Our tech writer at CBC.ca, Pete Nowak, talks with John Buchanan, director of research and development for AquaBounty, in a Q&A about the company's new breed of salmon that have been genetically engineered to grow faster. Buchanan addresses consumers' concerns about genetically modified foods, regulatory hurdles the company is trying to clear, and the state of biotech research.

For the consumer curious about modified milk ingredients, puzzled about food colouring, and concerned about hydrogenated palm oils, we've put together a new feature that examines the lists of ingredients for different products.

With Father's Day on the horizon, we've posted a Shaun Smith Cookbook Club entry featuring barbecued burger recipes. Smith interviews authors Ted Reader (who recently made headlines for his largest cheeseburger bid), Lukas Volger, and James McNair. He also shares his own recipe for rib eye burgers.

Much has been written about the backyard chicken debate in recent weeks, with supporters and critics actively debating the pros and cons.

Readers weighed in on the debate in the comments section of a recent feature, we posted and discussed issues including cleanliness, noise and co-ops.

We raised some of these concerns with Lesley Kelly, author of The Little Chicken Book, in an email interview. Kelly moved to Toronto 10 years ago and raises chickens and ducks. She says she decided to raise backyard chickens in part because she wanted her daughter to know about from where her food comes. Kelly shares her tips on raising backyard chickens and also discusses some curious characteristics of chickens in the following interview.

Planning the menu for an Oscar party? You might consider seeking a little inspiration from photographer David Gartner's Flickr stream in which he's cast some of the nominated films in a culinary spotlight.

By Tara Kimura, CBCNews.ca

Emergency aid is trickling into Haiti and the UN World Food Program says that food aid will be distributed shortly. Reports from the region are grim - many survivors have been without food or clean water for 2 1/2 days and many people are desperate for supplies.

By Tara Kimura, CBCNews.ca

I thought I knew a thing or two about latkes but I will admit now, my depth of understanding was shallow. My unearned confidence was based primarily on a few sublime experiences, mostly in New York diners. I prided myself on being something of a latke connoisseur – able to size up a restaurant in advance, determining whether the latke produced would be rubbery or crisp, savoury or uninspired. The most contentious latke consideration, I thought mistakenly, revolved around the sour cream versus applesauce side options.

By Tara Kimura, CBCNews.ca

We've posted a new Cookbook Club feature in our consumer section. In this installment, Shaun Smith interviews the winners of the Canadian Culinary Book Awards. Also included are recipes for Acadian meat pies, almond brie croutons on apple-dressed spinach, and Dai carrot salad.

By Tara Kimura, CBCNews.ca

For those who may have missed it, earlier this week we posted Shaun Smith's Cookbook Club on harvest-inspired recipes. Smith looks at recipes from food columnist Mark Bittman and chefs Jeff Crump and Jean-Pierre Challet.

By Tara Kimura, CBCNews.ca

In the corner of Portland's cramped Voodoo Doughnut sits a glass showcase, stuffed with round cakey doughnuts topped with thick layers of shiny icing and toppings including crisp bacon and sugar cereals.

Buzz about the famed eatery had prompted my friend and me to trek across town, despite warnings from the hotel concierge that the place was both a hole in the wall and situated in what he deemed a sketchy part of town. For a moment I wondered if we should indeed go, thinking that perhaps the sweet treats were overrated delicacies consumed by tourists alone.