Food

For Maine dairy farmer Fred Stone, the discovery in 2016 that his cows were producing tainted milk has since brought financial ruin and threatened to shut down a century-old family business.  Now state regulators and health experts are investigating whether the contamination could reflect a much broader problem for farms that used similar methods to fertilize their land.The chemicals on Stone’s farm likely came from biosolids, or nutrient-rich sewage from municipal utilities, that he spread across his fields, according to a report last year by Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection [node:read-more:link]

The Canadian government is investing up to $31 million to increase the number of meat-sniffing dogs in its employ as Canada’s pork industry remain on edge about a global outbreak of a deadly pork virus called African Swine Fever. [node:read-more:link]

A new, large study may serve up some confusing advice for egg lovers. [node:read-more:link]

First and most importantly, there will be thousands of pounds of assorted artisan cheeses, but Wisconsin also brings a un-brie-lievably unique spin with special touches like a Ferris wheel of award-winning cheeses, three 7-liter gourmet fondues, custom swag, and at certain times throughout the day, fair favorites like fried cheese curds and boozy snow cones. A cast of characters will make special appearances including a magician and juggler as well as a woman in a dress made of champagne flutes. [node:read-more:link]

Despite limited research on the compound’s health benefits, hemp CBD has become a nationwide health food craze. Stressed-out people flock to cafes and restaurants that sell CBD cocktails and cookies, doughnuts and dog treats. Martha Stewart is advising a cannabis company on a line of CBD products for humans and pets. Congress recently primed the market for more growth when it legalized hemp farming and sales nationwide. But the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

Somewhere in the Midwest, a restaurant is frying foods with oil made from gene-edited soybeans. That's according to the company making the oil, which says it's the first commercial use of a gene-edited food in the U.S. Calyxt said it can't reveal its first customer for competitive reasons, but CEO Jim Blome said the oil is "in use and being eaten."The Minnesota-based company is hoping the announcement will encourage the food industry's interest in the oil, which it says has no trans fats and a longer shelf life than other soybean oils. [node:read-more:link]

Technology is bringing to life the ability to accomplish feats that would have seemed science fiction when many of us were children -- like driverless cars and virtual reality. We likely have conversations with bots without even realizing we aren’t chatting with an actual person. [node:read-more:link]

Following what a raw milk producer described as a visit during which she “met our cows,” State Rep. Michele Presnell introduced a bill in North Carolina to allow retail sales of unpasteurized milk in the state. The proposed measure, House Bill 103, would require warning labels for raw milk available at retail locations, but it would exempt some dairies from sanitary regulations. [node:read-more:link]

Canada has released a new food guide, and one thing is noticeably missing - a daily dose of dairy. [node:read-more:link]

Grant, Gallardo, and McCluskey shed new light on how consumers may adjust food waste patterns in the presence of innovations designed to replace or complement other package information about food quality and food safety. This work develops a choice experiment with options involving raw ingredients and ready-to-eat meals as a way to evaluate one dimension of consumers’ willingness to pay for reduced food waste. The authors find evidence that consumers are willing to pay more for initiatives that increase food shelf life which may lead to a reduction in food waste. [node:read-more:link]