B,” and claims to have peppers from other pots and plants that maintain comparable heat. Though, some are skeptical of Currie’s achievement. Paul Bosland, director of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University, pointed out that the heat of a pepper not only relies on genetics, but also where it is grown. Currie shrugs off those sorts of questions, and commented, “What’s the sense in calling something a record if it can’t be replicated? People want to be able to say they ate the world’s hottest pepper.”

    Currie’s ultimate plan regarding hot pepper domination is to build his Puckerbutt Pepper Company into a business that he can retire on before his small children grow up. What started as a backyard hobby has grown into a company with twelve employees, offering sauces and mustards with names like “Voodoo Prince Death Mamba,” “Edible Lava” and “I Dare You Stupit.”

    According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. pepper consumption has increased by 8 percent within the last 5 years.

    Image via YouTube.

  • FDA to Require Food Supply Protections

    FDA to Require Food Supply Protections

    Most food scares in the U.S. are caused by negligence or accidents, not someone intentionally poisoning a large amount of food. The latter scenario might seem more like the scheme of a comic book villain, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week issued a proposed rule to curb the possibility of such a scenario from happening.

    The new rule would require food facilities in the U.S. to help prevent their foods from being intentionally contaminated. The rule requires food facilities that the FDA sees as most vulnerable to attack to write up a “food defense plan” that points out possible “vulnerabilities” in its food production. Those same facilities will then have to take action to monitor and defend these vulnerabilities. Training employees and keeping records will be part of the oversight required of food businesses.

    “The goal is to protect the food supply from those who may attempt to cause large-scale public health harm,” said Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine at the FDA. “Such events, while unlikely to occur, must be taken seriously because they have the potential to cause serious public health and economic consequences. The FDA’s goal is to devise an approach that effectively protects the food supply in a practical, cost effective manner.”

    Though the possibility of terrorists poisoning the U.S. food supply is an unsettling one (especially with Christmas just days away) the FDA in its statement made it clear that the agency is unaware of such a thing ever happening. The proposed rule is simply a precaution to prevent such a scenario from ever happening in the first place.

  • Almost All Chicken Breasts Shown to Contain Harmful Bacteria

    Chicken is one of the most widely eaten meats in the U.S. and around the world, but it could also be one of the most dangerous.

    Consumer Reports this week revealed the results of its recent tests of meat and poultry, showing that nearly all of the U.S. chicken breasts it tested were contaminated with some sort of harmful bacteria.

    Of the 316 raw chicken breasts examined in the survey, 97% of them were found to have harmful bacteria. Nearly 80% of the breasts had enterococcus, 65% of them had E.coli, 43% had campylobacter, over 13% had klebsiella pneumonia, nearly 11% had salmonella, and 9% had staphylococcus detected on them.

    In addition to the harmful bacteria, the report shows that chicken farming may be significantly be contributing to the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Half of the chicken breasts tested in the study were found to have at least one strain of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Most of the resistances seen in the chicken were related to antibiotics used in chicken farming.

    The FDA has recently announced a plan to heavily restrict the use of antibiotics in food animals, especially the practice of using antibiotics to promote animal growth.

    “Our tests show consumers who buy chicken breast at their local grocery stores are very likely to get a sample that is contaminated and likely to get a bug that is multidrug resistant. When people get sick from resistant bacteria, treatment may be getting harder to find,” said Urvashi Rangan, executive director of Food Safety and Sustainability at Consumer Reports. “Our survey also shows that consumers are making buying decisions based on label claims that they believe are offering them additional value when that is not in fact the case. The marketplace clearly needs to change to meet consumer expectations.”

  • Razor Blade Croissant, A Not-So Delicious Discovery

    Imagine you’re enjoying a tasty Dunkin Donuts croissant when suddenly you notice it tastes funny. That “funny taste” is a combination of pain and blood. The croissant you just bit into? It turns out to be filled jagged bits of metal. That’s what Priscilla Salas is claiming happened to her this past week. Salas says she bought a croissant from a Dunkin Donut in Windham, Connecticut. When she took a bite out of the pastry, pieces of metal cut her mouth. Salas was “floored” by the discovery.

