DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Andrea Kane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

NOVA separates foods into four groups, starting with natural and minimally processed foods in the first category to ultraprocessed foods, which use industrial formulations and manufacturing techniques, in the fourth. Here are five things to know about ultraprocessed foods:Ultraprocessed foods are linked to bad health outcomesEating a lot of ultraprocessed foods isn’t healthy. We have one.”Ultraprocessed foods cause weight gainThat one randomized, controlled clinical trial showed that ultraprocessed foods actually caused people to gain weight. So, all those factors probably play a huge role in … the foods that we choose to eat in the real world.”Not all ultraprocessed foods are badSome ultraprocessed foods can provide important nutrients, such as whole wheat bread and yogurt. “Which goes to show that not all ultraprocessed foods necessarily drive this effect.”Hall’s team is conducting a new study to tease out which ultraprocessed foods are harmful and which are neutral, or even healthy.

Persons: Marion Nestle, Meg Tirrell, Paulette Goddard, Nestle, ”, ” Nestle, Kevin Hall, ” Hall, Tirrell, shouldn’t, you’re, we’re Organizations: CNN, University of São Paulo, NOVA, Nestle, New York University, National Institute of Diabetes, National Institutes of Health Clinical, ”, National Health, US Department of Agriculture, US Food and Drug Administration Locations: Brazil, Bethesda , Maryland

☆ Weight-related bullying risk goes up the more time teens spend on social media, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The more time adolescents spend on screens and social media, the greater the likelihood that they will be bullied about their weight, according to the study. An X spokesperson said the social media platform’s policies had evolved since the data was first collected. “Weight stigma and bias are common on social media,” Ganson said in an email. “Social media use is ubiquitous among adolescents,” he added. Then, you can come up with solutions together on how to handle social media moving forward, Hanson said.

Persons: ”, Kyle Ganson, Twitch, Joe Benarroch, Elizabeth Busby, “, “ We’ll, ” Busby, Kendrin Sonneville, Sonneville, ” Ganson, Crispin la Valiente, Oona Hanson, ” Hanson, ’ ” Sonneville, “ Young, ‘, ’ ” Hanson, Ganson, Hanson, ” Sonneville Organizations: CNN, PLOS, Survey, Inwentash, Social, University of Toronto, Twitter, Advisory Council, Ambassadors, Guilds, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Getty Locations: Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, United Kingdom, United States, U.S, Los Angeles

But a new report from Consumer Reports said it recently compared the nutritional profiles of two Lunchables kits served in schools and found they have even higher levels of sodium than the Lunchables kits consumers can buy in stores. The non-profit consumer group said it has petitioned the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federally assisted school meal program, to remove Lunchables food kits from school cafeterias, as a result. The introduction of Lunchables in schools came amid proposed changes to school food guidelines by the USDA, which oversees the federally assisted school meal program. The proposed changes aimed to reduce added sugars and sodium levels in school-provided lunches. Food additives are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration, but not everyone agrees.

Persons: Lunchables, Armour LunchMakers, Oscar Mayer, can’t, “, Brian Ronholm, Kraft Heinz, ” Kraft Heinz, Carlos Monteiro, Monteiro, ” Monteiro, Heinz “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Consumer, Natural Meat, World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control, US Department of Agriculture, CNN, USDA, University of Sao, NOVA, US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Science, Environmental, Kraft Locations: New York, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

☆ Republican budget proposal would do away with universal free school lunches
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A 2025 budget proposal backed by 170 House Republicans would nix a universal free school lunch program. Only nine states provide free school lunch to all students right now. The budget aims to reform school lunch subsidies by eliminating the "community eligibility provision" from the federal School Lunch Program. The proposed RSC Budget would eliminate that provision to ensure school lunch provisions go to only "truly needy households," the report says. States with universal free lunch include California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Main, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Vermont.

