Monthly Archives: April 2009

Novel H1N1 swine-origin flu virus, pigs, farms and pork: an evolving round-up

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 30, 2009

@tracingpaper follows the emergence of the novel H1N1 flu virus; the impact on pigs, farming and pork; and the debate over its possible links with industrial pig production. This list will continue to be updated, with latest entries at the top.

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Cereal offenders: what’s in your breakfast?

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 29, 2009

Breakfast cereals have long attracted the attention of food and health campaigners: often perceived and marketed as a healthy food, many contain high quantities of salt, fat and sugar.
Nutritional labelling can be confusing and make comparisons difficult, while recommended servings are mostly smaller than we actually consume. Health claims are often misleading and less healthy cereals marketed to children.
While the cereal industry appears happy to produce a limited range of healthier cereals, it’s also committed to the continued production and marketing of less healthy lines.

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Morsels: choosing fish, saving bees, eating dangerously, ignoring recalls, GM failure, GM ban, newer potatoes, no elixir, Hackney salad, egg factory

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 28, 2009

Morsels: choosing sustainable fish, saving honey bees, eating dangerously, ignoring food recalls, GM failure, GM ban, newer potatoes, no elixir, Hackney salad, egg factory

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Sourcing flu: scientific investigation must follow circumstantial evidence

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 28, 2009

There’s currently no scientific certainty about the source of the new Mexican strain of H1N1 flu, but circumstantial evidence is emerging that should direct epidemiological investigations.
While the mainstream media concentrated on the spread and pandemic potential of the new virus, bloggers were the first to investigate and question circumstantial suggestions that the new strain may have emerged from intensive pig production units.
There are important questions to ask about the source of the virus but it’s important to keep in mind the essential difference between circumstance and epidemiology.

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Don’t just blame the pigs: is this swine flu, bird flu or human flu?

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 28, 2009

The new strain of the H1N1 influenza virus that has emerged in Mexico, with particular virulence, and is now spreading to other parts of the globe is almost universally reported as swine flu. The name suggests a clear and direct link with pigs, but is it really that simple?

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G8 agriculture summit on food security: a round-up

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 24, 2009

The G8′s first ever agriculture summit took place over the weekend of 18th to 20th April 2009, in response to the “world food emergency”.
With alarming volatility in world food prices and growing concern over the sustainability of our food system, food security is firmly on the international agenda after decades of complacency.
The Tracing Paper followed the build-up, progress and conclusion of the first ever G8 agriculture summit and examined some of the underlying issues of food security and sustainability.

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Morsels: food ratios, lessmeatarianism, real retail, chicken windows, bee killers, sty-scrapers, egg labels, large sheds, British food, good grazing, spring blossom

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 21, 2009

Morsels: food ratios, lessmeatarianism, real food retail, chickens with a view, bee killers, sty-scrapers, egg labels, large sheds, no more Food from Britain, good grazing, spring fruit blossom

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Morsels: hyperlocal, more local, chocolate, pizza, water, early baking, sustainability, early asparagus

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 17, 2009

Morsels: hyperlocal, demand for local food up, more sustainable chocolate, inside a pizza factory, water shortages, a peek at the early morning activities of bakers, getting past the cliché of sustainability, early asparagus

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Bad colours: in medicines as well as foods

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 15, 2009

Parents seeking to follow the Food Standards Agency’s advice to avoid products with the Southampton additives need to watch out for medicines as well as the more usual suspects of confectionery, soft drinks and other foods.

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Morsels: surviving Wal-Mart, sugar emissions, food grants, sugar favour, meat truth, Tesco pressure, organic report, croissant origins, potato world, local ASDA

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: April 10, 2009

Morsels: surviving Wal-Mart, sugar emissions, food grants, sugar favour, meat truth, Tesco pressure, organic report, croissant origins, potato world, local ASDA

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