John Oliver On American Food Waste

Heinz To Merge With Kraft

Via USA Today:

In a jolt touching pantries across the globe, H.J. Heinz and Kraft Foods Group (KRFT) will merge into the world's fifth-largest food and beverage company — bent on cutting costs, growing internationally and evolving into a more consumer-focused company. The massive merger, valued at about $36 billion, will allow Kraft "to move and grow faster than we could on our own," Kraft CEO John Cahill said. He would become vice-chairman of the newly-formed Kraft Heinz. The companies had been unanimously approved by their boards of directors. The new firm will be headquartered in Pittsburgh, home of Heinz, and in the Chicago area (Kraft). There are no plans to close either operation. The new company will have revenue of approximately $28 billion and will hold a portfolio of brands, including Heinz, Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Ore-Ida and Philadelphia.

RELATED: In recent years Kraft has been the target of anti-gay groups due to its rainbow Oreo campaign in recognition of gay pride. In 2013 One Million Moms went after them for their "disgusting" ads for Zesty salad dressing. In 2008 Heinz was criticized by British gay activists after they caved to complaints and pulled a lighthearted mayonnaise campaign that featured a deli counter clerk kissing a male customer.

Most-Googled Thanksgiving Recipes

Frog eye salad. Dirt pudding. Pretzel salad. Never heard of 'em. Embiggen or go here for details.

Rabbit Season

Animal rights activists are furious with Whole Foods over the plan to begin selling rabbit meat.

On Sunday, rabbit-lovers organized a national day of action to draw attention to the production and sale of rabbit meat at the grocery chain, warning that dogs and cats could be slaughtered for meat next and accusing Whole Foods of being “bunny butchers.” Proving that virtually everything has an advocacy organization, the House Rabbit Society helped design leaflets adorned with adorable bunny pictures for protesters. And one petition asking Whole Foods to stop selling rabbit meat already has more than 13,000 supporters. For its part, Whole Foods has said its pilot program was launched after a four-year process to design a system of rabbit-slaughtering that maintains high standards of animal welfare. 

A spokesman for Whole Foods says that they are sensitive to the "companion animal issue" and are only responding to requests from customers.

TIME Magazine: Eat Butter

The story is behind a paywall.

Hot Pockets Recall: Diseased Meat

Nestle USA has issued a recall for its Hot Pockets Philly Steak & Cheese product because the USDA says almost nine million pounds of meat might have come from diseased animals.

Rancho Feeding Corporation, a Petaluma, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 8,742,700 pounds, because it processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection. Thus, the products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

Nestle says that they didn't buy any meat directly from Rancho, but their other suppliers may have. Four different versions of that Hot Pockets item are recalled.

ASAP Science: Fresh Vs Frozen

Bertolli Zings Barilla

Unlike the Garafalo ad we saw yesterday, this one is real. Via AdWeek:

Barilla is struggling enough this week without its competitors piling on. But Bertolli doesn't care. Seizing on comments made by Barilla's chairman about how the company would never put gay couples in its advertising, Bertolli Germany quickly posted pro-gay imagery in its social feeds, happily taking advantage of its rival's misstep. "Love and pasta for all!" reads the caption on the Facebook photo above. "We just wanted to spread the news that Bertolli welcomes everyone, especially those with an empty stomach," a rep for Orca im Hafen, Bertolli's social-media agency in Germany, tells AdFreak.

(Tipped by JMG reader Larry)

Quote Of The Day - Guido Barilla

"Yesterday I apologized for offending many people around the world. Today I am repeating that apology. Through my entire life I have always respected every person I've met, including gays and their families, without any distinction. I've never discriminated against anyone. I have heard the countless reactions around the world to my words, which have depressed and saddened me. It is clear that I have a lot to learn about the lively debate concerning the evolution of the family. In the coming weeks, I pledge to meet representatives of the group that best represent the evolution of the family, including those who have been offended by my words." - Guido Barilla, in a video message posted yesterday to the company's Facebook page.

Barilla Doesn't Want Gay Customers

The Italy-based Barilla pasta company has made it clear that they don't want gay customers.

