Urban food deserts – areas where people have low or no access to food shops – exist in major cities, according to research published in the open access publication International Journal of Health Geographics, with important implications for public health policies.

Jamie Oliver and Sainsbury’s team up to put affordable nutritious meals for four on the table for a fiver.“Feed your family for a fiver” drive, fronted by Jamie Oliver, offers hearty, nutritious recipe ideas for families of four. Sainsbury’s offers fresh meal ideas with ingredients at better than 100-year-old prices.

The latest spate of meat recalls due to E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella contamination might have consumers wondering about the safety of their meat products.

In a finding likely to get cheese lovers talking, researchers in Nepal and Canada report that yak cheese contains higher levels of heart-healthy fats than cheese from dairy cattle, and may be healthier.

The University of Leicester's varied research into the causes and effects of obesity - in machines as well as humans.

Scientists in Arkansas are reporting new evidence that natural pigments responsible for the beautiful blue/purple/reddish color of certain fruits and vegetables may help prevent obesity.

Although food prices rose 4.8% last year, eating nutritiously is still well within reach of the American family, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics. Analysis done by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) indicates that families could, in fact, spend even less on food than what they currently spend and eat a healthier more nutritious diet.

According to researchers at the University of Minnesota, the food industry has made progress in reducing the trans fat content in its products since a 2003 labeling mandate by the Food and Drug Administration, but consumers should still read labels to be certain the products are trans fat-free.

Apples, bananas, and oranges are the most common fruits in both Western and Asian diets, and are important sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A new study in the Journal of Food Science explores the additional health benefits of these fruits and reveals they also protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease.

Otherwise-healthy adults who eat two or more servings of meat a day — the equivalent of two burger patties — increase their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 25 percent compared with those who eat meat twice a week, according to research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Batches of homemade chicken soup — fondly known as “Grandma’s Penicillin” — will be more appealing to stuffy-nosed cold and flu victims this winter if prepared with plenty of celery.

Wishing your Valentine good heart health on February 14 — and throughout 2008" Then consider the food some people love to hate, and hand over a gift bag of broccoli along with that heart-shaped box of chocolates.