Last month, France made steps towards protecting the cultivation of GM produce in the wake of damage being done to crops by environmental groups. Amid discussion over the health and safety of GM crops, the lower house of parliament and the Senate have both agreed to push through a controversial bill which fixes the conditions under which GM crops can be grown in France.

Protecting GM
The bill, which was passed by the Senate in April and is due for review at the end of May, permits heavier prosecution of those caught tampering with or damaging crops, protecting what is Europe's largest cultivation of GM crops. Since 1996, the land used to grow GM crops in France has quadrupled from..

As summer draws ever nearer to British shores, the farming industry is under increasing pressure to find workers to pick their soft fruits. For the first time in a decade, a shortage of seasonal labourers means that thousands of tonnes of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are likely to be left to rot in the fields.

Harsher immigration policy
Under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS), farmers in the UK used to be able to hire temporary workers from all over Europe and they usually came in the form of students looking for work and travel during their summer holidays. Since new restrictions in immigration policy have been brought in, growers are only permitted to employ..

The food crisis has well and truly hit, with riots springing up in Haiti, Egypt, Bangladesh and many more countries across the world feeling the pinch of a mass shortage in food.

World Bank gives a helping hand
This week, the World Bank and the UN have both stepped up with promises to help the worldwide farming community. The World Bank is offering a doubling of agricultural loans to African farmers and has pledged to give emergency aid - in the form of millions of dollars - to countries such as Haiti whose residents have descended deeper into poverty since the astronomical rises in staple..

The "most hated man in France" is, for now, not a policitian but a small town baker from Barnsley in England. Having taken advantage of an EU legal loophole, Englishman John Foster is now the official baguette supplier for France's railways, news bringing stinging criticism from the French.

French law stipulates that a baguette cannot be made using fat, which is the very ingredient that makes them last longer, however there are no rules to govern the ingredients when they're made elsewhere in the EU. The French railway increasingly found that French..

With the EU having opened a public consultation in January regarding the approval of cloned foods for consumption, Europe might be one step closer to cultivating and importing these "Frankenfoods".

US Approved Cloned Foods
However, with the decision still in the balance, there could be some significant trade implications between Europe and the United States, with the US having already approved the use of cloned foods.

Many think that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will approve cloning by the end of the year, even though the European Commission commented that, "According to experts, animal cloning is on the verge of..

Some respect is definitely due for those mathematicians who have puzzled their way through algorithm after algorithm to determine the dates of the Russian Orthodox Easter. This year the festival falls on 27th April, so it would be fitting to have a glance at the traditions of an Eastern Easter.

Lent
The 40-day period of Lent which precedes Easter Weekend can be a time of strict denial. In the run up to the festival, adherents to the faith will give up all products originating from animals, such as meat, eggs and dairy products. In the past, theatres and music halls were closed during Lent, as they were thought to be a distraction for the religious public, who should have been reflecting and repenting.

Holy Week
Holy Week begins with..

The Passover festival is as important for the Jewish community as Christmas is to the Christians. Starting at sunset on Saturday 19th April and running until sunset on Sunday 27th, the festival is a marked reminder of the Jews' long and turbulent history. As well as being steeped in tradition and history, the presence and importance of food during Passover is great.

Passover celebrates the time in history when the Hebrew people were able to escape slavery in Egypt. The story goes that God rescued the "Children of Israel" by sending the 10 plagues to punish the Egyptian people. After the ten plagues, the pharoah..

90% of the world food supply comes from just 15 crop and 8 livestock types; over-farming is a real threat to our food supply. It is now a widely held view that that we are polluting the land we live on and many of the most popular crops are now under threat from extinction. The Worldwatch Institute has just launched its State of the World Report for 2008, with one chapter's theme dedicated to the question "Can Meat and Fish Consumption Be Sustainable?" The chapter's authors, Brian Halweil and Danielle Nierenberg, highlight growing environmental and sustainability issues surrounding meat production and fish harvesting, exposing shocking..

The illegal trade in wild caviar is worth $250m globally, so it is little wonder that worldwide stocks of the black fish eggs are in drastic decline, and that governments are now trying to crack down on the roaring blackmarket trade. The current market price of caviar in Europe is 1,270 Euros for 100g, but the European blackmarket in caviar is worth five times more than the legal trade. With these figures in mind, profiteers looking to made quick money are going after the last reserves available in order to gain substantial returns. Most of Europe's "black gold" comes from..

Courting controversy is what the food-retail industry does very well: from genetically modified food to cloning we are constantly faced with new technologies which may benefit the industry but will stretch our morals. Now there is a new technology on the horizon which is set to revolutionise the journey our food makes from farm to fork. It is called nanotechnology – the science involved in changing the core molecular structure of substances or objects – in short, it can alter almost anything. When applied to food, this technology could render what we eat more healthy, less chemically toxic, and provide a range of other benefits to the consumer and producer alike..

The Thai New Year is a three day celebration that usually falls between the 10th and 18th of April. This year the New Year, known in Thai as Songkran, will be celebrated from the 13th to the 15th April, so what better time to reflect upon some of the traditions of this centuries-old national celebration. The ancestors of the Thai people originated from the Yunnan Province in China and it is here, nearly one thousand years ago, that the New Year festivities first took place. The dates correspond to the fifth full moon of the lunar calendar and the Songkran festival's original..