Persons: nix, —, Kevin Hern of, Hern, Crystal FitzSimons, FitzSimons Organizations: Republicans, Republican, Service, Committee, Representatives, Budget, NYC Food Policy, Hunter College ., DC, Conservative, Food Research, Action Center Locations: NYC, California , Colorado , Illinois , Michigan, Minnesota, Main , Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma

Reliable and affordable food and commodity imports are more important to a net food importer like Kenya than to some other countries. Perhaps more importantly, a critical part of the world's food supply system remains disrupted, undermining food security and raising the underlying costs of cross-border trade. The governments of Kenya and Ukraine are also working together on food security. Meanwhile, Russia's own efforts to play a part in rebuilding food security have been more a public relations exercise than real action. Although Russian sources have claimed that such shipments have begun, there is still little evidence of Russian food aid arriving in Africa.

Persons: Timothy Njagi Njeru, Kalya Kiptiony, Dr Abraham Korir SingOei, William Ruto, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia's, Dr Njeru, Lensa Omune Organizations: Tegemeo Institute, Kenyan, Initiative, Kenya's Ministry of Foreign, Diaspora Affairs, International Food Policy Research Institute, Insider Studios, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Locations: East Africa, Ukraine, Kenya, Russian, Nairobi, Russia, Africa, Horn, Port, Mombasa

It was clear that the war could significantly damage the Kenyan economy, as the country is almost entirely dependent on imports for its conventional fuel supply. But the extent of the damage caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Kenya's economy is now clearer than ever. Kalya Kiptiony, investment analystFuel is Kenya's economic lifebloodAfter the start of the war, the price of fuel in Kenya rose, on average, 7.6% every month. Although Kenya gets most of its oil from the Gulf, Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to a spike in fuel prices worldwide. In a report late last year, the UN described just how factors like drought, inflation, and fuel and food price rises are combining to undermine livelihoods in Kenya.

Persons: Lensa Omune, Kalya, Kalya Kiptiony Organizations: International Food Policy Research Institute, Central Bank, IMF, UN, Insider Studios, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kenya, Nairobi, East Africa, Africa, Europe

☆ Is modern food making us sick?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Idil Karsit | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"Most of the ultra-processed food that you find are higher in salt, fat and sugar. The $128 billion British food and beverage industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the country, employing more than 400,000 people. "We are calling for food sector companies to report a set of health and sustainability metrics that would be on a mandatory basis," said Sophie Lawrence, who leads a group of investors called the Investor Coalition for Food Policy, managing assets worth $7 trillion. "If you're a leading business, and you know, you want to invest in healthier food, you're essentially taking a big commercial risk because it's not a level playing field", said Rebecca Tobi, senior business and investment manager at the Food Foundation. So, could ultra-processed food be taken off the menu?

Persons: Tim Spector, ZOE –, Kiara Chang, Sophie Lawrence, it's, Rebecca Tobi Organizations: King's College London, Imperial College London, Investor Coalition, Food Policy, Food Foundation Locations: U.S

☆ Global rice markets are in crisis amid 'artificial' shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Andrea Miller | In Dreajmiller | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

India's export ban on rice is reverberating through global rice markets, threatening food security if developing nations cannot afford or access rice. India's rice exports make up 40% of the market, so any export bans quickly influence global prices. U.S. rice farmers face the same volatile rice prices. "Our farmers, they'll go up against any rice farmer," Michael Klein, vice president of communications and domestic promotion at USA Rice, told CNBC. When U.S. rice farms struggled to stay profitable as global rice prices mismatched with rising input costs, Congress passed $250 million in supplemental funding.

Persons: Rice, Peter Bachmann, Will Fletter, Bachmann, they'll, Michael Klein, USA Rice, Klein Organizations: CNBC, International Food Policy Research Institute, USA Locations: Africa, Southeast Asia, India, U.S

