The Juicy Bits
May was a whirlwind for U.S. food regulations. The FDA approved three naturally made food dyes as alternatives to newly banned artificial colorings in the U.S. this month, but companies across the country are struggling with implementing the new ingredients into production processes. There’s still plenty of time for the food business to figure this one out, but products will not be able to contain artificial dyes by the end of 2026 as the FDA phases them out of the nation’s food supply. Here’s three natural dyes that you might expect to see on ingredients lists in your pantry next year. RFK popularized the use of beef tallow over seed oils last month, now a group of New Zealand companies and meat processors have been caught cutting the product with other fats to turn a profit. Meat processors were fined over $1.6 million collectively for exporting the falsified tallow. Diageo, a massive British alcohol producer, has been sued for falsely labeling tequilas ‘100% Agave’. Aside from these food biz farces, there's big news for BBQ lovers and outdoor cooking enthusiasts; Weber and Blackstone have combined companies. Blackstone has quickly become a household name in the scene since the company debuted their first outdoor griddle in 2008, while Weber has been dominating the grill market since 1952. Stay tuned for exciting innovations to come from Weber Blackstone, maybe a kettle-style griddle? Happy May!
Restaurants
Michelin Guide Announces 2025 Debut in Boston and Philadelphia
Anonymous inspectors have already touched down in the two cities, and selections in the guide are expected at the Northeast Cities Guide Ceremony later this year. The exact date for the ceremony has not yet been determined, but it's expected to take place in the fall. “The local passion, talent, and camaraderie in both Boston and Philadelphia are evident in their restaurant communities and the anonymous Inspectors look forward to spotlighting their unique experiences in both cities,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of The Michelin Guide. Philadelphia and Boston will be joining the already recognized cities for the northeast, Chicago, New York City, and Washington D.C.
Beverages
Researchers Find PFAs In Beer Causing Concerns For Brewers
Breweries might want to rethink the water they use to brew their beer, local water sources could be contaminated. PFAs, also known as forever chemicals, are polyfluoroalkyl substances. These man-made chemicals are used in manufacturing and are not fit for consumption as they do not break down in the human body. Research published in the ACS Environmental Science & Technology journal shows a direct correlation between PFAs levels in municipal drinking water and in local brews. "The test subjects were produced by U.S. brewers in areas with documented water system contamination, plus popular domestic and international beers from larger companies with unknown water sources." Breweries have water filtration systems, but they are not designed to remove PFAs.
BBQ Hot Spot
Weber And Blackstone Join Forces To Dominate Outdoor Cooking Market
Weber and Blackstone have combined forces. That's right, the outdoor cooking product powerhouses announced Weber Blackstone, their combined entity, earlier this month. Products will still be branded individually, but teams have fused to innovate new products together and to expand offerings. “With our complementary portfolios and similar cultures, I could not have imagined a better partner for Blackstone than Weber. We look forward to delivering an enhanced lineup of high-quality products to those with a passion for outdoor cooking, both here in the U.S. and internationally,” said Roger Dahle, CEO of Blackstone. Dahle will be CEO of the combined company while working closely with Weber CEO Alan Matula, who appears equally excited about the venture. “We share Blackstone’s customer-centric emphasis and deep commitment to continuous innovation, and we believe that combining will allow both brands to better serve existing and new customers with the best-in-class outdoor cooking products they seek.”
Cooking
Alaska Airlines Partners With Chefs To Elevate Inflight Dining
Image Source / Nahima Aparicio
Chefs Brady Ishiwata Williams of Seattle-based restaurant Tomo and Brandon Jew, Chef of Michelin-starred Mister Jiu's in San Francisco have partnered up with Alaska Airlines to elevate inflight dining options. The airline experienced success in collaborating with Chef Jew last year, now birthing this new initiative, ‘Chef’s (tray) Table,’ aimed at bringing high end dishes right to the plane. “Chef Williams and Chef Jew work tirelessly at their craft and remain deeply rooted in their communities, no matter how successful they become,” said Todd Traynor-Corey, VP of guest experiences at Alaska Airlines. So far, the menu includes chicken and waffles and a glazed short rib served with rice cakes.
