Tag: food

Why you should always rinse your fruit and vegetables – even those from your own garden

Rinse your fruit and vegetables, advises the Norwegian Food Safety Authority: “You can treat melon similarly to raw meat”

Even clean-looking produce can carry bacteria, making proper washing essential for your safety, according to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Why does pizza taste so good?

Gooey cheese, sweet tomato sauce, and a crispy crust. What makes us like pizza so much?

Meat expert's top 5 barbecue tips

Are you getting tired of barbecued sausages, marinated pork chops, and bland steak? Don’t worry. There are more exciting meats to put on the grill.

Soy is used in pizza, stews, chocolate icing, and vegetarian food. What's so special about this super bean?

Norwegian raw materials are just as good as soy, but everything hinges on price, says a Norwegian food producer.

Why have so many started eating Norwegian crispbread?

Norway's export of crispbread has grown from almost nothing to over two thousand tonnes in 2023. We Norwegians have also embraced the new and expensive crispbreads.

The sea squirt was supposed to be animal feed, but it smelled too good

Biologist argues that this is the world's most climate-friendly meat.

While her husband was doing forced labour for embezzlement, Maren Bang wrote the first Norwegian cookbook

The recipes used local foods and were aimed at the general public. The cookbook ran through many editions – until it was forgotten.

Do we care that red meat is bad for the climate, or do we just eat what we want?

Norwegians are not going to cut their meat consumption enough even if they believe the climate impact is important, says a researcher behind a new Norwegian study.

Harmful substances have been found in plastic food packaging – but do we ingest them?

Researchers have found plastic packaging to not be safe enough. The research institute Nofima has carried out tests showing that the packaging is completely safe. So, who’s right?

Is it possible to make healthy french fries?

Potatoes are healthy. So why aren't french fries healthy?

"There are few who drink such large amounts of coffee"New study raises the alarm on energy drinks and sleep

Over 50,000 Norwegian students were asked if they used energy drinks and how well they slept. Those who drank even small amounts of energy drinks had significantly greater problems with sleep than other students.

New report: Grilled food is safe – as long as you don't burn the sausages

Grilling is not dangerous in itself – but pay attention to how well the meat is cooked and what kind of meat you are grilling. That is the conclusion of a new report from the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment.

Is there any point in adding bay leaves to your food?

ASK A RESEARCHER: Yes, some believe. Others are unconvinced.

We are not sure, says the researcher who has convinced many that ultra-processed food makes people fat and unhealthy

OPINION: Kevin Hall is behind the study on ultra-processed food that everyone is talking about. But how convinced is he himself that the processing of food is the cause of obesity and disease?

Over a million seeds are stored behind locked doors on Svalbard

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the largest in the world.

How to prepare for a vegetarian guest during Christmas

“It can quickly become a lot of hassle,” a food researcher believes. “It’s much easier to have a vegetarian visit than many think," a vegetarian says.

Christmas stress in the past and now: “We complain much more than my mother's generation”

We have it easier today than before, one researcher believes. Christmas is still demanding and complicated, believes another.

This is how you can avoid food poisoning from leftover rice and pasta

It is only when a large number of bacteria are present that you experience diarrhoea and possibly vomiting. But it is perfectly possible to avoid this without having to throw food away.

What will Norwegians eat if the planes, ships and lorries stop coming?

Norway is not sufficiently prepared for major food crises, according to the auditor general. What will the Norwegian diet look like during a long-term stop in imports?

Horse meat was banned over 1,000 years ago, but that did not keep people from eating it

And yet, the prejudices still remain.

Medieval Norwegian food was more flavourful than you might think

Exotic spices were first exclusive, then became common — until Norwegians stopped seasoning their food.

Want to sell Norwegian protein powder made from krill to the USA, Australia, and New Zealand

The small crustacean krill will now be used as a supplement in protein shakes, energy bars, and food items.

How safe – or dangerous – is eating fruit that has fallen on the ground?

ASK A RESEARCHER: Is it safe to eat apples that have fallen on your lawn? The Norwegian Food Safety Authority warns that windfall fruit can contain toxins – but this is very unlikely if it is not bruised.

The ‘Nordic olive oil’ is the healthiest of the common cooking oils

Feel free to use rapeseed oil when frying your food, the researcher says.

How to avoid larvae in potatoes you grow yourself

If you want to grow potatoes in your own kitchen garden on a part of your lawn, you are almost guaranteed to be attacked by wireworms. The potatoes will be riddled with larvae. However, with a few simple steps, you can avoid them.

When pasta came to Norway: “We thought it was a vegetable”

Today, most Norwegians eat pasta dishes for dinner. But they do it the Norwegian way, which is quite far from the Italian way.

