US government experts, industry spar over asbestos testing in talc

This week marked the first time in 50 years that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewed asbestos testing for talc powders in cosmetics. The cosmetic talc industry has been self-testing for asbestos for decades, but toxicologists have found that "a wide range of spear-shaped mineral particles–including but not limited to asbestos–can trigger the development of cancer." Now industry experts are calling for greater FDA oversight and more rigorous testing methods. Read more at Reuters…

The hidden biases that drive anti-vegan hatred

Research shows that vegans are stigmatized on the same level as drug addicts–but why? Some psychologists attribute this rise in anti-vegan sentiment to "moral schizophrenia," meaning that when a person holds two incompatible beliefs (such as "I love animals and the planet" and "it's ok to eat meat") the person is more likely to feel tension that translates into stress, irritation and unhappiness when reminded of them. Read more at BBC…

Shopping via smart speakers is not taking off, report suggests

Voice-based shopping is growing, but at a far slower rate than analysts had predicted. Data shows that consumers prefer a device with a screen to view items before purchasing them, and a good portion are still hesitant to trust smart speakers for security reasons. Read more at Tech Crunch…

This new sugar substitute is made from food waste

Europe-based natural sugar alternative company Fooditive upcycles apples and pears that don't make it on shelf into a calorie-free sweetener. And with concerns regarding sugar's negative effects and rampant food waste on the rise, the company will likely see massive growth in 2020. It currently serves the business-to-business market. Read more at Fast Company…

Dogs could save the citrus industry from a devastating disease

A new study reveals that dogs have the ability to detect huanlongbing, also known as citrus greening, which is a bacterial disease that has plagued the citrus industry since it was first discovered in Florida 15 years ago. The method of using trained dogs to seek out disease-ridden trees could allow farmers to staunch the spread of the disease and "keep the citrus industry economically sustainable over the next 10 years." Read more at Modern Farmer…