San Diego-based investment firm to buy neat foods

AFT Holdings, through its subsidiary Atlantic Natural Foods, which owns a few meatless ready-to-eat brands, will acquire the company and its nut-based meat substitute products. "We're at a place where we want to resources of a bigger company to help us grow," says co-founder Laura Lapp. Read more at Lancaster Online...

Food makers to address desire for ingredient transparency

According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, more than 30 companies (including General Mills and PepsiCo) have already signed on to its SmartLabel initiative. Those companies will print QR codes on their products, which consumers will be able to scan with their smartphone to find detailed ingredient information. Opponents are already saying that QR codes aren't enough, and that ingredient information regarding GMOs should be printed directly on packaging. Read more at The Wall Street Journal...

LA's top restaurant charts new waters in sustainable seafood

Restaurant owner and fisherman Michael Cimarusti is piloting a restaurant supported fishery that directly connects area restaurants to local, small-scale fishermen. Read more at NPR...

Could probiotics be a new strategy for weight loss?

A new study (albeit a small one) published in Obesity adds to the evidence that bacteria in the gut play a role in weight. Read more at Time...

Tasty seaweed surges in popularity in Maine

Seaweed farmers in the state harvested a record amount of marine algae last year, used in fertilizers, animal feed, supplements and foods. See more at the Associated Press...