News
Consumer Trends: The 'Cool' Side of Refrigerated Dairy
May 31, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsThe National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has partnered with chef and culinary expert, Aida Mollenkamp, to celebrate June Dairy Month and the creative culinary possibilities that come from foods in the refrigerated dairy aisle.
Food Safety Exchange Scheduled for June 11-12
May 31, 2013 9:52 am | CommentsMETTLER TOLEDO will sponsor the second annual Food Safety Exchange on June 111h and 12th, 2013 at the Hilton Plaza Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, Illinois. This two-day educational forum will bring together professionals in the food industry to learn more about the current food safety regulatory environment.
McDonald’s CEO Goes on a ‘McDiet’
May 31, 2013 9:46 am | by CANDICE CHOI,AP Food Industry Writer | CommentsMcDonald Corp.'s CEO Don Thompson revealed at an analyst conference this week that he shed about 20 pounds in the past year by getting his "butt up" and "working out again." But he said he hasn't changed his habit of eating at McDonald's "every, single day."
Higher Demand for Poultry Boosts Sanderson Farms 2Q Profit
May 31, 2013 9:43 am | CommentsSanderson Farms Inc. said Thursday that its fiscal second-quarter net income rose 2 percent thanks to higher demand for poultry products. Its performance topped Wall Street's view. Shares climbed in premarket trading. The Laurel, Miss. company earned $24.4 million, or $1.06 per share, for the three months ended April 30. That's up from $23.9 million, or $1.04 per share, in the prior-year period.
EU Wants To Test U.S. Wheat After GM Find
May 31, 2013 9:40 am | CommentsThe European Union is urging its 27 member states to test wheat shipments from the United States after unauthorized genetically modified grains were found in Japan. Tokyo on Thursday halted imports of certain types of wheat from the U.S. following the discovery of an experimental strain that was tested by Monsanto but never approved.
Audit: Michigan Fails To Inspect Food Companies on Time
May 31, 2013 9:38 am | by DAVID EGGERT,Associated Press | CommentsA Michigan agency took too long to check dairies, groceries and food-processing plants for safety — in some cases waiting a dozen years to conduct inspections that the state wants done every six, 12 or 18 months, according to an audit released Thursday.
Photo of the Day: Selling France's Presidential Wine
May 31, 2013 9:35 am | CommentsFrench President Francois Hollande’s palace has decided to dive into its wine cellar and sell some of its treasures, to raise money and replenish its collection with more modest vintages. About 1,200 bottles, a tenth of the Elysee’s wine collection, are to be sold at Drouot auction house in Paris on Thursday and Friday.
Dept. of Commerce: Importers Must Offset Shrimp Subsidies
May 30, 2013 12:35 pm | by JANET McCONNAUGHEY,Associated Press | CommentsShrimp subsidies in five nations appear to be undercutting U.S. prices and importers must pay bonds up to nearly 63 percent to offset the subsidies, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Wednesday. The order affects frozen warm-water shrimp from China, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
New England Farmers Want Hearing on Food Safety Rules
May 30, 2013 12:33 pm | by HOLLY RAMER,Associated Press | CommentsLed by two New Hampshire Democrats — Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Annie Kuster — members of Congress from each of the six New England states have written to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg asking for a public hearing on two proposed rules implementing the 2011 Food Safety and Modernization Act.
Smithfield Deal Highlights U.S.-China Food Trade
May 30, 2013 12:32 pm | by By STEPHANIE STROM, New York Times News Service | CommentsA growing amount of food commonly consumed by Americans — ranging from canned tuna and mandarin oranges to fresh mushrooms and apple juice — is now being imported from China. By the end of last year, the United States imported 4.1 billion pounds of food products from China, according to the Agriculture Department.
5 Sickened by Raw Milk in Pennsylvania
May 30, 2013 12:29 pm | CommentsThe Allegheny County Health Department is advising consumers to discard raw milk sold under the label "The Family Cow" after it confirmed five cases of infection in people who consumed the product. The health department says in a Wednesday release that the milk was produced by "Your Family Farmer" in Chambersburg and that tests confirmed Campylobacter contamination.
Nestle To Boost Study of Food Infections
May 30, 2013 12:28 pm | CommentsNestle SA says it is boosting research to tackle the threat of ever-stronger strains of bacteria and germs in food manufacturing. The Vevey, Switzerland-based company says it will initially boost research into several types of food-borne bacteria — particularly a dangerous strain of bacterium E. coli that infects people and pumps out a poison called Shiga toxin — and viruses Norovirus and Hepatitis A.
Daily Sound Bite: Unapproved GMO Wheat Found in Field
May 30, 2013 12:24 pm | CommentsConcerns about the global viability of GMO wheat killed Monsanto tests in 2005, at which time most industry observers assumed the production of such crops had been put to rest. But this week tests confirmed an unusually resilient wheat crop found in an Oregon field was a genetically modified.
Consumer Trends: Best Iced Teas for Summer
May 30, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsJust in time for summer and National Iced Tea Month in June, the North American Tea Championship selected 19 first-place winners in numerous categories during its annual Iced Tea Class evaluation. The Championship is the only independent competition, judged by professional cuppers, to distinguish the highest quality and best tasting teas that are commercially available in the North American marketplace.
Print-to-Order Pizza
May 30, 2013 9:52 am | by Eric Sorensen, Multimedia Coordinator | CommentsThe editors at Product Design & Development discuss the recent announcement that NASA has awarded an engineer $125,000 to develop a working prototype of his food synthesizer. NASA is interested in the food printer's functionality in space and the possibility that it could feed astronauts on long missions.
Conn. To Enforce Local-Food Rules
May 30, 2013 9:52 am | CommentsConnecticut is stepping up inspection and enforcement of its "Connecticut Grown" program of locally grown food. An announcement in the Department of Agriculture's weekly report on Wednesday says the agency will investigate complaints and make unannounced inspections of farmers' markets and other sites this summer.
HP Hood To Expand Maryland Operation
May 30, 2013 9:50 am | CommentsDairy operator HP Hood is planning an expansion of its plant in Maryland's Frederick County that will create 75 jobs. Gov. Bob McDonnell said Wednesday that the expansion will increase the ultra-high temperature processing plant's capacity.
U.S. Sen. Baucus Eyes Summer Deal on Farm Bill
May 30, 2013 9:49 am | by MATT GOURAS,Associated Press | CommentsFarmers told U.S. Sen. Max Baucus on Wednesday that planned cuts to the farm bill could make the crop insurance safety net too expensive. Baucus held a round-table discussion with farmers and agricultural groups Wednesday. The six-term Democrat said that the measure is a top priority for him before he retires next year.
French President Auctions Off Wine
May 30, 2013 9:47 am | by SYLVIE CORBET,Associated Press | CommentsIn headier times, some of these wines were served at dinner for French presidents and their guests — kings, queens, other heads of state. In today's times of austerity, the Elysee Palace is selling these vintage bottles. French President Francois Hollande's palace has decided to dive into its wine cellar and sell some of its treasures, to raise money and replenish its collection with more modest vintages.
Unapproved Modified Wheat Found in Oregon Field
May 30, 2013 9:45 am | by MARY CLARE JALONICK and NIGEL DUARA,Associated Press | CommentsField workers at an Eastern Oregon wheat farm were clearing acres for the bare offseason when they came across a patch of wheat that didn't belong. A few weeks later, Oregon State wheat scientists made a startling discovery: The wheat was genetically modified, in clear violation of U.S. law, although there's no evidence that modified wheat entered the marketplace.
