Methane and Deli Meats

Welcome back Food Junglers. It has been an interesting mix of good and bad news lately, with Listeria outbreaks and famine relief in Gaza taking the spotlight. At least it’s never boring!

And, after taking a little hiatus to sort out my postgraduate academic obligations, the analysis and interview section should be back later this week with some more interesting and, hopefully, insightful commentary.

Let’s dig in.

This week:

🔥 Methane is becoming a real problem for the world.

🇺🇳 The United Nations delivers food relief to Gaza.

🥫 Campbell Soup is going through some changes.

🍖 A deli meat producer in the US is managing a Listeria outbreak.

🥬 A teenager grows vegetables in a prison in New York…

CLIMATE
METHANE LEVELS SKYROCKET

New research from the Global Carbon Project has shown that emissions of methane - a highly detrimental greenhouse gas - are rising at the fastest rate in recorded history.

One of the prime culprits for this is animal agriculture - particularly beef and dairy - which accounts for around a third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

Microbes in the stomachs of Earth’s almost 1.5 BILLION cows generate vast amounts of methane during the digestion process, with chemical runoff providing more nutrients for those same microbes in lakes and wetlands to produce even more methane. 

ZOOMING OUT: Methane traps about 30 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time frame, so its prevalence is a worrying trend. At this rate, scientists say that it would be nearly impossible for the world to meet its climate goals.

POLICY
GAZAN RELIEF

While the lives of many Gazans have been horrible these past months, relief has come as the United Nations has finally managed to deliver fresh fruit and vegetables - from apples to aubergines - and frozen meat to the north of the region.

After surviving on only canned food for the past few months, damaging the health of tens of thousands of people, it has been heartwarming to see some families now have access to some healthy produce.

According to the UN, dozens have died from malnutrition. And officials say that, while this is a glimmer of good news, this is not a sign that food will now be continuously sent to the Gazan people.

ZOOMING OUT: The reality of the situation is still bleak. The volume of aid that has entered Gaza has decreased by more than half since early May. Indeed, August had the lowest number of trucks entering the enclave.

So, it still looks like the roughly 2.2 million-person population will remain in limbo until further peace-making measures are taken.

BUSINESS
A CHANGE IN DIRECTION

Campbell Soup, the iconic canned foods brand, will vote to change its name to The Campbell’s Company at its annual investors meeting in November.

The change comes as Campbell Soup attempts to adapt to a world in which canned goods have become less popular and snacking is the new trend. The acquisition of Sovos Brands - the maker of Rao’s Sauces - shows the company’s intent to embrace the new snacking craze.

As Chief Executive Mark Clouse, has stated, “This subtle-yet-important change retains the company’s iconic name recognition, reputation, and equity built over 155 years, while better reflecting the full breadth of the company’s portfolio”.

ZOOMING OUT: Although Campbell Soup’s big news comes with a name change, the team has also set some new financial targets, hoping for net sales of between 2%-3% and an adjusted earnings growth of 7%-9% by the next financial quarter. Let’s hope that the rebrand can get them there.

SUPPLY CHAIN
DELI MEAT FIASCO

Deli meat producer - Boar’s Head - has said that it will indefinitely close a deli meat factory in Virginia after being tied to a deadly Listeria outbreak across the US.

The company stated that the cause of the contamination was tied to a specific process used only for its liverwurst production. 57 people have since been hospitalised and nine people in several US states have died in connection with the outbreak. 

For those only just hearing about this, Listeria is a bacterium that can contaminate food and can cause some serious illness, especially amongst immunocompromised people. Worryingly, though, officials believe that full extent of the outbreak has not yet been understood, as symptoms can emerge much later after contamination.

ZOOMING OUT: While the spread of the Listeria outbreak is being contained, inspectors at Boar’s Head factories repeatedly warned of the poor conditions within the production facilities for two years at least.

The question of whether the Virginia facility is the ONLY factory to have missed the mark remains. For now, though, we wait for more updates.

THE BRIGHT SIDE
PRISON VEGETABLES

For those of you wondering whether there is any large-scale practicality to modern food tech, I feel like this story is for you.

After doomscrolling on TikTok (yet again), I came across this news story, in which a 16-year-old boy from New York - Steven Hoffen - was able to create a hydroponic farm to feed over 200 inmates at Queensboro Correctional Facility in Harlem.

Hydroponics, to put it simply, is a way to grow food without the use of soil. And Hoffen was able to install these giant plastic hydroponic tubes to grow coriander, lettuce, tomatoes, and even strawberries for hundreds of inmates.

He has even been able to establish his own organisation, Growing Peace, to expand this hydroponics initiative. And, so far, he’s been able to generate over 1,000 pounds of fresh produce every year since he started.

I always love to see the younger generation explore food tech and how it can not only help the food supply chain evolve, but also inspire community building. Please do click on the link to read more out of both curiosity and inspiration. Food Jungle approved ✅ 

BEFORE YOU GO…

• Beyond Meat introducing a whole-muscle steak alternative, made of mycelium, as part of its pivot to win over health-conscious consumers.

• The Japanese company that operates 7-Eleven convenience stores worldwide rejected a $39 billion takeover offer, saying the bid was too low.

• Agriculture giant - John Deere - has agreed to pay $9.93 million to settle corruption and bribery charges in Thailand.

• Officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified a salmonella outbreak originating from Milo's Poultry Farms in Wisconsin.

• McDonald's will be introducing digital ordering stations that can take cash and give change, allowing most customers to bypass the register entirely.

• Fort Lauderdale-based burger chain, BurgerFi, has become the latest restaurant operator in recent months to file for bankruptcy.

TAKE A BREAK

If you’re interested in some quality ORIGINAL journalism on what’s been going on in the food industry, look no further than Green Queen.

Founded in 2011, by Sonalie Figueiras, the team looks to analyse and discuss the latest news in food, from cultivated meat to food waste. Thoroughly recommend! 🤩