    She immediately notified police about what happened. Contact with the corporate office led to the theory that that she happened to purchase a croissant into which a box cutter blade had fallen when at a distribution center. The exact center where it occurred is still being determined.

    Absent-minded food preparation is as much a reality as absent-minded eating. Except one party is at greater risk for biting into a nasty surprise. Rather than wait for disaster to strike in any form, take a minute to actually look at what you are eating. A valuable lesson Salas learned the hard way and wishes to pass on to others. “I just want the public to know and be aware of what they buy and look over everything they eat.” Even if it’s an isolated incident as Dunkin Donuts has stated, it never hurts to check. There’s no telling how much damage could have been done to her body had she’d swallowed one of the pieces. But it’s very likely she will at least do a double take before eating purchased food from now on.

    As for Dunkin Donuts, Salas states the company has offered a sincere apology over what happened and given her a free a gift card for her trouble. Odds are, she’ll be opting for coffee.

    Image: Dunkin Donuts Facebook

  • FDA to Tackle Antibiotic Use in Food Animals

    The practice of using antibiotics in farm animals has been debated for decades now. Farms will often put antimicrobials into the feed or water of animals bound for the dinner table to enable faster growth using less feed. Critics have argued that these antibiotics could have a dangerous effect on humans who eat the animals, and the U.S. government is now getting involved.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a plan to phase out the use of “medically important” antimicrobial drugs in food animals. The plan would end the use of such drugs for animal food production and tightly control them for veterinary uses.

    Specifically, the FDA’s plan calls for animal pharmaceutical companies to revise the use conditions of their products on product labels. In addition, the FDA would like to end the over-the-counter status of such drugs, meaning veterinarian approval would be needed for disease treatment with the drugs. The FDA is calling for pharmaceutical companies to voluntarily implement these changes, and is giving companies three years to transition their products to comply.

    “Implementing this strategy is an important step forward in addressing antimicrobial resistance,” said Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine at the FDA. “The FDA is leveraging the cooperation of the pharmaceutical industry to voluntarily make these changes because we believe this approach is the fastest way to achieve our goal. Based on our outreach, we have every reason to believe that animal pharmaceutical companies will support us in this effort.”

    The medically important drugs targeted by the plan are those also used to treat humans. Researchers in recent years have seen a rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The phenomenon is caused primarily by the overuse of antibiotics, which creates pressure for resistant bacteria to evolve and thrive. The CDC estimated this year that at least 23,000 American each year die from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

  • David Chang: Let’s Raise $6B on Kickstarter and Buy the Redskins

    Could the Washington Redskins’ name controversy, front office troubles, and generally horrendous football woes be solved with a new, crowdsourced owner? World-famous chef and successful restaurateur David Chang (of Momofuku Noodle Bar, Má Pêche, Milk Bar, Momofuku Ko, and many more) has an interesting plan and it involves Kickstarter.

    Check this out:

    Seriously? Well, he says so. $6 billion might be a bit of overkill, but hey, you never know.

    Kickstarter responded with this little population tidbit:

    Who’s to say that Chang wouldn’t run the Redskins better than Snyder? Since buying the team in 1999, the Redskins have lost 55% of their games and have only made the playoffs three times.

    And that whole name controversy thing? Please, Chang is probably the only person who could make this idea work:

    Image via and Twitter, hat tip UPROXX

  • Aspartame is Deemed Safe in Colas By Europe

    After Coca-Cola America president Steve Cahillane acknowledged that Diet Coke sales were down because of artificial sweeteners back in October, the European Food Safety Authority (ESFA) has announced that the use of aspartame to sweeten Diet Coke and other colas is absolutely safe. The FDA has deemed aspartame safe for a long time, but maybe people will be less concerned now that the EFSA has said aspartame isn’t harmful.

    According to the ESFA’s study, it’s safe for people to consume 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of body weight. Since a 12 ounce can of Diet Coke contains about 180 milligrams of aspartame, this means that a 165 pound male could drink 16 cans of Diet Coke without having to worry about exceeding the safe level.

    “This opinion represents one of the most comprehensive risk assessments of aspartame ever undertaken,” Alicja Mortensen, chairwoman of EFSA’s Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources Added to Foods (ANS Panel), said. “It’s a step forward in strengthening consumer confidence in the scientific underpinning of the EU food safety system and the regulation of food additives.”

