The Americas
FDA silent on 2024 E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce
An internal FDA report, uncovered by NBC News, has revealed that a 2024 E. coli outbreak sickened 89 people and caused one death, but was never publicly disclosed during the investigation. Cases were linked to romaine lettuce served at events, schools and restaurants, with epidemiological evidence pointing to a single grower and processor. The FDA said it remained silent on the matter because there was no relevant product remaining in commerce by the time the investigation was opened. Attorney Bill Marler has filed lawsuits against Taylor Farms, alleging a connection, which the company has denied. Former FDA official Frank Yiannas has called the agency’s lack of transparency “disturbing.”i
57-unit Burger King franchisee files for bankruptcy
Consolidated Burger Holdings, a Burger King franchisee operating 57 locations across the US states of Florida and Georgia, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Destin, Florida-based group, which oversees restaurants in three geographical clusters, has reported assets and liabilities between $50m and $100m. The franchisee’s total debt stands at $36.6m, including $14m in secured loans and more than $21m in unsecured obligations, as reported by QSR Magazine. Consolidated has cited several industry challenges that have impacted its operations: a highly leveraged balance sheet, decreased foot traffic due to Covid-19 and increased costs related to shipping, food and labor.
Asia Pacific
US beef is off the menu at Beijing BBQ joint
Staff at Home Plate BBQ, an American-style restaurant in Beijing, are reprinting their menus to switch American beef ‒ once their star ingredient ‒ for Australian. The restaurant uses about seven to eight tonnes of brisket each month, which was previously sourced entirely from the US. When the US beef in the freezers is used up in a few weeks, the southern-style BBQ joint will only serve meat from Down Under. Even before the US-China trade war began, American beef was expensive, but Beijing’s 125% retaliatory tariffs, on top of the existing 22%, have made it unaffordable.
Shanghai restaurant serves up elephant dung
A Shanghai restaurant is causing havoc on social media after its decision to serve elephant dung as part of its ‘authentic’ rainforest dining experience. The 15-course rainforest menu comes in at an eye-watering $550, not including drinks, and finishes with a dessert called “Flowers Inserted into Elephant Dung”. The dish features a base of sterilised, dried elephant faeces that mimics crispy crumbs, topped with herbal perfume, fruit jam, pollen and honey sorbet. According to a report in Jiupai News, the two founders of the restaurant dedicated seven years to researching the lush rainforests of Yunnan province before ‘bringing the rainforest” ’to Shanghai. One online commenter from Yunnan province was outraged, saying that “it’s utterly disgusting and frightening… we definitely do not consume elephant dung here.” Another said it felt like an obedience test for the wealthy.
Europe, Middle East, Africa
New business rates law hailed as ‘landmark moment’ for hospitality
The UK Government has passed the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Act, introducing permanent business rates reform from April 2026. The law offers up to 40% relief for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value up to £51,000, funded by a tariff on larger properties. UKHospitality welcomed the move after years of campaigning, calling it a “landmark moment” and urging the Government to exempt hospitality businesses from the surcharge. CEO Kate Nicholls said the reform could help rebalance an unfair system but warned it won’t offset the sector’s £3.4bn annual cost increases.
Ozempic maker backs AI-driven project for less processed plant proteins
The University of Copenhagen has received a 50 million kroner ($7.6M) grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation ‒ which owns the pharmaceutical giant behind diabetes and obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy ‒ to develop minimally processed plant-based proteins using artificial intelligence. The seven-year AI4NaturalFood project aims to create more natural meat alternatives by retaining the structure and nutrients of raw plant materials. Researchers will use AI to understand complex food structures and predict how different plant-based ingredients can be combined. The goal is to move away from energy-intensive processing methods and produce healthier, more sustainable protein options. Novo Nordisk has already had a profound impact on the food system thanks to the popularity of its appetite-suppressing drugs. It seems it’s certainly not stopping there.
Elly Earls
