Albacore tuna for sale at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington. (Photo: urbanworkbench – Flickr, CCL)
Making History Mondays is a weekly digest of American food news from the around the web. These are the stories that are changing American foodways and impacting the way we eat.
- SOMETHING IS FISHY: Washington state has passed new legislation requiring fresh, frozen and processed seafood distributors to label their products after the common name defined by the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife or the federal Food and Drug Administration. This comes after several studies have found that over 1/3 of seafood products sold in the United Sates are mislabeled – intentionally or unintentionally.
- SMART MOVE: Kellogg Corporation has reached a $4 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought against the company after they claimed their Mini-Wheat cereal increased children’s attentiveness.
- FARM BILL UPDATE: Following several years of record droughts, the U.S. government is poised to increase farm insurance subsidies as part of the new farm bill.
- THIRSTY TECH: Cornell University’s Robotics Lab has developed a robot that knows when your glass of beer needs to be refilled – and then refills it for you. This, among other handy tasks…
- GROWING UP: The New York Times looks at the return to fruit and vegetable grafting as a healthier means of producing bug-resistant, higher volume plants – and how the United States is coming late to the game.
- PRETZEL REVOLUTION: The internet is abuzz with news that after successful testing in certain markets, the Wendy’s fast food franchise will be releasing a pretzel bun burger later this year. The company hopes that by using artistan-style breads, they can distinguish themselves in a crowded fast food market.
- FROM BIRTH TO PLATE: Three years in, Michigan’s efforts to track cattle from birth to plate are being hailed as a success in ensuring the cows lead healthier lives and produce healthier beef.
