For a topic that has been around as long as humans have been it always amazes us to find the newest in the food and cooking industry. For the September edition of “Food News” Loam Ridges has put together a very interesting selection of articles.
We start with a scientist who may not have been as honest with his research and deceived many of the biggest news publications in academia and end with cannabis’s legalization and it’s effect on restaurant and hotels offerings!
1. Scientist has multiple papers retracted
Who should be trusted when it comes to information concerning food, it’s effects on our health, and the multitude of other topics that surround the subject? A researcher for a top academic institution sounds like a pretty safe bet, right? Wrong.
A top researcher from Cornell University just had six scientific papers retracted in a single day. Most of the research was concerning food physiology, and it has come under increased scrutiny as the work was suspected of data manipulation.
It’s every scientist’s worst nightmare: six papers retracted in a single day, complete with a press release that’s helping the world’s science reporters disseminate and discuss the news.
That’s exactly what happened today at the journal network JAMA, and to the Cornell researcher Brian Wansink.
Wansink is currently the director of Cornell’s Food and Brand Lab. For years, he has been known as a “world-renowned eating behavior expert.”
Read more at Vox.com
2. Shocking secrets of the Food Industry
If you’re anything like us you have probably had a friend, or five, tell you that you “MUST” watch the video they found online. The video is the “Shocking secrets of the Food Industry”.
While this video is rather interesting, it is also full of holes. We actually think that watching the video and then reading the following article is the best course of action as it does a great job fact checking the video.
A video titled “Shocking Secrets of the Food Industry” has become popular viewing on social media, serving up a series of context-free observations that masquerade as an exposé of the “food industry.” This video is so misleading that it appears almost proud of its own abject ignorance and total lack of intellectual curiosity:
Read More at Snopes
3. Regular Price changes at Restaurants?
You expect to see the price change at the fuel pumps on a weekly basis, but at your favorite restaurant? That’s something different, isn’t it? Well, there is a new technology out that adjusts the price of your burger depending on the price of the cow. Researchers are finding that people who prefer higher quality ingredients in their food are able to stomach (forgive the pun) a small variance in price to get the nutrition they are after.
Restaurant-goers have let the market know that they want healthier, farm-fresh and responsible sourced ingredients for years. Consumer behaviors and food sourcing trends are inspiring many brands to seek out hyper-local partnerships with local growers. With individual, local farm relationships, large-buy procurement contracts are more difficult to come by. Smaller chains also face challenges with contract food pricing since they tend to have lower-volume buys.
Read More at Restaurant Business Online.
4. A Robot that cooks your Food.
What do you need to cook your favorite recipe? Some chicken, spices, vegetables, and…. Your robot? A UK based startup is officially crowdfunding for a product that will have mechanical arms and the capability to learn your favorite recipes. This technology may not even be that far away… the company, Moley Robotics, hopes to have a prototype released in 2018!
I feel like an anomaly among my fellow New York millennials in that I actually enjoy cooking my own meals. For many people, it's always, "I never have time," which usually means a leftover salad that's now wilted, lunch from the place downstairs or a Seamless delivery.
I take pride in the fact that I can feed myself healthy meals, and it's actually helped in my dating life, too.
And just like that, robots are out to ruin another thing for me.
Read More at Entrepreneur
5. Cannabis on the Menu?
The last 5 years has brought a rush of pro-cannabis legislation in many states. With this legalization it was only a matter of time before restaurants, hotels, and other traveler friendly locations started to capitalize. The Hollywood Roosevelt in L.A. is already infusing its cocktails with CBD Oil to create a more relaxing drink for it’s patrons. This is a trend we don’t see slowing down anytime soon either….
More hotels and resorts plan to offer cannabis-based menu items and wellness treatments, as laws around the country relax toward medicinal and recreational use of the drug. And customers — both locals and guests — seem to be thoroughly enjoying them.
Read More at the NY Times
See a cooking or food related story that we missed? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you. While you’re at it, head over to our 2017 Heritage Blend page and pick some up! We are running low on supply and you won’t want to miss it!