☆ Consumer Reports finds more lead, cadmium in chocolate, urges change at Hershey
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Hershey's chocolates are pictured for sale on a store shelf in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 19, 2017. The magazine said 16 of the 48 chocolate products from various makers that its scientists tested recently in seven categories - dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and mixes for brownies, chocolate cake and hot chocolate - contained potentially harmful levels of lead, cadmium or both. The Consumer Reports testing followed its findings last December that 23 of 28 tested dark chocolate bars contained excessive lead or cadmium, including Hershey products sold under its own brand and the Lily's and Scharffen Berger brands. The magazine is again petitioning Hershey to reduce heavy metals in its chocolate. Consumer Reports food policy director Brian Ronholm said Hershey, as a "leading and popular brand," should commit to eliminating "dangerous levels" of heavy metals from its chocolate products, making them safer for consumers.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Joe's, Scharffen Berger, Hershey, Brian Ronholm, Steve Voskuil, Voskuil, Christopher Gindlesperger, Jonathan Stempel, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Hershey Co, Nestle, Starbucks, YORK, Hershey, Consumer, Walmart, Target, National Confectioners Association, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, New York

Powdered drink mixes that are widely promoted as “toddler milks” for older babies and children up to age 3 are unregulated, unnecessary and “nutritionally incomplete,” the American Academy of Pediatrics warned Friday. Also, toddler drinks are different than medical formulas prescribed for specific conditions, such as heart disease or problems digesting certain foods. Fuchs and other experts point to the lack of common standards for toddler milks, which means the ingredients vary widely among brands. The group also wants requirements to ensure the products are not linked to regulated infant formula or sold next to formula. A health group petitioned the FDA in 2020 to regulate toddler milks, but the agency is still reviewing the request.

Persons: George Fuchs, Fuchs, milks, ”, Frances Fleming, Milici, “ They’re, Fleming, “ Organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Rudd Center for Food Policy, Health, University of Connecticut, University of Kentucky, Infant Nutrition Council of America, Abbott Nutrition, Perrigo, AAP, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP

☆ JPMorgan: The world's food supplies face a bleak future. These are the 3 biggest threats, and the companies best-positioned to tackle food insecurity.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Mark Reeth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Investors need to know exactly where the threats to the world's food supply are coming from, what themes are beginning to emerge in this new reality, and how they should be investing. New threats to the world's food supplyIn her report, Chang highlighted the ongoing problems affecting the world's food supply: war, weather, and the weaponization of food. One of the most devastating recently implemented restrictions on food supply is India's decision to ban the exportation of non-Basmati white rice. The combination of war, weather, and the weaponization of food has taken a toll on the world's food availability. And within food innovation, JPMorgan analysts like Philippine food and beverage maker Monde Nissin (MONDE PM) and Thailand-based seafood producer Thai Union (TU TB).

Persons: UNICEF — that's, Global Research Joyce Chang, Chang, El, Hilary, CJ Cheiljedang, Mengniu Dairy, Kubota, Jeronimo Martins SGPS Organizations: JPMorgan, Hurricanes, UNICEF —, Global Research, Grain Initiative, Food Policy Research, Food, Agriculture Commodities, ASEAN, Mahindra, LG, Thai Union, TU, Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA, Tesco PLC, J Sainsbury PLC, Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour SA, Yara International ASA, OCI, OCI NA, Bayer AG, PepsiCo Locations: Ukraine, California, Canada, East Coast, Russia, Africa, Asia, India, El, South Korean, HK, South Korea, Philippine, Thailand, Europe

☆ India rice export ban, explained
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But for importers and loyal consumers of Indian-grown non-basmati varieties, the ban has been disruptive, including in the United States. Internationally, the ban is causing an upheaval in the market and could especially impact places that rely on Indian rice exports. “So we’re looking to have a really healthy, robust US rice crop.”The United States primarily imports specialty and fragrant rice, he said, like arborio rice used to make risotto; jasmine rice; basmati rice and other varieties. “We are completely dependent on non-basmati rice,” said Kiran Kumar Pola, director of Deccan Foods, an importer and distributor of non-basmati Indian rice that operates out of Arizona. “We at India Bazaar understand the concerns raised in light of the recent ban on Indian Non-Basmati Raw Rice,” the post reads.

