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Are Rejected Melons the Next Form of Renewable Energy?

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:00:03 -0700

A colossal food fight is one way to use up the season's supply of subpar produce. But scientists have discovered another: convert rejected fruits into biofuel. The study, conducted by USDA researchers and published in the journal Biotechnology For Biofuels, found that the 360,000 tons of fruit rejected by US retailers each year could be converted into roughly two million gallons of biofuel. Research team leader Wayne Fish said that 50 percent of the fruit, which is typically left in the fields and not sold due to cosmetic imperfections, is fermentable into ethanol, which can be used as fuel, “We’ve shown that the juice of these melons is a source of readily fermentable sugars, representing a heretofore untapped feedstock for ethanol biofuel production." I'd never considered that fruit could be a viable source of renewable energy - but I find it refreshing (although perhaps not as refreshing as, say, an In-Sandíary).

Are you surprised to hear that watermelon could have potential past the typical Summer barbecue?

Could America Be Facing a Sugar Shortage?

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:30:30 -0700

If you've got a sweet tooth, you may be forced to reckon with a bitter truth. In a letter sent to US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, several of the country's largest food companies, including General Mills, Kraft, Hershey, and Mars, said the United States could "virtually run out of sugar" if the government doesn't let up on sugar import limits.

To keep prices within reason for domestic sugar farmers, the government only allows unlimited sugar imports from the Mexican market without paying tariffs. Global shortages of the commodity have led to a skyrocket in price, culminating in a 28-year high this week. Sugar purchased from other countries, such as Brazil, is limited by a quota. If those restrictions aren't eased, food manufacturers say they'd be forced to hike prices, slash jobs - and run out of sugar to make items such as cereal, cookies, and chocolate. However, the USDA appears to be taking this plea with a grain of sugar, claiming early this week that domestic supplies were increasing.

With opposing interests, it's hard to know what to think. Who do you believe - and would America be better off with less sugar?

Produce and Meat's COOL Move

YumSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:00:29 -0700

America is moving one more step closer to awareness of where its food comes from.

The US Department of Agriculture has mandated that all produce as well as meat, fish, and poultry sold in US retail stores will be required to have country of origin labels (COOL) beginning next Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Aside from knowing more about your food's origins, the COOL new system (pun intended) could be helpful in situations such as this year's widespread salmonella outbreak. Since the outbreak was traced to Mexico, if you purchased jalapeno or serrano peppers from, say, California, you could be assured that your produce wasn't from the contaminated source.

For years, COOL has been applied to canned or boxed foods packaged overseas, but this will be the first time the rule is required for fresh foods. There are exceptions, however: meat and fish sold in small butcheries or fish markets; salad bars or packaged mixed fruit and vegetable salads; bacon, ham, and smoked salmon; frozen vegetables; domestically canned vegetables; cooked shrimp; and roasted peanuts. What do you think of this move? Are you glad to learn more about where your food comes from?

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Burning Question: At What Temperature Is a Turkey Cooked?

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:00:48 -0800

No matter what kind of turkey you'll be having this year, there's one question you'll need the answer to: What temperature does a turkey need to reach in order be considered "done"?

Until last year, the USDA recommended cooking turkey to an internal temperature of 180ºF. But based on the fact that bacteria threat salmonella cannot withstand temperatures of 160ºF after 30 seconds, the FDA now suggests a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF as measured by a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

At what temperature do you consider your turkey done?

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USDA Orders Audit of National Organic Program

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:00:51 -0700

In the wake of the economic downturn, not only has the organics industry lost a significant share of customers, but it's been plagued by scandal as well. The natural foods industry was also the subject of debate when a recent UK study found that organic food is no healthier than conventional. Now, the US Department of Agriculture, hoping to address the ongoing organics problems, has ordered an audit of its National Organic Program (NOP), the organization that sets standards for organic products in America. The review, to be performed by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology, will examine whether the program is using internationally recognized standards for overseeing its network of almost 100 private certifiers, all of which have authority to determine whether foods meet federal organic standards.

Will an audit of the National Organic Program put questions about organic standards to rest? Do organic foods have a higher nutritional content than their conventional counterparts?

