Fabio Parasecoli.  Food.  MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series. 2019.

This is the latest work of my NYU Food Studies colleague, Fabio Parasecoli, a prolific scholar and writer.  The book is explained as:

A consumer’s guide to the food system, from local to global: our part as citizens in the interconnected networks, institutions, and organizations that enable our food choices.

The book is a short (200 pages or so), small-format set of seven chapters on food systems, health and nutrition, the environment, technology, hunger, and what’s next.

Here’s an quick excerpt from a section in the Health/Nutrition chapter subtitled “Looking for easy solutions.”

Superfoods offer simple–and lucrative–answers to very complex problems: rather than dealing with changes of habits or diets or trying to understand intricate metabolic functions, their consumption assuages the concerns connected with ingestion.  The attractiveness of superfoods and exotic or traditional remedies is also related to the diffusion of an approach to eating and health that has been described as nutritonism, characterized by “a reductive focus on the nutrient composition of foods as the means for understanding their healthfulness, as well as by a reductive interpretation of the focus of these nutrients in bodily health,” with little concern for the level or processing or quality.  Consumers attuned to such approaches shift their attention from foods to individual nutrients: polyphenols in red wine are good antioxidants; lycopene in tomatoes can prevent certain kinds of cancer….Why worry about a balanced diet when you can make up for any deficiencies by consuming vitamins, fiber, or fortified foods? (pages 68-69).

A man after my own heart, obviously.  This is a short, easy introduction to most of the major food system issues under discussion today.  It also comes with a useful glossary.

Full disclosure: I read and commented on an earlier draft of the nutrition chapter and like the way it—and the other chapters—came out.

One of those industry newsletters I follow closely is BakeryAndSnacks.com.  It published an “Editor’s Spotlight: Maintaining the gluten free trajectory.”

Gluten is a normal protein in wheat and some other grains which, in some people, forms a toxic product that causes celiac disease, severe damage to the digestive tract, and other symptoms.  People with celiac disease must scrupulously avoid foods with gluten.  Fortunately, many gluten-free foods are available.

Let’s start with my favorite recent article on the topic:  Gluten-sensitive liberals? Investigating the stereotype suggests food fads unite us all.

The food industry makes and sells gluten-free products.  Here’s what gluten-free looks like from the business perspective.

•  Coeliac UK is issuing a call out for new ambassadors to shine a spotlight on children and the fortification of gluten free flour:  Coeliac disease affects about one in 100 people in the UK – which, along with the half a million people who still haven’t been diagnosed – giving gluten free producers an extensive, and loyal customer base. And it’s growing. Read more
• Revolutionary technology drastically cuts time and energy use in manufacturing gluten free bread: Study:  A group of European scientists have successfully made gluten free bread using a technique called Ohmic heating (OH), in which the bread itself is a conductor for electricity. Read more
• Obà launches pasta made from gluten-free environmentally-friendly ancient grain Fonio:  The Italian firm has developed a gluten-free pasta made from a West African ancient grain called Fonio. Read more
• Study finds celiac disease more likely for at-risk children who eat gluten:  Researchers analyzed the gluten intake of more than 6,000 genetically predisposed children and found a 6% to 7% risk level for every additional gram of gluten consumed. Read more
•  Life after gluten free: What will happen to the trend when consumers move on to ‘the next best thing’?  Gluten free is one of the most popular diet trends around the world, but the number of people who actually need to avoid gluten for medical reasons is relatively small. Today, one in five people reduce or eliminate gluten from their diet because they believe it to be healthier. Read more
• Gluten-free flour from spent coffee grounds snags Mondelēz’s first SnackFutures ‘Shark Tank’ award:  Mondelēz International announced the two winners of its first SnackFutures ‘Future of Snacking’ pitch competition at the Seeds & Chips annual Global Innovation Summit held in Milan, Italy, from May 6-9 2018. Read more
• Researchers develop gluten-busting wheat:  A group of international researchers have developed a new wheat variety that is safe to be consumed by people who suffer from celiac disease and gluten allergies. Read more
• EU approves commercialisation of gluten-free ancient grain that could aid food security:  Italian firm Obà Food has received the green light from the European Commission to market the West African ancient grain called Fonio on the continent. Read more
• Low gluten high fiber wheat alternative swoops up Best Better-for-You Ingredient of the Year:  Tritordeum has added another award to its belt with the nomination of the Best Better-for-You Ingredient of the Year at the Food Matters Live Awards 2018. Read more
• ‘Warburtons’ Free From business is testimony that free from is here to stay’:  Raising issues is BakeryandSnacks’ online series profiling influential people working in the bakery industry. Today, we chat to Chris Hook, Free From business director for Warburtons. Read more

I have a subscription to Politico’s Morning Agriculture daily newsletter, an invaluable source of information about doings in Washington DC that I would not otherwise know about.

