Appetizers

Here’s a taste of what’s cooking in the world of nutrition:

People who ascribe to a
calorie-restricted food plan are touting the merits of Quorn,
a patented and concentrated form of protein that is extremely low in calories; this wonder morsel is grown in fermentation tanks from a cultured strain of
a soil mold and can be used in place of soy products as a meat substitute.

British scientists have engineered the world’s first artificial stomach, a high-tech box that physically simulates the digestive process; it has half the capacity of
a human stomach and can hold up to 24 ounces of food.

People with diabetes who
are looking for advice on food selections can now click on www.diabeticfood
critic.com, created by someone with the condition; the site rates foods based on the fingerprick readings used to test blood sugar levels.

Where else but in Hollywood would you expect to find what’s
being billed as the first American dark-dining restaurant? Opaque,
a banquet room in the Hyatt West Hollywood Hotel,
features waiters trained
by the Braille Institute who serve diners in total darkness.