USDA: Food Prices Expected to Climb as Much as 4.5%

The U.S. government said food prices are expected to climb 3.5% to 4.5% in 2011 as higher commodity costs continue to filter down to consumers.

Bullish on Whiskey

Bottles of whiskey from long-demolished distilleries (many of which were closed during the recession of the 1980s) could be just as solid as wine as an investment.

blood cash·ews

blood cash·ews (noun): Nuts processed by inmates enduring human rights abuses at Vietnamese forced labor camps.

The term is an analogy to blood diamonds (or conflict diamonds), precious gems that are sold in order to fund armed conflict and civil war.

Time magazine reported on allegations made in a report by Human Rights Watch about the production of blood cashews in Vietnam:

First there were blood diamonds from the Congo. Then blood rubies from Burma. Could blood cashews from Vietnam be next?

That's one implication of a new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report that claims cashew nuts and other Vietnamese exports are produced by drug addicts detained in forced-labor camps across the country. Those who refuse to work are beaten with truncheons, given electric shocks, locked in isolation, deprived of food and water, and obliged to work even longer hours, the report says. Joseph Amon, director of the New York City–based organization's health and human-rights division, says what's happening at the centers "constitutes torture under international law."

EU Proposes Limits on Bloated Bacon

New EU rules are being proposed that would limit added water in bacon to 5%.

Whole Animal Feasts: A Boon to Restaurants

The popularity of whole animal dinners (whole pig, whole duck, etc.) is a win-win for resaturants.

Starbucks Cafes in Chile Face Possible Strike

Starbucks cafes in Chile remain open despite the threat of a strike by union employees demanding pay increases and more benefits.

UK Organic Food Sales Drop

Sales of organic food, drink, and textiles in UK have fallen by 5.9% as producers struggle against a downturn in demand.

India Invests in Olives

Despite desert conditions, India's northern Rajasthan state is testing olive cultivation in a $3 million pilot project to boost agriculture.

Crunching Credit Card Transactions into Restaurant Recommendations

Startup Bundle.com, a spinoff of Citigroup, will analyze billions of credit card transactions to offer restaurant recommendations based on buying habits.

Maximizing Your Salad Bar Utilization

"Too much dressing will weigh down your value proposition" and other tips from Nate Silver to maximize your salad bar experience.