Here are some of the best food stories we came across this week:
- Mayor Bloomberg Plans to Ban Big Sodas – New York’s mayor has proposed a far-reaching municipal ban on sales of large sugary beverages by restaurants, mobile food carts, movie theaters and delis, his administration said on Wednesday, as part of his commitment to fighting the obesity pandemic.
- Corn Syrup Can’t Change its Name to “Corn Sugar” – The Food and Drug Administration struck down a petition by the Corn Refiners Association to change corn syrup’s name on food packaging to “corn sugar.” They claimed that consumers have a negative image of high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, due to — wait for it — its complicated name.
- Chipotle: Driving Sales of Antibiotic-free Meat. Seriously – Chipotle, the Clean Plates-approved, fast casual chain serving mainstream Mexican food, has led the category in use of antibiotic-free pork and other meats for over a decade. As consumers have responded with a willingness to spend more for better quality, other large food businesses are switching to healthier – and better tasting – meat and poultry.
- Chef Thomas Keller Backpedals on His Anti-Sustainability Remarks – Thomas Keller stirred the pot with comments in the New York Times recently about his belief that “creating great, brilliant food” trumps sustainability issues. In his magazine, Finesse, he goes into greater detail about his personal definition of sustainability and the environmentally friendly practices his dining empire has implemented.
- E. Coli Testing of Raw Beef to Increase – The Department of Agriculture announced its decision to increase the amount of testing for E. Coli (including testing for six additional strains) for all raw beef trimmings, which are used for ground beef. The additional testing will begin next week. Some consumer groups have complained all cuts of beef should be tested more often.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for links like these all week long.
Image courtesy of Vox Efx.
