Nine To Noon for Monday 17 April 2023

09:05 Caution urged over the safety of food grown in a lab

International food scientists are urging caution over the safe production of cell-based food, so what does this mean for futuristic food producers here? Growing animal protein directly from cell cultures is developing as a sustainable alternative to conventional meat.  However, a World Health Organisation report has identified a list of potential hazards related to lab-based food production, urging attention to the safety of ingredients, including potential allergens, and equipment used which is unique to cell-based food production. The Food Safety Aspects of Cell-based Food report identifies possible hazards in the cell sourcing, production, harvesting and processing stages.  Also the dangers inherent in inconsistencies of terminology. Kathryn speaks with Professor of Food Science at the University of Otago, Phil Bremer, who is also Chief Scientist for the New Zealand Food Safety Science Research Centre, where the WHO report is being welcomed as a blueprint for the New Zealand arm of the industry to develop new opportunities in a way that protects Kiwi consumers and our export industry.

09:30 Do babies need their own seat on a plane?

In an era where we wouldn't dream of letting an infant travel in a car without putting them in a carseat or capsule, why do we do it on planes? It's a question being raised by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA in the United States, which is pressing for a law change that would require all passengers, regardless of age, to occupy a seat on an airplane with a restraint. The rules in the US don't require babies to be restrained at all - although the FAA does recommend it. In New Zealand the CAA requires - at a minimum - children to be held by an adult while tethered to them with a "supplementary loop belt". These type of restraints are banned in the US; a 2015 advisory from the FAA said "during dynamic testing, the forward flailing of the adult and child resulted in severe body impacts against the forward seat".  Severe turbulence is set to become more common as a result of climate change, so is it time for airlines and regulators to consider how best to protect their smallest passengers? Kathryn speaks to Barbara Dunn, a Vancouver-based air safety expert who was a flight attendant for 30 years.

09:45 Europe: Germany's nuclear power gone, Macron signs pension law

Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney joins Kathryn to talk about Germany switching off its last three nuclear power plants as it pushes ahead with promises to become a full user of renewable energy by 2035. How does the public feel about it though? France has its new pension law - despite so much opposition. Where does it leave Emmanuel Macron in the opinion polls? And Spain's prime minister has been forced to apologise for a loophole in a new sexual violence law, which has led to reduced sentences and early releases for close to 1000 sex offenders.

10:05 If we can't save Antarctica, we can't save ourselves

Australian marine biologist Nerida Wilson has four species named after her including a bright green sea slug. She was part of a team that discovered a new species of sea dragon, the ruby seadragon which is only known to exist in Australian coastal water. She has led  an expedition to the underwater canyons found at Ningaloo Reef, which is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, and has Antarctic Service Medal from the United States Antarctic Programme. Dr Wilson is the  manager of the molecular systematics unit at Western Australia Museum and she's particularly enamoured with nudibranchs, describing the sea slug as the the marine world's equivalent of the butterfly.

 

Here's some sea dragon footage.

 

10:35 Book review: Phosphorescence by Julia Baird

David Hill reviews Phosphorescence by Julia Baird, published by HarperCollins

10:45 Around the motu: Tess Brunton in Dunedin

RNZ reporter Tess Brunton updates Kathryn on the situation with the Gore mayoralty, the government reversal to $10m in cuts to Dunedin's new hospital and the Taieri landowners who are fighting Dunedin City Council plans to classify their land as flood hazard zone. 

11:05 Political commentators Jones & Morten

Neale and Brigitte join Kathryn to talk about the rebrand of Three Waters and the increase in entities from four to ten, Covid isolation rules are set to stay, the Cabinet gender parity and the report into the Auckland flood emergency response. 

Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of public affairs firm Capital.

Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks & Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government. 

 

11:30 Everything's better with butter

Auckland pastry chef, Petra Galler dreams of owning a cake shop. She has worked in various restaurants here and abroad, and until recently she worked at Peter Gordon's Homeland cooking school and dining room in the Wynyard Quarter. Now branching out on her own, she's just written her first cook book - Butter, Butter - sometimes more is more. Butter, Butter contains contains recipes inspired by Petra's Jewish heritage including Challah bread and reflects the flavours of the Middle East in pastry delights including Knafeh. 

 

 

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kennedy has his eyes on the Pacific, and the endeavours of two Australians who have been bitten by the rowing bug across the great ocean. He'll also look at the growing concern over whether island nations are being set up as the new "sacrifice zone" in the geopolitical jostling for dominance in Oceania.

Music played in this show

Track: Seventeen
Artist: Sharon van Etten featuring Norah Jones
Time Played: 09:30  

Track: Something Stupid
Artist: Nancy & Frank Sinatra 
Time Played: 10:40

Track: The Edge
Artist: David McCallum
Time Played: 10:43