In September 2012, Food & Chemical Toxicology published a peer-reviewed study purporting to show that rats fed genetically modified corn had a higher incidence of tumors than those that were not. This was significant, as this study was the first to find evidence of an adverse health effect in any mammal species from the consumption of GM […]
Archive | Food and Drink
Flipping on Trans Fats
This week the Food and Drug Administration announced that it is targeting trans fats in food. Specifically, the FDA announced its preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary source of trans fat in the American diet, are [no longer] “generally recognized as safe” as food additives. If finalized, this determination would mean that […]
Teaching Carnivorous Fish to Be Vegetarians
the Washington Post reports on a successful effort to convert captive cobia to a vegetarian diet. The conversion of these carnivorous fish to a completely vegetarian diet is a first, according to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and a key to breaking a cycle in which the ocean’s stocks of small fish […]
NY appellate court rules 5-0 against Bloomberg soda ban
By David Kopel on July 30, 2013 2:02 pm in "Bullying" Bans, Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Executive Branch, Food and Drink, Growth of Government, Health Care, New Class, Paternalism, Separation of Powers
The First Department of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court has ruled 5-0 against NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s soda ban, in the case of In re New York Statewide Coalition of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, et al. v. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, et al. (The Hispanic […]
Rethinking “Calories In, Calories Out”
I came across an interesting new paper on SSRN looking at caloric intake and obesity across populations “Macronutrients and Obesity: Revisiting the Calories in, Calories out Framework” by Daniel Riera-Crichton and Nathan Tefft. Here’s the abstract: Recent clinical research has studied weight responses to varying diet composition, but the contribution of changes in macronutrient intake […]
The Art of Russian Cuisine
Unsolicited praise for my mother’s cookbook — The Art of Russian Cuisine — from Dan “Klecko” McGleno (Food Service News): “The Art of Russian Cuisine” by Anne Volokh is one of five things I’d grab if my house was burning. It’s a rare book, but it covers every aspect of Russian cuisine, and my family […]
New York Judge Nixes Super-Size Soda Ban
A state court judge has voided New York City’s much discussed (and much derided) ban on the sale of large sugary drinks, the New York Post reports. The ban was slated to take effect tomorrow. Due to the judge’s ruling, however, NY health inspectors won’t have to run around testing drink sizes and coffee sellers […]
Are Plastic Grocery Bag Bans Bad for Public Health?
San Francisco banned disposable plastic grocery bags in 2007. It’s not alone. Several dozen communities around the country have adopted similar policies, all in the name of environmental protection. Those thin plastic bags may require far less material than in years past, but some still see them as wasteful. New research, however, shows that banning […]
Did White House Suppress Science on GMO Salmon?
Jon Entine details the evidence that the White House forced the Food & Drug Administration to sit on a scientific assessment concluding that approval of a genetically modified salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies would have “no significant impact” on the environment. After Slate published an investigative report, the FDA quietly released assessment last Friday, over […]
Is Organic Food Healthier or Safer?
A new study fails to find scientific support for claims organic food is healthier or safer than conventional alternatives and everyone acts as if this is a surprise. It shouldn’t be. Scientific research has fairly consistently failed to validate the claimed superiority of organic food, as I’ve noted in prior posts over the past ten […]
How Not to Label Biotech Foods
By Jonathan H. Adler on August 31, 2012 8:15 am in Food and Drink, Freedom of Speech, Junk Science and Quackspertise, Politicizing Science
In November, Californians will vote on Proposition 37, a ballot initiative to impose a mandatory labeling requirement on all foods produced with or from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). For reasons I discuss in this New Atlantis article, this requirement is unnecessary, unwise and potentially unconstitutional. The effort has been endorsed by numerous progressive organizations and […]
First They Came for the Big Gulps
Will Mayor Bloomberg and his New York Nannies be satisfied with the ban on large sodas? Don’t bet on it. The policy is unlikely to do much of anything to reduce obesity — certainly not quickly enough for Mayor Minding-Others’-Business. And besides, there are lots more high-calorie options out there, and the Nannies are taking […]
Irish Scientists Solve Stout Mystery
Irish mathematicians have reportedly determined why the bubbles in a pint of Guinness appear to sink. The answer, apparently, lies in the circulation of liquid within the glass. (Hat tip: Instapundit)
Drink Coffee, Live Longer
A new study suggests those who drink coffee live longer, even if they stick to decaf. Time for another cup.
Studies Undermine “Food Desert”-Obesity Link
The NYT reports: t has become an article of faith among some policy makers and advocates, including Michelle Obama, that poor urban neighborhoods are food deserts, bereft of fresh fruits and vegetables. But two new studies have found something unexpected. Such neighborhoods not only have more fast food restaurants and convenience stores than more affluent […]