"We have to confess: When we heard that Twinkies will have nearly double the shelf life, 45 days, when they return to stores next week, our first reaction was -- days? Not years?"

"Urban legend has long deemed Twinkies the cockroaches of the snack food world, a treat that can survive for decades, what humanity would have left to eat come the apocalypse. The true shelf life -- which used to be 26 days -- seems somewhat less impressive by comparison.

While the Twinkie is indeed a highly processed food -- its three dozen or so ingredients include polysorbate 60, sodium stearoyl lactylate and others that could only come from a lab -- it isn't any more so than thousands of other food products out there."

Maria Godoy reports for NPR's The Salt blog July 10, 2013. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Twinkies Will Last Longer Than Before When They Hit Shelves Again" (AP) [3]

"Sweet Tweets: Social Media Pave Way for Twinkies' Return" (USA TODAY) [4]

"Start the Countdown! Twinkies Return To Shelves July 15" (CNN) [5]

Official Hostess Twinkies Countdown Clock [6]

"How Junk Food Can End Obesity" (The Atlantic) [7]

"How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Killing Us" (The Atlantic: Marion Nestle: 11/4/10) [8]

"Why The Atlantic's Defense of Junk Food Fails" (Mother Jones) [9]

"Food And Racism: No, Not Paula Deen, At 'The Atlantic'" (Forbes) [10]

"No, Fast Food Isn’t Actually Good for You: in Defense of Pollanites" (Grist) [11]

"The Atlantic’s Latest Silly Idea Is Wrong: No, Fast Food Won’t Cure Obesity" (Salon) [12]

"The Atlantic: How Junk Food Can End Obesity" (Knight Science Journalism Tracker) [13]