Food News

If you happen to be in Brussels or Stockholm in July and decide to pick up some organic crackers, you'll probably see a new symbol printed on the package (along with serving suggestions in Flemish and Swedish).

The European Union, which is made up of 27 European countries, has ruled that a new 'Euro-leaf' symbol will be compulsory for all pre-packaged food starting July 1. The green logo is optional for imported foods and national logos for organic food will be allowed to be displayed next to the new one.

A few of the best Super Bowl links on the Web this week:

• At a loss for what to serve? Check out these recipes for Sunday, from soup to nuts.
• Your pants will thank you Monday morning if you tweak a few of the usual leaden apps for less caloric impact.
• Perk up your party with signature drinks, decorations and snacks that really extend the game-day theme.
• Don't get caught with sub-par chips and salsa: Let our taste test be your guide.
• See what your favorite celeb chefs like to nosh on while watching the game.

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Consumer Reports found samples of packaged salad greens to contain "bacteria that are common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination, in some cases at rather high levels" in a study published in its March 2010 issue, the Huffington Post reported.

The magazine had an outside lab test 208 containers of 16 brands of salad greens, packaged in both clamshells and plastic bags, and purchased in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The samples were tested for several types of bacteria including coliforms and Enterococcus, which can indicate inadequate sanitation and disease.

Consumer Reports found 39 percent of the samples exceeded the level of total coliform bacteria recommended by food consultants. Twenty-three percent of the samples exceeded recommended levels for Enterococcus.

None were found to contain the sometimes deadly bacteria E.coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes or salmonella, the Huffington Post reported.

The U.S. government is reconsidering its ban on Scotland's national dish haggis.

The Department of Agriculture has shot down rumors that the sausage – made by rolling the cooked innards of a sheep (its heart, liver and lungs) in oats and pepper, then stuffing it in cow's intestine and boiling it – will be allowed in the United States any time soon.

The Scottish delicacy has been barred from this country since the late '80s mad cow outbreak in the U.K.

At the request of Scottish officials, the USDA is reviewing the risks of the dish and the ban on it, according to The Associated Press.

USDA spokeswoman Lindsay Cole issued a statement saying reports that the ban will be lifted are incorrect and though the latest science is being examined, no timetable has been set for a decision.

An Arizona restaurateur is suing the owners of an eatery in Florida, accusing them of stealing his idea for a heart-attack-inducing menu.

In the federal lawsuit, Heart Attack Grill owner Jon Basso contends that the pair behind Heart Stoppers Sports Grill in Delray Beach took his concept for a restaurant with unhealthy, cholesterol-raising fare, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

"Heart Attack Grill is the originator of the medically themed hamburger grill and restaurant," the paper quoted Basso's lawyer, Robert Kain, as saying. "It sells high-calorie food products and we have had very extensive media coverage, including numerous shows on the Travel Channel and the Food Network."