Credit: Food Business News 06.18.2025By Jeff Gelski

“Grower and food production experts who work daily in food and agriculture would be a resource to corroborate claims or ideas.

Food Tank: “We need to get out of our Silo’s”

Chef Mikey Garahan, Food Production Expert (53 Years/41 States) has been proposing a solution since 2015. My research is based on several studies of mascots used by companies to sell food.

Chef Michael Garahan aka Chef Mikey is our mascot that aligns with scientifically supported healthier choice foods.

Mexico does not allow any mascots on food packaging they deem unhealthy.

In Taylor Brownell’s research study; The influence of brand-equity mascots used by food, beverage, and restaurant companies on the diet of children and parents, she states;

“Brand Mascots can lead to the formation parasocial relationships between character and child, which can influence children to prefer food and beverages associated with the Brand Mascots.”

“Characters with human qualities are more relatable.”

Vivica I. Kraak & Marlene Story (2015)

“Influence of food companies’ brand mascots and entertainment companies’ cartoon media characters on children’s diet and health: A systematic review and research needs”
A peer-reviewed article in Obesity Reviews where Kraak (Kraak, not “Vivia”) and Story examine data from 2000–2014 on how mascots affect children’s eating habits:

• Found that cartoon media characters (like Elmo, McDonald’s Ronald McDonald) can boost children’s intake of both healthy and unhealthy foods—but that familiar characters disproportionately increase consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods researchgate.netvtechworks.lib.vt.edu+3pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+3researchgate.net+3.
• They call for stronger accountability from food companies regarding mascot use vtechworks.lib.vt.edu+4vtechworks.lib.vt.edu+4researchgate.net+4.

“Also, because no one person or organization has all the answers to health ailments affecting our population, allowing greater input via public comment would provide the commission with new ideas and potentially new evidence to improve public health.”

https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/28484-maha-commission-needs-more-transparency-industry-groups-say?utm_source=Sosland+Morning+Brief&utm_medium=Newsletter&oly_enc_id=5889F1244656D3Z

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