Guido Barilla, whose firm has almost half the Italian pasta market and a quarter of that in the US, told Italy’s La Zanzara radio show last night: “I would never do an advert with a homosexual family…if the gays don’t like it they can go an eat another brand. “For us the concept of the sacred family remains one of the fundamental values of the company.” He added: “Everyone has the right to do what they want without disturbing those around them”. But then the pasta magnate upped the ante by attacking gay adoption. “I have no respect for adoption by gay families because this concerns a person who is not able to choose," he said.

Barilla has already retreated from his remarks, saying that he only wanted to "underline the central role of the woman in the family." Needless to say, the boycott calls have already begun. (Image via Towleroad)

PETA: Chicken Causes Small Penises

PETA wrote to the organizers of this weekend's National Chicken Wing Festival in Buffalo, New York:

Dear Mr. Cerza: You may remember hearing from us a few years back, when we requested that you cancel the wing-eating competitions at the National Buffalo Wing Festival because of the cruelty inherent in poultry production. I'm reaching out again to ask you at least to take steps to ensure the safety of pregnant women by barring them from taking part in your contests. As I will explain, consuming poultry while pregnant may lead to birth defects in utero, including smaller-than-average penises for newborn boys. I think we can agree that embarrassment and insecurity are no small matters.

Findings published by the Study for Future Families showed that eating poultry during pregnancy may lead to smaller penis size in male infants. Looking at dairy products, eggs, fish, fruit, bird meat, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, and red meat, researchers found the most significant link between chicken consumption and decreased penis size because of a chemical compound found in the meat. Furthermore, evidence indicates that heterosexual women's sexual satisfaction depends in part on their partner's penis size. Now that you are well endowed with this information, I hope you will have the backs of future Buffalo residents and visitors by not allowing their pregnant mothers to participate in the wing-eating contest. I hope to hear from you soon.

(Tipped by JMG reader Perry)

It's National Donut Day

My celebration has already begun.

Quote Of The Day - KS Sen. Jeff Melcher

"It seems to me we are encouraging the behavior of purchasing food and discouraging the behavior of purchasing anything else." - GOP Kansas state Sen. Jeff Melcher, speaking in opposition to a bill that would reduce the sales tax on groceries. According to Melcher, lower taxes on food is a form of social engineering that will only cause people to get fat. Despite Melcher's keen analysis, the bill passed in the state Senate by a vote of 25-14.  GOP Gov. Sam Brownback opposes any reduction in sales tax.

Twinkies To Return By Summer

Hostess Brands announced yesterday that they will return from bankruptcy and resume production by summer.  The company shut down last year during a union strike that became emblematic of corporate greed.

“We expect to be making and selling in July,” Michael Cramer, executive vice president of Hostess Brands LLC, told NBC News. “Probably the later half of the month before the product hits the stores.” The old Hostess company was dismantled and its assets sold off. Two hedge funds, Apollo Global & Metropoulos & Co., bought the best-known of the company’s snack brands and launched a new company, Hostess Brands LLC.

The new company will not be unionized. How utterly unshocking.

The Iron Lady Of Soft-Serve

The Atlantic mentions today that before she became a politician, Margaret Thatcher was part of a team that developed soft-serve ice cream.

While Thatcher's exact contribution to the effort remains, in a way that would foreshadow her future political career, a matter of controversy, her team ultimately succeeded. And the work resulted, ultimately, in the swirly stuff we know today as soft serve. (Or, if you're in Britain, "soft scoop.") J. Lyons's airy dairy was served from ice cream trucks -- under the brand Mr. Whippy -- in Great Britain.

I'll mention her name the next I visit the Mister Softee truck.

RELATED: Today is #FreeConeDay at Ben & Jerry's stores worldwide. Somebody bring me a Chubby Hubby. Ahem.