    Many people have long suspected aspartame of causing a host of problems, ranging from headaches all the way to cancer. While some studies have proven that using aspartame and other sugar substitutes can lead to weight gain, it hasn’t been proven that aspartame use can cause cancer, diabetes or any other serious health issues. The American Cancer Society also says that aspartame isn’t carcinogenic.

    Even though Diet Coke is still the number two selling drink in the world, the company did see a drop in sales last year because of concerns with aspartame. Now that the ESFA has made their announcement deeming aspartame safe, perhaps Diet Coke will see their sales come up a bit.

    Do you think it’s safe to consume aspartame and other artificial sweeteners? Add your comments below. Quite a few Twitter users are celebrating the announcement:

    [Image via Twitter]

  • Cannibal Sandwiches Are Slammed by Health Officials

    Cannibal Sandwiches Are Slammed by Health Officials

    After a Wisconsin holiday tradition of eating “cannibal sandwiches” was linked to an E. coli outbreak last year, health officials are begging people to refrain from eating the sandwiches. Before you get too grossed out, the cannibal sandwiches are made using raw ground beef. That still has a pretty high gross factor, but at least we’re not talking about the real meaning of the word, right?

    According to Travel Channel, the cannibal sandwich is a “holiday tradition brought over by early German immigrants.” The sandwich is made out by placing the raw seasoned ground beef and an onion slice between two crackers or two slices of rye bread. Some people call this dish steak tartare or tiger meat.

    While we all have our traditions, the Wisconsin tradition of eating cannibal sandwiches has caused quite a few illnesses over the years, which is why health officials want people to stay away from them this holiday season. In 2012, it was reported that more than a dozen people got sick from an E. coli outbreak related to eating the raw ground beef. There have also been reports of illnesses related to eating the sandwiches in Wisconsin in 1972, 1978, and 1994.

    “We want everyone to have a wonderful holiday season and don’t want anyone to be sick,” said Abbey Canon, an official with the Wisconsin Department of Health. According to the USDA, ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 °F.

    Despite Canon’s concerns and report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about how unsafe eating cannibal sandwiches can be, some of the people who got sick said that they’ll eat the sandwiches again this year. The Wisconsin state health department handed out questionnaires to 15 of the people that got sick and six of the people said they’ll continue eating cannibal sandwiches. “Hopefully we can change a few of those minds,” Canon said.

    Check out the ingredients for the cannibal sandwich below. Would you consider trying this? Add your comments below.

    [Image via Twitter]

  • Restaurant Offers Insane Discount If People Just Turn Off Their Damn Phones

    One restaurant owner in Abu Ghosh, just outside of Jerusalem, is taking a stand against distracted eating. In “wow that’s great, but aren’t you running a business?” news, the owner of Abu Ghosh is offering anyone who completely shuts down their phone during dining 50% off the entire meal. Yep, 50%.

    Apparently, he’s not collecting phones at the door – he’s working on the honor system. Cellphones must be turned completely off – not on silent or not on airplane mode – off.

    “I’m changing something. It might be something small, but maybe in some small way I’ll be changing the culture of eating,” the restaurant’s owner, Jawdat Ibrahim, told the AP. “Technology is very good. But just when you eat, just especially when you are with your family and your friends, you can just wait for half an hour and enjoy the food and enjoy the company. A lot of people, they sit down and they don’t enjoy their food, their company.”

    But…but how am I going to Instagram my delicious falafel?

    Ok, he has a point. People should get the hell off Facebook and enjoy their meals, and their company. This bar has the right idea (this is not a photo from Abu-Ghosh).

    As far as Abu Ghosh’s clientele? Well, they love the concept – as almost every patron has taken advantage of the deal since it was instated. Ibrahim says he’s taking a financial hit due to the offer – one you’d expect from a restaurateur offering a discount so large.

    This is not an entirely new idea, but it is the first time I’ve heard of a restaurateur offering such a gigantic price cut for such a seemingly easy act. Last year, a Los Angeles restaurant made headlines when they offered a 5% discount to any diner who left their phones at the door.