Politico’s business model usually blocks access to articles from non-subscribers, which makes it difficult to refer to articles that you will not be able to read for yourself.  Sometimes I can find other sources for the same information, but not always.

Nevertheless, I want to point you to two recent Politico articles about how food corporations are getting together to jointly try to improve their production and supply chain practices.

Chocolate companies

The first was about how three large chocolate firms— Mars Wrigley, Mondelēz and Barry Callebaut—have called on the European Union to promote sustainable cocoa production and to enact regulations that will stop environmental and human rights abuses in production.

According to Politico’s behind-a-paywall article,

The Commission declined to comment on the corporates’ move but officials are considering due diligence schemes, market controls and product labeling with a possibility of specific measures for commodities such as soy, palm oil and beef.

Cocoa is a major driver of deforestation and human rights abuses, including child labor, in countries such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast, which together account for around two-thirds of global production.

Effects of agriculture on climate change

Politico, happily, released this magazine-length article titled “How a closed-door meeting shows farmers are waking up on climate change,” for open access.  It ought to win prizes for its author, Helena Bottemiller Evich.

In it, she describes how Big Ag companies, high-level US agricultural officials, and CEOs of major food companies are not only talking about climate change, but recognizing that they have to act to prevent it.

But that’s not all:

In Nebraska, farmers are exploring ways to reorient their farms to focus on rebuilding soil and sequestering carbon — a buzzy concept known as regenerative agriculture. In Florida, where rising sea levels are not a hypothetical discussion, farmers and ranchers have recently launched a working group to discuss climate change and how agriculture can help. Similar groups have cropped up in North Carolina, Ohio and Missouri and more states are expected to follow. In Iowa, faith leaders have been engaging farmers on the topic, hosting discussion groups in churches and building a network of farmers who are comfortable speaking publicly about climate change, whether it’s telling their story to reporters or 2020 Democratic candidates.

This is happening despite the politics of climate change.

Rural communities tend to be overwhelmingly Republican, which is one reason why talking about climate change has been politically taboo. It’s seen as a Democrat thing. Dig a little further, though, and the resistance runs much deeper than party politics. In many ways, climate change denial has become a proxy for rural Americans to push back against out-of-touch urbanites, meddlesome environmentalists and alarmist liberals who are seen as trying to impose their will on small towns and farming communities they do not understand.

Recognition of a problem is a necessary first step to getting it fixed.

Many of these companies are increasingly recognizing they can’t meet their goals without significant changes to farming practices at the base of their supply chains.

Yes!

This article is worth reading in its entirety.  It offers glimmers of hope that Big Ag and Big Food will change their practices and embrace sustainability and regenerative agriculture.

Our job?  To push them to change and cheer them on when they do.

 

 

 

My main interest in Cannabis politics has to do with edibles.

I am not alone in this interest.  A recent posting from Pet Food Industry magazine came with this headline: 13 CBD pet product companies warned by FDA.

Pet foods, like human foods, are subject to FDA regulation.  The FDA has a page devoted to the topic: “What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD.”

This page points out, among other things, that:

• It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.
• The FDA has seen only limited data about CBD safety and these data point to real risks that need to be considered before taking CBD for any reason.
• Some CBD products are being marketed with unproven medical claims and are of unknown quality.
• CBD has the potential to harm you, and harm can happen even before you become aware of it.

The FDA makes it clear that the agency does not consider Cannabis to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for human (or pet) consumption.

by statute, any substance intentionally added to food is a food additive, and therefore subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by qualified experts under the conditions of its intended use, or the use of the substance is otherwise excepted from the definition of a food additive (sections 201(s) and 409 of the FD&C Act [21 U.S.C. §§ 321(s) and 348]). Aside from the three hemp seed ingredients mentioned in Question #12, no other cannabis or cannabis-derived ingredients have been the subject of a food additive petition, an evaluated GRAS notification, or have otherwise been approved for use in food by FDA.  Food companies that wish to use cannabis or cannabis-derived ingredients in their foods are subject to the relevant laws and regulations that govern all food products, including those that relate to the food additive and GRAS processes.

