Institutional
Citing health, environment, Chicago alderman proposes citywide ban on foam food containers in restaurants, school cafeterias
By Monica Eng
Chicago Tribune 2010-02-17
Aramark-run Capitol Café, where Pennsylvania's political elite eat, struggles with continuing unsanitary conditions
By Suzette Parmley and Amy Worden
The Philadelphia Inquirer 2010-01-28
Opinion: Congress should expand and improve quality of school meals program
The editors
San Jose Mercury News 2010-01-25
U.S. military food contracts in Middle East worth billions, but private security is sticking point
By Walter Pincus
The Washington Post 2010-01-11
Compass Group to pay more for tomatoes; subsidiary's workers lose hours
Compass Group, which buys 10 million pounds of tomatoes annually and operates 10,000 cafeterias, agrees with Florida's Coalition of Immokalee Workers to buy winter tomatoes only from growers that pay fair wage, offer good working conditions. And: After Chartwells, a Compass Group subsidiary, takes over Connecticut school food service from Sodexho, some workers say their hours were curtailed; one says cutback made her ineligible for insurance (click 'See also'). Others say they lost paid sick leave, holiday leave, were transferred with little notice and had problems receiving paychecks.
By Jane Black
The Washington Post 2009-09-25
Nonprofit groups link local produce supply with local demand
New nonprofits that aggregate and deliver local produce are popping up across U.S., could be missing link between supply of and demand for products grown nearby. Farmers appreciate delivery consolidation, ease of building relationships with bigger buyers. Among customers are elementary schools, independent grocers, restaurants. In Charlottesville, VA, negotiations are under way to sell to University of Virginia dining services, run by Aramark.
By Jane Black
The Washington Post 2009-08-26
For Earth Day, a ban on high-emissions beef, cheese
Steven Schultz/thefoodtimes
For Earth Day, one-day ban of meat, cheese in college, corporate cafeterias raises awareness about effect of food choices on environment. There's a growing movement to cut carbon emissions by cutting back on certain foods; significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions are created by food industry. And: Meat production alone accounts for 18 percent of global emissions, UN says (click 'See also').
By David Gorn
National Public Radio/All Things Considered 2009-04-22
Hospital meals in UK will go greener
To set public example, meat-free menus, more fresh produce, less bottled water and less dairy will be promoted in UK hospitals to cut global warming emissions. Without effective action now, millions will experience hunger, water shortages and coastal flooding as climate changes, report warns. And: Reducing meat, junk food in diet means healthier body and planet, says Mark Bittman in new book (click 'See also').
By Juliette Jowit
The Guardian (UK) 2009-01-26
Bad food at army base, but who's to blame?
No food, bad food, bug-infested food, inconsistent food safety standards listed as complaints at Fort McCoy military base in 2005, 2006. Army blames Wisconsin for mismanaging multi-million-dollar food service contract; state blames military's facilities. And: Wisconsin appeals $225,000 in damages due blind manager who lost job when Army canceled dining contract (click 'See also').
The Associated Press; MSNBC 2009-01-19
Institutional peanut butter linked to salmonella cases
King Nut creamy peanut butter linked 30 cases of the 400 salmonella poisoning cases across 42 states. The peanut butter is sold in 5-pound containers to food service companies that supply schools, colleges, hospitals, nursing homes, other institutions. Minnesota's 'Team Diarrhea' helped in multitude of interviews that helped crack the case. And: Distributor plans peanut butter recall. (click 'See also').
By Josephine Marcotty
Star-Tribune (MN) (may require registration) 2009-01-10
Slow progress
Though whole grains now are available in restaurants and even the military, schools, caught between a wellness revolution and a financial crisis, lag behind, with little control over labor, menus or budgets, food-oriented foundation reports.
By Margaret Stafford
The Associated Press 2007-11-07
Power food
As China's economy booms, its military hires dietitians and the soldier's diet improves in quality and variety; rice and wheat consumption drops as that of animal protein goes up, and Mao's time of troops' digging wild vegetables seems distant.
China Daily 2007-10-05
Reducing, recycling
College, university cafeterias in Maine remove trays and see reduction in food waste; schools also institute buying locally, sending food waste to pig farms, composting scraps, buying in bulk and limiting seafood to species that are not vulnerable to overfishing.
By Ann S. Kim
Portland Press-Herald (ME) 2007-09-24
Opinion: Temple of food:
To celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with modak - dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery - or moon-shaped karanji, or to eat stellar Indian food, go no farther than the nearest temple, where the prices are low, writer says.
By Chidanand Rajghatta
Times of India 2007-09-16
Young hunger:
Initiative to address children's needs begins with hunger relief in Iowa town after principal learns that student wasn't fed dinner for three nights in a row; poor nutrition diminishes cognitive and physical growth, and children who feed themselves lack ability to make good choices, expert say.
By Erik Hogstrom
Telegraph-Herald (IA) 2007-09-16
Menu management:
Indian prison plans to offer inmates new diet, including eggs, soybeans, seasonal vegetables and chutneys, as well as slices of onion and lemon as condiments; cooking classes also contemplated.
The Telegraph (Calcutta, India) 2007-09-03
Winning chicken:
The promise of fried chicken and a movie moves inmates to compete in cleanliness contest at South Carolina jail (showers are the tie-breaker); the center, which moves 6,800 prisoners through each year, still has the original carpet, from 1992.
By Daniel Brownstein
The Island Packet (SC); The State (SC) 2007-08-30
Teaching respect:
Norway's Bastoey Prison now operates with ecologically sound food production, solar panels, wood-fire heating instead of oil and strict recycling to teach its 115 inmates respect for environment and for others.
Healing foods:
Carlo Petrini, guru of Italy-based Slow Food Movement, tells chef and writer of his work with Italian ministry of health to provide locally sourced - and cooked - fresh foods to hospitals.
By Giorgio Locatelli
The Guardian (UK)
Behind bars:
District judge orders prison to provide kosher meals for Muslim inmate after he sues Tecumseh State Correctional Institution to request them, citing religious requirements; officials complained that special meals would raise food and preparation costs and possibly cause resentment in other inmates.
Associated Press; Sioux City Journal