Gay Marriage Easter Bunnies

From Gayle's Chocolates.  (Via JMG reader John)

Alligator Is A Lent-Approved Fish

The Archbishop of New Orleans has ruled that it's OK for Catholics to eat alligator during Lent. Because it's a fish.  Via NPR:

Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays during the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter, but seafood is allowed. Three years ago, when Jim Piculas was trying to settle a debate among his friends about whether gator qualified as seafood, he wrote a letter to the archbishop of New Orleans to ask. His letter must have been pretty zealous, because not long after he wrote it, he got a response from Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond saying: "Yes, the alligator's considered in the fish family, and I agree with you — God has created a magnificent creature that is important to the state of Louisiana, and it is considered seafood."

Most people say that gator does indeed taste like chicken, but I've always thought it tastes like calamari. (Except when it's in cheesecake.) Alligator hunting was legalized in Florida in the late 80s after the formerly endangered species rebounded rather spectacularly and large numbers of dogs and cats began disappearing from waterfront backyards. The state does continue to strictly limit the number that can be harvested. (Tipped by JMG reader Ken)

UK: Supermarket Chain Confirms "100% Horsemeat" In Products Labeled Beef

The Germany-based supermarket chain Aldi yesterday confirmed that some "beef" products recently pulled from shelves in Britain actually contained as much as 100% horsemeat. Horsemeat has also been found in beef-labeled products in several other British chains. The Guardian reports:

The Metropolitan police said in a statement it was not carrying out a criminal investigation. "Although we have met with the FSA we have not started an investigation and will not do so unless it becomes clear there has been any criminality under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan police service." Aldi said it felt "angry and let down" by its French supplier Comigel after tests on Today's Special frozen beef lasagne and Today's Special frozen spaghetti bolognese found they contained between 30% and 100% horsemeat. Comigel, which also produced the contaminated Findus beef lasagnes, has blamed its suppliers. Erick Lehagre said he believed his company was buying French beef from a company called Spanghero but it had since told him it had come from Romania. A spokesman for Aldi said random tests had shown that the products they had withdrawn contained between 30% and 100% horsemeat.

Aldi has 1500 outlets in the United States and opened their first Manhattan store last year in Harlem's East River Plaza. Aldi is the parent company of Trader Joe's.

VSauce On The Five-Second Rule

From one of YouTube's most popular educational channels, here's a wonky explanation of why the five-second rule doesn't necessarily work.

Food Trucks Head For NYC [UPDATED]

Food relief is coming to Manhattan and other parts of NYC still without power.  Gothamist has the early details:

Red Cross Communications Officer Michael de Vulpillieres emails us to say that 35 emergency response vehicles "stocked with food, snacks, water and clean up supplies" are headed to the city, and will fan out to serve communities affected by Sandy. "We also are identifying sites for large mobile kitchens to be set up in the city where food will be prepared and distributed," Vulpillieres writes. According to State Senator Daniel Squadron's office, residents remaining in the Smith, Riis, and Baruch Houses will soon have running water from city-provided generators.

I'll update this post when we know where the distribution points will be.

UPDATE:  More news on food relief as we learn that the National Guard and FEMA are airlifting one million meals into the blackout zones.

"After days without powers, the most immediate need for many New Yorkers is food and water and the state is working aggressively to address this need." Cuomo said in the announcement. "The first plane into JFK this morning was from FEMA, carrying supplies and personnel we requested. New York state will continue to deploy all our resources in response to Hurricane Sandy and adjust to the needs and concerns of New Yorkers so that we can ensure a safe and speedy recovery."

According to the governor's office FEMA and the National Guard will work with the city and "major not-for-profit organizations" to establish points of distribution and set up staging stations throughout the most affected areas. "National Guardsman will assist with the delivery of approximately 30 tractor-trailers of the food and water, by going door-to-door to New Yorkers who have been without power and electricity since Hurricane Sandy hit the state. The National Guardsmen and FEMA officials will also check the wellness and needs of individuals in these areas to ensure that residents are safe."

Food and water will be distributed beginning today at these Manhattan locations: 10th Street between Avenues C and D, Catherine Street between Monroe and Cherry Streets (Smith Houses), Pitt and Houston Streets, Grand and Clinton Streets (water only), Bowery and Division Street (Confucius Plaza).