The Juicy BitsThe antidote for bird flu has been discovered, and it comes in the form of a laser pointer. That’s right, as the avian influenza continues to pose issues for chicken farmers across the country, some have discovered a new way of keeping disease-ridden birds away from their livestock: by shining laser pointers in their eyes. Experts weighing in on the method are nothing short of skeptical. Meanwhile, over 200,000 pounds of liquid egg white products were recalled due to a cleaning solution contamination. The culprit was sodium hypochlorite, the same ingredient in bleach. And, of course, the price of eggs remained high this month. In the Southwest U.S. of A, farmers are improving ancient water management systems to combat droughts as climate change takes its toll on the area. Some of these acequia systems are over 3,000 years old and in need of an update. Right on cue, The Michelin Guide released plans this month to expand across the American South, awarding dining destinations in Alabama, Louisiana, the Carolinas and Tennessee. Not to be outdone, The James Beard Foundation released its restaurant and chefs finalist list for 2025, recognizing a slew of nominees throughout the Southern U.S. Plus, in Kansas City, the grand opening of the world’s first ever BBQ museum took place earlier this month. The Museum Of BBQ celebrates multiple regional specialties and techniques of outdoor cooking, and there’s even a ball pit of beans. The South is having a moment! Keep scrolling for more crazy stories—from scientists sending mushroom and meat labs into space to farmers investing in asparagus grown in the ocean. Enjoy the read, and thank you for subscribing!
—Maddox Joachim
The big story: Egg prices plummeted 200% this month. And grocery stores across the U.S. are giving away dozens to make up for last month's high prices… April Fools! Sorry, the reality is that egg prices are still high. And so are tensions in Europe as proposed tariffs on U.S. imports cause chaos for the alcohol industry. Canada’s oldest brewery Moosehead responded to U.S. alcohol tariffs with a special package deal featuring nearly 1,500 beer cans, one for each day of President Trump’s term in office. It sold out in less than a week. In the outdoor cooking world, Dallas-based chain Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants has taken their Texas flavor to new international markets in Southeast Asia with a two-story location in Manila, Philippines this month. Speaking of Texas flavor, the state's Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has been pushing to rename the popular NY strip steak to ‘Texas strip’. That will be an uphill battle. Just a stone's throw away in Florida, citrus farmers are still reeling from hurricane Helene and other issues as the state's signature industry weakens. Thankfully, the USDA just rolled out $31 billion in relief aid to American farmers. Always look on the sunny side.
—Maddox Joachim
I would like to thank you, our subscribers, for sticking with us these past few months as some transitions have taken place at DigestThis.news. I am thrilled to announce that since helping with the writing and editing of this publication since 2021, as of this month I am taking the helm as Managing Editor of DigestThis. Let’s get right into February’s top stories.
In the mood for a late night snack? Think again if you’re trying to watch your weight: research shows a direct correlation between late day eating habits and obesity. If you find yourself reaching for a donut for Fat Tuesday, you might want to check the packaging first: over 2 million baked goods were recently recalled by the FDA. Meanwhile in the beverage world, Canadians are making big business out of maple water, while coffee prices are rising globally and quality is going down. In the fine dining world, big things are happening for restaurants in the U.K. and Ireland as Michelin grants its 2025 stars to restaurants throughout the region. And in Los Angeles, after recent wildfires took a massive toll on the restaurant community, L.A. chefs have been rallying for city aid. But the big U.S. food story is the price of eggs. They're so high that 10,000 eggs were poached out of the back of a trailer in Pennsylvania, Denny's is now charging eggstra for omelettes, and the USDA hatched a $1 billion dollar plan to help lower costs by curbing bird flu.
—Maddox Joachim
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August and September flew by so fast I had to roll them into a double issue! If you were on vacation in late summer, here's some food news you may have missed:
California Restaurants Receive Three New Stars in Latest Michelin Guide
More Restaurants Set Table Time Limits To Get More Butts In Seats
America's Farmers Cite Evidence That Biosolids Have Poisoned Their Soil With "Forever Chemicals"
Makers Of Pringles And Snickers Merge In $36 Billion Deal, Creating Snack Company Behemoth
Older Adults Do Not Benefit From Moderate Drinking, Large Study Finds
Eating Red And Processed Meat Linked To Diabetes Risk, Study Suggests
Food Inflation Returns To Pre-Pandemic Levels
BBQ Expert Finds Best Texas-Style Joints Outside Of Texas
Banned South Korean Ramen Noodles Return To Denmark
Check out more recent headlines below!
—Dave Joachim
PS. As always, links go to reliable news sources WITHOUT a paywall.
