Food — GuardiansPress

Man-Made Meat May Soon Feed World And Help Save The Planet

November 14, 2011 by admin ·

Scientists are cooking up new ways of satisfying the world’s ever-growing hunger for meat. “Cultured meat” – burgers or sausages grown in laboratory Petri dishes rather than made from slaughtered livestock – could be the answer to feeding the world, saving the environment and sparing the lives of millions of animals, they say.

Granted, it may take a while to catch on. And it won’t be cheap.

The first lab-grown hamburger would cost around e250 000 (R2.73 million) to produce, said Mark Post, a vascular biologist at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, who hopes to unveil such a delicacy soon.

Experts say the meat’s potential for saving animals’ lives, land, water, energy and the planet could be enormous. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Industry, Livestock, Research & Study ·

‘Climate Change Could Increase Hunger In Pacific’

September 13, 2011 by admin ·

Climate change is seriously affecting food production in the Pacific region and could result in rise of hunger and malnutrition in the area, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Tuesday.

An ADB report urged Pacific nations to increase local food production, particularly of climate-resistant crops such as taro, yam and cassava, and to use new technologies to improve traditional production systems.

The report, titled Food Security and Climate Change in the Pacific: Rethinking the Options, said the Pacific region is already experiencing worsening coastal erosion, floods, drought, and storm surges as a result of climate change. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Change, Food, Humanities ·

Corn Outlook: Abundance

July 1, 2011 by admin ·

Corn prices tumbled Thursday on a rosier-than-expected supply outlook, not the best news for farmers but welcome information for food companies and ultimately consumers.

Corn futures in Chicago markets fell the most since November, while wheat experienced its biggest plunge since January 2009, as the U.S. government reported grain acreage and inventories that topped estimates by analysts.

“It was very much of a surprise,” said Arlan Suderman, a market analyst with Farm Futures magazine. “Corn was the biggest shocker in acreage and in stocks.”

U.S. farmers planted 92.3 million acres of corn this year, 1.8 percent more than projected by analysts in a Bloomberg News survey, and the second-most since 1944, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday. Corn stockpiles as of June 1 were 3.67 billion bushels, 12 percent higher than forecast. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Agriculture, Food ·

How To Go Vegetarian

June 11, 2011 by admin ·

Want to give up meat, but worry that you’ll miss out on flavor and important nutrients? Fear that you’ll end up gorging on carbs and getting fat? And wait, isn’t being a vegetarian too complicated? Don’t give in to popular myths. Our chefs give you the facts and tell you how to get enough protein, flavor and more to be a vegetarain…

What if you could wave a magic wand to feel healthier, get slimmer and reduce your risk of dying from heart disease, while also lowering your chances of developing diabetes, cancer and other ailments – from diverticulitis to dementia?

A no-brainer, right?

Six to eight million people think so. That’s how many Americans have adopted vegetarian eating. [Read more...]

Filed Under: diet, Food, Health & Fitness ·

Satisfy Your Cravings

June 9, 2011 by admin ·

Perhaps at one time in your life you have eaten a classic dessert which is almost like everybody’s favourite jam. It is rich, elegant and the epitome of gourmet. Most people would consider it; possibly, the perfect dessert which is being made and produced by clippy’s apples and sweet juicy figs. Or maybe you want to try the rich moist carrot cake made with freshly grated carrots, chopped walnuts and only the finest ingredients which is topped with delicious cream cheese icing. Well, why not satisfy your cravings through a wide range of irresistible cakes such as cherry, chocolate, fruit, chocolate orange, lemon or tea cake from coolmore foods?

Meanwhile, having a perfect and delicious meal is manifested from an unplanned menu and spur-of-the-moment idea. By browsing deep in the pantry and making use of ingredients already sitting in the fridge and a quick trip to the store, perhaps you’ll put together an exquisite meal with a variety of accompaniments from copas. Not only they are well-known for their supply of turkeys to independent farm shops, but also are renowned as the best in the UK. So if you are interested, all you have to do is register online and you can shop faster, and be up to date on order status and keep track of all orders.

Filed Under: Food, Health, Nutrition ·

Food Prices To Double By 2030, Oxfam Warns

June 1, 2011 by admin ·

Charity says era of permanent food crisis will hit poorest people hardest and spark social unrest

Staple crops such as maize could have risen in price by 180% by 2030, a new report by Oxfam predicts. Photograph: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images

The average price of staple foods will more than double in the next 20 years, leading to an unprecedented reversal in human development, Oxfam has warned.

The world’s poorest people, who spend up to 80% of their income of food, will be hit hardest according to the charity. It said the world is entering an era of permanent food crisis, which is likely to be accompanied by political unrest and will require radical reform of the international food system. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Research & Study ·

Can Diets Fight Chronic Pain? The Science Isn’t There

May 9, 2011 by admin ·

The Internet is littered with diets and supplements that claim to cure everything from everyday aches and pains to heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer — all by reducing inflammation.

Alternative medicine guru Andrew Weil recommends an anti-inflammation diet, and plans like The Zone and the Mediterranean diet are also built on the principles of the anti-inflammation theory.

“When you talk about a diet that emphasizes antioxidants or a diet that emphasizes foods that are said to have an anti-inflammatory effect, the diets are going to look very, very similar,” says Lisa Cimperman, a dietitian at University Hospitals in Cleveland.

Each diet emphasizes slightly different things, but they all have plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, fish or small amounts of lean meat, whole grains, little to no processed or refined foods, and an emphasis on omega-3 fatty acids like those found in fish oil. [Read more...]