Why aren't the new Nordic dietary guidelines more explicit in warning against ultra-processed food?

Researchers believe clearer advice could have influenced the food industry and reduced lifestyle diseases.

This way of washing your summer berries removes the most parasites

Isn’t it enough to just rinse them in water? Researchers have done some tests and found some answers.

Norwegian health authorities: Not aware of research indicating that aspartame is dangerous

Rumours are circulating that the WHO will add the substance to the list of carcinogenic agents. Yet another study has now confirmed that there is no link between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and cancer risk in the general population.

Ultra-processed foods increase the risk of cancer, according to researchers

Norwegian researchers have found that ultra-processed foods can increase the risk of certain types of cancer by 50 per cent.

Norwegians eat 120 sausages a year

Although sausages have existed in Norway since the Middle Ages, it wasn’t until the 1950s that we got the wiener sausage.

How to safely grow food plants at home

Growing green plants in the kitchen garden has become popular. But what is safe to sow seeds in, when the result will be eaten?

Even chickens can de-stress with a good bath

Stressed chickens have pain, become sicker and lay fewer eggs. Food and animal welfare are at stake when researchers help the birds cope with stress.

Tasting 16-day-old fish is just one of many tasks supertaster Kristin has done for researchers

Meet the supertasters on a normal day at work.

Why do we drink coffee in the morning?

In the past, people drank beer and spirits for breakfast.

Why are some people so picky when it comes to food?

ASK A RESEARCHER: Some people pick at their food and don't like fish and vegetables. What's the problem?

How cloves from Indonesia and dates from the Middle East became part of Norwegian Christmas food

Cloves, cinnamon, ginger and figs were already being consumed in Norway during the Middle Ages. But these exotic goods probably only became a Christmas tradition at the end of the 19th century.

People don't want plastic around their food. Here’s how researchers can solve this problem.

Several approaches are being studied. Fish scales can be made into plastic, or we can go back to paper and cardboard.

How can we know if food additives are safe?

The food authorities tell us that the additives in our food are harmless. Yet, an additive was recently banned after a long period of use. How can that be?

They said lab-grown meat was the future. So how come it's still not on our dinner tables?

Billions of dollars have been invested in cultured meat, but to date no one has been able to cultivate it in large enough quantities. Now Norwegian researchers will try their hand.

What should astronauts eat on long trips?

Plants grown in space must be part of a closed system.

Can animal bones become food for humans?

Researchers in Bergen on the west coast of Norway lowered animal bones into the sea to create more sustainable food.

This is how you can prevent food allergies in your children

Infants who received small portions of peanuts, milk, wheat and eggs from the age of three months had a lower risk of developing a food allergy when they were three years old compared to a control group.

Robots ensure more and better vegetables to eat with fewer toxins to harm the environment

Robots are taking over Norwegian vegetable fields. The AX-1 robot ensures better crops with fewer herbicides.

How likely is it that food can give you an autoimmune disease like diabetes, celiac disease or arthritis?

One popular explanation as to why there’s been a sharp increase in autoimmune diseases is changes in our diet. But diet is only one of many factors that can be important, according to a Norwegian researcher.

Is this Norway's new national dish?

A couple of decades ago, Norwegians thought tacos were exotic and exciting. Now 80 per cent eat tacos and other Tex-Mex food more than once a month.

Children who are vegan may have as healthy a diet as kids who eat meat

A new report on vegetarian and vegan diets affirms that these diets are healthy. But children who eat vegan diets must be given important supplements.

Is organic food healthier than other foods?

There seem to be some differences between organically and conventionally grown foods, but the health effects are uncertain.

Serving up edible kelp to Michelin restaurants and supermarkets

An entrepreneurial company called Seaweed Solutions is now harvesting more than 100 tonnes of nutritious kelp from a seaweed farm off the coast of central Norway. The seaweed is being sold to food producers in Europe. “This industry will be big,” says an independent researcher.

What type of food will you need when you get sick or old?

Imagine that you have difficulty chewing your food because you have poor chewing and swallowing functions – this is the situation for many elderly and sick people. A personalised fish soup that has a high protein content is a good solution to this problem. It tastes great, is nutritious, requires little chewing and is easy to swallow.

At one point fish packaging even told you who caught the fish you just bought

Pictures of fish packaging, taken over several years in the 2000s, show that clear changes have been made regarding the information given to consumers about the fish they buy.

Cheaper diet soda weakened sales of sugary soda

People choose diet soda over soda with sugar more often if the price is lower and diet soda is the most accessible, according to a new study. Marketing professor says stores will keep putting products with the highest profit margins in the best locations.