It's the summer of Intellectual Property Wars: Who owns the döner kebab? Turkey and Germany are duking that one out; and in the US, Maryland and Delaware are fighting over who owns the Orange Crush cocktail. Meanwhile, former Frito-Lay employee Richard Montañez has been claiming for decades that he invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Frito-Lay says no way, so Montañez just sued the company. For a Hollywood take on that story, check out the Oscar-nominated film Flamin' Hot. In more consequential news, the FDA has banned brominated vegetable oil, a common stabilizer in citrus soft drinks, over health concerns. Companies have one year to remove it from products. Also, Boar's Head added 7 million more pounds to its nationwide recall of deli meat. Check your sliced ham before chomping down on that summer sub/hoagie/hero/po'boy/grinder/sandwich. Elsewhere in the meat world, James Beard Award-nominated BBQ chefs in Texas are revealing their smoking secrets, and fried chicken sandwiches are now on more restaurant menus than burgers. Huh. Guess the Chick-Fil-A affect runs deep. Finally, if you're curious about what Olympic athletes are noshing on in Paris, Eater has the inside scoop.
—Dave Joachim
The DigestThis news squirrels were on vacation last month. So welcome to our very first double issue! Here are highlights from last month's food news:
Seafood Chain Red Lobster Closes 99 Stores And Files for Bankruptcy Protection
Materials Scientists Explains Why We Like Beer Cold And Sake Hot
New Periodic Table Of Food Documents Biochemistry Of 1500 International Foods
40-Year Study Finds That Americans Now Consume More Cannabis Than Alcohol On A Daily Basis
Oreo-Maker Mondelez Fined $366 Million For Rigging European Markets
Alabama And Florida Ban The Sale Of Lab-Grown Meat
Did You Know That You Can Hear The Temperature Of Water?
Also, Jasper White, the influential chef and mentor who redefined New England cooking at his restaurants Jasper's and Summer Shack, passed away last month. Food & Wine has some key remembrances. And RIP chef Marcel Desaulniers, the inventor of Death by Chocolate cake, and celebrated New York City chef James Kent, both of whom passed away this month. Peace and love to their families.
For the rest of this month's food news, see below.
—Dave Joachim
I've dreamed of Smell-O-Vision ever since watching television food commercials as a kid. Now it's a reality! McDonald's' new European marketing campaign features billboards that emit the smell of the chain's iconic French fries. I may need to travel to the Netherlands to experience it! I'd also like to head to Ireland to see how beverage pros are dealing with the country's new requirement to put cancer warning labels on all forms of alcohol. What a buzzkill! Maybe I'll stay local and head to Florida, where Michelin kingmakers have recently awarded 26 of the state's restaurants with coveted stars. Problem is, I'll never get a table. Computer bots and scalpers are now eating up the most sought-after high-end restaurant reservations. I suppose I could go to New Orleans instead and sample the Insectarium museum's new cicada tasting menu. On second thought, it might make more sense to just buy some canned wine and call it a day. Scientists have finally figured out how to prevent the dreaded "rotten egg smell" in canned wine, so it shouldn't taste too bad. Two cheers for science! —Dave Joachim
Tired of seeing high food prices? So is the Federal Trade Commission. A recent FTC investigation found that major grocery chains began price gouging during the pandemic and have kept prices unnecessarily high ever since. Go FTC! Strong-arm those fat cats into making everyday food affordable again! Or maybe you're tired of your old cookbooks? Find some inspiration in this spring's crop of new cooking titles, featuring everything from tropical island food to dishes made with bourbon. Here's one ingredient you may not have considered cooking with: ants! A team of San Diego food scientists can help light the way with their recent discovery that black ants contain bright, lemony aroma compounds; chicatana ants bring fatty, nutty, roasted flavors to foods; and weaver ants contain sweet, caramel-like flavor compounds. Perhaps you prefer good-old pork chops and bacon? If so, you'll love the cooking of Janaína Torres, who was just named the World's Best Female Chef. Torres runs A Casa do Porco restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil, a temple of appreciation for all things porcine. Finally, if you're looking to improve your own powers of flavor perception, you may want to undergo sommelier training. Scientists have found that learning to taste and describe various types of wine reshapes the brain's chemosensory acuity. Who knew? Pardon me while I pour a glass of pinot to improve my brain function! —Dave Joachim
Let's play a game. Here's a quick quiz on this month's food news. Answers (and links) below.
Q1: Which cooking oil has the highest smoke point?
Q2: Which ice cream flavor fell from #1 in the US to not even breaking the top 10?
Q3: Does coffee grow in California?
Q4: Does red wine have heart-protective effects?
Q5: Will cell-cultured meat hit grocery stores soon?
Q6: How many Irish and UK restaurants did Michelin award stars to recently?
Q7: How many years old is the Roman egg that scientists recently discovered still has liquid inside?
A1: Algae oil A2: Chocolate chip A3: Yes A4: No A5: No A6: 25 A7: 1700
Thank you for playing. Also, RIP Bob Moore (founder of Bob's Red Mill natural food products) and David Bouley (influential chef of nouvelle cuisine at Montrachet and Bouley), two leading lights of the food world.
