Oy Vey It's A Food Newsletter - Vol 2, Issue 3
A newsletter fueled by 2 shots of espresso topped with steamed brown sugar flavored non-dairy beverage, cheers!
Exciting announcements ahead, but first… a little tweety meme for your Friday!
(Scroll to the Q&Kay section if you want my fun personal news before diving into What I’ve Read)
What I’ve Read
AFA Uncovers Massive Fraud - The Agriculture Fairness Alliance claims to have found millions of dollars in overpayment from the Government Accountability Office payouts through the pandemic CFAP1 and CFAP2 programs. If you are in the US, consider taking a moment to send a message to your representative asking them to investigate fraud within the Farm Service Agency (FSA), with this handy template from AFA’s Vegan Voter Hub.
How Hormel Exploited Confusion Over the Natural Label - Hormel used pastoral imagery to market the shit out of their Natural Choice product line. According to this article, Natural Choice animal meats weren’t different from the animal meats in Hormel’s other lines. The USDA standard for natural focuses on artificial ingredients, added colors, minimal processing, and ensuring products are not treated with nitrate (but can include celery powder as an ingredient, which has the same function as nitrates). This piece reveals that internal documents at Hormel knew their marketing was in conflict with their product and would effectively fool consumers since “natural” is bullshitty. This activity seems more standard than uncommon for the industry.
FDA revamping foods program to move past ‘constant turmoil’ - The FDA has announced they are restructuring the agencies CFSAN, ORA, and OFPR and consolidating them under the Human Foods Program. They will all report to a Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. The responses to this announcement have been mixed, with most of the consensus saying this restructuring doesn’t go far enough considering the crises we’ve seen over the last few years (like the formula shortage). For more deep dives see below.
The FDA’s Food Failure (Politico)
FDA organizational “reform”: clearly not fundamental, so just for show? (Food Politics)
Vegan Diet Outranks Keto as America’s Most Popular Diet - Ugh…veganism-as-a-diet instead of a liberation movement or ethical practice is gaining more and more traction. This article compiled research from Google Trends data and ranked the top 10 diets in the US: Vegan Diet, Keto, WeightWatchers, Vegetarian Diet, Intermittent Fasting, GOLO (new to me, had to look it up), Paleo, Mediterranean diet, Whole30, Optavia (also new to me). There are differences by state, vegan-as-a-diet is most popular in coastal states while middle America seems to favor keto. To the article’s credit, they do mention “For many of its fans, veganism is more than a diet- it is a lifestyle. Therefore Veganism-related searches tend to stay consistently high throughout the year compared to other diet plans.”
Comic: Adapting Corn for Tortillas—and New Markets—in the Pacific Northwest - This is an illustrated report explaining how the Organic Seed Alliance works with farmers, scientists, and chefs to adapt crops to the changing climate. It’s a good mix of illustrations and text and is a cool format in which to see this type of news portrayed.
Welcome to the Shoppy Shop Why does every store suddenly look the same? - Ok first of all, Neil Shankar, I love your term for “these types of stores”; shoppy shops. According to Shankar, shoppy shops are artisanal markets, curated shops with modern aesthetics that sell (what appear to be) mostly small or independent brands. From what is discussed in the article, shoppy shops, don’t necessarily feel local to the environment they are in and instead feel like your IG feed or Pinterest boards came to life in an IRL business. You probably know the vibe. Another new to me term here- “small washing”, when a brand positions itself as a small business even if they have gotten some VC funding or other significant growth. “‘Compared to a food corporation, these brands are small,’ but when ‘compare to a farmers’ market almond-butter stand, they are the corporation.” Are you going to be buying fancy spices or seafood at rug stores or other random retail spots?
Author Talks: A food-loving economist crafts a recipe for humane capitalism - This is an interview with an author promoting their book Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World*. “I almost bribe my reader to get interested in economics.” As much as I hated every Econ class I took…I added this book to my wishlist, I am not above a bribe! I have been trying to push myself to read more about supply chain, operations, capitalism, and other things I know will only help me have a more well-rounded understanding about the systems of our world. From the interview, it seems like the author takes a harm-reduction approach to capitalism. Is that possible? (My book wishlist and to-read pile are very long, be patient with me I will do my best to get there and update you when I do)
*Affiliate link to Bookshop, using this supports my work!Meet the VIP of the burgeoning $25 billion cultivated meat market - I had the privilege to meet both the author, Larissa Zimberoff, and Dr. Eric Schulze, one of the scientists interviewed in the piece, at the Plant Futures Symposium a few weekends ago. I listened to the panel Dr. Schulze was part of that discussed some of what is mentioned in this article. Dr. Schulze is the VP of Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at Upside Foods, which made global news when the FDA completed the first pre-market consultation of the company’s cell cultured technology in November.
