Food for Thought (Dec.17 – Dec.23)

Food and Health

Feeding young babies solid foods such as crackers, cereals and bread, which tend to be high in salt, may set them up for a lifelong preference for salt.
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-babies-salt-20111221,0,6606273.story

Good digestive health may help to regulate and reduce stress in the brain. The study looked at how potential probiotics (not found in foods yet), affected the brain function of mice, and found that the presence of a specific probiotic in the gut altered behaviors relevant to anxiety and depression; as well as modulating receptors in the brain known to be involved in anxiety.
http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.foodAndHealthNews

You may be interested in how real foods improve health and well being, taste better, reduce waste, and are friendlier to the environment, but such foods, alas, are much less profitable than those highly processed. http://www.foodpolitics.com/2011/12/the-latest-in-new-product-introductions/

The dark color in foods is the result of naturally occurring flavonoid pigments called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins protect the plant against oxidation, pests, and from damaging radiation from the sun.
http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/2688

It's the cold season. Can chicken soup help me get through those miserable days? Are the wonders of chicken soup just cultural myths passed down from generation to generation, or can soup really cure a cold?
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/health/Ask-Food-Can-chicken-soup-help-with-a-cold

Is the D.C. Department of Public Works unfairly targeting food trucks for parking violations? The food trucks, meanwhile, believe they are being unfairly targeted. Some offered evidence that enforcement officers have ignored private cars at apparently expired meters. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/food-trucks-cry-foul-over-parking-tickets/2011/12/23/gIQAb70hDP_blog.html

Food Safety

When we go to the grocery store to pick up dinner, we should be able to buy our food without worrying that what we put on our plates is exposing our families to dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
http://www.stopfoodborneillness.org/content/recall-prompts-more-calls-action-ag-antibiotics

In 2010, a total of 787 FTEs were working as foodborne disease epidemiologists in state, regional and local health departments in the United States. Although states investigate foodborne disease outbreaks caused by numerous pathogens, they were more likely to investigate outbreaks associated with some pathogens than others.
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/12/cdc-whether-your-food-related-illness-gets-investigated-depends-on-where-you-live/

As Missouri public health officials investigate the death of a 10-day-old infant who may have succumbed to a rare Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii) infection, Walmart said it is recalling a single batch of Enfamil powdered infant formula from its stores as a cautionary measure. Walmart announced that it was removing 12.5-ounce cans Enfamil Newborn powder with lot number ZP1K7G from 3,000 stores in 49 states.
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-22/us/us_missouri-formula-recall_1_powdered-infant-cronobacter-powdered-formula?_s=PM:US

When the President came into office, he said that “protecting the safety of our food and drugs is one of the most fundamental responsibilities government has.” He pledged to strengthen our food safety laws and to enhance the government’s food safety performance.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/12/21/food-safety-holiday-season

A Clemson University food safety scientist has received nearly $543,000 to study conditions for the spread of norovirus in the elementary school environment. Norovirus is the cause of an illness that sickens millions of Americans annually who come into contact with contaminated foods, surfaces and individuals.
http://www.clemson.edu/media-relations/4016/clemson-food-safety-specialist-awarded-grant-to-help-children-avoid-food-illness/

Food Assistance

Schoolmenu.com is the fastest and easiest way to view your child's school lunch and breakfast menu! http://www.schoolmenu.com/

Figures released this month by the Agriculture Department paint a grim picture of widespread dependence nationwide but especially in Florida, where a record 3.1 million people — one in six residents — received food-stamp aid in September.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/fl-food-stamp-surge-distress-20111220,0,7478084.story