Carbonated & Sports
Lobbyists fight soda tax as health care reform funding source
During the first nine months of 2009, soda makers, supermarket companies, agriculture, fast-food business spent more than $24 million lobbying Congress on issue of tax on sweetened beverages plus other legislative and regulatory issues, reports show. Coalition fears what could be movement to raise money for health care reform by taxing sweetened beverages. Farm-dominated Senate Finance Committee sympathetic to food industry; Max Baucus hails from Montana, large producer of sugar beets; Iowa, home state of Chuck Grassley, is nation's largest producer of corn.
By Christine Spolar and Joseph Eaton
The Huffington Post 2009-11-06
Senate mulls soda 'sin tax' to fund health care reform
Senate leaders consider watchdog group's proposed tax on soda, some fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks and ready-to-drink teas to help pay for health care reform. Proponents cite research linking consumption to diet-related disease, say tax would cut consumption, health problems, medical costs. Soda lobbyists say tax would hit lower-income Americans and wouldn't deter consumption. And: Amount of decline in smoking directly tied to size of state tax increase on cigarettes, analysis shows (click 'See also').
By Janet Adamy
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2009-05-12
Sweet peak: Energy drink rinse linked to athletic performance
In trial, cyclists pedaled faster after rinsing their mouths with high-carb drinks, but saw no difference with artificially sweetened versions in study. Brain scans showed that glucose, maltodextrin in the mouth triggered pleasure circuits in brain not activated by artificial sweetener. Circuits are thought to reduce athletes' perceptions of how much effort they are expending, allowing them to work harder, longer. And: In rat study, artificial sweeteners result in more sluggish metabolism that stores, rather than burns, incoming excess calories (click 'See also').
By Ian Sample
The Guardian (UK) 2009-04-15
Coffee & Tea
Greening caffeine
Starbucks, learning early on that carbon emissions would affect rainfall and temperatures, thus affecting price, quantity and quality of coffee beans (and its bottom line), calculated its carbon footprint and is working to lower the number; other companies are coy.
Sonia Narang
Forbes magazine
Calling coffee lovers:
Single writer had determined that she is seeking an equally jittery, totally caffeinated coffee baron who will serenade her in the coffee groves and add to her heart palpitations, with or without the brew -- iced or hot.
By Chrystal Doucette
Columbia Basin Herald (WA) 0000-00-00
"Someone should not be able to walk into a restaurant and order a plate of an endangered species."
Dairy
Biotech milk hormone effort vetoed in Kansas
Kansas governor vetoes milk disclaimer labeling bill, citing overwhelming opposition by consumer groups, small producers, retailers who want to know which milk is from cows untreated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBST). Kathleen Sibelius, Obama pick for HHS, also cites patchwork labeling requirements, state to state, that would cost too much.
By Beth Martino
Office of the Governor, Kansas 2009-04-23
Opinion: Obama's pick for HHS should veto milk disclaimer bill
As Obama's pick for Health, Human Services which oversees FDA, Governor Kathleen Sibelius should veto biotech milk disclaimer bill as 29 groups have requested. Kansas bill would require that milk labeled hormone-free include disclaimer saying that FDA sees no 'significant difference' between milk products with or without it. Bill will become law unless she vetoes it by Thursday.
By Barry Estabrook
Gourmet.com/Politics of the Plate 2009-04-21
Good bones
Strong bones throughout life require a consistent foundation of calcium-rich foods, vigorous exercise and plenty of sunshine, for vitamin D. Children's needs grow as they do. Dietary sources of calcium include dark leafy greens, broccoli, milk, cheese and yogurt.
The Associated Press; San Francisco Chronicle 2007-11-26
Juices
Orange juice demand ramps up as swine flu continues
USDA
Swine flu, now present in 46 states, plus approaching winter season increases demand for orange juice, but Florida orange crop expected to be 16 percent smaller than last year after cold snaps last winter were followed by drought conditions, citrus disease. And: Immune boosters during cold/flu season include yogurt with probiotics, lemon juice, garlic, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables, especially orange ones like sweet potatoes and carrots (click 'See also').
By Tom Sellen
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2009-11-02
Florida OJ industry faces triple tribulations
Florida orange juice industry faces drought, hurricane season, anti-dumping petition against a Brazilian juice processor (click 'See also'). Though juice futures have risen, orange stockpiles, recent low prices, could keep supermarket prices stable.
By Ted Jackovics
The Tampa Tribune 2009-05-05
From poppies to pomegranates in Afghanistan
Big Stock Photo
Pomegranates can replace opium poppies for higher profit, beverage entrepreneur, UK grocery chain and Afghanistan tribes agree. 40,000 trees planted, with half a million more trees planned by end of 2010. Ability to reduce drug dependency is vast, since Afghan-sourced heroin is sold globally. And: In Afghanistan, Texas soldiers see path to victory through creation of wheat-seed farm superior to the 2,500 acres and subsistence plots controlled by Taliban (click 'See also').
By Shane Starling
nutraingredients.com/ Decision News Media 2009-03-31
Water
Ambiguity hobbles Clean Water Act; drinking water of 117 million vulnerable to exclusion from enforcement
By Charles Duhigg and Janet Roberts
The New York Times 2010-03-01
Foul byproduct of fracking, a drilling technique for natural gas, pollutes water supplies
By Marc Levy and Vicki Smith
The Associated Press; Charleston Daily Mail (SC) 2010-02-02
Cities grow, sewers fill, rain falls and waste poisons waterways
By Charles Duhigg
The New York Times 2009-11-22
Wine, Beer & Spirits
Though Haitian presidential palace lies in ruins, distillery for Rhum Barbancourt survives - and is making repairs
By Scott Kraft
Los Angeles Times 2010-02-09
Opinion: Raising alcohol tax would close Maryland's budget shortfall, improve services and save lives by cutting liquor consumption
The editors
The Washington Post 2010-01-29
Iowa officials contemplate banning, limiting potent alcoholic beverage
By William Petroski
The Des Moines Register 2010-01-25