Login
Days After RFK Jr. Signaled Desire to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ Time Defends Ultra-Processed Foods
Time magazine ran a piece Monday questioning whether food linked to a litany of illnesses is really so bad.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed on Aug. 23 that a major factor behind his decision to endorse President Donald Trump was the opportunity to help “Make America Healthy Again” in a future Trump administration.
“Don’t you want healthy children?” said Kennedy. “And don’t you want the chemicals out of our food? And don’t you want the regulatory agencies to be free from corporate corruption? And that’s what President Trump told me that he wanted.”
Days later, Time magazine signaled a possible narrative shift regarding American health with an article titled “What if Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think?” — having just months earlier published an article entitled “Why Ultra-Processed Foods Are So Bad for You.”
Kennedy, unwilling to buy what Time appeared to be selling, tweeted, “Yeah, what if? And what if ultra-processed foods are WORSE than you think?”
Packaged Food Brands Using Clever Marketing to Draw Kids to Unhealthy Snacks, Says Bite Back
Packaged food brands are employing eye-catching designs, playful characters, and savvy marketing strategies to entice children towards snacks that are anything but nutritious, according to Bite Back, a youth activist group on a mission to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy foods.
In an upcoming interview with ESM: European Supermarket Magazine, scheduled for publication in our September/October edition, Bite Back representatives Molly Lewis, aged 17, and Dev Sharma, aged 19, urge industry leaders to leverage their influence to rethink and reform marketing strategies that contribute to childhood obesity.
“We want to take the onus off the individual, because all that does is blame consumers for buying these products, which is totally inaccurate,” says Lewis.
“When you look at the environment we’re surrounded by, we’re all bombarded by junk food marketing.
It’s on every shelf — the colors, the cartoons, the cute, cuddly messaging — it’s completely aimed at young children. And we can’t escape that.”
Report Urges ‘More Stringent’ Look at Health Risks of Pesticides
A new report warned about adverse health, wildlife and environmental impacts of toxic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in states such as South Dakota.
Sometimes called “forever chemicals,” they can be found in a variety of applications and industries, including pest-control products. A new regulation under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act will impose limits on the levels of PFAS allowed.
Early testing shows levels in Mount Rushmore National Memorial’s drinking water are more than twice the soon-to-be federal limit. Advocacy groups are asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for tougher regulations on pesticides.
Nathan Donley, environmental health science director at the Center for Biological Diversity, argued many of the pesticides are too easy to obtain and use.
Public water systems have until 2029 to reduce high levels before they are considered in violation. The report recommended more industry transparency for all pesticide ingredients, as well as stricter federal testing and monitoring of PFAS.
A coalition of chemical trade groups has called the EPA’s rules under the Safe Drinking Water Act a regulatory overreach.
Mad Markets Buys Timeless Seeds to Bridge ‘Missing Middle’ in Regenerative Ag
A new effort aims to bring regenerative agriculture to the food ingredients market.
A new venture by a Colorado-based company aims to become a “go-to source” of regenerative organic ingredients for consumer packaged goods and other buyers across the food industry.
The vision of Mad Markets, a for-profit spinout of nonprofit Mad Agriculture, is to build out the “missing middle” of regenerative supply chains by investing in infrastructure to directly connect farmers with buyers at big companies.
“Access to markets and infrastructure are often bottlenecks that limit the growth of regenerative agriculture supply chains,” Kristen Moree, senior investment associate at Builders Vision, said in a statement.
“Mad Markets is helping to solve these pain points for both producers and buyers – filling critical gaps on both sides of the supply chain and spurring greater adoption rates of regenerative agricultural production systems as a result.”
Are You Still Buying Precut Fruit?
Precut fruit is a rapidly growing segment among consumers, as the convenience lessens the prep time involved. It also helps save space, especially for people with small kitchens.
On the business side, grocery store owners can increase their profit margins because there’s less produce wasted from their inventory.
While this trend seems like a huge win for consumers, a closer look reveals that this is not the case.
The precut fruit you’re buying may even put you in harm’s way because it increases the risk of exposure to foodborne pathogens, chemical additives and plastics.
While the convenience cannot be disregarded, buying precut fruit regularly may actually be harmful for you.