Persons: We’ve, USA Rice, what’s, “, ”, Tanner Ehmke, Anupam Nath, Ehmke, Joseph Glauber, it’s, Glauber, El Niño, “ There’s, Peter Bachmann, Charles Hart, ” Rice, Rory Doyle, Kiran Kumar Pola, Sona Masoori, Kerala Matta, Rice Organizations: New, New York CNN, ” USA Rice Federation, ”, International Food Policy Research, International Food Policy Research Institute, USA Rice Federation, BMI, Bloomberg, Deccan Foods, Facebook Locations: New York, United States, USA, India, CoBank, Asia, ” India, Guwahati, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, West Africa, Pakistan, South Asia, California, Pace , Mississippi, Arizona, Kerala, South India, Pola, Dallas

☆ End of Black Sea grain deal: Alternative routes will be 'very costly' for Ukraine, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEnd of Black Sea grain deal: Alternative routes will be 'very costly' for Ukraine, analyst saysJoseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, discusses the halting of the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal after Russia's withdrawal and the options Ukraine has to export its grains.

Persons: Joseph Glauber Organizations: International Food Policy Research Institute Locations: Ukraine

☆ Michael Bennet demonstrates his go-to piquant tuna sandwich recipe after chatting with cookbook author Mark Bittman
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Michael Bennet discussed food politics with cookbook author Mark Bittman in a new podcast. Bennet shared how he devoured Bittman's recipes during the pandemic and now cooks them regularly. Bennet told Insider he whips up a briny tuna sandwich creation every chance he gets. "I'm going to show you how to make the most sublime thing that is in Mark Bittman's cookbook," the Colorado Democrat says as he walks social media fans through a savory offering punched up by anchovy-spiked olive tapenade. "And I rattled off Mark Bittman's recipe for stir-fried tofu."

☆ Michael Bennet demonstrates his go-to piquant tuna sandwich recipe in chat with cookbook author Mark Bittman
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ U.S. baby formula supply is still vulnerable, former FDA official tells lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. supply of infant formula industry is still vulnerable to safety issues and supply disruptions more than a year after a nationwide shortage that left parents scrambling to feed their children, a former Food and Drug Administration official told U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday. The FDA announced a nationwide recall on that day of Abbott Nutrition 's popular Similac, Alimentum and EleCare baby formulas that sparked the nationwide shortage. The infant formula was recalled after several infants became sick with bacterial infections and two died. The plant was shuttered for months, sharply reducing formula supply across the U.S. He pointed to structural and cultural issues within the agency, a failure to monitor the food supply chain and inadequate public health surveillance of the fatal bacteria, Cronobacter sakazakii, that contaminated Abbott's formula.

☆ FDA Proposes Overhaul in Wake of Baby Formula Shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Kristina Peterson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed consolidating the leadership of the food side of the agency Tuesday, in response to criticism of its slow response to the baby formula shortages and other food safety concerns. The plan unveiled by FDA Commissioner Robert Califf reorganizes the overlapping food divisions by putting a single deputy commissioner in charge of food policy and regulation within the agency.

☆ FDA official overseeing food policy and response to resign in wake of baby formula shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Frank Yiannas, a top official at the Food and Drug Administration in charge of the agency's food policy and response office, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from his role as deputy commissioner. His resignation comes days after Abbott Laboratories confirmed that the Justice Department was investigating the company over its Michigan baby formula plant. "Today, I informed Commissioner [Robert] Califf that I will be resigning my position as Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Food Policy and Response effective February 24 ," Yiannas tweeted. Yiannas' resignation announcement comes weeks after an expert panel issued a scathing report on its investigation of the FDA's processes and organizational structure for its foods program. That investigation, was ordered by FDA Commissioner Robert Califf in July, following growing criticism that the agency had mishandled the formula crisis after illnesses were reported.

☆ In wake of baby formula crisis, critical report recommends major food safety changes at FDA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It enforces food safety regulations, works with local governments on food safety information, promotes dietary guidelines, and develops food safety information and education, as well as overseeing nutrition labels on most food and being responsible for promoting good nutrition practices to the US public. Another would have the FDA develop a strategy to increase funding for the Human Foods Program, with help from Congress. “The current culture of the FDA Human Foods Program is inhibiting its ability to effectively accomplish this goal” of protecting public health,” the report says. “The work of these independent evaluators will help to inform a new vision for the FDA Human Foods Program,” Califf said in a news release. Some critics have suggested that food safety takes a back seat to the FDA’s regulations of drugs and medical devices.