I’ve seen plenty of food products containing THC or CBD.  Their legal status is questionable, which is why this industry wants the FDA to make CBD legal.

When I saw this ad in last Thursday’s New York Times, I immediately clipped it out.

What is this?

It is an ad for a dietary supplement, Telos95, with a classic structure/function claim (a type invented for dietary supplements of less-than-established efficacy): “telomere & DNA chromosome health support—-telomere lengthening and lowering cellular age in just 6 months.”

Telos95 is the only plant-based dietary supplement that aids in the chromosome stability during the process of cell replication.  It’s vital that normal cell replicative senescence takes place, so the cells divide in a healthy state and telomeres remain at the same length or lengthen, which biologically ensures a health centrosome matrix and repetitive nucleotide sequence at each end of the chromosome.

Got that?

What’s with telomeres?

All of this refers to work that got a Nobel Prize for Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider, and Jack Szostak in 2009.  They showed that telomeres, caps on the end of chromosomes, protect chromosomes from degradation.  Shorter telomeres are associated with cell aging.

What got my attention in this ad was its report of a 2018 clinical trial finding that this supplement reduced cellular age by more than 7 years.

Really?  I had some immediate questions.

What’s in the supplement? 

The ad doesn’t say anything other than “all natural food grade polyphenols.”  But I managed to find a Supplement Facts Label online.

Highly purified polyphenols extracted from grape and olive leaves?

These, by the way, cost about $100 for 30 capsules.

Whatever.

What’s the study? 

I was able to find it online: A randomized-controlled clinical study of Telos95® , a novel antioxidative dietary supplement, on the shortening of telomere length in healthy volunteers  

It’s in a journal I’ve never heard of previously: HealthMed, published in Bosnia and Herzogovina

The report of the study starts out rather peculiarly:

The objective of this study was to determine the deodorant effectiveness of a dietary supplement to halt the shortening of telomere length as measured through blood samples before and after product use.

Deodorant?  Maybe something is lost in translation here?

Who paid for the study?

The published paper doesn’t say.  It does, however, refer to a Sponsor responsible for the study’s protocols, safety evaluation of the products, and safety indemnification of Princeton Consumer Research Corp (PCR), the group that carried out the study.

PCR’s website, by the way, states that “PRINCETON CONSUMER RESEARCH IS NOT AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY TO PRINCETON UNIVERSITY”.  Whew.

PCR’s press release credits Certified Nutritionals as behind the study.

What is this all about?

The Daily Beast did an investigative report on something similar a couple of years ago.

Obviously, this is about selling a supplement made from rice at profits so great that Longevity by Nature can afford a full-page ad in the Times (these used to run in the $80,000 range, if not more).

It is also about the use of industry-sponsored research to sell products: the sponsored study –> press release –> huge advertisement –> increased product sales.

Will this product keep your telomeres from shortening?  If only.

I don’t know about you but I am having a hard time keeping up with what’s happening in the market for plant-based meat and dairy substitutes.

For one thing, they are under attack from meat producers.  Here’s the latest on the politics.

Why the attack.  Just take a look at what I’ve collected on this topic in the past couple of weeks.  You can see at a glance why this trend is taking off.  Everyone wants to get into this act in every way they can.