    Image via Renée Suen, Flickr

  • You Can Now Eat Your Instagram Photos, Thank God

    At its core, Instagram takes an analog process and places it firmly in the digital realm. To then take those filtered images and put them on something tangible, that you can hold in your hand, may seem odd to some people.

    But what if you could eat them? Yes, eat your Instagram photos.

    Well, now you can. A new service called Boomf allows Instagram users to put their favorite photos on marshmallows.

    “Instagram lets you share your memories, but Boomf makes sharing even sweeter. And squidgier. If Willy Wonka and Proust had a brainstorm, we reckon they’d have drawn some Boomfs on a napkin. Maybe,” says Boomf.

    All you have to do is select 9 of your favorite Instagram photos and Boomf will print them on little sqaure marshmallows and mail them to you door. What you do with them is up to you. I like putting marshmallows in hot chocolate, and I also love rice krispies treats – although it may be a waste of money to just melt your new minted marshmallows. Anyway, they have a shelf life of about 6 months, according to the company.

    If you’re thinking about giving Boomf a spin, do note that the type of Instagram photo you choose could severely affect the outcome of your photo marshmallow.

    “For best results, we advise avoiding Instagrams with large dark areas, as the detail gets slightly lost. In general, Boomf looks tastiest when you use relatively simple images with good contrast. For example, it is better to choose an Instagram with a couple of faces, rather than a group shot of a dozen people,” says the company.

    Also, it’s currently only available in the UK. Sorry, America. According to Boomf, you can expect worldwide expansion by early next year.

    Images via Boomf

  • FDA: Trans Fats Unsafe, to be Banned in Foods

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced its intention to classify trans fats known as partially hydrogenated oils as not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food. The classification is set to go into effect after 60 days, after which the trans fats would be classified as “food additives” and could not be used in food. If that happens, the FDA states, food manufacturers would have an “adequate” amount of time to remove the trans fats from their product formulas.

    Trans fats, specifically partially hydrogenated oils, are used in a variety of processed foods in the U.S. Though many U.S. food manufacturers in recent years have reduced the amount of trans fats in their foods, the FDA has now determined that the fats pose a public health risk.

    “While consumption of potentially harmful artificial trans fat has declined over the last two decades in the United States, current intake remains a significant public health concern,” said Dr. Margaret Hamburg, FDA Commissioner. “The FDA’s action today is an important step toward protecting more Americans from the potential dangers of trans fat. Further reduction in the amount of trans fat in the American diet could prevent an additional 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year – a critical step in the protection of Americans’ health.”

    In making its decision, the FDA pointed to an Institute of Medicine report that states there is no safe level of consumption for trans fats and that the fats have no known health benefit. Nutrition labels in the U.S. were required to list trans fat starting in 2006.

    “One of the FDA’s core regulatory functions is ensuring that food, including all substances added to food, is safe,” said Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at the FDA. “Food manufacturers have voluntarily decreased trans fat levels in many foods in recent years, but a substantial number of products still contain partially hydrogenated oils, which are the major source of trans fat in processed food.”

  • Ben & Jerry’s Honors Ron Burgundy with New Scotchy Scotch Scotch Flavor

    Here’s something you may have missed on Twitter. Ben & Jerry’s just unveiled their newest ice cream flavor – and it’s an Anchorman tie-in.

    That doesn’t mean it’s bad or anything. In fact, this is awesome.

    Context:

    I’m pretty sure the butterscotch ice cream with butterscotch swirl will be a much bigger hit than cheap white wine sherbet would have been.

    A bunch of entertaining, primetime Dodge commercials? Now a new Ben & Jerry’s flavor? Ron Burgundy is everywhere these days, in preparation for Anchorman 2, which is set to premiere this December.

    Here it goes down. Down into my belly. Hopefully.

    Image via Ben & Jerry’s, Twitter

  • Chipotle Eyes Price Increase in Quest to Remove GMOs

    The cost of a burrito at Chipotle may be going up in the near future.

    The company just reported their Q3 earnings, and in the earnings call CEO and Founder Steve Ells said that a 3-5% price increase could be on the way. The increase could come, in large part, as a product of the restaurant chain attempting to fully remove genetically modified organisms from their ingredients.