Patients demand testing of three food additives

Several studies suggest that some additives can cause intestinal inflammation and worsen intestinal diseases. Now the Norwegian National Association against Digestive Diseases wants the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to encourage caution until there is documentation that the substances are safe.

What did the Vikings really eat?

Norwegian researchers are working to find out more about what the Vikings cooked in their cauldrons.

Norwegians are wasting less food since the coronavirus crisis

One in five Norwegians are throwing away less food than they used to. Many have also gotten better at cooking, a new survey suggests.

More Norwegians want to grow their own food

Norwegians have been buying supplies for their kitchen gardens like never before, but it has not always been so common for the average Norwegian to grow fruits and vegetables.

Emil Korsmo’s goal was to beat back weeds. But the wall charts he made of the bothersome plants were beautiful and popular

Weeds are no longer just plants we want to get rid of. Many people are concerned about biodiversity, while others have become increasingly captivated by harvesting wild plants to eat.

Locally produced food and self-sufficiency remain but a dream for most countries

According to a new Finnish study, almost 80 per cent of the world's population depends on imported food. What does this mean in times of crisis?

Food fraud: Do you really know what fish species you are eating?

When you buy fish from a store, or when you are served a fish dish in a restaurant, you expect to get what the label says or to eat what you ordered. Unfortunately, the reality is sometimes far from expectations.

Norway's first onshore sea urchin farm up and running

Sea urchin farming could give Norway a new export commodity for gourmet restaurants in Europe and Asia, and help to save the kelp forests on Norway’s coastal seabed.

Matured cheese and ham - yes please, but what about matured clipfish?

A Norwegian google search for "matured food" displays results for balsamic vinegar, cured meat, fermented trout and many types of cheese. Why isn’t clipfish on the list?

Environment vs Convenience; who wins in the supermarket?

OPINION: Recent research shows that focussing on the environment and convenience wins consumers. But who wins when we actually shop?

Bring the boys into the kitchen!

Boys are less involved in the preparation of food than girls are, according to a survey Nofima carried out among preschool children. If boys are encouraged to cook or prepare food more often, it can help improve equality and public health in a dietary perspective in the future.

Cooking fumes can create respiratory problems for chefs

Cooks live less long on average than people in most other occupational groups. Changes in their working environment could result in better health for many.

Pensioners unknowingly subsidise groceries for young and wealthy

High-income families in Oslo get cheaper food at the expense of those in rural areas who are unable to use apps or unwilling to disclose their consumer habits. Apps that give discounts create new economic disparities.

Sports drinks from fish heads

In a couple of years you might drink some fish parts after exercising at a gym.

Deciphering the confusing language of food expiry dates

The world wastes a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes of edible food annually, some of which is due to confusion over expiry dates. ScienceNordic helps you figure out what to eat and what to toss.

Why omega-3 lowers risk of disease

Norwegian scientists have uncovered new information about how omega-3 fatty acids actually work. Proteins that are misfolded accumulate like garbage in body cells and they can lead to diseases. Omega-3 helps cells remove such harmful proteins.

Could we eat like scavengers?

Dogs eat all kinds of nasty things, and vultures eat carcasses that are long dead. Could we eat rotten food if we heat treated it beforehand?

Milk is a poor preventer of osteoporosis

Elderly people with calcium-rich diets are not better protected against broken bones.

Danes devise the draught beer app

Danish students have come up with a smart phone beer app they call “Ghostbar”.

When science promoted sugar as healthy

Studies in the 1970s showed that people couldn’t get overweight or develop cardiovascular diseases from consumption of carbohydrates such as sugar. A Norwegian professor thinks we are still paying for this mistake.

Doctor of hollandaise

Not too much heat, whisk well, and make sure you use enough water. Then you’re on your way to a good butter sauce.

For Norwegians, healthy food and animal welfare are more important than prices

They want the incomes of farmers to be in line with other social groups – and they shy away from GMOs.

Food security hinges on climate adaptation

Climate change can have a devastating effect on agriculture in many regions. But much can be done to ensure future food supplies for everyone.

Arctic agriculture needs new crops

Countries in the far north need to cultivate new varieties of crops if they hope to main local food production.

More fish found deeper in the ocean

The amount of fish in the world is being reassessed upwards. Some ten billion tonnes of fish that live at depths down to a kilometre are not fished at all. A University of Bergen professor thinks this biomass will be much more important for humankind in the future.

Spawning cod packed with vitamins

Cod migrate from the Barents Sea to the Lofoten Islands in North Norway to spawn every winter. The fishing season for these large spawning cod, called skrei in Norwegian, is currently open. A traditional North Norwegian serving of the fish is a super source of vitamin D.