Illinois Law Aims to Unite Farmers with Schools and the Poor

Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed into law legislation to create a database for farmers to connect with schools and low income residents.. According to the Chicago Tribune, "The Farm-to-School database will create an electronic database on the state Department of Agriculture Web site that allows schools and local farmers to connect on the purchase of fresh produce. The Farmers' Market Technology Improvement Act makes it easier for sellers at the markets to accept Link cards, state-issued debit cards for food stamp recipients."

Forget the five-second rule. Clemson University food scientist Paul Dawson wants a zero-second rule, citing that new studies show salmonella can survive on hard surfaces for four weeks. The Chicago Tribune looks at the various findings of similar studies. Skittles are virtually impervious to contamination.

Texas cracks down on small food businesses operating without licenses. The Texas Department of State Health Service started the crackdown last year after the tainted peanut butter fiasco in Georgia. The Dallas Morning News investigates the investigation and explains the laws.

The Centers for Science in the Public Interest have targeted three commonly-used food colorings as carcinogenic. The Toronto Sun reports, "'These synthetic chemicals do absolutely nothing to improve the nutritional quality or safety of foods, but trigger behaviour problems in children and, possibly, cancer in anybody,' said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, co-author of the report, Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks." The dyes in question are Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3 and Red 40.