FDA plans consumer study on front-of-pack labeling - This article gives a brief history about the buzz of front-of-pack (FOP) labeling in the U.S. over the past few years. FOP labels are popular in some other countries. The FDA has shared plans for research of various FOP labels to be conducted as an online questionnaire to a sample population of 3,000 residents.
You can read the full FDA research proposal here
Third Trader Joe's store votes to unionize - The first TJ store to unionize was in Hadley, MA in July 2022 then Minneapolis, MN unionized in August 2022. This third store is in Louisville, KY.
Queer Mycology - Mushrooms are truly doing the most and they are having a huge moment in culture, food, psychology, neuroscience, self-exploration, sustainability, and every shop I see on Etsy. These moment are thanks, in large part, to people pushing back against mainstream Western science that has long categorized mushrooms as symbols of death and depravity. This piece highlights the work of several mycologists categorizing thousands of sexes of mushrooms within the same species and amplifies the Institute of Queer Ecology. I love mushrooms and just thought it was cool and worth sharing!
FDA Concludes that Existing Regulatory Frameworks for Foods and Supplements are Not Appropriate for Cannabidiol, Will Work with Congress on a New Way Forward - The FDA denied 3 citizen petitions for changes to rules to allow the marketing of CBD in supplements. Their official response is concerned with the safety and long term use in humans and non-human animals. Apparently the FDA will be working with Congress to develop new regulatory oversight to manage the risks of CBD products. Fun fact from the official FDA announcement, “CBD also poses risks to animals, and people could be unknowingly exposed to CBD through meat, milk and eggs from animals fed CBD.” We are worried that the animal agriculture "farmers” are giving CBD to animals, which could be passed on to humans? The same animals they barely give enough food, sunlight, safe environments, and room to move around in the confined spaces the animals spend their entire lives in before slaughter? Lol okay.
Eggs are expensive for all the wrong reasons - This is worth reading, especially if you consume animal products because it challenges the normative expectation that humans deserve to consume products made from the bodies or byproducts of animals and at a cheap cost. “The problem with the egg price outrage cycle is that it takes for granted the idea that eggs should be abundant and cheap. This ignores the immense externalities of egg production, and it limits the solutions that are available to us for addressing problems…We can’t have cheap eggs without cruel, disease-promoting factory farms where zoonoses thrive and hens suffer.” A thoroughly cited article that discusses the consolidation of animal agricultural operations, zoonotic diseases, humane treatment for animals, economics, and more. I am a simp for journalists who are able to present the facts of our agriculture and food system without relying upon euphemisms or glossing over the lived realities of farmed animals.
Egg prices are still super high. This could be a big moment for plant-based options - Another perspective on the egg price debacle is that this is the time for animal-free egg options to step up.
Lab-grown meat has a P.R. problem - A very deep dive into some current and anticipated concerns consumers will have over cultured or cultivated meat. There is already so much chemophobia and food hysteria over ingredients that sound too “scientific” (throwback to my Kvetch Sesh section of my May 6th, 2022 newsletter). There are always going to be challenges in communicating nutrition information, or scientific information in general, to consumers. Additionally, challenges will come when the already litigious, powerful, and highly competitive global food conglomerates, lobbyists, and industry trade groups feel threatened at new innovations that could disrupt their comfortable hold on the status quo and contribute to the messy landscape and disinformation. As a nutrition communication professional, I hope we see companies lean into transparency and educate their consumers so they can feel comfortable making informed food choices rather than fear-based ones. (P.S. I am pretty dang good at doing just that, hire me!)