Our series on maximising energy would not be complete without mentioning exercise. Many of us fit in visits to the gym at various times of the day, but are we really getting the most out of our efforts ? EXERCISE IN THE EVENING: Cardiovascular exercise and strength training is important for the body's functioning, and by being fitter you will be boosting your overall waking evergy levels. Lots of research has been done into what the best time to exercise is, and it has been found that in the evening at around 6pm we are at our strongest during the day, meaning we will burn more calories and work harder. A study presented at the National Strength and Conditioning Association's annual meeting in Las Vegas looked at the effects of training at different times of the day on muscle mass, body fat and strength. A group of 16 men trained for 10 weeks either before 10.00am (AM group) or after 6.00pm (PM group). Their workouts consisted of 45 minutes of..

Sleeping is one of the vital components of getting the most out of our day, and maintaining a regular sleep pattern is just as important as maintaining a healthy and energising diet. Below are the key tips for those who want to get the most out of those precious 8 hours. BANANAS & MILK : Warm milk is an excellent source of tryptophan, an amino acid that has a relaxing effect on the brain, and bananas are great sources of magnesium which is a muscle relaxant so have a little snack around half an hour before going to bed. However, be aware of your own digestion patterns and don't eat a whole banana if you feel it will sit in your stomach and cause discomfort during the night..

After a hard day at the office, the one word that should be on your mind is relaxation and everything you do should be towards the goal of relaxing! This is not only to benefit our bodies and relax our muscles, but to give our brains and our energy levels the best chance of waking up energized and raring-to-go the next day. If you always think in advance of the effects of what you're eating, you can't go wrong. Be aware that what you eat at dinner time has a direct effect on your sleep, so try and choose foods that naturally relax the body and mind. Tryptophan is an amino acid that our bodies cannot make, but the brain needs it in order to make serotonin – a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on the brain..

In Switzerland, fears are mounting over the uncertain future of their national sausage, the Cervelat. The sausage made from beef, bacon and pork rind is encased in the intestines of a certain type of Brazilian cow, and under EU import regulations this intestine can no longer be imported into Switzerland due to the risk of consumers contracting..

Scientists in the US have now created carrots enriched with calcium to help consumers more easily consume their recommended daily dose of calcium without having to gulp down litres of dairy products that are often high in fat. For years now there has been much debate on the ethics and the need for what are known to some as "Frankenstein foods"- foods that have been genetically modified. One could argue that in many cases of the genetic modification of crops or..

When choosing a leg of pork in the local butcher or at the supermarket, how do we know that it's going to be the best quality meat ? A new discovery by scientists in the US will help farmers determine which pig will yield the best meat for consumers and hopefully make our choice a little easier. Scientists have recently discovered four "gene markers" which indicate how fast a pig will grow, how lean it will be, and whether it will produce quality, tender meat..

Thanks to the declining numbers of our favourite types of fish, such as salmon and cod, a different fish is on the block and it hasn't been favoured much since the middle ages. Carp is the latest watery friend to be farmed in a bid to move our tastebuds away from traditional fayre and towards a more sustainable type of fish..

Christmas is the make or break time for chocolate manufacturers, none more so than Switzerland based Lindt who report a big increase in sales this year. Dark chocolate is doing particularly well in an overall up trend in 2007. Another famous manufacturer is Teuscher of Zurich who specialise in top end gift type chocolates such as Champagne Truffles, Marrons Glacés and the delightful cherry..

Recent research has discovered a link between overcooking food and rises in rates of certain types of cancer among women. The EU has now advised people to avoid burnt toast or browned chips because they contain higher levels of the substance acrylamide..

In an astonishing move to promote 'dumbing down' of popular language, UK government officials reckon that food recipes need to be written in language which is easier to read and understand. A new study by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills states that recipes written by male chefs are easier to understand that those written by female chefs, and that many culinary terms will confuse readers. The literacy experts analysed five recipes..

It would seem that today, the words "fresh" and "locally sourced" are buzz words used by restaurants and supermarkets in a bid to appear healthier. However, claims that fresh vegetables are nutritionally superior to frozen veg are being contested by top chefs such as Marco Pierre White, who cites frozen as the way forward..

The latin name Theobroma Cacao given to chocolate in the 1700s translates as 'Food of the Gods'; but 3,000 years before that in Hondurs they were enjoying a chocolate alcohol drink from the pulp of the cacao fruit. Later came the chocolate drink made from the more bitter flavour of the cacao bean, so beloved of the Mayan and Aztec societies, specially reserved for their ceremonial occasions. The cacao beans were fermented and mixed into a lquid together with herbs, honey, and sometimes chilli..

If you want to relieve your childs persistent coughing and get a good nights sleep at the same time, then there's nothing better than giving them honey. Dr Paul concludes that the syrupy quality of the natural honey may be soothing to the throat, combined with a high antioxidant effect is the probable key to its success..

