OHCO, the Oriental Herb Company, passes to longtime employee Jennifer Pillari, who plans a brand and packaging refresh and an expanded product line while keeping the 21-year-old Chinese-remedy tradition behind Cold Snap, its flagship cold and flu formula.
Food Consumer
Politics
Resending: Video transcript available, "The Future of GMO Activism and the DARK Act"
The Institute for Responsible Technology offers a transcript of Jeffrey Smith's video on the future of non-GMO activism after the House passed H.R. 1599 on July 23, and asks readers to donate to its consumer education programs.
Food
Chocolate linked to lower risk diabetes mellitus
In the Physicians' Health Study, men who ate two or more servings of chocolate a day had 17 percent lower diabetes risk than men who ate none. The link ran stronger in those without cardiovascular disease and weaker among older men and those with a high body mass index.
Phytochemicals
Resveratrol may help diabetes mellitus
A review found resveratrol supplements improved systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c and creatinine in people with diabetes and appeared safe, but showed no effect on fasting glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, triglycerides or cholesterol. The reviewers say it cannot be a first-line treatment.
Politics
ONE MINUTE VIDEO: Proves Vilsack is "Lapdog" for Agribusiness/Biotechnology (commentary and video)
A Cornucopia Institute commentary argues the USDA organic seal is losing meaning: Consumer Reports downgraded its rating from highly meaningful to meaningful, and the National Organic Program dismissed without investigation Cornucopia's 2014 complaints against 14 large poultry and dairy CAFOs.
Politics
We shouldn't have to be doing this - eletter from Organic Consumers Association
A fundraising e-letter from the Organic Consumers Association, asking readers to help raise $200,000 by September 30 for the GMO labeling fight after 275 House members voted for a bill it calls the DARK Act.
Environment
Antibacterial soaps no better than ordinary soaps
Korea University researchers found antibacterial soap killed no more bacteria than plain soap and water for any of 20 tested bacterial types, even after the 20 seconds of washing WHO recommends. Overuse of antibacterial soaps could raise drug resistance, a cited report says.
Food
Annie B’s Delicious & Authentic Caramel Makes the Perfect Caramel Apples, Caramel Apple Crisp and a Yummy Topping For Cakes & Pies
Annie B's, a family-owned company, has spent 30 years making handcrafted caramels and popcorn slow-cooked in copper pots. Its fall lineup adds a new pumpkin flavor alongside apple, maple and original caramels, which it describes as all-natural and gluten-free.
Politics
DARK Act update - EWG
A fundraising letter from EWG president Ken Cook seeking donations to fight the DARK Act, which he says would block federal GMO labeling rules and bar state and local GMO regulation. Donors of $35 or more are offered an Andrew Weil cookbook.
Chemical
Bad for bees, bad for our waters - enewsletter from Center for Food Safety
The Center for Food Safety's report "Water Hazard" documents widespread contamination of US waters by neonicotinoid insecticides, notes that up to 95% of seed coatings ends up in the environment rather than the crop, and calls on EPA to suspend the pesticides' registrations.
Food
Sonoma Flatbreads Launches New Organic Pizza Line at Expo East
Sonoma Flatbreads introduced four 10-inch pizzas made with 72 to 79 percent organic ingredients at Natural Products Expo East, at $6.99. The company says the line carries no artificial flavours or colours, nitrate-free pepperoni and all-natural chicken.
Chemical
Report finds most fast food chains serve meat raised on drugs
A scorecard from consumer, health and environmental groups gave 20 of the 25 largest US fast food chains an F on antibiotics in their meat supply; Panera, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts passed. Some 109 organisations wrote to the chains' chief executives.
Healthy Recipes from AICR
Healthy Recipes: Easy Herbed Chicken
Chicken breasts sliced into four cutlets, pounded with a paste of cilantro, spearmint, onion, ginger, sesame oil and lime zest, then seared in a heavy skillet. Four servings at 264 calories each with 30 g protein; serve with rice and a vegetable stir-fry.
Politics
Sign Today! Support Local Farms, not Factory Farms
An Organic Consumers Association action alert asking readers to urge Congress to back the PRIME Act, H.R. 3187, which would let farmers sell locally produced beef, pork and lamb within state lines without shipping animals to distant USDA-approved processing plants.
Diet
Mediterranean diet lowers risk of breast cancer
In a JAMA Internal Medicine trial of 4,282 women at high cardiovascular risk, those assigned a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil were 68% less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over five years than those on an ordinary Mediterranean diet. Nuts showed no such effect.
Disease
Study explains why periodontitis linked to heart disease
A study in Infection and Immunity suggests the gum pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, rather than periodontitis itself, drives heart risk. In aortic smooth muscle cell cultures its gingipains raised proinflammatory angiopoietin 2 and suppressed anti-inflammatory angiopoietin 1.
Environment
10-year-old Suffers Traumatic Brain Injury After Home is Fumigated
Beyond Pesticides reports a family fell ill after returning home following a Terminix subcontractor's fumigation. A 10-year-old boy has likely brain damage and has lost muscle control, and remains hospitalized in Miami. The piece recounts how EPA's sulfuryl fluoride phase-out was cancelled.
Alerts
Tea Board of India to showcase the best of Indian Teas at an exclusive Pavilion at 3rd edition of “World Tea & Coffee Expo.” ™ 2015, Mumbai
The Tea Board of India will run a pavilion with companies including Golden Tips, VarieTea, Makaibari and Simla Tea at the third World Tea & Coffee Expo, held 1-3 October 2015 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, with buying delegations from Sri Lanka, Dubai and Vietnam.
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