foods

A viral video showing a woman freezing her açaí bowl to get it past security has sparked a warning from experts, who say the hack could lead to a £5,000 fine for UK travellers

Social media, particularly TikTok, has emerged as a breeding ground for so-called “travel hacks.” Holidaymakers frequently rely on content creators for guidance on maximising their flights and hotel experiences.

Nevertheless, much of the guidance discovered online should be approached with considerable scepticism, particularly when it doesn’t originate from a qualified professional. This has proven true with one passenger’s footage, which has captured the attention of travellers and has now been viewed more than a million times.

In the footage, she demonstrates how she smuggles her açaí bowl through airport security: by freezing it before placing it in her hand luggage, reports the Express.

The post sparked confusion in the comments section, with one viewer questioning: “Wait, how did you get this through security?”, and another cautioning: “Pretty sure this is still considered a liquid.”

Now, travel specialists are offering their verdict – and they have one stark warning.

According to Amanda Parker, spokesperson for Netflights, freezing açaí bowls or similar liquids to stop security screening isn’t merely ineffective – it could lead to your snack being seized or, worse still, a substantial penalty.

“According to official government guidelines, you’re not allowed to carry frozen items in your hand luggage,” the travel expert clarified.

“Even though this açaí bowl is frozen, it’s still considered a liquid and security will treat it as a liquid.

“Your treat may start to thaw when you pass through airport security, and if it exceeds the 100 ml liquid limit, it’ll be going straight in the bin. Plus, the spillage while you carry it, not worth the hassle.”

And the danger doesn’t stop at security checks, as travellers jetting back to the UK could find their bowl’s contents triggering alarm bells with customs officials.

Numerous favourite toppings and ingredients – from dairy products to seeds and fresh fruit – violate UK border regulations.

“There are restrictions on bringing food back to the UK, too. Meat, dairy, fish, fruit, veg, nuts and seeds are all no-nos,” Amanda cautioned. “You could face a £5,000 fine if you break these rules.

“As açaí bowls are normally topped with nuts and seeds, plus they’re dairy, it’s important not to freeze your açaí bowl for your flight home to the UK, as you could pay the price.”

Shares of leading private-label snacking and beverages manufacturer TreeHouse Foods (THS 3.47%) rose 31% this week as of 2 p.m. ET on Friday, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Octus, a global financial intelligence firm, learned that private equity firm Investindustrial was working on trying to acquire the beleaguered packaged foods company for $3 billion.

This news sent shares rocketing higher, following the stock’s decline from $40 to just $15 over the last year.

Image source: Getty Images.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire?

While these types of M&A (mergers and acquisitions) updates are often speculative at best, there may be reason to believe in this potential bid.

In 2022, Investindustrial purchased a large portion of TreeHouse Foods’ meal preparation business for $950 million. So there is a history between the two.

One possible scenario could be that Investindustrial saw success from its previous deal and is coming back for seconds with TreeHouse’s stock cratering.

Now trading with an EV-to-EBITDA (enterprise value-to-earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) ratio of 8, TreeHouse is quite reasonably valued, even with its minimal growth rates.

Furthermore, the company is home to a portfolio of steady private label categories, such as baked snacks, tea and coffee, broth, hot cereal, powdered beverages, refrigerated dough, and pickles.

As private-label brands continue to grow market share in the consumer-packaged goods category — and remain popular among Gen Z and millennial shoppers — a well-priced buyout could make a lot of sense for InvestIndustrial.

For investors currently holding the stock, I would leave the arbitrage opportunity to the traders and move on from the debt-heavy, low-growth business. Its valuation is appealing, but it might be better off left to private equity to turn around.

The findings come as Robert F Kennedy Jr advances plans to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ under President Donald Trump.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has released the summary of a new survey confirming that ultra-processed foods make up a majority of Americans’ caloric intake.

The study, published on Thursday, involved tracking the meals and snacks of Americans from August 2021 to August 2023.

During that period, 55 percent of the calories consumed by Americans came from ultra-processed foods, according to a mean calculated by the survey authors.

That number was even higher for younger people involved in the study. Youths ranging from age one to 18 reported that nearly 62 percent of their diet was highly processed. That number dipped to 53 percent among adults over age 19.

