The Juicy Bits
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
Restaurants
L.A. Chefs Rally For City Aid As Business Plummets After January Fires
Image Source: Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times
Media coverage of the L.A. wildfires has mostly stalled, but local chefs and restaurateurs are still picking up the pieces. The devastating fires caused beloved establishments like Bar Chelou to close permanently, while other restaurants are hanging by a thread. Chef Wes Avila noted a drop in sales north of 60% at his otherwise popular eateries, MXO and Ka'teen, while wine bar Ruby Fruit has launched fundraising events in hopes of reopening after a temporary closure. Restaurant owners and chefs across L.A. are joining alongside Avila and his business partner, Giancarlo Pagani, who has authored a petition addressed to Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass seeking aid for restaurants in the community affected by the fires.
Beverages
Alcohol Giant Diageo Plans To Build $415m Plant In Alabama
Image Source: Diageo
Last year, shortages of Guinness beer became for a huge problem for U.S. bars, restaurants, and alcohol distributors. Now Diageo, the behemoth behind Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and other beverage brands has announced plans to build a $415 million manufacturing plant in Montgomery, Alabama. The project will bring higher quality products directly to U.S. bars and restaurants while boosting the sustainability of the supply chain and company operations. The facility is expected to be fully operational by the second half of this year, creating nearly 750 new job opportunities.
BBQ Hot Spot
Chicago's Lem's Bar-B-Q Wins James Beard Award
Image Source: DigestThis Stock
The James Beard Foundation announced the six winners of the 2025 American Classics Awards last month, and Lem's Bar-B-Q s spearheaded the list. The famed Chicago BBQ staple is still running strong even 70 years after brothers Myles and Bruce Lemons opened the first location back in 1954. Their daughter and niece, Carmen Lemons and Lynn Walker Harvey, continue to run and expand the business today while continuing to serve the signature Lem's BBQ Sauce that started it all. Congrats!
Cooking
A Brief Overview of Culinary Trends Expected for 2025
Image Source: Nbxler / stock.adobe.com
Consumers are behaving differently in 2025 as changes in technology, supply chain, and politics directly affect what food we buy and the way we cook. From AI-based personalized nutrition planning technology to newly popularized weight-loss drugs and healthy lifestyle campaigns, the way we cook in 2025 is full of changes. "People are ready for optimism, change and something to look forward to after some very hard years,” said Maeve Webster, President of Menu Matters.
Supply Chain
USDA Unveils $1 Billion Objective To Curb Egg Prices
Image Source: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
As bird flu rages through chicken farms, prices have skyrocketed. Last month, the cost of eggs shot up 15%. Shoppers, worried for the future, have been wiping out grocery store shelves in efforts to stockpile. The USDA is responding with a $1 billion plan to mitigate the issue. Objectives include funds to boost safety measures at egg farms across the country and to explore vaccination options for affect chickens.
Agriculture
How USDA Layoffs Are Disrupting Operations And Redirecting Taxpayer Dollars
Image Source: Randy Fath via Unsplash
Recent USDA layoffs of thousands of research scientists, Forest Service workers, and other federal employees across the country have disrupted ongoing projects and left research groups uncertain for the future. The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are two sub-agencies of the USDA that have experienced mass firings, which are disrupting ongoing conservation projects backed with $300 million of funding. “Stopping or hamstringing efforts midway is a huge waste of resources that have already been spent,” says Emily Bass, associate director of federal policy, food, and agriculture at the Breakthrough Institute.
Regulations
The Way U.S. Food Additives Are Regulated Could Change In The Next Few Years
Image Source: Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images
Many food additives such as titanium dioxide and propylparaben are banned in several countries but still allowed in food produced in the U.S. “The E.U. says that if they can’t dismiss the possibility of harm, they can’t find an additive safe,” says Thomas Galligan, principal scientist for food additives at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “In the U.S., it feels like the FDA is waiting to act until harm is definitely proven." How the FDA regulates food additives is likely to change in the next few years as Robert F. Kennedy publicly criticizes current regulations systems and pushes for change in his role as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Food Processing
Avocado Producer And Tech Company Partner To Turn Avocados Into Sustainable Dyes
Image Source: Dragana Gordic
Westfalia Fruit, a global avocado producer, has formed a partnership with U.K.-based Efficiency Technologies to turn avocado skins and pits into sustainable dyes. The otherwise-wasted components of the avocado contain a pigment called perseorangin, which can be transformed into dyes that vary in color from brown to red to yellow. The dyeing method could prove more sustainable than current options across multiple industries. Westfalia also turns avocados into cosmetic exfoliants and starches for paper and packaging. “By transforming what was once considered a byproduct into a valuable resource, we're creating sustainable solutions that benefit multiple industries,” said Andrew Mitchell, head of group innovation at Westfalia Fruits.
Health
Study Shows How Tea Filters Contaminants In Water
Image Source: Petr Sidorov / Unsplash
Brewing tea cleans your water, according to a study published in ACS Food Science & Technology. The study found that tea leaves absorb contaminants such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic with as little as 5 minutes of steeping. Steeping overnight increases the amount of metal contaminants extracted. “You’re taking the metals out of the water with the tea, but you don’t consume the tea leaves after, which is why it works,” said Benjamin Shindel, lead author of the study. Ground up leaves work best because of increased surface area, and the tea bag used also influences effectivity.
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Science
New Tech Products Change The Way We Grocery Shop
Image Source: Janet Jones Kendalla
At the Food Industry Association's Midwinter Executive Conference held in Florida this year, food tech companies showcased their innovations. Brain Corp improved upon robotics machinery that scans inventory with updated mechanics allowing machines to pick up items from shelves, freeing hands on the floor so employees can focus on customer-facing tasks. Badge, the winner of the FMItech Pitch Competition last year, showcased its mobile wallet platform that allows grocery store staff to connect with shoppers and collect data on purchasing habits without users downloading any apps or creating any accounts. Honorable mentions include VusionGroup's digital tagging system with electronic shelf labels and Augmodo, which offers a SmartBadge that automates item scanning for employees.
Last Bite
Mike Tyson Brings Potato Ice Cream With "Mike Bites" Ears To American Grocery Stores
Image Source: Richard Bowie, Carma HoldCo. & Mr Charlie's
Mr. Charlie's, a fast food company based in California specializing in vegan products, has teamed up with legendary boxer and entrepreneur Mike Tyson to release a new "Mr. Fluff-Head" potato-based ice cream. The vegan ice cream includes chocolates in the shape of ears referred to as "Mike Bites". The chocolate treats reference the legendary fight between Evander Holyfield and Tyson, where Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield's ear clean off. “I’ve been passionate about plant-based living for years, and bringing ‘Mike’s Bites’ to this launch is the perfect way to celebrate a brand that’s all about doing things differently,” Tyson said.
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