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Dirty Dining Diary: Week 1 wrap
So far our brave bellies have held up to the challenge, but we're only one week in. Check out the best and worst of the week.

New cronut burger: Heart-stopping with hints of bacon
Decried as "heart-stopping" by its creators, the Do-Cro burger sandwiches a hamburger patty and slice of processed cheese between two pieces of cronut clones.

Shelley Bridgeman: Do you know what you're eating?
The duplicity in our food supply stretches far wider than most of us ever imagined. All sorts of common (and not so common) foods aren’t quite what they purport to be.

Wendyl wants to know: Something fishy about this classic condiment
This is a very old-fashioned type of product which harks back to the very British- inspired lifestyle when you would have fish paste sandwiches in your lunch box.

Former analyst targets demand for organics with website
Buffy Gill spent years analysing some of New Zealand's major retailers and property firms for the local branch of one of the world's biggest investment banks.

Wendyl wants to know: Fresh beef for thrift but convenience is canned
Buying meat in a can is something we used to do more when it was harder to get fresh meat every day.

Wendyl wants to know: Jury out on drinks containing probiotics
I recently returned from China with some "issues" in the digestive department. I self-diagnosed my problem as having a deficit of good bacteria in my gut and so scanned the supermarket shelves for a product which might change the microflora balance.

Tip Top rolls out natural icecream
Paprika, marigold flowers, spirulina and turmeric are among the natural colours and flavours that from today will replace artificial alternatives in Tip Top icecream.

Wendyl wants to know: Jar of Fluff sets off sugar alarms
I am using this jar of Strawberry Marshmallow Fluff to christen a new food category for my column called "Loud and Proud".

Wendyl wants to know: Mamma mia, it just isn't like real lasagne
I've never come across these before but I'm told that Lasagne Toppers, which are the big version of these, are very popular.

Rare Salmonella found in Whangarei eatery
An unnamed Northland food outlet is being investigated over nine confirmed cases of a rare type of Salmonella.

Wendyl wants to know: Sauce low in fat but high in sugar
Jars of sauces like this can mean that dinner is on the table in a matter of minutes. Just fry some meat, at the sauce and heat until hot.

Wendyl wants to know to know: Cranberry drink has as much sugar as Mars bar
When I reviewed Super Juice and found it had more sugar in it then Coca Cola, the reaction was one of shock as people absorbed the knowledge that something we always thought was healthy - fruit juice - can contain such a mother load of sugar.

Wendyl wants to know: Instant meal brimming with hefty dose of salt
My mission this week was to find instant noodles that my daughter could eat because, apparently, being the daughter of the "processed food lady" is boring, limiting and completely unfair.

Aussie growers dismiss tomato food safety concerns
The debate over importing Australian tomatoes which have been zapped with radiation has been driven by fierce trans-Tasman rivalry rather than legitimate food safety concerns, growers across the ditch say.

Meat reform lobby seeks farmers' support in writing
Organisers of a red meat industry meeting in Christchurch tomorrow are seeking a written mandate from farmers, including a commitment to a possible new entity.

Wendyl wants to know: Not-so-fast convenient food
Each week, Wendyl Nissen takes a packaged food item and decodes what the label tells you about its contents

Eggs smaller, more costly
Easter egg manufacturers are likely making more of a profit this year than in Easters past, an analyst says.

Wendyl Wants to Know: 'Healthy' drink triggers unhealthy sugar alert
Wendyl Nissen discovers that there is more sugar in this 'super juice' per 250ml than there is in Coke.

Wendyl wants to know: Supersized chicken meal less than it looks
Each week, Wendyl Nissen takes a packaged food item and decodes what the label tells you about its contents

What does organic really mean?
Organic jelly beans. Organic potato chips. Organic vodka. "Organic" is a term perceived as healthier than conventional products, no matter what they are

Wendyl wants to know: Stir-in flavouring makes hard work of tasty mash
McCormick Produce Partners Sour Cream & Chive Potato Mash - $1.89 for 40g.

First employer adopts living wage
A Henderson tofu maker has become the first Auckland employer to sign up to the living wage campaign, promising to pay its six factory workers at least $18.40 an hour within a year.

Health researchers call for cap on salt
A public health expert has called on the Government to regulate the amount of salt in commercial foods.

Imagine a fridge that re-stocks itself...
Imagine opening your fridge, discovering you're out of milk but knowing an email has been sent to your local store ordering a fresh bottle.

Horsemeat found in frozen meatballs
Ikea has been drawn into Europe's widening food labelling scandal as authorities said they had detected horse meat in frozen meatballs labelled as beef and pork.