The vast majority of European citizens and consumers are opposed to genetically engineered plants in agriculture and for food," writes Jorgo Riss, Greenpeace director in a letter to José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. GM corn can harm butterflies, modify food chains and disturb life in rivers..

Should garlic be classified as a medicine ? That simple question apparently could not be answered without the full weight of the European Court of Justice, who ruled on 15th November. The garlic case was heard because Germany had previously announced that garlic should be called a medicinal product and therefore, under that classification, they would be able to refuse any imports of the product from..

Men who try not to think about chocolate end up eating more of it, Women however have more self control, according to latest research into thought control. “For example .. trying not to think about having another drink makes it more likely.." says Dr Erskine of Hertfordshire Uni. He decided to research into how your thoughts can affect your actions..

At this time of year Swiss families can be seen out in force hunting for their elusive mushrooms. The mysterious fungi can be hard to identify, the colours changing quickly, and some years inexpicably they don't grow at all. Thousands spend the weeks before the first winter frosts roaming the forests with baskets on their arms, kicking over dead autumn leaves, fresh tree roots..

The heat of the 'Bhut Jolokia' pepper is so hot it is almost twice as fiery as the previous title holder 'Red Savina'. Dr. P. Bosland, of Chile Pepper Institute, aptly situated in New Mexico, stumbled across the red hot chile in India back in 2001. He collected some seeds and has nurtured the plants for several..

Prices of staple food items in Germany are jumping by over 50% this year, including bread, cheese, milk and butter. The middlemen in the industry are bein blamed for the price hikes with retailers seeing little of the increase in cash, and the farmers receiving only a pittance per litre of milk. Cheese prices per kilo are set to increase by another..

Passers by near a supermarket in Stuttgart alerted police last sunday when they stumbled over a pack of lobsters running down the street making good their escape. The enterprising crustaceans had clawed their way out of storage crates in the early hours of a sunday morning, ran across..

Nirvana for Switzerlands' Nestle Research centre would be to find out the reason why some people crave chocolate and why some do not. Their recent study which showed a link between what bacteria type we have in our stomach, and the chocolate we crave has got everyone excited. Mr S. Kochar writing the study found that 'glycine', an amino acid, was more prevalent in chocolate eaters, but taurine was higher in those who claim not to eat chocolate..

A study completed by University College London has made a connection between certain centres of the brain and our appetite, suggesting that it is now a simple matter of developing the right chemical and we can all control our weight, through modified eating habits, at will..

42 cities and towns in Italy are now officially 'Slow' thanks to the efforts of Stefano Cimicchi founder of the 'Slow Cities' Movement. To qualify a town has to have less than 50,000 inhabitants, be prepared to ban cars from the city centre, use sustainable energy and encourage residents to eat only locally grown and raised produce..

Women crave chocolate more than Men, and if you are feeling irritable, or even rejected, then you are much more likely to reach for that chocolate bar to soothe the nerves and improve your mood. Out of 3,000 subjects tested, more than 1,500 had food cravings..

Bottled water is under attack again, this time in the States where the mayors of New York and San Francisco are urging people to use tapwater to help save the huge amounts of energy on bottle production. Paradoxically it is oil at the centre of this issue rather than water..

Where in the world are 102 roasted steers, 144,000 pairs of sausages, almost half a million roast chickens, and 43,000 knuckles of pork eaten in 11 days ? Yep, Munichs' Oktoberfest is upon us once more. The great German beer and sausage institution running since the year 1810 should be experienced at least once in a lifetime. Throw away all thoughts of diets..

National Geographic have an interesting new site: www.thegreenguide.com with some thought provoking articles based around the green issues we all face. An organic food quiz caught my attention as fun, although i got only half of the answers correct !

Milk deteriorates quickly in plastic containers under supermarket flourescent lights, leading to bad taste and killing off the nourishing effects of B2 and Vitamin C..

Food additives are again being blamed for temper tantrums, poor concentration and hyperactivity in children. New findings by Southampton University in the UK again link EU approved additives to behavioural problems..

27 year old Marcel Vigneron finalist in US TV's 'Top Chef" show used Molecular Gastronomy to amaze his audience, producing the wierd looking Cyber Egg, and other delights like Coffee Caviar and Potatoes cooked using Nitrous Oxide!
His space age ingredients included..

The fashionable practice of Molecular Gastronomy where chefs can explore and combine novel flavours such as caviar with chocolate has recently come under fire as "the biggest lie out there.."

Superfoods, the new buzzword in health and nutrition nowadays has us re-discovering and eating naturally healthy foods. Well, I thought the idea was to eat them, but the Japanese have invented a whole new way of using foods to boost energy

With the logo of a snail, the 'Slow Food Movement' certainly has not been slow to gather worldwide support. Already with more than 83,000 members the Movement started from humble beginnings in Italy 1986 when a certain Carlo Petrini successfully demonstrated against the opening of yet another McDonalds branch in the city of Rome

The Italians drink the most, followed by the Germans and then the French. What is it, Wine ? Champagne ? no its plain ordinary water, bottled that is. Sales of bottled water in Europe are huge, but are stagnating in a highly competitive and oversupplied market