Ultra-processed foods are common and can take a variety of forms, from pre-packaged snacks, frozen foods and bottled soda drinks.

But Thursday’s findings are likely to add fuel to a campaign under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr to reform the US diet, as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign (MAHA).

Just one day before the latest CDC numbers were published, Kennedy used his social media account to once again blame high-calorie, processed foods for a variety of ailments.

“Genes don’t cause epidemics. They may provide a vulnerability, but you need an environmental toxin — and we know what it is. It’s sugar and ultra-processed foods,” Kennedy wrote on the platform X on Wednesday.

Studies have repeatedly shown links between highly processed foods and detrimental health conditions like obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Kennedy, however, has been criticised for seeking “environmental toxins” to explain conditions like autism, which researchers largely believe to result from a variety of factors, including genetic ones.

Thursday’s survey results are part of a long-running study tracking what American adults and children eat and drink on a daily basis through interviews, body measurements and laboratory testing.

Known as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the study has its limitations: Interviews rely on self-reported food consumption, for instance.

But its origins stretch back to the 1960s, and since 1999, the study has continued without interruption, according to the CDC. About 5,000 people take part each year.

In the latest edition of the survey, researchers found that income played a significant role in how much ultra-processed foods were consumed per household. High-income groups corresponded with lower mean percentages of highly processed foods consumed.

This was particularly pronounced among adults. For those whose salaries were equivalent to 3.5 times the federal poverty level or more, a mean of 50.4 percent of their diet was comprised of processed foods.

That number rose to 54.7 percent for those whose incomes were slightly above, at or below the federal poverty level.

The survey also identified the primary culinary culprits behind Americans’ consumption of highly processed foods.

Sandwiches, including burgers, were the highest source of ultra-processed foods, comprising 7.6 percent of the calories consumed by youth and 8.6 percent for adults. Sweet bakery foods were the next highest category, at 6.3 percent for minors and 5.2 percent for adults.

Sweetened beverages and savoury snacks were also prominent sources of calories.

But the study did contain some positive news, showing that the mean consumption of ultra-processed foods had decreased.

In the survey period from 2013 to 2014, adults consumed a mean of 55.8 percent of their calories from highly processed items. But by the current period, that number slid to 53 percent.

Del Monte’s losses have piled up as consumers choose healthier or cheaper alternatives.

Del Monte Foods, the 139-year-old company best known for its canned fruits and vegetables, is filing for bankruptcy protection as consumers in the United States increasingly bypass its products for healthier or cheaper options.

Del Monte announced the bankruptcy filing late Tuesday.

Del Monte, which also owns the Contadina tomato brand, College Inn and Kitchen Basics broth brands and the Joyba bubble tea brand, has secured $912.5m in debtor-in-possession financing that will allow it to operate normally as the sale progresses.

The Walnut Creek, California-based brand has assets and liabilities ranging from $1bn to $10bn, according to a filing in a New Jersey bankruptcy court.

“After a thorough evaluation of all available options, we determined a court-supervised sale process is the most effective way to accelerate our turnaround and create a stronger and enduring Del Monte Foods,” CEO Greg Longstreet said in a statement.

The company has seen sales growth of Joyba and broth in the 2024 fiscal year, but not enough to offset weaker sales of Del Monte’s signature canned products.

“Consumer preferences have shifted away from preservative-laden canned food in favour of healthier alternatives,” Sarah Foss, global head of legal and restructuring at Debtwire, a financial consultancy, told the news agency The Associated Press.

Grocery inflation also caused consumers to seek out cheaper store brands. Last month, the consumer price index report showed a 0.3 percent increase in the price of food and 2.2 percent compared with this time last year.

Another blow is expected from US President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariff on imported steel. This went into effect in June and will also push up the price that Del Monte and others pay for cans.

Del Monte Foods, which is owned by Singapore’s Del Monte Pacific, was also hit with a lawsuit last year by a group of lenders that objected to the company’s debt restructuring plan. The case was settled in May with a loan that increased Del Monte’s interest expenses by $4m annually, according to a company statement.

Del Monte’s stock is about even from the market open, and it is up 4.62 percent over the last five days.