"growth" news and stories

With California producing nearly as much cheese as Wisconsin last year (2 billion pounds and 2.4 billion pounds, respectively) the Badger state is turning to artisan and specialty cheeses to help them stay in the game. A recent story in the Wisconsin State Journal spotlights a few of the growing number of specialty cheesemakers in Wisconsin, like Uplands Cheese Company, makers of Pleasant Ridge Reserve (right). Experts predict that in the next 10 years, high-end cheeses like these will make up about half of Wisconsin's cheese production. Uplands went from making 6,000 pounds in 2000 to 60,000 last year, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Are round salt granules a big deal? They are for two Indian scientists working on developing the spherical crystals. In a recent Food Navigator interview, Parthasarathi Dastidar and Pushpito K. Ghosh said that round salt granules are less apt to cake in extreme heat and would, in general, be easier to pour. The two created the dodecahedron-shaped granules of salt with the help of a glycine, a sweet amino acid. Since round salt wouldn't need any anti-caking agents, it would be totally clear, the scientists told Food Navigator. Crucial to the survival of mankind? Probably not. Neat and interesting? Sure.

I recently came across a brief Q&A about mayonnaise and food poisoning on the Mayo Clinic's website. Surely someone at MayoClinic.com must be aware of the irony here. At any rate, with the picnic season gearing up, some of the tips on the page are worth mentioning. I'm not sure how many folks out there make homemade mayo on a regular basis, but according to the Mayo Clinic, homemade is not the way to go if you're planning on using it for your picnic potato salad. Store-bought mayo is made with pasteurized eggs, which, according to the MC, pose a far lower risk of bacterial growth in your side dish than mayo made with raw eggs. Foods with mayonnaise-based dressings should also be kept on ice during serving, just to be on the safe side.

[Photo: Kraft Foods]

The FDA is getting ready to approve a new genetically modified salmon which grows twice as fast as normal farm-raised salmon. The trick is altering a gene that controls the production of growth hormones. The company behind the technology is Aqua Bounty, and they say that the modification of the growth hormone does not affect taste or raise any health concerns. What do you think? Are you ready for super big GM salmon on your shelves?

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