Usda

In response to "A Matter to Chew On," editorial, Sept. 2: The Los Angeles Unified School District has been a leader in providing nutritious meals that not only meet but exceed the USDA and state guidelines. We meet the new dietary guidelines for Americans (as required by the USDA) as well as nutrition requirements of the American Heart Assn. In recent years, our program has been recognized as one of the state's top 10 lunch programs. In 1994-95, the USDA performed an audit of LAUSD's food service program and rated it as exceptional, with very favorable comments on our nutrition practices.

A basket of meats, cheese and other goodies from the grocery store cost 6.9% more in the first quarter of 2012 than it did a year earlier, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. A group of 16 items, including cheddar cheese, sirloin-tip roast, salad, orange juice and eggs, cost consumers $52.47 during the first three months of the year, the farm group said . During the same period last year, the price was $49.07. In the fourth quarter of 2011, it cost $49.23. The cost of meats such as sliced deli ham and bacon were up due to strong demand and tight supplies, said AFBF senior economist John Anderson in a statement.

I speak as both a consumer and president of the California Cattle Feeders Assn. in expressing my shock at the revelations made in the Kendall article. There is absolutely no excuse for allowing the conditions described in the story to exist in any facility. However, the article revealed that appropriate steps have been taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the processors to remedy the situation. Of particular concern to cattle feeders was the statement made by USDA inspector Gregorio Natividad advising the public "not to eat meat."

Last spring, the Department of Agriculture was poised to release "The Eating Right Pyramid," a new graphic that would replace the old "food wheel" and illustrate--for the first time in specific proportions--the makeup of a healthful diet. But just before the design was to become public, the USDA decided to yank it, saying it needed further study.

Whether perusing the beauty and personal care products at Target or Whole Foods or shopping online at Sephora, consumers are increasingly encountering the phrase "paraben-free. " What exactly does paraben-free mean, and why might it matter? We take a closer look — including sussing out pretty makeup products that are paraben-free. What are parabens? Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products such as soap, moisturizers, shaving cream and underarm deodorant, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

On Tuesday, attorneys for the largest agrochemical corporation in the world, Monsanto, will present arguments before the Supreme Court asserting the company's rights to the generations of seeds that naturally reproduce from its genetically modified strains. Bowman vs. Monsanto Co. will be decided based on the court's interpretation of a complex web of seed and plant patent law, but the case also reflects something much more basic: Should anyone, or any corporation, control a product of life?

To the uninitiated, the boysenberry may look like a big, blowzy, underripe blackberry, but it is in fact a noble fruit, as distinct from a common blackberry as a thoroughbred is from a mule. Large, dark purple, juicy and intense, it derives its unique flavor from its complex ancestry: sweetness and floral aroma from its raspberry grandmother, and a winy, feral tang from three native blackberry species. It's a California classic, emblematic of the joys of growing up in the Southland before it succumbed completely to sprawl.

Something about the way Americans eat isn't working -- and hasn't been for a long time. The number of obese Americans is now greater than the number who are merely overweight, according to government figures released last month. It's as if once we taste food, we can't stop until we've gorged ourselves. Taking that inclination into account, some people are adopting an unusual solution to overeating.