Chick-fil-A’s newest sandwich has no chicken in it - Chick-fil-A stores in 3 cities will be trialing the company’s “first ever plant-forward entrée on the Chick-fil-A menu". The company’s blog interviewed the principal culinary developer and asked, “What makes this sandwich different from other plant-forward sandwiches?” The response was a lot of hype about their high standards and how they prep the cauliflower. What the answer failed to mention is that the plant-forward sandwich is really only one plant, cauliflower, and the entrée also contains cow’s milk dairy, chicken eggs. The sandwich is also not considered vegetarian, according to their website. This may be because of cross-contamination from the lack of distinct cooking equipment for their chicken and non-chicken items, the disclaimer does not specify the reason. Clearly they are not targeting vegans, or even vegetarians, which is fine…but “plant-forward” to describe a sandwich not even considered vegetarian feels weird? Also, I am going to be so pissed if they conclude the trial, pull the sandwich, and say the demand for non-animal meat isn’t there. (Fun fact - I have never eaten at a Chick-fil-A a day in my life and hopefully never will)
Q&Kay
I interrupt this edition’s Q&Kay with some special announcements of virtual events (where we will have plenty of time for some questions and answers)!
(Submit questions for next time by clicking here)
Announcement #1
February 28th at 4:45pm PSTI will be teaching my first webinar with Planetary Health Collective! Demystifying Food Labeling is a 1 hour & 15 min deep dive some of my very favorite topics; food labeling, regulations, and marketing!
I will be giving a general overview of food labeling in the U.S. and then digging into sustainability claims, marketing, and certifications. My goal is to make the presentation approachable to people of all education levels or professional backgrounds, if you want to learn (aka watch me absolutely geek out) about food labeling, this webinar is for you!
Announcement #2
February 16th at 4pm PST I will be going live with Rabbi Jonathan Bernhard from Jewish Initiative for the Animals to talk about lab-grown/cultivated meat and kashrut (the Jewish dietary laws).
Kvetch Sesh
I went grocery shopping last Sunday evening at Whole Foods. As I went to grab a shelf-stable carton of unsweetened soy milk, something caught my eye. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen me talk about this (it’s been nagging my brain all week).
What I saw on Sunday↓
These cartons all appear to be the same brand, they are all organic, all the same price, and have similar ingredients. The Original Soy and Vanilla Soymilk include some sweetener and flavoring additives (see ingredients in images below). So why is the Original Soy labeled as a “Non-Dairy Beverage” but the others are labeled as “Soymilk”.
Non-Dairy Beverage or Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert (aka ice cream) etc are not uncommon on labels these days, but brands are usually fairly consistent across their product lines and packaging. My initial thoughts were that these came from different facilities or that Whole Foods is phasing out their use of “Soymilk” in case of future labeling disputes or changes from the FDA (some other food professionals and journalists also shared these thoughts).
If you want to learn more about the labeling disputes over the past few years here are some resources to get you started↓
What’s in a Name? Updates on Plant-Based Product Labeling Regulations (FDLI)
The FDA Is Coming for Your Almond Milk (Mother Jones)
Plant-Based Beverages Labeled As “Milk” And the FDA’s Standard of Identity Regulations (The Network for Public Health Law)
Big Changes May Be Coming To Alternative Milk Labels (Tasting Table)
Naturally I looked at these same products Whole Foods website. Online, the packaging and descriptions all say “Soymilk”.
One of my Instagram friends asked Whole Foods via Instagram about the difference and received this response↓
I reached out to Whole Foods via their website chat function and asked, “I was wondering if you could tell me why some of the Organic 365 Whole Foods Market shelf stable plant milks say ‘Soymilk’ while others say ‘Non-Dairy Beverage’?”
I attached the same image of the milks that I shared here.
Through chat I received this response, “From the picture you sent me the only difference I would believe is the unsweetened would just not have any sweetener or sugar in it since both product are dairy free. so the one that says dairy free would be the base soymilk and the other options are just different varieties of that soymilk. hopefully that helps.”
This response completely differed from the one my friend received on Instagram and didn’t make much sense. After further unhelpful chat messages, I followed up with an email to the Whole Foods customer support on Feb 8th and have yet to receive a response.
What do you think? Is Whole Foods covering their butts and going to start using “Non-Dairy Beverage” instead to stave off potential future labeling disputes or regulatory changes? Is this just a case of mixed suppliers or differing manufacturers?
If and when Whole Foods customer service responds to me I will let you know!
P.S. Are we going to start see peanut butter labeled as peanut ground-nut-spread too?
P.P.S. I’m on week 3 of my 1 month trial (no credit card required) of FLOWN. My ADHD and I have been enjoying it. If you want to try a variety of formats for virtual, facilitated co-working sessions it’s worth signing up (with my link of course)* to try it out!
* not sponsored, not an affiliate link but I will get a chance to be entered to win a gift card (wooooah) and get a discount on my membership for once my free trial is up.