Local apple production looks set to drop by 6 per cent this year because of a cool start to spring, but a warm summer has improved the crop's quality, says Pipfruit New Zealand.

A big spike in the cost of raw materials has put pressure on chocolate makers - as Cadbury was quick to point out when it announced plans this week to reduce block sizes by 10 per cent.

Chocolate company Whittaker's say they won't be following Cadbury and reducing the size of their bars.

Only 200 bottles of 'Big Mac in a bottle' are being produced

Cadbury is cutting the size of its chocolate blocks, citing manufacturing costs and a preference not to increase the price.

Fast food has been taken to a whole new level at KFC with the Double Down Dog - a hot dog wrapped in a cheese-stuffed chicken breast, smothered in cheese sauce.

"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.

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.

Our Food, Your Questions: McDonald's has given the Herald an exclusive look at the questions being asked by consumers here.

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.

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.

A tiny rural Waikato town wants to establish itself as the "North Island's premier food technology hub".

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?".