The Leading Source for Food Manufacturing News
Monsanto Affirms Profit, Growth Goals
December 8, 2009 8:52 am | News | CommentsST. LOUIS (AP) — Monsanto Co., the world's largest seed company, on Tuesday reaffirmed its 2010 earnings guidance that suggests its profit could fall below Wall Street's average expectation. The company also said it is on track to double 2007 gross profits by 2012. Monsanto repeated that its 2010 earnings will be between $2.
NCBA Unveils Details Of 2010 Cattle Industry Convention
December 8, 2009 8:51 am | News | CommentsDENVER ( beefusa.org ) — New, dynamic educational sessions with direct access to the leading authorities on pressing cattle industry issues, as well as discussion with other producers facing similar challenges, are available at the 2010 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio, Texas starting Jan.
Animal Agriculture Summit Dates Announced
December 8, 2009 8:50 am | News | CommentsARLINGTON, VA ( Animal Ag Alliance ) — The ninth annual Stakeholders Summit will be hosted by the Animal Agriculture Alliance (Alliance) April 28–29, 2010 in Arlington, Virginia. Each year, the Summit brings together stakeholders from across the food chain to address the most challenging issues facing animal agriculture, including animal welfare, public health, farm security, and the animal rights movement.
Top Food Trends For The New Year
December 8, 2009 8:49 am | News | CommentsOMAHA, Neb. (PRNewswire) — There is a new reality when it comes to grocery shopping in the U.S.—consumers want simple foods they can prepare at home and that don't compromise on quality. This shift comes at a time when many people hope that the pains of the recession are fading away and that they will have more money to spend on food in 2010.
McDonald's: U.S. Sales Fall
December 8, 2009 8:48 am | News | CommentsOAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald's Corp., the world's largest fast-food chain, said Tuesday that a key U.S. sales figure fell in November, only the fourth time the monthly measurement failed to rise in more than 6 1/2 years. But the company continued to experience some growth overseas, and overall sales edged up 0.
Compact Dryer For Produce
December 8, 2009 8:46 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe newly redesigned Compact Dryer removes moisture from fresh-cut produce after washing. Now CE-marked and UL-certified, the Compact Dryer features new Allen-Bradley controls and a new support frame to ease operation, enhance sanitation and improve worker safety. Handling up to 600 lb (280 kg) of product per hour, the unit is ideal for small to medium volume fresh-cut processors handling a wide variety of products.
Device Couplers
December 8, 2009 8:45 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe TG200 and TG300 TRUNKGUARD™ Series Fieldbus Device Couplers have successfully completed the Foundation Device Coupler Registration Process for the Fieldbus Foundation. Five TG200 models and two TG300 models are available. The units deliver a fast and easy way to connect multiple fieldbus devices to a main fieldbus trunk in FOUNDATION fieldbus™ (H1) and PROFIBUS PA networks.
RotoGrate Magnet
December 8, 2009 8:44 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe RotoGrate Magnetic Separator, which is ideal for products with poor flow characteristics, features a powerful motorized rotating grate magnet which processes material, such as cocoa, flour or starch, that would bridge traditional grate assemblies. The unit is available in food grade and self cleaning options.
The Death Of 'American-Made'
December 8, 2009 4:57 am | by Joel Hans, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | CommentsWe live in a time of a globalized economy—no one knows this better than those in manufacturing. With competition literally rising from the smoke stacks in China and India, among a bevy of other countries, there is no doubt that most of what’s sold in America is longer made here. And as we continue (or stop, as we have recently) to consume, we’re perpetuating a damaging cycle: American jobs are being shipped overseas because of the shoddy economy, and yet we are unable to fix said economy because the money we spend on those foreign-made goods doesn’t stay within our borders.
Norovirus Linked To Oysters
December 8, 2009 4:10 am | News | CommentsSILVER SPRING, MD (PRNewswire-USNewswire) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers to avoid eating oysters harvested from the San Antonio Bay on or after Nov. 16 due to reports of norovirus-associated illnesses in some people who had consumed oysters harvested from this area, which is located on the Gulf of Texas.
