French researchers have published a study in BMJ purportedly finding that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) "was significantly associated with the risk of overall cancer" while the "consumption of artificially sweetened beverages was not associated with the risk of cancer." Chazelas et al., "Sugary drink consumption and risk of cancer: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort," BMJ, July 10, 2019. The researchers tracked the SSB consumption—including soft drinks, syrups, juices, hot beverages, sports drinks and energy drinks—of 101,257 participants through "repeated 24 hour dietary records" for periods between five and nine years. The results apparently showed that an increased consumption of 100% fruit juice "was positively associated with overall cancer rate" while the "association between sugar sweetened soda specifically and cancer rate was borderline non-significant." BMJ also published an opinion piece responding to Boris Johnson's assertion that he may review the effectiveness of U.K. SSB and other "stealth sin" taxes…
Category Archives Issue 718
Bloomberg has published an article on companies looking to create dairy products from laboratory-grown whey that could compete with the livestock-derived whey that sold an estimated $10 billion in 2018. One featured start-up, Perfect Day, reportedly asserted that "its proteins require 98% less water and 65% less energy than that required to produce whey from cows" but the company must overcome "consumer squeamishness and regulatory reviews that may end up focusing more on the genetically modified organisms [GMO] used to make lab-grown whey." Perfect Day "wants to rebrand microbes used in food—yeast, fungi, bacteria—as flora, a more consumer-friendly term," Bloomberg reports, to attract vegans who may avoid something labeled "milk protein" and other consumers who may skip products described as "lab-grown" on the label. "We are trying to explore how we can get a term for this industry that's outside of plant-based," one of the founders reportedly told Bloomberg. "Something…
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