FI Fast Break audio news: June 12, 2024

The latest Food Institute news podcast breaks down New York State’s Retail Worker Safety Act, which recently passed in the Senate.

Choc Full of Benefits: Functional Chocolate Has Arrived

Functional chocolate is becoming a staple of health-conscious diets. Manufacturing the healthier-for-you chocolate often requires much trial and error, however.

NY, Calif. Poised to Ban PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’

New York and California are the first of more than a dozen states banning or considering bans on poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) ‘forever chemicals.’

NYC Grubhub Debacle Furthers Restaurant-Delivery App Tensions

Is the relationship between third-party delivery companies and restaurants starting to fray? A Grubhub promotion offering free lunch to all New York City customers on Tuesday turned into chaos for both restaurants and customers. The app was offering …

Ultrafast Food Delivery May Be Slowing Down

For some time, it seemed like there was a new app every week promising New Yorkers food and other deliveries in 15 minutes or less. Now, it looks like there could be a bump in …

School Lunch Rules Updated Amid Supply Chain Disruptions

The Biden administration has issued transitional standards for school lunches to get cafeterias back on a healthier course as they recover from the pandemic. Here’s what to expect: WHAT IS CHANGING? During the pandemic, schools …

Restaurants Place Expensive Bets Ahead of Winter Outdoor Dining

Restaurant owners and operators are gearing up for another winter of outdoor dining. While many had to scramble in 2020 to find tents and propane heaters, restaurateurs are adding higher-quality permanent setups for the coming …

Dissecting the Popularity of the Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean Diet Roundtables are trade events meant to influence nearly all elements of the food industry. Yet, it appears the world doesn’t need any further convincing these days: the diet’s popularity is irrefutable. “No matter …

Flying at Half Mask: Mandates Leave Restaurants Shrouded in Uncertainty

COVID-weary Americans thought the summer would bring freedom from face masks, but the Delta variant – more contagious than its predecessors – has put the kibosh on that, threatening the nascent recovery in the food …

Two Forms of ID, Please: Vaccination Cards Required in San Fran. Bars

Starting Thursday, hundreds of San Francisco bars will require patrons to show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test before they can drink inside. The decision was made by the San Francisco Bar Owner …

Can NYC Restaurants Survive with COVID Restrictions?

After six months, indoor dining reopened in New York City at 25% capacity, despite concerns about both spread of the virus and severe operating margins, reported The New York Times (Oct. 1). “It’s crucial, of …

CDC Links Dining Out to Increased COVID Risk

Dining out raises the risk of contracting COVID-19 more than other activities, according to a report published by CDC. The new report comes at a time when more restaurants are reopening indoor dining. Relaxation of …