Our weekly roundup of links to tasty headlines and other tidbits we think you’ll want to read…
Beyond BPA to…Cardboard?
You’re probably aware of concerns about BPA in plastic and other food packaging. The BBC reports on a new packaging concern: recycled cardboard, which contains mineral oil, a substance linked to cancer and other health problems. Mineral oil comes from newspapers, magazines and other printed materials that are recycled into packaging materials and leaches from the cardboard, even through inner bags, to food. Swiss health authorities, who conducted the research on mineral oil in food packaging, say eating a balanced diet minimizes your risk.
Good Eggs!
Using ingredients to their fullest is a key strategy of sustainable eating, so you can imagine why we love this New York Times story about creative ways to use leftover egg whites and yolks. I’d always thought egg-white omelets were on restaurant menus to satisfy health-conscious diners, but it turns out the whites-only offering is also away for a kitchen to use up product. It’s a strategy you can follow at home. Got extra yolks hanging around? Make carbonara or mayonnaise. Too many whites? Make meringues or frittata (use 2 egg whites for each whole egg).
GMO-full Cereal
“Natural” is a largely meaningless label on food packaging and, as a new report from The Organic & Non-GMO Report finds, can include genetically modified ingredients. Their survey of natural cereal manufacturers found “many breakfast cereals labeled natural are likely to contain ingredients from genetically modified corn, soy, canola, and sugar beets.”
Don’t want GMOs with your breakfast? Choose certified-organic and/or Non-GMO Project-certified products.