The health battle behind America's next milk trend

Most of the milk stocked in grocery stores today can be characterized as A1. But in the 1990s, the research of Bob Elliott and Corran McLachlan in New Zealand suggested that A1—which refers to a certain characteristic of milk's most abundant protein, beta-casein—produces inflammatory compounds in the digestive system. So McLachlan and farmer-entrepreneur Howard Patterson founded the a2 Milk Company to breed more A2-producing cows, which produce milk that the research suggested was better for digestion. Despite skepticism from the industry, the company has today secured 12 percent of the dairy market in Australia and outsells organic milk. It's expanding into China, western Europe and the U.S. But there's still quite a bit of controversy around the science. Read more at The Atlantic...

These food startups aim to build on Idaho's food heritage

You may not think of Idaho as a foodie state, but consider this: Chobani operates the world's largest yogurt plant there, and organic baby food maker Happy Family Brands and meat company Agri Beef have a presence there. And now a new crop of food startups is popping up, like butter replacement maker Prosperity Organic Foods, Zacca Hummus and protein ice cream company Killer Whey! Read more at Idaho Statesman...

Farm to table: A bit tricky in winter, but in high demand

To meet the demand for local produce, farmers in colder parts of the country are using greenhouses and high tunnels to extend their growing seasons. Read more at WTOP...

Federal hiring freeze disrupts USDA's food safety testing

Regulators say the president's pause button for regulations and new hires will have minimal impact on provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act, but it's unclear what impact it will have on other FDA activities. Over at the USDA, the Food Safety Inspection Service is reportedly experiencing a delay in results of lab tests. Read more at Food Safety News...

Freshii raises $125.35M in initial public offering

The Toronto-based fast-fresh restaurant has more than 240 stores in 15 countries and is known for its healthy menu which includes salads, juices and smoothies. Read more at BNN...