The Food Magazine issue 71

October/December 2005

The high cost of cheap food
Everyday food products are implicated in the destruction of forests and sea-life, with untold consequences for wildlife, millions of livelihoods and our health. What can be done to reverse the destruction?

California takes Burger King to court over acrylamide
The state of California is to prosecute nine major food companies – including Burger King, KFC, Frito-Lay (Pepsico), Heinz, Kettles, Pringles and McDonald's – for failing to warn consumers about the presence of acrylamide in their products.

TV guidance for child carers
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for stronger guidelines on physical activity for children in nurseries following fears that television watching was being used by carers in place of interactive play and physical activity.

Nutrition advice gets hijacked
The American government has decided to rewrite the food pyramid, turning straightforward health advice into little more than fudge. That's nothing new, argues Kath Dalmeny – the food industry has been doing it for years!

But it couldn’t happen here, surely?
It's not just US dietary advice that is prone to being adapted according to the politics and concerns of the day. We took a dip into our archive to show readers some versions of the UK’s ‘Balance of good health’ that have appeared over the years.

Milk - with extra oestrogen?
Two-thirds of our milk supply comes from pregnant cows, but we don't know what that means for our health.

Alco-milk shakes?
Milk is for kids. Grown-ups drink alcohol. Yes?
The drinks industry got into some trouble when they stated selling alco-pops with marketing messages designed to appeal to under-age drinkers.
Now we could see the same battle being fought again over alcoholic milk drinks.

Nestlé’s unfair trade
How the Nestlé executives must be laughing in their Swiss headquarters as the world of ethical consumerism ties itself in knots. The highly respected Fairtrade Foundation has a logo which it allows on products supplied by farmers paid a half-decent wage. Nestlé has launched a brand of coffee – Partners Blend – which, the company says, conforms to the fair trade principles, and the Foundation has duly allowed the logo onto the Partners Blend label.

Legal, decent, honest and true?
The activities of the advertising industry raise many important questions for nutrition and health. The Food Magazine reports on complaints against food and drink companies considered by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in recent months.

Co-ops promote cheaper, healthier food
Running a food co-operative can be one positive way for groups of people to share the money-saving benefits of bulk purchasing, as Helen Sandwell found when she visited the Lammas Green Food Co-operative in south London.

EC butter scandal continues
Whilst consumers are urged to cut back on their consumption of saturated fat, around half a million tonnes of cheap, subsidised butter and cream are added to processed foods every year in the UK.

What the doctor reads
The latest research from the medical journals