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The Salt What's On Your Plate
To refrigerate or not to refrigerate? It boils down to bacteria, aesthetics and how much energy you're willing to use.

To refrigerate or not to refrigerate? It boils down to bacteria, aesthetics and how much energy you're willing to use. Robert S. Donovan; Flickr / Alex Barth; Flickr hide caption

itoggle caption Robert S. Donovan; Flickr / Alex Barth; Flickr

Eating And Health

Why The U.S. Chills Its Eggs And Most Of The World Doesn't

by Rae Ellen Bichell

In many countries, eggs aren't refrigerated and they're still considered safe to eat. But in the U.S., we have to chill them, because we've washed away the cuticle that protects them from bacteria.

The Maiden Blush, Chenango Strawberry and Duchess of Oldenburg are heirloom apples found in old orchards across Colorado, which was once a major apple-producing state.

The Maiden Blush, Chenango Strawberry and Duchess of Oldenburg are heirloom apples found in old orchards across Colorado, which was once a major apple-producing state. Adalyn Schuenemeyer /Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project hide caption

itoggle caption Adalyn Schuenemeyer /Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project

Producers

The Comeback Of The Endangered Colorado Orange, An Apple KUNC-FM

by Stephanie Paige Ogburn

The Colorado Orange is no orange; it is an apple, with a unique texture and citrus taste. There's a new effort to bring it and other endangered Colorado apples back from the brink of extinction.

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Aficionados line up outside Hot Doug's, a gourmet hot dog diner in Chicago, in May. Owner Doug Sohn has announced that he will shut the doors in October after nearly 14 years.

Aficionados line up outside Hot Doug's, a gourmet hot dog diner in Chicago, in May. Owner Doug Sohn has announced that he will shut the doors in October after nearly 14 years. M. Spencer Green/AP hide caption

itoggle caption M. Spencer Green/AP

Food For Thought

Why Food Pilgrims Will Wait Four Hours For A Taste Of The Sublime

by Maanvi Singh

Psychology tells us that waiting for an experience can boost our happiness, as can talking about the experience afterward. That's one reason food pilgrims seem to be queuing up and Instagramming it.

Opponents of Michigan fish farms say there is no room for them in the lakes because of sport fishing and other recreational activities.

Opponents of Michigan fish farms say there is no room for them in the lakes because of sport fishing and other recreational activities. sfgamchick/Flickr hide caption

itoggle caption sfgamchick/Flickr

Producers

Could Great Lakes Fisheries Be Revived Through Fish Farms? ILPR

by Peter Payette

This summer, Michigan's aquaculture industry took a step forward. And that has touched off a debate over whether the Great Lakes are an appropriate place for fish farming.

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One of Huddle House's signature dishes is the Philly Cheese Steak Tots: steak covered with cheddar cheese sauce and shredded cheese, on an open-faced omelet with Tater Tots.

One of Huddle House's signature dishes is the Philly Cheese Steak Tots: steak covered with cheddar cheese sauce and shredded cheese, on an open-faced omelet with Tater Tots. Huddle House hide caption

itoggle caption Huddle House

Eating And Health

Healthy Food? Huddle House Won't Be Serving That Anytime Soon

by Eliza Barclay

Huddle House says its customers don't want healthy options or calorie counts. But by defying healthy trends, the chain seems increasingly — and unapologetically — out of step with the competition.

Pawpaws may look like mangoes, but unlike other tropical fruits, they are native to North America.

Pawpaws may look like mangoes, but unlike other tropical fruits, they are native to North America. Abby Verbosky for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Abby Verbosky for NPR

Food For Thought

A Coming-Out Party For The Humble Pawpaw, Native Fruit Darling

by Allison Aubrey and Dan Charles

Ever seen a pawpaw in the supermarket? Didn't think so. Chris Chmiel wants to change that by growing and promoting the mangolike fruit. He also helped organize the upcoming Ohio Pawpaw Festival.

Protesters demonstrate outside a McDonald's in Chicago. Hundreds of workers from McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's and other fast-food chains were expected to walk off their jobs Thursday to push the companies to pay their employees at least $15 an hour, according to labor organizers.