Chicken Of The Sea? Tuna Farming Getting A Boost
December 8, 2009 4:09 am | News | CommentsKUMANO, Japan (AP) — Thousands of tuna, their silver bellies bloated with fat, swim frantically around in netted areas of a small bay, stuffing themselves until they grow twice as heavy as in the wild. Is this sushi's future? Tuna raised like chickens or cows? As the world's love affair with raw fish depletes wild tuna populations, long-running efforts to breed the deep-sea fish from egg to adulthood may finally be bearing fruit.
Ginger Ale To Compete With Over The Counter Drugs
December 8, 2009 4:08 am | News | CommentsLOS ANGELES (AP-Reeds, Inc.) — Reed's, Inc. (NASDAQ: REED) (NASDAQ: REEDR), maker of the top-selling sodas in natural food stores nationwide, announced yesterday that it will begin producing new products designed to compete with existing over the counter medicines. "For years we have been hearing from our customers on how they use our ginger brews to treat health conditions.
Conservation Award To Be Presented To CA Rancher
December 8, 2009 4:07 am | by ABOUT SAND COUNTY FOUNDATION | News | CommentsSACRAMENTO (AScribe Newswire) — Sand County Foundation, the California Farm Bureau Federation and Sustainable Conservation will present the 2009 Leopold Conservation Award in California to John Diener. "John Diener's combination of a land ethic with novel approaches to agriculture and conservation is truly exemplary," said Dr.
Fairbanks Hatchery Cuts Back To Control Costs
December 8, 2009 4:04 am | News | CommentsFAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A $45 million state fish hatchery now under construction won't have onsite housing for employees or laboratories for University of Alaska, Fairbanks researchers when it opens next summer. Sport fisheries director Charlie Swanton told The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that rising costs forced the state to eliminate those components of the project.
USDA Offers Help Desk For Small Processors
December 8, 2009 4:03 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (USDA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) yesterday announced the opening of its new small plant help-desk, which will provide for operators of small and very small meat, poultry and processed egg products establishments seeking help with agency requirements with direct access to knowledgeable staff specialists.
Hybrid Linear Bearing
December 7, 2009 8:52 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe new hybrid bearing, DryLin® WJRM, was developed with the goal of reducing driving force. A self-lubricating plastic, sliding sleeve bearing ensures the hybrid linear system is dirt and moisture resistant, lightweight and low cost. A maintenance-free polymer roller brings ease of use to applications where heavy machine doors up to 110 pounds have to be adjusted manually.
Toxic Gas Detector
December 7, 2009 8:49 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe TS4000H Toxic Gas Detector offers protection against a wide range of hazardous industrial gases and is able to safeguard against oxygen deficiency. The field-proven instrumentation communications protocol is easy-to-use and provides uniform and consistent communication without disturbing the integrity of the 4-20mA analog signal.
Cross Contamination Tester
December 7, 2009 8:47 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe patented CCT (Cross Contamination Tester) heat exchanger testing kit is designed for in-plant testing of exchange surface integrity. One tester fits all heat exchangers and provides immediate pass/fail results. Plate & Frame heat exchangers are tested without disassembly. Holes or cracks in heat exchange surfaces can result in microbial contamination of food products.
'Really Cool Food' Becomes Really Safe Too
December 7, 2009 8:43 am | Articles | CommentsAs a leading manufacturer of natural and organic fresh prepared foods, The Really Cool Food Company, LLC takes great care to assure products are delicious and safe. As the final touch in its quality-conscious endeavor, The Really Cool Food Company relies on AdvanChek x-ray inspection systems from Metter-Toledo Safeline and Beltweigh XE checkweighers from Mettler-Toledo Hi-Speed at their new production center, which opened in October 2008 to prepare combination meals, entrees, salads and side dishes.
Delicious Martian Apple Pie
December 7, 2009 4:51 am | by Joel Hans, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | CommentsA colleague of mine, David Mantey (editor of Product Design and Development ), wrote a column a while ago titled, “ We Landed On The Moon, Big Deal .” There’s no mincing words here; it’s easy enough to tell what his stance on NASA is. One of David’s main contentions is that NASA does not, and cannot, invoke the same soaring heroics and national pride it used to back in the moon-landing era, which is a fair assumption.
