How 17th Century Fraud Gave Rise To Bright Orange Cheese

Kraft, that behemoth of a food company, announced a few weeks ago they were removing two artificial dyes in some versions of its macaroni and cheese products. Why did we start coloring cheeses orange to begin with?

This week, a look at the curious history here of coloring cheese.

TTFN, Fred. 

Quote of the week: "Christmas Time is here again, Ain't been round since you know when..." - The Beatles, "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" (Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey)

   How 17th Century Fraud Gave Rise to Bright Orange Cheese by fredwine

7 Foods That Won’t Be the Same If Trans Fats Are Banned

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is moving toward significantly limiting–more or less banning–trans fats from foods in the US.  The agency decided that trans fats are not safe for human health, and shouldn’t be in foods we eat.

Many companies have already rid their foods of trans fats, and New York City even banned trans fat from restaurant food in 2006.

This week, a look at foods that rely on trans fats and some predictions from industry experts about how these foods will change.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "If the sun has faded away, I'll try to make it shine." - The Beatles, "Any Time At All" (Lennon-McCartney)

   7 Foods That Won’t Be the Same If Trans Fats Are Banned by fredwine

The Surprising History of the Pencil

"Take out your No. 2 pencils for Iowa Test of Basic Skills."  There are many things about grade school that no longer haunt me, but a call for pencils will make my stomach churn in a flash.  Rigidly timed, complicated instructions and inflexible rules made standardized test taking very different from normal classroom life.  And while it was not the cause of the anxiety, the No. 2 yellow pencil, the easily remembered visual associated with those tests, gets the blame. 

This week, a look at the history of the pencil.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "Take a sad song and make it better." – The Beatles, "Hey Jude" (Lennon-McCartney)

   The Surprising History of the Pencil by fredwine

Molasses and Sharks

Imagine a jar of molasses...24 ounces of sticky goodness.  Now multiply that by 1.19 million and you will have how much molasses was spilled into the waters off of Hawaii: 223,000 gallons.  The spill has killed thousands of fish and the massive die-off could attract sharks, which is not the sweet treat anyone was expecting. 

This week, as look at molasses and sharks.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "Seems that all I really was doing was waiting for love." – The Beatles, "Real Love" (Lennon)

   Molasses and Shark Attacks by fredwine

Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew

It was Mark Twain that said, "Be careful when reading health books; you don't want to die of a misprint."

This week, as look at health facts that may not be facts at all.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "Though I know I'll never lose affection for people and things that went before, I know I'll often stop and think about them." – The Beatles, "In My Life" (Lennon-McCartney)

   Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew by fredwine

Faster Than the Speed of Light

So far, Albert Einstein's theory that nothing can travel faster than light has yet to be disproved.  Not for lack of trying, I assure you, as numerous scientists across the globe try to poke holes in the math over and over again. 

And while it seems ripped straight from an episode of Star Trek, NASA has invested real money into understanding the science behind travel faster than the speed of light.  We may be a while yet from muttering "Engage" on the command deck of a starship, but you have to start somewhere.

This week, a look at photons and the possibility of traveling faster than light.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "When you find yourself in the thick of it, help yourself to a bit of what is all around you." – The Beatles, "Martha My Dear" (Lennon-McCartney)

   Faster Than the Speed of Light by fredwine

A Race to Save the Orange by Altering Its DNA

Citrus greening, also called Huanglongbing or yellow dragon disease, is one of the more serious diseases of citrus. This bacterial disease is thought to have originated in China in the early 1900s.  Other than tree removal, there is no effective control once a tree is infected and there is no known cure for the disease. It reduces the quantity and quality of citrus fruits, eventually rendering infected trees useless. In areas of world affected by citrus greening the average productive lifespan of citrus trees has dropped from 50 or more years to 15 or less, and trees in the orchards usually die 3-5 years after becoming infected.

Is genetic engineering the last hope of citrus?  Many farmers think so. 

This week, a look at altering the DNA of oranges in an attempt to stave off citrus greening.

TTFN, Fred. 

Quote of the week: "Out of college, money spent, see no future, pay no rent, all the money’s gone, nowhere to go." – The Beatles, "You Never Give Me Your Money" (Lennon-McCartney)

   A Race to Save the Orange by Altering Its DNA by fredwine