Supply Chain
One Dollar Oyster Promotions Are Vanishing Across The U.S. As Costs Rise
The downfall of the buck-a-shuck is upon us. Food costs overall have been on the rise over recent years, and the world's oyster population has been declining for the past century. Today there are 85 percent less oysters in the world than 100 years ago. Supply has shortened and demand has showed no signs of slowing down. The one dollar deals that diners have grown accustomed to seeing on restaurant menus are typically not profitable for the businesses offering them. “When oysters are costing 90 cents wholesale, once you add the accoutrements, you’re taking a loss," said Kawana Jefferson, owner of Catch, an oyster bar in NYC.
Agriculture
Vertical Robotic Farms Supply Whole Foods Market With Sustainable Fresh Produce
Image Source / Progressive Grocer
Meet Opollo Farm, an automated vertical farm using cubic storage and robotics to grow high quality produce. The innovative farming system was built by AutoStore and OnePointOne, and has now become a supplier of Whole Foods Market, at least in Arizona where the farm is based. The farm operates entirely indoors, using robots to water and maintain plants as well as software that adjusts programs based on data highlighting real time plant conditions. “Traditional farming consumes vast amounts of water and land — resources that are becoming scarce,” added Sam Bertram, CEO of OnePointOne. “With AutoStore’s modular robotics and our plant-production technology, we can grow food almost anywhere, using a fraction of those resources. This collaboration helps overcome the cost and scalability challenges of vertical farming, finally making locally grown produce — the No. 1 priority for U.S. consumers — possible even in urban areas.”
Regulations
These Are The 3 New Naturally Made Colored Food Additives Approved By The FDA
Image Source / AP Photo Jeff Roberson
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the goal to eliminate artificial food dyes from the nation's food supply by the end of 2026 earlier this year. Since, companies have been left wondering what dyes will be approved as substitutes. This month, the FDA granted petitions for 3 new naturally made dyes. There's galdieria extract blue, a blue color made from algae and another more popular blue dye, butterfly pea flower extract, which is extracted from dried flower petals. Lastly, calcium phosphate minerals create a white color alternative. These approvals have already been published in the federal register and will take effect this month.
Food Processing
Food Tech Startup Produces Bean-Free Coffee Using More Sustainable Ingredients
Image Source / Compound Foods
San Francisco based food tech start up Compound Foods recently debuted their beanless coffee products. The company uses ingredients like dates or chicory to substitute cacao beans in the manufacturing process, which have become a scarce and unsustainable ingredient in recent years. Compound Foods has been selling directly to other businesses with an ingredients platform offering cocoa, coffee, and chocolate alternatives for manufacturers aiming to retain the sustainability of their supply chains.
Health
Recent Study Shows Why Bananas May Dilute Health Benefits In Smoothies
Image Source / Markus Spiske
A new study published in the Food & Function Journal from Royal Society of Chemistry suggests bananas may be hindering the nutritional value of other ingredients in digestion. Bananas contain the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, which reduces the absorption of flavan-3-ols in fruits. This subgroup of flavonoids are found in most fruits and they carry immense nutritional value. The study found that when bananas are blended with other fruits in smoothies, polyphenol oxidase reduced the amount of flavonoids present in the blood stream. The consumption of bananas directly after eating other fruits also hindered the digestion of the flavan-3-ols in other fruits.
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Last Bite
Philadelphia Museum Exhibits The Evolution Of School Lunch
Image Source / Library Of Congress
The Philadelphia Science History Institute debuted a new exhibition highlighting the history of school lunches throughout the last century this month. “Lunchtime: The History of Science on the School Food Tray,” is a free exhibition including various forms of documentation of school lunch and its evolution over the past 100 years such as aluminum tokens used to purchase "penny lunches", photographs of old lunches, and cafeteria records. “The history of school lunches is a history of conflict,” said Jesse Smith, director of curatorial affairs at the Science History Institute. “We wanted to highlight some of the meals that students would have been eating at the time...I think that today, we have a sense of what iconic school lunches might be—things like fish sticks and Salisbury steak—but at other times, it might have been liver loaf and cheese rice souffle.”
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