A little food trivia

A little bit of misc. food trivia gathered from around the net.

According to the Kellogg Company, in 1952 they held a contest to see who would represent their new cereal called 'Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes of Corn.' The contestants were Katy the Kangaroo, Elmo the Elephant, Newt the Gnu and Tony the Tiger. It was a close race with Katy and Tony sharing the front of the box at first. Eventually Tony was the clear winner and in 1953 became the sole spokes-person for the cereal. Tony Jr. (originally referred to as 'boy', and later as 'son') made appearances along with Tony Sr.
Source: foodreference.com

TRIVIA QUESTION: Thought to have originated in India, I was probably introduced to China during the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220). My arrival in the New World came somewhat later, as Columbus introduced me to Haiti in 1494. I am a popular addition to salads in western cooking, and am the main ingredient in a type of English sandwich. However, the Chinese normally do not eat me raw, preferring to add me to stir-fries. I am also quite popular pickled. What am I?
TRIVIA ANSWER: Cucumber, or Cucumis sativis to use its scientific name. Cucumbers have long been a favorite with many cultures, including the ancient Romans. The expression "cool as a cucumber" apparently comes from English physicians advising patients to lie on cucumbers, in the mistaken belief that this would lower their fever. Nutritionally, cucumbers are an excellent source of Vitamin A.
Source: about.com

-Grapefruit got its name because they often grow in bunches on the tree. Typically, fruits are scattered throughout the tree.
-Choking on food is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
-Besieged by customer requests, Cleveland restaurant owner Hector Boiardi decided to bottle his famous spaghetti and meat sauce. With local success came an offer national distribution, but, fearing that Americans would have trouble pronouncing his Italian last name, he marketed and sold his food under the phonetic spelling, "Boy-ar-dee."
-Eighteen ounces of an average cola drink contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
-The candies most likely to cause tooth decay are dark chocolate and fudge. Those least likely to damage the teeth are nut- or coconut covered candies.
-Popcorn pops because of the moisture content inside the shell. Each kernel of corn consists of a soft starch inside and a hard shell outside. As the kernel is heated, the moisture inside the kernel expands, the soft starch is cooked, and it bursts the outer shell with a pop. The kernels must contain at least 13.5% water in order to explode.
-Peanut butter was invented by St. Louis physician Ambrose Straub, who, concerned about the nutrition of his elderly, toothless patients, concocted a health-food product that was high in protein and easily digestible.
Source: mindlesscrap.com