• • • • Could yeast be a viable alternative to soy and pea protein? ‘It has all the essential amino acids, is readily available and affordable’:  Israeli start-up FFW is championing yeast as a ‘major protein source’ – offering an alternative to soy and pea protein in the plant-based space, founder Leonardo Marcovitz tells FoodNavigator… Read
      • Walnuts: The next big thing in plant-based meat in foodservice?  Foodservice operators bored of textured soy protein for meat-free tacos, filled pasta, bruschetta and other dishes are experimenting with a new plant-based meat alternative from walnuts that “mimics the taste and texture of ground beef,” says the California Walnut Board… Read
      • Disrupting the meat industry: Global Food Industries ready to launch plant-based burgers:  UAE food firm Global Food Industries (GFI) has announced plans to launch its plant-based ‘not-chicken and not-beef burgers’ in November.— 
      • Introducing the NaSu Burger: ‘The basic idea is totally different to Impossible or Beyond’:  FoodSolutionsTeam (FST) is a company built around the mission to tackle food waste through the development of natural and sustainable products. With so much interest in vegan product development, the company is bringing out the NaSu Burger – a clean label and sustainable alternative for finished product manufacturers… Read
      • Foodservice an underveloped channel for plant-based cheese, says new Daiya Foods CEO:  ‘Next-generation’ plant-based burgers are rapidly gaining traction in fast casual restaurants. But they don’t all come with plant-based cheese (yet), highlighting a key area of opportunity for Daiya Foods, one of the early pioneers in dairy-free, says new CEO Michael Watt… Read
      • Sacha Inchi: A super seed ready for prime time? Amazon Health Products debuts Starseed brand:  Sacha Inchi could be the next hot plant-based superfood, but how much is known about its nutrient content? And can the supply keep up with future demand as the ingredient takes off in popularity?.. Read
      • Oatly developers ready for repeat success with patented quinoa milk: ‘We can do it again with Quiny’:  The business developer behind Oatly and a team of Bolivian scientists have developed Quiny, a patent-protected and naturally sweet quinoa powder for plant-based milks, and are gearing up for a Latin American launch… Read
      • Survey: A rising generation of food consumers embrace new food technologies:  As new food technologies emerge, such as cell-cultured meat and new fermentation-based ingredients, younger generations such as Gen Z and millennials are more open and quicker to embrace these new advancements, according to a consumer perception survey conducted by global communications consultancy firm Ketchum… Read more
      • Plant-based protein bar with less than seven ingredients targets female consumers:  Japanese natural snacks subscription service company Snaq Me has launched its second-generation plant-based protein bar, CLR Bar, nationwide. Read more
      • The next fake meat? Pork (Bloomberg): Impossible Foods, the maker of plant-based faux meat, is looking to expand into pork, and hopes to move into the Chinese market.
      • Nestlé to develop plant-based products from microalgae:  Global food giant Nestlé is partnering with ingredients firm Corbion to explore the use of microalgae in plant-based products… Read
      • Chobani goes all oat with new yogurt and milk launches:  After disrupting the category 12 years ago with its Greek offering, the company is now using the cereal grain to strengthen its market dominance, while adding milk and a dairy creamer.
      • Disrupting the meat industry: Global Food Industries ready to launch plant-based burgers: UAE food firm Global Food Industries (GFI) has announced plans to launch its plant-based ‘not-chicken and not-beef burgers’ in November.  Read more 
      • Introducing the NaSu Burger: ‘The basic idea is totally different to Impossible or Beyond’:  FoodSolutionsTeam (FST) is a company built around the mission to tackle food waste through the development of natural and sustainable products. With so much interest in vegan product development, the company is bringing out the NaSu Burger – a clean label and sustainable alternative for finished product manufacturers… Read  
      • Plant-based protein bar with less than seven ingredients targets female consumers:  Japanese natural snacks subscription service company Snaq Me has launched its second-generation plant-based protein bar, CLR Bar, nationwide. Read more  
      • BLC taps palm and shea fat to mimic ‘palate-appealing’ behaviour of meat:  Bunge Loders Crocklaan is expanding into the vegetarian burger category with a range of plant-based offerings – made from shea and palm fat – to help bring texture, bite, appearance, and flavour closer to the ‘real thing’….Read more  
      • There’s a cadre of highly trained flavorists trying to make plant-based meats taste like meat. The Washington Posts has the intel. 

ConfectionaryNews.com, a daily newsletter from this industry, has a Special Edition: The Rise of Functional Jellies.

“Functional,” you may recall, means something added over and above what is in the food to begin with.  In the case of gummy bears, it means added vitamins, minerals, herbals, or, these days, CBD.

The demand for functional jellies is growing with herbal extracts, cannabinoids and vitamins proving a good fit with the mainstream candy sector.

One of the quickest ways of getting nutrients into the body is via gums or jellies.

“Gummies have a slightly nostalgic feeling of something that we had as children, but in this version, it is completely transformed into a product that we can feel good about eating and that can easily fit into a healthy diet for kids and adults,” ​said ​Amanda Vagochik, VP of innovation at SinnovaTek.

In the articles below we look at how street-smart entrepreneurs are disrupting the industry with innovation and a fresh attitude and how CBD edibles are also changing the landscape of functionality in candy.