Protesters demonstrate outside a McDonald's in Chicago. Hundreds of workers from McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's and other fast-food chains were expected to walk off their jobs Thursday to push the companies to pay their employees at least $15 an hour, according to labor organizers. M. Spencer Green/AP hide caption

itoggle caption M. Spencer Green/AP

Food For Thought

Across The Country, Fast-Food Workers Rally For $15-An-Hour Pay

by Allison Aubrey

Union organizers say workers need a liveable wage and that the campaign to win them is gaining momentum, but the industry says higher wages would increase the cost of fast food.

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Customers shop for produce at the Danilovsky Market in Moscow. The food import ban prevents the import of almost all fresh food from the U.S., Europe and other Western countries. What's left in the market is grown locally or by Russian allies.

Customers shop for produce at the Danilovsky Market in Moscow. The food import ban prevents the import of almost all fresh food from the U.S., Europe and other Western countries. What's left in the market is grown locally or by Russian allies. Karoun Demirjian hide caption

itoggle caption Karoun Demirjian

Food For Thought

Russians React To Western Food Ban With Pride, Resignation

by Karoun Demirjian

As NATO discusses the crisis in Ukraine this week, Russia's ban on Western imports of fresh food marches on. For now, Moscow's grocery shelves are still stocked, and citizens are stoic.

Chicks in the Perdue hatchery in Salisbury, Md. The company says an increasing number of its chickens are now raised using "no antibiotics, ever."

Chicks in the Perdue hatchery in Salisbury, Md. The company says an increasing number of its chickens are now raised using "no antibiotics, ever." Dan Charles/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Dan Charles/NPR

Eating And Health

Perdue Says Its Hatching Chicks Are Off Antibiotics

Perdue Farms, one of the country's largest suppliers of chicken meat, says its hatcheries are working better now without antibiotics. Public health advocates call it "a big step" forward.

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People shop in a Miami grocery store on July 8. USDA says that despite the drop in unemployment, the number of food insecure Americans has not declined because higher food prices and inflation last year offset the benefits of a brighter job market.

People shop in a Miami grocery store on July 8. USDA says that despite the drop in unemployment, the number of food insecure Americans has not declined because higher food prices and inflation last year offset the benefits of a brighter job market. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Food For Thought

Millions Struggle To Get Enough To Eat Despite Jobs Returning

The number of food insecure Americans did not decline between 2012 and 2013, according to the USDA. And the level of food insecurity remains much higher than it was before the recession.

At left, a woman holds the saffron crocus during the saffron harvest in Herat, Afghanistan. At right, saffron flowers are collected in Saint Hippolyte, eastern France. Since the stigmas need to be picked from the flowers by hand, saffron is the world's most expensive spice.

At left, a woman holds the saffron crocus during the saffron harvest in Herat, Afghanistan. At right, saffron flowers are collected in Saint Hippolyte, eastern France. Since the stigmas need to be picked from the flowers by hand, saffron is the world's most expensive spice. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images; Maxppp /Landov hide caption

itoggle caption Majid Saeedi/Getty Images; Maxppp /Landov

Food For Thought

These 5 Crops Are Still Hand-Harvested, And It's Hard Work

by Eliza Barclay

Saffron, vanilla, palm oil, cacao and cottonseed oil crops are still picked by hand in some parts of the world. Sometimes that manual labor shows up in the price of the food; sometimes it doesn't.

There's new evidence reaffirming that eating foods with fat€” from avocados and salmon to dairy fat€” doesn't make us fat.

There's new evidence reaffirming that eating foods with fat€” from avocados and salmon to dairy fat€” doesn't make us fat. eyecrave LLC/iStockphoto.com hide caption

itoggle caption eyecrave LLC/iStockphoto.com

Eating And Health

Cutting Back On Carbs, Not Fat, May Lead To More Weight Loss

by Allison Aubrey

A new diet study concludes that a low-carbohydrate diet leads to almost three times more weight loss than a traditional low-fat diet where carbs made up 40 to 45 percent of calories.

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