Food Section Sampler - Sept. 23, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:30:44 -0700

Turns out the rest of the world has taken a liking to the American cupcake trend. - New York Times
Seemingly slight factors - not the economy - may be to blame for the bulk of this year's restaurant closures. - Boston Globe
Is food art? The debate continues. - Washington Post
Learn how to buy, boil, and eat a lobster. - Chicago Tribune
Why Sept. 11 led one Wall Street trader to become a waiter. - Wall Street Journal
The USDA is rolling out a new initiative to promote local food. - San Francisco Chronicle
To cut costs, Whole Foods may stop accepting checks. - Los Angeles Times

Source: Flickr User ginnerobot

Poor Economy Spawns "Recession Flexitarians"

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:30:14 -0700

With cost increases, the economic downturn and a focus on all things green, could meatless meals be poised to become the next great food trend? Last month, Ghent, Belgium, made headlines when it became the first city to go meatless once a week. Then a recent vegetarianism poll generated surprising results: more than 25 percent of you said you're vegetarians, and nearly another quarter of you eat fish and not meat. But all of this comes as little surprise to Gourmet, which argues that the country's financial woes have prompted a new wave of meatless eaters: recession flexitarians.

More than half the shoppers surveyed by the American Meat Institute say they have reduced the amount of meat they eat as a result of the economy. Many of them have become flexitarians, or mostly vegetarian consumers who occasionally eat meat. The USDA estimates that every category of farm animal will experience a drop in meat production for the first time in more than 35 years, and the publishing industry has seen a wave of new books focused on eating less meat.

Since forgoing meat will also help address increasingly popular issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, obesity, and world hunger, the growing number of meat-free eaters seems to make sense. Still, I can't help but wonder whether America will return to its steak-gnawing ways once the economy improves. What do you think? Have you found yourself eating less meat?

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US Drops Proposed Tariffs on Roquefort Cheese

YumSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:00:56 -0700

If you've been preparing to mourn the loss of Roquefort cheese, we've got good news for you: Yesterday, the United States struck a deal with the European Union, agreeing to drop its proposed tariff on Roquefort cheese, and products like Spanish ham and Italian mineral water.

The stink over taxes first began 10 years ago with a European Union ban on hormone-treated American beef, yet over the last few months, the controversy has heated back up. Before leaving office, President Bush proposed a 300 percent tariff on the pungent blue cheese from France. But when the tax was postponed, it appeared that the two countries were trying to work out a compromise. Although insiders are calling this a "first step" toward resolution, it doesn't completely address the problem at hand, and there are still many other measures that need to be taken. The agreement has to be approved by a number of officials from European Union countries. While the USDA maintains that hormone-fed beef is safe to eat, the EU still believes hormones could create health risks such as cancer.

The beef issue will continue to be a contentious one, but it's great news for Roquefort fanatics like myself. I can't wait to celebrate with a hunk of the creamy, pungent blue cheese! Will you do the same? Where do you stand on the beef issue?

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:00:03 -0800

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

In the wake of the recession, family-owned pizza parlors may be among the last bastion of thriving businesses.
Cheez-It introduces the new Scrabble Junior Cracker.
The USDA hires sustainable agriculture expert Kathleen Merrigan to take the post of deputy secretary.
Get to know sciacchetrà, Cinque Terre's most notable dessert wine.
Michigan is providing a tax credit to help a local brewery with production of a proposed Kid Rock-branded beer.
What parameters exist for food that's labeled "all natural"?

Burning Question: Can You Refreeze Raw Meat After Thawing?

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Yes, you can- but you may not want to. According to the USDA, when raw meat is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking. For this reason, it's perfectly OK to purchase, say, a previously frozen piece of salmon from Trader Joe's, and then put it in your freezer when you get home.

But if you refreeze thawed poultry or meat, you will be compromising quality of taste and texture. Not only does meat lose water during the defrosting process, but refreezing it also creates ice crystals within the structure of the meat that alter its fibers, leaving an unfortunately dry cut of meat.

Of course, like all raw animal protein, the true safety of the product will depend on whether it's been properly handled. The best ways to defrost raw meat are in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave - not on a room-temperature kitchen counter.

Got a burning question? Contact us.

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