Monthly Archives: May 2009

We want a supermarket watchdog

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 26, 2009

The National Farmers’ Union and actionaid have joined forces to place a full-page ad in The Times, calling for a supermarket watchdog. The Competition Commission suggested a watchdog as a remedy to problems identified in its investigation of the UK grocery market, a proposal welcomed by farmers and other supermarket suppliers, but starkly opposed by most large retailers.

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Food in books: mapping the world’s food

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 19, 2009

Every day, the world’s food system has 6.5 billion mouths to feed. It’s humanity’s single biggest undertaking: 1.3 billion farm-workers work 4.9 billion HA to produce 356 kg of grain each year for every person alive. Still the system isn’t working: “2 billion people suffer from chronic under-nutrition and 18 million die each year from hunger-related diseases”. Understanding the world’s food system better is essential if we’re to face move towards a more equitable and sustainable way of feeding ourselves. Tim Lang and Erik Millstone’s updated edition of The Atlas of Food in an invaluable guide to the complexities and scale of world food.

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No added colours (don’t mention the flavourings, sugar, calcium carbonate, salt, glucose-fructose syrup…)

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 15, 2009

No added colours, the monkey says. True, but what about the flavourings (unspecified), sugar, calcium carbonate, salt, glucose-fructose syrup… listed in the cereal’s ingredients? Coco Pops have one of the highest sugar levels of all breakfast cereals: they’re over one third sugar. The monkey’s misdirecting message only adds to a profusion of confusing messages about what’s in breakfast cereals.

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Compulsory “place of farming” labelling for agricultural products? Too good to be true

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 14, 2009

Is the EU agriculture directorate proposing compulsory “place of farming” labelling for agricultural products? It sounds too good to be true, and it is. All that’s proposed is an indication of EU or non-EU origin. Even that’s almost unanimously opposed by food processors.

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Morsels: eating breadfruit, incredible edible, food news, too easy, frozen food, food crisis, free-range risks, ethical companies

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 11, 2009

Morsels: eating breadfruit, incredible edible Todmorden, UK local food news, plastic bags too easy, frozen food, food crisis implications, ethical companies, debate over risks of free-range pork

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Pandemic potential: is intensive pig production responsible?

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 9, 2009

As the genetic origins of the novel strain of H1N1 influenza A become better understood, serious and urgent questions are emerging over the role of intensive livestock farming in the development and transmission of potentially pandemic flu viruses.
This isn’t just about the now-notorious Granjas Carroll de Mexico farm (part-owned by Smithfield, the world’s largest pork producer) in Veracruz, Mexico. Even if the virus is ultimately linked to the Granjas Carroll CAFO, it would only make it the last link in a complex process of virus mutation, reassortment and transmission that’s played out on pig farms over the last 10 (or even 90) years.

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International organisations reassert safety of pork

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 8, 2009

As the outbreak of novel, swine-related (A)H1N1 influenza virus (note the carefully chosen terminology) continues to provoke confused messages as to the safety of pork, ProMED reports that the three leading international food, animal and public health organisations – the FAO, OIE, WHO – have reasserted the safety of properly cooked pork.

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Flu story: a history of swine influenza from 1918 to 2009

By Nick Saltmarsh | Published: May 5, 2009

A brief history of the swine influenza virus (SIV) from 1918 to 2009 – including 1998 H3N2 reassortment of swine, avian and human viruses; 2001 identification of reassortant H1N1 from 1998 H3N2 and classic H1N1; 2009 emergence of swine-origin H1N1 influenza A virus in humans.

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