Liz MC via flickr

Greek yogurt with granola

Greek yogurt is one of the biggest food fads of the last few years. People love the stuff, and it has grown rapidly to a billion-dollar business. But could all that Greek yogurt be dangerous for the environment?

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Flickr/Spigoo

Genetically engineered cows?

In what some might see as a disturbing moove move in the whole Frankenfood trend, cows in New Zealand have been genetically engineered to produce hypoallergenic milk. The target consumer is the 1.3 million children with milk allergies (which apparently includes nauseous young Justin Bieber).

(What kids would really like to see: Cows genetically engineered to produce chocolate milk.)

Researchers at the University of Waikato messed with cows' RNA (the acid that passes DNA's genetic instructions to proteins) to select for genes that would decrease the cows' output of BLG, a protein to which 2-3% of humans are allergic, according to the study.

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Flickr/Michael Bentley

a last spoonful of yogurt

People who ate yogurt once every three days had significantly lower blood pressure than those who didn't eat yogurt, according to a new study reported in MedPage Today.

In fact, they were 31% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who ate no yogurt at all, Huifen Wang, Ph.D., of Tufts University, and colleagues found.

"Yogurt is a nutrient-dense, low-fat dairy product," the researchers said. "Higher yogurt intake, as part of a healthy diet pattern, may be beneficial for blood pressure control and hypertension prevention."

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Flickr/photofarmer

Baby lettuce heads

People who purchase organic food because they think it is more nutritious just got handed their heads of lettuce on a platter by Stanford University scientists. In a recent study, the researchers found that not only is organic food not better for you, it is not even any less prone to bacterial contamination than corresponding conventionally grown foods, USA Today reports. An apple is an apple is an apple, as Gertrude Stein would say.

The new study -- a systematic review of prior research that pooled the findings from over 200 papers -- was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It included fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains, dairy, poultry and meat. Researchers did find that consumption of organic fruits and vegetables reduced exposure to pesticide residues by about 30%. However, pesticide levels were generally within the allowable limits for safety for the conventionally grown foods.

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Flickr/kthread

Raw milk products have been recalled

Ten California residents have come down with food poisoning -- Campylobacter bacteria infections, to be exact -- after consuming raw milk produced by Fresno County-based Organic Pastures.

Raw milk, raw skim milk (non-fat), raw cream and raw butter produced by the dairy have been recalled and are subject to a quarantine order imposed by California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford, Food Safety News reports. The vet issued the order after Organic Pastures raw cream tested positive for Campylobacter, a bacteria found in fecal matter.

"Consumers are strongly urged to dispose of any Organic Pastures products of these types remaining in their refrigerators, and retailers are to pull those products immediately from their shelves," public health officials wrote in a statement.

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Dairyface

Dairyface is yogurt you put on your skin

Ever since we watched our mother slather raw eggs and mayonnaise on her hair and smashed avocado on her face, the idea of using food as beauty treatment has held a certain appeal. So we were kind of excited to try Dairyface, a new line of skincare products that looks like cartons of yogurt (because they basically are cartons of yogurt) that you keep in the fridge.

The yogurt-based "skin refreshers" are mixed with various oils, herbs and pre- and pro-biotics. They contain no preservatives, additives or synthetics, and they come in five varieties: Lavender Lovely (lavender, citrus, olive, jasmine and blackcurrant oils and Mediterranean herbs), Peppermint Crème (peppermint oil), Glad Allover (dried orange peel and orange, chamomile, jasmine and grapefruit oils), Green Tea Magic (olive, almond, apricot and avocado oils and green tea) and Eye Caramba (olive and avocado oils and parsley).

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screenshot of Got Milk ad

Recently, actress Salma Hayek was announced as the latest celebrity to be milk-mustached by the Milk Processor Education Program, otherwise known as the "Got Milk" people. Hayek's ads will promote the new The Breakfast Project campaign, which touts milk as key to a good breakfast. In the commercial, Hayek makes an attempt to go straight to the source to get her milk. Which is kind of where we go to for breakfast inspiration: the farmer's market.

According to consumer research firm NPD group, one in 10 Americans skips breakfast, mostly because they don't have the time to prepare it. And although most of us are fully aware of the benefits of the first meal (and second, and fifth...), it can still be a struggle not to run out of the house in the morning on an empty stomach. So in solidarity with Salma, turn the page for our top five quick farmers market-inspired breakfast ideas. (And the video.)

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Flickr/grongar

Organic Pastures raw milk has been quarantined in California.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has upheld its recall of raw milk products, even though the dairy demanded the quarantine be lifted, saying tests show its milk is pathogen-free, according to the Associated Press.

Three children were hospitalized with E. coli infections after drinking Organic Pastures raw milk. The California Department of Public Health said the most recent one became ill on Oct. 25.

The state Department of Food and Agriculture announced the recall and quarantine Tuesday, even though the agency said lab samples of Organic Pastures raw milk had not detected the strain of E. coli that sickened the children. Samples of the milk consumed by the children also didn't reveal E. coli.

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Screenshot of Alton Brown's Twitter page