    “We are not going to make a decision today on pricing but I think that it’s probably in kind of a mid-single digit range, whether that’s 3, 4, 5 kind of percent. What it will depend on is what happens with general ingredient inflation between now and then and then what it costs us to remove GMOs from the rest of our ingredients,” said Ells.

    “Once we have all that information at hand we’ll be able to do a better job of figuring out what the price increase might be. And in terms of timing it’s really hinging more on removing GMOs. We’d really like to make more progress, understand what that’s going to cost, how much time that’s going to take, all that kind of stuff and then we’ll feel better about coordinating a price increase around the time that we’re removing GMOs and we think that there might be an opportunity as well. We think it will be a pretty exciting time for us when we can announce that.”

    Current Chipotle ingredients that contain GMOs include soybean oil, corn flour, and cornstarch.

    “We decided we’d rather try to avoid GMO ingredients until perhaps the science is more clear,” said Ells earlier this year. “There are some things that we just can’t, today, get non-GMO.”

    “I don’t know that I can say today that we have no soybean oil, but very shortly, in weeks, we will have none. It will not be long before a Chipotle is GMO-free.”

    One of Chipotle’s main marks of pride over the years has been their “Food with Integrity” commitment, which means that when possible, Chipotle sources uses ingredients that are sustainably grown and occasionally local.

    “We are not aware of any other restaurant company anywhere near our sight that’s even attempting to do this and so to actually accomplish it will be pretty exciting and we’d like to time that excitement around with the price increase,” said Ells.

    Chipotle reported an 18% increase in revenue in Q3, up to $826.9 million.

    Image via Avlxyz, Flickr

  • Chicken Nuggets Are Only 50 Per Cent Meat

    Chicken Nuggets Are Only 50 Per Cent Meat

     

    What do you consider meat on a chicken? It usually comes from the thighs, wings or  breasts, right? Do you consider fat, blood vessels, nerves and cartilage to be meat?

    On September 12th, researchers at the University of Mississippi published in the American  Journal of Medicine, a study titled “The Autopsy of Chicken Nuggets Reads ‘Chicken Little”. In that report, three researchers studied two nuggets from two national fast food chains, and proceeded to preserve, dissect and stain the nuggets and then observe them  under a microscope.

    The two nuggets examined consisted of only 50 per cent or less of chicken muscle tissue,  aka, the meat you know and love that comes from the breast, wings, and thighs.

    “We all know white chicken meat to be one of the best sources of lean protein available and  encourage our patients to eat it,” lead author Dr. Richard D. deShazo of the University of Mississippi Medical Center told Reuters Health.

    So what were in the other halves of each mouth watering nugget?

    One nugget was comprised of a mix of fat, blood vessels, and nerves. Upon closer inspection, the researchers found cells that line the skin and internal organs of the chicken.

    The second nugget was comprised of only 40 per cent chicken meat, and was cut with fat, cartilage and pieces of bone.

    Take all those by-products, clump them together, puree, and strain the remainder into a consistent and smooth pink slush of salty chickeny goodness. Add some ammonium hydroxide in it to kill the bacteria. Mix the sludge with chicken meat, and pat yourself on the back for cutting costs.

     

    “What has happened is that some companies have chosen to use an artificial mixture of chicken parts rather than low-fat chicken white meat, batter it up and fry it and still call it chicken.”

    “It is really a chicken by-product high in calories, salt, sugar and fat that is a very unhealthy choice. Even worse, it tastes great and kids love it, and it is marketed to them.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9B7im8aQjo

    Above, Jaime Oliver put best, “We’ve brainwashed our kids so brilliantly, so even if they knew something is disgusting and gross – they’ll still eat it if it’s in that friendly little shape.”

     

    (Pictures via WikiCommons, ChickenNuggetPower.tumblr.com)

  • Kate Upton & Snoop Dogg Are Now Selling Hot Pockets

    Good job, Hot Pockets. You’ve hit on everything the internet loves – Kate Upton, microwavable meat pouches, that Biz Markie song, and fantastic “herbs,” which Snoop Dogg knows a thing or two about:

    Tastes so good
    Gotta lick your lips
    Smell my savory garlic
    but don’t disturb
    The garden where I grow
    flavor-fantastic-al herbs
    …his flavor-fantastical herbs.

    We’re still talking about Hot Pockets, right?

