Although it seems hard to believe, compared to other countries, the United States spends the least on food.  According to the Economic Research Service, spending on food only accounts for 5.7% of the total household expenditure.  Hit the link after the jump for the full article.

Did you know that you should get your leftovers in the refrigerator in as little as 2 hours?  I wish I knew that several years ago when I ate the turkey that was sitting on the counter for 3 days.  Needless to say, my digestion system paid dearly for that.  Watch the video at the jump from ‘The Today Show’ on how to manage your leftovers.

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Here are the 4 golden rules to follow as noted from the video:

Get leftovers …

By Emanuella Grinberg (CNN) — The “disgusting” blob that Fred DeNegri’s wife says she poured out of his Diet Pepsi can was probably a gutted frog or toad, the Food and Drug Administration said.

DeNegri was grilling in his backyard tiki bar in Ormond Beach, Florida, when he popped open a can of Diet Pepsi, took a big gulp and started gagging, his wife, Amy, said.
He emptied out the can down a sink but something heavy remained inside. His wife took over and shook the can over a paper plate until …

By Adam Lisberg
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF
Controversial new subway billboards show human fat being poured out of soft drink bottles
A new ad released by the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene shows human fat being poured into a glass.
The agency that brought you images of missing fingers and blackened lungs has a new health warning on tap – glasses filled with fat.
Billboards going up in the subway today show streams of sugary drinks turning into glistening yellow globs of human fat, mottled with blood vessels and …

Starbucks is looking to expand once again, only this time in a bold new direction.  The company is testing a new concept to lure evening customers.  Starting next week, the new store, 15th Ave. Coffee and Tea inspired by Starbucks, will be launched in Seattle and will be offering customers not only coffee and tea, but also wine and beer.  Two other locations in Seattle have already been planned to outfit the new store, and if all goes well, expansion to other cities.
It looks like its current strategy in battling …

By Roland Buerk
BBC News, Tokyo
The Japanese are eating more meat than seafood, according to a new report from the government.
Figures show that in 2006, for the first time, the Japanese preferred meat over sushi. And in 2007 their appetite for meat increased even further.
The study said that changing lifestyles were responsible, with parents finding meat dishes quicker to prepare.
The government suggests supermarkets hold fish cookery demonstrations to help protect the seafood industry.
Despite these recent trends, people in Japan still eat more fish than those in any other major industrialised nation. …

BLOOMBERG NEWS
Posted: 05/14/2009 08:46:02 AM PDT
Updated: 05/14/2009 08:46:03 AM PDT
Rising U.S. sales of acai, a purple Amazon berry promoted as a “superfood” on Oprah Winfrey’s Web site, are depriving Brazilian jungle dwellers of a protein-rich nutrient they’ve relied on for generations.
U.S. consumers are turning a “a typical poor people’s food into something like a delicacy,” said Oscar Nogueira, who specializes in the fruit at Embrapa, Brazil’s agricultural research company.
Spending on acai-based products by Americans seeking to lose weight, gain energy or slow aging doubled to $104 million last year, …

Before you read this post, go ahead and list out what you think are the top ten most common ingredients in fast food.  Here’s my list, in no particular order.  Beef, chicken, bread, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo, and salt.
Based on the list from HowStuffWorks.com, only 2 of the items I listed matched those listed on the website.  The findings might surprise you.
10.  Citric Acid – used as a preservative
9.  High-fructose Corn Syrup – a cheap sweetener
8.  Caramel Color – a color additive
7.  Salt – makes the food tasty
6.  …

Photo: Tony Cenicola/The New York Times
The New York Times
May 6, 2009
The Minimalist
Freeze That Thought
By MARK BITTMAN
IF I tried to sell you a new appliance that could help you save money, reduce food waste and get meals on the table faster, the only thing you’d ask would be “How much?”
The answer is “Nothing.” You already own it. For just as the stove comes with a hidden and often overlooked bonus — the broiler — so does the refrigerator: the freezer. Why not use it?
I know: you do. In that messy box …

Amino acids search turns up ethyl formate
Updated: Wednesday, 22 Apr 2009, 9:51 AM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 22 Apr 2009, 9:33 AM CDT
By FRANK CARNEVALE, Special Contributor
kxan.com
BONN, Germany – Scientists searching space for evidence of amino acids, the molecules that are basic to life, found instead a substance called ethyl formate, a chemical responsible for the flavor of raspberries.
According to The Guardian scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy found the raspberry-related substance after sifting through radiation signals coming from the Milky Way galaxy.
“It does happen to give …