• Functional jellies, demand is growing thanks to CBD:  The demand for functionality is growing for convenient, but nutritious and tasty product solutions. Herbal extracts, which contain polyphenols caffeine, cannabinoids or vitamins have a good fit with the mainstream candy sector as one of the quickest ways of getting nutrients into the body is via gums or jellies… Read
• Matcha Bears pack energy and antioxidants in gummy form:  Three New York City entrepreneurs have developed gluten-free gummies infused with premium grade matcha that walk the line between functional and fun, reaching those who drink tea and those who just want a boost of energy at any time of day… Read
• Interview: SmartSweets primps the gummy category for future with ‘kick sugar’ ethos:  At the ripe age of 21, Tara Bosch wanted to cut her connection with sugary gummy worms. The result: a line of a favorite gummies made with stevia, coconut oil, tapioca and chicory root fiber, now available – in bright, bold packaging – online and in thousands of stores in the US and Canada… Read
• Pollen’s CBD gummies are the new kids on the block, with some history: Pollen, a new brand established by Melanie Goldsmith, aims to make ‘CBD simple’ in relation to its use in gummies and jellies… Read
• Upcycled, high protein gummies emerge from North Carolina produce and food science:  SinnovaVita uses microwave-assisted technology to extract protein-packed polyphenols from otherwise unwanted fruits and vegetables. They are sold under the Ripe Revival brand, which US grocery chain Kroger named a winner in its anti-hunger campaign… Read
• Vegan Gummy Bears continue winning streak:  Vegan and sugar free brand Free From Fellows has been recognized again for its Gummy Bears range, picking up an award at the Great British Food awards… Read
• CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Danny Lowe, founder/director, BLOCKHEAD:  BLOCKHEAD is a relatively new start up that makes functional confectionery such as Blockhead caffeine Energy Gum and Blockhead Vitamin Gum, available in retail stores across the UK. Founder Danny Lowe tells Confectionery News what inspired him to get into this high-energy market… Read

Food trade is a mess right now, but I keep trying to keep up with it.  Here are some recent items that caught my attention..

Trade deals dump U.S. junk foods in Central America.  The University of Buffalo sent out a press release about a study of the effects of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) on dietary practices in that country.

Our analysis demonstrates that low-income consumers face increasing household food expenditures in a context of overall food price inflation, in addition to relatively higher price increases for healthy versus ultraprocessed foods. Neoliberal policies not only contribute to restructuring the availability and pricing of healthy food for low-income consumers, but they also exacerbate social inequality in the food system through corporate-controlled supply chains and farmer displacement.

Current tariff policies threaten nearly 1.5 million jobs and raise prices.   This is the conclusion of a 75-page report conducted by economic consulting firm BST Associates .

A new study commissioned by the Port of Los Angeles finds that U.S. tariffs put nearly 1.5 million American jobs and more than $185 billion in economic activity at risk nationwide – based solely on the impact of tariffs on cargo handled in the San Pedro Bay port complex….China is the primary target of the Trump administration’s tariff policy, and Chinese producers account for about half of the imports passing through San Pedro Bay. Chinese retaliatory tariffs affect China-bound American exports, and Chinese buyers account for nearly a third of the American products headed overseas out of LA and Long Beach…“With 25 percent fewer ship calls, 12 consecutive months of declining exports and now decreasing imports, we’re beginning to feel the far-reaching effects of the U.S.-China trade war…With the holiday season upon us, less cargo means fewer jobs for American workers.”

The USDA has released the second collection of payments compensating agriculture for losses due to the trade war with China.  This comes to more than $14 billion on this round.  This is on top of the previous $9 billion already paid.  All of this is way beyond what the Farm Bill authorizes in agricultural support.  Supporting Big Ag this way sets an expensive precedent.  And guess where the payments are going.  To “a bundle of states that are essential to his re-election chances,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

As for why those payments are needed:  USDA’s complicated-to-read economic report explains how farm debt is increasing and income decreasing.  As the Des Moines Register reports, Iowa’s farm debt reached $18.9 billion in the second quarter of 2019—the highest level in the nation.  USDA’s farm income and wealth statistics are here.

In the meantime, what’s happening to small farms?  They face extinction, according to Time Magazine.

A mess indeed.  Fixable?  Only with political will.  It’s hard to be optimistic at this point.