Archive for the ‘Food & health’ Category
Why tomatoes taste of Holland again, and other useful info…
Posted by Gavin on February 16, 2010 in Farming, Food & health, Global issues
Actually they don’t, and probably never did. This wonderful question is the result of a German to English Google translation of an article posted at presseportal.de. The story is of Dutch tomato growers who claim their tomatoes taste more like tomatoes when they are grown with biological methods - favouring natural predators to combat pests, over the use of pesticides. The original article can be read here, and the Google translation can be braved here.
Staying with ‘biological’ pest management, an Israeli researcher is developing what is described as an ‘ecologically sound pesticide’ by modifying the venom of scorpions. It is claimed that certain neurotoxins present in the venom have the chemical properties to manage crop damaging pests, while posing no threats to useful pests such as bees, or mammals like you and I.
Pesticides are like medicines, they are used to treat ’sick’ plants, and prevent ’sickness’ in plants. As with medicines, you should always read the label. A well timed news story ‘Pesticides cause impotency if not properly handled‘ (posted on St. Valentines Day), reports on the potential dangers of failing to follow safety instructions. It seems that some farmers in Ghana have taken to tasting pesticides before use in order to reassure themselves of its potency! Without doubt, a practice entirely incompatible with the safe and sustainable use of pesticides. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and CropLife Africa Middle East made these revelations during a recent programme of workshops to train farmers and encourage the safe use of plant protection products.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) offers a wealth of information on good agricultural practices, including information on the sustainable and safe use of pesticides. Always read the label, and if in doubt, seek expert advice.
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Comments(2)More on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) from around the web
Posted by Gavin on November 18, 2009 in Environment, Farming, Food & health, Global issues
Another round-up of online press and research covering the debate on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the name given to an apparent global decline in the pollinating bee population. Comments and link contributions are welcomed - look for the ‘Comments’ link at the base of this post.
Press
Trying to Diagnose the Disappearing Bees (Voice of Sandiego.org)
10 Possible Causes of Colony Collapse Disorder (About.com)
Scientists Untangle Multiple Causes of Bee Colony Disorder (Environment News Service)
Habitat loss and disease are bees’ bane, not pesticides (Farmers Weekly Interactive)
Pesticides blamed for killing bees (Telegraph.co.uk)
Global Honey Bee Population Increasing, Despite Local Losses (ecoworldly.com)
Mysterious decline in bee population creates worry (WorldFocusOnline via YouTube)
General reference
Colony collapse disorder (Wikipedia)
Colony collapse disorder - Possible causes and research (Wikipedia)
Research
Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study
(van Engelsdorp et al. plosone.org)
Honeybee colony collapse due to Nosema ceranae in professional apiaries
(Higes et al. Environmental Microbiology Reports, via Wiley InterScience)
Distribution and decline of British bumblebees
(Williams / Natural History Museum UK)
Recent press on pesticides
Posted by Phil on November 06, 2009 in Environment, European Regulation, Farming, Food & health, Global issues
Some articles on pesticides and related topics from the last two weeks. Feel free to recommend more articles by selecting “Recommend a page or site” above or access a more comprehensive list of articles by using the Delicious cloud in the right-hand column.
- Climate map shows human impact (BBC)
- Climate change will devastate Africa, top UK scientist warns (Guardian)
- Low-carbon farms can raise food output, food agency says (STV News)
- Developed countries face threat of soaring prices and food shortages (Guardian)
- Developing Countries Paying More For Food, WFP Executive Director Says (Medical News Today)
- Brussels’ plans to slash CAP budget revealed (Farmers Guardian)
- Scientists urge respect on advice (BBC)
- UF research examines how common pesticide mixes may affect bee die-offs (University of Florida News)
- Pesticides non a serious threat to bees (Farmers Guardian)
- Can Bumble Bees Fill Pollination Void? (Innovations Report)
- 10 herbal teas found to contain pesticides (United Press International)
- Discovery of Pesticide Amitraz in Turkish Pears: EU Member States to Increase Controls on Imports (FlexNews)
- Depression link to processed food (BBC)
Recent articles on pesticides and related topics
Posted by Phil on September 25, 2009 in Environment, European Regulation, Farming, Food & health, Global issues
Please find below some articles on pesticides and related topics from the last two weeks. Do feel free to recommend more articles by selecting “Recommend a page or site” above or access a more comprehensive list of articles by using the Delicious cloud in the right-hand colmumn.
