News
Washington Farmers Sue Monsanto over GMO Wheat
June 7, 2013 12:16 pm | by SHANNON DININNY,Associated Press | CommentsSeveral Washington wheat growers filed suit Thursday against Monsanto Co. over the unauthorized release of genetically modified wheat, claiming the discovery of the wheat in an Oregon field last week has damaged sales of exports. The lawsuits seek class-action status on behalf of all growers of soft white wheat who may have been harmed by the release of an unapproved product.
Consumer Trends: Coconut Water Takes Off
June 7, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsWhile coconut water was once the preserve of exotic holidays, according to new research from Mintel, coconut water has been the surprise toast of the beverage industry in recent years. Indeed, the number of product introductions more than quintupled (+540%) in the past five years and products containing it have been taking off on an international scale.
Officials Revoke Dairy Plant’s Permit
June 7, 2013 9:38 am | CommentsAgriculture officials have revoked the permit of a dairy plant in northern Iowa because of food safety concerns. An administrative law judge ruled Wednesday in favor of the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, which revoked the dairy plant permit for Meinders Farm Fresh Dairy in Buffalo Center. The company must cease all operations and sales.
PepsiCo Denies Reports of SodaStream Talks
June 7, 2013 9:36 am | CommentsPepsiCo is shooting down a report that the company is in talks to buy SodaStream, an Israeli company that makes at-home carbonation machines. PepsiCo Inc. spokesman Jeff Dahncke said the report in an Israeli newspaper is "completely and totally untrue."
Negligence at China Poultry Plant Caused 'Chaotic' Conditions
June 7, 2013 9:34 am | by CHRISTOPHER BODEEN,Associated Press | CommentsChina's workplace safety agency said negligence among factory managers and government inspectors caused "extremely chaotic" work-safety conditions at a poultry plant where a deadly fire killed 120 workers this week. Safety exits were blocked at the Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Co. plant and managers neglected to hold required safety drills or worker education.
Global Food Prices Expected To Rise
June 7, 2013 9:32 am | by JOE McDONALD,AP Business Writer | CommentsRising global food demand will push up prices 10 to 40 percent over the coming decade and governments need to boost investment to increase farm production, a forecast by two international agencies said Thursday. Growth in food production has slowed over the past decade even as rising incomes in developing countries boosted consumption.
Canada Accuses Nestle, Mars of Price Fixing
June 7, 2013 9:30 am | CommentsThe accused in a chocolate price-fixing case could face a bitter fate if convicted — millions of dollars in fines for the companies and potential jail time for the individuals. Canada's Competition Bureau said Thursday it is laying criminal charges against Nestle SA's Canada arm, Mars Inc.'s Canada division and ITWAL Ltd., a network of independent wholesale distributors.
Photo of the Day: Rummaging Through the Rubble
June 7, 2013 9:28 am | CommentsIn this photo taken Tuesday June 4, 2013, Chinese paramilitary policemen go through the burnt factory of Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Co. in Dehui city in northeast China's Jilin province. China's workplace safety agency said negligence among factory managers and government inspectors caused "extremely chaotic" work-safety conditions at a poultry plant where a deadly fire killed 120 workers this week.
FDA To Hold Hearings for New England Farmers
June 6, 2013 12:40 pm | CommentsThe Food and Drug Administration is organizing public hearings in New England for farmers who are concerned that proposed safety rules could hurt their businesses. New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Annie Kuster have led a bipartisan effort of lawmakers to call on the FDA to come to New England.
Review Blames Plant Staff, Inspectors for XL Foods Recall
June 6, 2013 12:39 pm | CommentsA relaxed attitude towards mandatory procedures on the part of both plant staff and federal food inspectors is partly to blame for an E. coli outbreak last fall that sickened 18 people and led to the largest beef recall in Canadian history.
Horse Slaughterhouse Accuses USDA of IRS Tactics
June 6, 2013 12:37 pm | by JERI CLAUSING,Associated Press | CommentsA southeastern New Mexico company's plans to convert a cattle plant into a horse slaughterhouse has hit another roadblock, this time over an environmental dispute that the company's attorney blames on the Obama administration putting politics over policy.
