New Products

Caving to pressure from states and environmental groups, India has put the breaks on plans to allow genetically-modified eggplants to be grown commercially, the Wall Street Journal reported.

To create the modified veggie, scientists engineered eggplant (called brinjal in India) to be more resistant to pests than normal varieties by inserting a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.

A government committee approved the move to commercialize the eggplant -- named Bt Brinjal after its scientific modification -- in October, but the Indian government overturned that decision Tuesday.

Jairam Ramesh, the country's environment minister, said there is no clear consensus among scientists on the vegetable's safety, the Times of India reported.

Americans are familiar with the four primary tastes we've known since childhood: sweet, salty, bitter and sour.

But the fifth taste -- the taste associated with savory things called umami -- has been less familiar. Umami is an earthy flavor foods get from amino acids in meats, some cheeses, fish and vegetables including mushrooms, ketchup, oysters, steak and sweet potatoes. It also gives food-additive MSG its allure.

Now home cooks in the U.K. looking to give their cuisine and umami kick can do it with the launch of a new food product called Taste No. 5, an umami-flavored paste, The Independent reported.

Two British supermarket chains -- Waitrose and Booths -- will both sell Taste No. 5, the first product marketed as an umami source, the paper reported.

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.

This Valentine's Day, forget the ho-hum box of chocolates. Instead, show sweet affection to the one you love with an unconventional gift. Don't get bogged down with angst about finding that perfect gift for your favorite foodie -- Slashfood's here to help.

When we were kids you had tender asparagus in the spring, juicy peaches in the summer and crisp apples in the fall. Nowadays there is no such thing as seasons at the supermarket. Right now in frigid New York, you can pick up a bunch of bulbous grapes or ruby red cherries. And starting next week, if you live in the St. Louis area, you can purchase a new breed of onion called EverMild, which, as its name suggests, is a milder version of the pungent bulb.

This gentler breed -- which will be available in Schnucks grocery stores -- is being introduced by the giant company Monsanto, which up until now has been known (in foodie circles, infamously known) for its weed killer and genetically engineered crops. (The company is featured prominently in the Oscar nominated documentary, 'Food, Inc.')