- So Much Food. So Much Hunger (The New York Times)
- Leading scientists call for a new approach to food security (Environmental Expert)
- World will need 70 percent more food in 2050: FAO (AFP)
- FSA attacks French organics study (The Ecologist)
- New Computing Tool Could Lead To Better Crops And Pesticides (ScienceDaily)
- Commission to name ‘chief scientific advisor’ (Euractiv)
- Commission says farmers need help to cut carbon (Euractiv)
- Climate change hails new era for agriculture (Farmers Guardian)
- Bee deaths set apiculture congress abuzz (AFP)
- Urban beekeeping in UK helps combat decline (AFP)
France 24: viewpoints on pesticides and related topics
Posted by Phil on August 14, 2009 in Environment, Food & health
The international news channel France 24 recently features two insightful debates in its program ‘Face-off’.
The first one, entitled ‘Organic Food: not so wholesome?’, picks up on an ongoing furore around the now famous Food Standards Agency (FSA) report on organic (see our last two posts). The debate includes some interesting comments by Olivier Andrault from the Consumer Association UFC-Que Choisir and Diego Garcia from L’Agence Bio. Read the rest of this entry »
Follow the debate on the FSA organic report
Posted by Phil on August 07, 2009 in Environment, Food & health, Global issues
The debate around organic has boiled up over the week after the release of the FSA’s study (see our last post below.) Here are some articles published this week on the topic. Do feel free to comment or recommend other news and articles.
Press
- Argument is about capitalism, not food (The Guardian)
- It’s wrong to believe that nature is always best (The Guardian)
- Organic food debate boils over (The Independent)
- BBC snubs organic food as it teaches us how to eat well (The Daily Express)
- Les défenseurs du bio rapellent son role écologique (Le Monde)
- Misleading claims on the credentials of food marketed as organic (The Daily Telegraph)
- Organics sector hits back in nutrition row (Freshinfo)
- Organic food contains toxic natural pesticides (The Times)
Blogs
- UK FSA’s organic study confusing and inconclusive? (The Green Room blog)
- Slate: Organic vs. Conventional? Too Complex… (Organic Nation)
- Organic food has no health or nutrition benefits, FSA study finds (VitalRead)
- Study Finds Organic Foods Not More Nutritous (Pays to Live Green)
- Nature’s Path CEO Responds to Organic Food Study Results (DailyBlender)
- Is There a Change Afoot in How Organics Are Marketed? (GreenBiz)
UK Food Standards Agency: organic not healthier. Reactions from the press and blogosphere.
Posted by Phil on August 03, 2009 in Food & health
An independent review published by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) concludes that there are no differences in nutrition content or other health benefits between food produced using organic methods and that grown using scientific agriculture (read the FSA’s new release here). It will come as no surprise to anyone that the report has sparked a heated debate in the press and the blogosphere! Please find below a small selection of press articles and blog posts from across the divide discussing the report. Do feel free to comment or to recommend further articles by clicking on the tab above.
Press
Organic food is not healthier, says FSA (The Guardian)
Don’t write off organic food (The Daily Telegraph)
Organic food ‘no healthier than conventional’ (The Independent)
Organic has no health benefits (BBC)
Les bénéfices du «bio» en question (Le Figaro)
Il biologico? Fa bene solo a chi lo produce (La Stampa)
Blogs
Organic Versus Conventional Food: UK Report Flawed (Huffington Post)
News Report: Organic food no healthier, but is that all that matters… (Daily Cup of Yoga)
Organic Isn’t Healthier, But People Will Keep Buying (Humblement)
Organic Food Trash? Or Just Trashing Organic Food? (Unbossed)
Organic Versus Conventional Food: UK Report Flawed (Civil Eats)
Will you still shop organic after the publication of the FSA findings? (Ooffoo)
Joanna Blythman: Please Read the Data Appendices About Organic Food Before Conjuring ‘Cancerous Conspiracies’: Part 1 (Holford Watch)
Organic no better says FSA (Grow organic food)
Recent articles on pesticides and related topics
Posted by Phil on July 27, 2009 in Environment, European Regulation, Farming, Food & health, Global issues
Please find below some recent articles on pesticides and related topics. Do feel free to recommend more articles by selecting “Recommend a page or site” above or access a more comprehensive list of articles by using the Delicious cloud in the right-hand colmumn.
- The Three A’s of Food Security (Sciencebase blog)
- Differing patterns in food price falls (BBC)
- French village goes organic one day a week (3News)
- EU survey reveals poor state of biodiversity (Euractiv)
- EU farm subsidies ‘inconsistent’ with global food security (Euractiv)
- Sweden introduces climate labelling for food (Euractiv)
- World food prices: Whatever happened to the food crisis? (The Economist)
- Agriculture Demand Outpacing Honeybee Increase, Researchers Say (Bloomberg)
- EFSA publishes report on pesticide residues in food (Food Production Daily)
- Forum on the Future of Agriculture goes on the road… (Blogactiv)