New nosh at the ACC, urine is the secret to top tomatoes, chicken trade war turns foul

• Don’t shoo that hobo off your tomato garden just yet. Urine may be the secret to growing luscious tomatoes, according to researchers from the University of Kuopio in Finland. The researchers managed to quadruple tomato plant yields by fertilizing them with urine, bringing them up to par with far costlier mineral-fertilized plants. The urine-fed tomatoes also contained more protein and were safe for human consumption. One researcher clarified that the “technology” is relatively simple, as urine can be easily collected. [Times of India]

• Chicken feet may be giving China cold feet in its threat to initiate a trade war with the U.S. While China is toying with the notion of cutting off imports of American chicken, poultry experts say that the Chinese are far too enamoured with the juicy, ample-sized chicken feet they get from the States to follow through on their word. [New York Times]

• Yet another reason to avoid fast food: a new study by the UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has shown that fat molecules from foods like hamburgers and ice cream head to the brain, where they prevent natural appetite-suppressing chemicals from forming for up to three days. Talk about a vicious cycle. [National Post]

• A New York Times columnist has hyped the benefits of a little-known technique for prolonging the life of freshly picked berries, which often go mouldy overnight. The most effective method he’s tried, he says, is to quickly douse the berries in hot water (up to 60 degrees Celsius or so), which kills off mould. The technique, known as thermotherapy, can also cause mouldy spots to disappear. [New York Times]