The United States has just about 90 million planted acres of corn, and there's a reason people refer to the crop as yellow gold. In 2021, U.S. corn was worth over $86 billion, according to calculations from FarmDoc and the United States Department of Agriculture. "We're really good at [corn production]," Seth Meyer, chief economist at the USDA, told CNBC. Corn is in what we buy, including medications and textiles, and corn is turned into ethanol, which helps to fuel cars across the nation. "Do we get the corn acres because we've got the support, or do we have the support because we have the corn acres?"

Rising salinity in the Delta has multiple causes, experts and farmers say, including overextraction of groundwater and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides. "With time, with the sea level higher, that line of salinity will go down into the Delta. EVAPORATIONSea water intrusion and salinity also threaten the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta in Bangladesh. "You have to do much better job in a place like the Nile Delta because the water just evaporates quickly," she said. Rice cultivation helps wash the soil, but the government has imposed restrictions on the crop in parts of the Delta to conserve scarce water.

Companies Hormel Foods Corp FollowNov 15 (Reuters) - Hormel Foods' labeling of a meat product line as "natural" despite using the same hogs and production methods as its other brands shows the U.S. meat labeling system needs reforms, said consumer advocates and documents released on Tuesday from a lawsuit the company is close to settling. “This is an endemic problem, not a Hormel problem.”Hormel said the company complies with USDA rules and guidelines for labeling and that it stands behind its Natural Choice products. "The term ‘natural’ is practically unregulated and can/will be used widely – as a result there is little to no difference between ‘natural’ meat and ‘conventional’ meat," read the slides, which were part of the document release. The presentation also advised companies to appeal to consumers' desire for wholesome products by packaging their meat in cardboard. Hormel and ALDF asked the court to dismiss the case last Thursday after agreeing to settlement terms.

☆ Food inflation might be slowing — but that doesn't spell good news for food prices just yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Food inflation is easing, but food prices are still high by historical standards. The UN's Food Price Index fell for the sixth straight month in September, but was still up 5.5% on-year. Aside from raw material prices, other factors — such as labor costs — also affect food prices. His comments came just after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization released data on Friday showing its food price index fell for the sixth straight month in September. There are also many moving parts to food prices.

☆ It is taking up to 2 weeks to inspect tankers carrying grain from Ukraine, causing a massive backlog of 150 ships
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Stephen Jones | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

150 Ukrainian grain ships are waiting to be cleared by UN inspectors, the agency told Insider. The progress of the grain ships has been closely monitored since the beginning of the Ukraine war. Exports virtually stopped following Russia's invasion, prompting concerns over the possible impact less Ukrainian grain being available could have on global food security. The Financial Times first reported the backlog of ships waiting inspection, citing figures published by SovEcon which tracks Black Sea agricultural markets. As of Monday, more than 90 ships are yet to reach their final destination, according to the Black Sea Grain Initiative's tracker, although some of these left port recently.

☆ Ex-FDA Official Says Baby-Formula Industry Remains Vulnerable to Problems
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-17 | by ( Kristina Peterson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Frank Yiannas helped lead the FDA’s response to the baby-formula recall and ensuing shortages. WASHINGTON—The baby-formula industry remains as vulnerable to safety problems and supply disruptions as it did more than a year ago, when a recall led to nationwide shortages, a former Food and Drug Administration official says in testimony submitted for a congressional hearing Tuesday. “The nation remains one outbreak, tornado, flood, or cyberattack away from finding itself in a similar place to that of February 17, 2022,” Frank Yiannas , the former deputy FDA commissioner for food policy and response, says in testimony prepared for a hearing by the House Oversight Committee’s healthcare panel. Mr. Yiannas helped lead the agency’s response to the formula recall and ensuing shortages.

Search resuls for: "Food Policy"

25 mentions found