    Also, is the Snoop Lion thing already over?

    Image via YouTube

  • Kuma’s Corner Burger Infuriates Christians

    Kuma’s Corner Burger Infuriates Christians

    Does a hamburger topped with a red wine sauce and a communion wafer sound tasty to you? If not, you’re not the only one who finds such a burger unpalatable. After popular Chicago burger joint Kuma’s Corner added the Ghost burger to their menu, many Christians are furious.

    According to the description of the Ghost burger provided by Kuma’s Corner, the burger includes:

    10oz patty
    Ghost chile aioli
    Slow braised Goat shoulder
    Aged white cheddar cheese
    Red Wine Reduction (the blood of christ)
    with Communion Wafer garnish (the body of christ)

    Yeah, it’s just a hamburger, but it’s easy to see why some folks would be a little ticked off. Kuma’s Corner does say the Ghost burger is paying respect to a heavy metal band of the same name, but there’s no doubt that they knew it would be found offensive. Considering the attention they’ve gotten over the burger, that was probably part of their game plan.

    Do you find the burger in poor taste? Respond below.

    After receiving numerous complaints on the Ghost burger, Kuma’s Corner issued a rather snarky statement on Facebook and offered up a $1,500 donation to Catholic Charities of the Chicago Archdiocese.

    Don’t mistake the long-winded statement or donation for an apology, though, because Kuma’s Corner is pretty clear that is not what they’re doing, nor are they taking the Ghost burger off the menu.

    Kuma’s Corner is aware that in some cases, people have unfortunately found reason to find offense at our recent special menu addition the Ghost. We make hamburgers for a living. We are a small nine table restaurant in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago. And we love heavy metal. There is a band doing music that we enjoy particularly called Ghost….As with all of our burgers, the Ghost was created to pay homage to the music they’ve created.

    However, in the haze of the past few days, we would like to express the following. We support the rights of every person in the United States as given to them by the Constitution, to do and say what they feel….we feel it is our obligation to not stand down in the face of threats but instead to stand up for something we hold to be much nobler; the First Amendment. If you are not familiar with it, let us provide the text for you:

    “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

    So, to be clear, the Ghost burger will be available at Kuma’s Corner throughout the month of October. In addition, Ghost will be on tour in the United States all month and we encourage you to familiarize yourself with this amazing band by supporting them at one of their shows across the country.

    In standing with our policy of supporting charity and Chicago at large, we have made a $1500 dollar donation to the Catholic Charities of the Chicago Archdiocese as we understand that they share our mentality of serving anyone in need from any walk of life.

    Long story short, Kuma’s Corner will continue with menu items that could be perceived as offensive, thanks to the First Amendment.

    Image via Facebook

  • Too Many Food Pics Can Ruin Appetites, Shows Study

    Though there are many things to brag about over social media, one of the most popular seems to be dinner. Pictures of well-prepared meals grace the Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds of almost anyone with a social media account. However, a new study shows that those same pics could be ruining the enjoyment of those foods for friends and followers.

    The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, determined that over-exposure to images of food can actually increase satiation. In other words, looking at Instagram food pics can make people enjoy those types of foods less, as if they have already eaten the food on display.

    “In a way, you’re becoming tired of that taste without even eating the food,” said Ryan Elder, a co-author of the study and a marketing professor at Brigham Young University (BYU). “It’s sensory boredom – you’ve kind of moved on. You don’t want that taste experience anymore.”

    The study looked at 232 people, asking each to rate pictures of food. At the end of the test, participants were given peanuts to eat, and then asked to rate their peanut-eating enjoyment. Those who were shown pictures of salty foods ranked their enjoyment lower than those who were shown pictures of sweet foods.

    The study’s authors stated that the effect grows stronger the more pictures of food are viewed, and that a significant number of pictures must be viewed for the effect to be observed. They also suggest, however, that people with an affinity for unhealthy foods could use the effect to their advantage by spending time gazing at junk food.

    “If you want to enjoy your food consumption experience, avoid looking at too many pictures of food,” said Jeff Larson, the other co-author of the study and a marketing professor at BYU. “Even I felt a little sick to my stomach during the study after looking at all the sweet pictures we had.”

    (Image courtesy Josh Wolford)