Calif. Man Gets Hepatitis A from Tainted Berries
June 6, 2013 12:34 pm | by GREGORY BULL and SHAYA TAYEFE MOHAJER,Associated Press | CommentsGeoff Soza was celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary in Yellowstone National Park when the 64-year-old man learned the hard way that his seemingly healthy breakfast habit of mixing thawed berries with Greek yogurt had exposed him to a national outbreak of hepatitis A.
Gov’t Proposes Safety Labels for Tenderized Beef
June 6, 2013 12:30 pm | by MARY CLARE JALONICK,Associated Press | CommentsBeef tenderized by machines before it is sold in grocery stores could soon carry labels warning customers to cook the meat thoroughly. The Agriculture Department is proposing to require the new labels and cooking instructions for the meat, which is poked with needles or blades to increase tenderness.
Daily Sound Bite: Cheerios Stands Behind Ad
June 6, 2013 12:26 pm | CommentsCheerios stirred a bit of unexpected controversy after an ad showing a mixed race family drew criticism and some negative reactions on the internet. Marketing expert Laura Ries explains that advertising often shies away from anything that could potentially be controversial — even if most viewers would just see a normal family eating breakfast.
Consumer Trends: Dark Chocolate Gains on Milk Chocolate
June 6, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsThe latest research from Mintel reveals that for just more than half (51%) of all adult consumers the favorite type of plain chocolate is milk chocolate, followed by 35% who favor dark chocolate and 8% who prefer white chocolate. In contrast, Mintel's 2011 report found that 57% of consumers favored milk chocolate and 33% of consumers preferred dark chocolate.
Tesco Sales Fall After Horsemeat Scandal
June 6, 2013 9:46 am | CommentsTesco, Britain's largest retailer by revenue, saw sales drop 1 percent at its U.K. stores amid consumer distaste over the horsemeat scandal. Chief Executive Philip Clarke says there was a discernible impact on frozen and chilled convenience food sales "due to the customer response to equine DNA being detected in four products."
Sri Lanka Suing Ad Firm over Beer Commercial
June 6, 2013 9:44 am | CommentsSri Lanka's government said Wednesday that it would take legal action against an advertising company for featuring a UNESCO World Heritage site in a Japanese beer commercial. National Heritage Minister Jagath Balasuriya said a Sri Lankan advertising company had been given permission to film the Sigiriya rock fortress for a commercial that the firm said was for an energy drink. The commercial, however, turned out to be for a Japanese beer.
Croissant-Donut Hybrid a Hit
June 6, 2013 9:42 am | by LEANNE ITALIE,Associated Press | CommentsOh the pull of that elusive reservation at the hot new restaurant. And double-oh the sweet and fatty decadence of a well-made dessert. Combine the two foodie emotions and you've got the Cronut. There's a frenzy goin' on — Manhattan style — for the croissant-doughnut hybrid that went on sale in limited quantities about three weeks ago at the tiny downtown shop of French chef Dominique Ansel.
Cheerios Stands by Ad Showing Mixed-Race Family
June 6, 2013 9:40 am | by LEANNE ITALIE,Associated Press | CommentsCheerios is standing by a fictitious family in one of its TV ads. The family reflects a black-white racial mix uncommon in commercials today, especially in ads on TV, at a time when interracial and interethnic couples are on the rise in real life, according to 2010 U.S. Census data, brand strategists and marketing consultants.
Monsanto: Modified Wheat ‘Isolated Occurrence’
June 6, 2013 9:37 am | by NIGEL DUARA,Associated Press | CommentsA genetically modified test strain of wheat that emerged to the surprise of an Oregon farmer last month was likely the result of an accident or deliberate mixing of seeds, the company that developed it said Wednesday. Representatives for Monsanto Co. said during a conference call that the emergence of the genetically modified strain was an isolated occurrence. It has tested the original wheat stock and found it clean, the company said.
