"great britain" news and stories

Since excluding imported organic products from using the word "organic" is probably not something that is going to happen in the UK any time soon, farmers are still looking for ways to strengthen their appeal with consumers and the position of their products on supermarket shelves. They are now proposing that the country of origin be clearly labeled on all products. Currently, all foods processed in the UK can claim to be "made in the UK," but this labeling scheme would have the country that the ingredients were sourced from identified.

The real motivation behind it is that foods sourced from elsewhere have less traceability than UK-based products, as manufacturing and processing standards may be lower elsewhere. A move like this would potentially increase the trust that consumers have in UK-made products, where the processing standards are known, and as a result, support UK-based farmers.

Source

A public toilet in Deepdale, Lancashire in the UK is probably not the best choice of buildings for a restaurant to be located, even if the building (described as "crumbling") has not been actively used as a restroom for a decade. And yet the city has just ruled that the building can be converted into a Japanese-pagoda styled takeaway restaurant.

The reason that they want to turn the space into a restaurant - two different people have tried before - is that it is just outside the Deepdale stadium and such a location could do very good business from sports fans. Both previous attempts failed because residents have been opposed to the change on the grounds that a restaurant would create litter and attract vermin. This is particularly ironic considering that the eyesore has been a haven for prostitutes and drug addicts in the past.

I think I'd rather have a takeaway restaurant but, hey - that's just me.

Source

In response to ongoing talks of change to established pension plans, the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) union in the UK is considering a five-day strike. If a strike went ahead, the slaughterhouses throughout the country of Scotland, where 150 members of the union are employed, would be forced to close - a move that would definitely hurt small businesses and butchers whose customers look forward to picking up fresh products. There would be no alternative to closing during a strike, because the 900-member MHS union inspects the conditions and quality of meat throughout the production and packaging process. Serious safety and health issues could arise from improperly inspected meat. Sources, according the BBC, are reportedly urging the union to rethink it strike position and keep negotiations open, as business closures could have a long-term, negative impact on the economy. Approximately 200,000 public workers in Scotland went on strike on Tuesday to show solidarity with the MHS.

Source

As appetizing as roadkill ordinarily is, I still don't think that I would eat it. Ever. Surely the 5 second rule will have long since ceased to apply to the "food" unless you were the one who hit it with your car, which is not really the most humane way to procure food. There are some people who have a substantially different view, though, and Arthur Boyt is one of them.

Mr. Boyt eats roadkill. Frequently. In fact, the only time he doesn't eat roadkill is on the occasions when he dines out. He started eating it 50 years ago, collecting it near his home in Cornwall, England, as a way to save money. Now 66 years old, he hopes to publish a roadkill cook book that contains all of his favorite recipes for meats such as badger, hedgehog, rabbit and rat. He has eaten hunting dogs (lurchers), cats, squirrels, foxes, mice, deer and pigeons. A Labrador he once found tasted "just like a nice piece of lamb," though he finds cats to be "a bit bland." His favorite food is a badger sandwich made primarily with head meat.

Source

UK Conservative leader David Cameron spoke out today against the scourge that is single-handedly sending U.K. obesity rates through the roof: half-priced chocolate oranges. The ones sold by W.H. Smith, especially. Oh, and cut-rate giant chocolate bars sold in train stations.

With so many researchers and standards boards getting all technical on our oversized butts by blaming high fructose corn syrup and transfatty acids, and U.S. schools cracking down on vending machines and bake sales, it's good to see someone has it all figured out: chocolate oranges. That's the culprit!

I feel so much better now that the crisis has been solved.

Source