"Irradiated food is anything but fresh," writes Sue Kedgley. So why is the govt bending over backwards to bring more of it in, and remove labels that identify it?

"Potatoes, thank goodness! That's a good start," former Mythbusters host Grant Imahara says as he goes on to reveal the 13 other ingredients contained in the US version of the McDonald's fry.

Consumers have been stopped in their tracks after discovering nasty surprises such as sticking plasters, metal and pieces of glass in their food.

Food poisoning, rates issues, flooding and Dirty Politics have been listed as some of the biggest PR challenges of the past year.

Authorities in New Zealand have issued a warning about unpasteurised milk after the death of an Australian child.

Auckland commuters stuck in motorway traffic might spare a thought for meatworkers who travel more than 17,000km to work in Iceland each year.

New Zealand primary producers need to be prepared to do things differently in a rapidly changing world if they are to retain their place in global food markets, says KPMG.

This product is one of those foods you stare at on the supermarket shelf and wonder why it is there.

When outbreak was linked to a bad batch of lettuce, one Auckland farm was singled out. The owners say they’re fed up with taking the blame for a much wider problem.

The newly appointed Food Safety Minister is refusing to comment on a painful food poisoning epidemic that has swept the country, as the stomach bug's source remains unknown.

Kiwis are very keen on crackers. Everyone likes a quick snack of crackers and cheese, and it should be a healthy snack.

Hopes of a more stable world dairy market were dashed yesterday when GlobalDairyTrade auction prices resumed their downward slide.

Cured meats such as biltong and jerky are becoming increasingly popular because they give you a low-calorie meal of protein which is low in fat and carbohydrate free.

Everyone wants to eat coconut at the moment. I haven't reviewed coconut water because it's basically coconut and water, so not much to say there.

I am a big fan of any food producer that attempts to replace sugar with a natural alternative.

Life & Style Editor Nicky Park serves up the latest in food and booze news around New Zealand. Get your serve.

New Zealand snack food maker Griffin's Foods has been sold to one of Asia's biggest food companies for $700 million.

Everyone knows about carbs these days. People go carb-free in an effort to lose weight, and athletes carb-load before a big event.

Bircher muesli was invented in 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital where a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables was an essential part of therapy.

Wendyl Nissen writes: There's a reason brightly coloured sweets are placed right next to you at the checkout - they're called impulse buys and are designed to make you think "why not?".

I bring raw chicken into the house about twice a year, writes Shelley Bridgeman. And when I do, my kitchen goes into virtual lockdown.

This dip was mentioned to me by a friend who had bought it thinking it was vegetarian.

Andrew and Natalie Vivian like to joke that their chilled ready meal business, Tasty Pot, is their fourth child.

Ponsonby’s Golden Dawn bar has been voted the city’s best in the latest hospitality awards.

I know I'm not the only parent to stand for ages in the cereal aisle of the supermarket looking for a healthy breakfast for my family.

There's so much delicious moving and shaking around New Zealand's culinary scene we wanted to dish it all up in to one big bite of tasty food news.