Food safety and labeling

Baby Food Safety Act proposes maximum levels for heavy metals in baby food, but are they feasible?

26-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

The Baby Food Safety Act – just introduced to Congress in the wake of a House Subcommittee report alleging ‘dangerous’ levels of heavy metals in baby foods - sets maximum levels for lead, mercury, cadmium, and inorganic arsenic that are well below internal...

Home baking continues in 2021 giving rise to comfort and wellness trends

22-Mar-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The trend of home baking, which soared in popularity during the pandemic, is still going strong with sustained elevated sales expected through 2025, according to new market data.

Baby food companies now facing at least 43 lawsuits over heavy metals

15-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Baby food companies named in a recent Congressional Subcommittee report are now facing at least 43 lawsuits about heavy metals in their wares, according to plaintiffs seeking to consolidate all of the cases in New York.

Kroger expands access to indoor vertically-grown produce in the Midwest

10-Mar-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kroger is expanding its partnership with vertical indoor farming company, 80 Acres Farms, to provide fresh produce to more Midwest consumers.

FDA to set action levels for contaminants in ‘key foods,’ in wake of baby food heavy metals report

05-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Under pressure to act in the wake of the recent congressional report into heavy metals in baby food, the FDA says it will issue "guidance to identify action levels for contaminants in key foods," as lawsuits against baby food brands pile up,...

Lawsuits mount over heavy metals in baby food, but do they have legs?

23-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

Lawsuits are piling up against companies cited in a recent Congressional report into heavy metals in baby food. But how might courts decide if these complaints have legs, and what can be reasonably expected from food manufacturers given that the FDA has...

Grupo Bimbo makes minority investment in allergy-friendly Rule Breaker Snacks

15-Feb-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Rule Breaker Snacks, an allergy-friendly snack brand featuring chickpeas as its star ingredient, has secured a minority investment from Bimbo Ventures, the venture capital arm of global baking company Grupo Bimbo.

‘The agency has failed to adequately regulate baby food…’ NY attorney general urges FDA to set standards for heavy metals

10-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

New York Attorney General Letitia James has urged the FDA to follow recommendations in a recent congressional subcommittee report and set limits for toxic metals across all baby foods.

Knowde launches food & nutrition online marketplace: ‘This is a massive market that is ripe for change’

10-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

San Jose-based Knowde – a b2b online marketplace for chemicals, ingredients and polymers - is moving into the food and nutrition industry, enabling R&D and procurement professionals to research and compare products, connect with suppliers, request...

Cerebelly receives The Clean Label Project Purity Award confirming its products are free from heavy metals

08-Feb-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Cerebelly has received The Clean Label Project Purity Award -- which independently test products for over 400 contaminants including heavy metals, chemicals, plastics, pesticides, and other toxins -- for its full line of shelf-stable pureed baby food...

Heavy metals in baby food: How should the food industry respond?

08-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

Headlines about 'toxins' in baby food are the ultimate PR nightmare, but how do we assess if the levels of heavy metals highlighted in a recent congressional committee report are "dangerously high​” in the absence of federally mandated...

Baby food brands defend protocols as congressional report alleges ‘highly dangerous’ levels of heavy metals in infant foods; expect lawsuits, says attorney

05-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

Baby food brands have defended their procurement and testing protocols after a congressional report highlighted the presence of heavy metals in their wares. The report – which will likely prompt lawsuits, predict attorneys - underlines the need for the...

Instacart provides stipend to employees who get vaccinated

18-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Instacart is providing a $25 stipend to its more than 500,000 customer-facing employees who receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Frontline food industry workers prioritized for next phase of COVID-19 vaccination

21-Dec-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Frontline food industry workers will be among the first to be vaccinated after health care workers and those in long-term care facilities, according to federal guidance approved by the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization...

Rabobank: Increased transparency, digitation needed to reinforce supply chain against future threats

11-Dec-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the food supply chain bent to accommodate weaknesses revealed and intensified by the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year, next time an unexpected threat arises the industry might not be so lucky unless it increases transparency and digitization...

What's the difference between plant-based and vegan? Foodchain ID unveils new certification schemes

07-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

While the terms 'plant-based' and 'vegan' might appear to be interchangeable (they both exclude animal products), consumers do not view them in quite the same way, claims Foodchain ID, which has just launched separate 'vegan,'...

Hormel Foods’ sales, volume drop in Q4 amid pandemic-constraints, but execs optimistic about 2021

01-Dec-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though pandemic-related supply chain and manufacturing constraints hindered Hormel Foods ability to meet “unprecedented” demand in its fourth quarter, causing it to miss potential sales and volume growth, executives are confident it can meet demand...

Webinar Tomorrow: Meeting Children’s Nutritional Needs from conception through the teenage years

17-Nov-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Children’s dietary patterns are mostly set by the time they turn 2 years old, which doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for indulging picky eaters if caregivers want their kids to grow up eating – and liking – a wide variety of healthy, nutrient-dense...

FDA issues guidance on voluntary disclosure of all uses of sesame on the ingredients list, invites more clinical data

12-Nov-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup and Elaine Watson

The FDA has issued draft guidance encouraging food manufacturers to voluntarily declare all uses of sesame in the ingredient list on food labels, notably in flavors and spices, but says it needs more data to assess whether it should be subject to mandatory...

Organic sales, farms up double digits, but acreage rises only high singles – signaling need for support

28-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Surging demand for organic by shoppers who continue to pay a premium for it over conventional is attracting more farmers to adopt the practice and convert more land, but total organic acreage remains stubbornly stuck at less than 1% -- suggesting an “urgent”...

SEED study aims to address the 'growing yet surprisingly silent pandemic of anxiety' around kids and food allergies

22-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Building off the landmark LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) study, food allergy advocacy group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), is launching the SEED (Start Eating Early Diet) study exploring early introduction of multiple allergenic...

Introducing the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit: From kids and the plant-based trend to dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers

29-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...

Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference

CPG companies strategize how to maintain new consumers, market share as pandemic sales normalize

10-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As record high sales from the early days of the coronavirus pandemic level out at rates significantly lower than March and April but still higher than last year, CPG companies are trying to reassure investors that they can hold on to new customers and...

Retail strategies to support Black-owned businesses, tap into $1.5 trillion buying power of Black shoppers

09-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Retailers interested in attracting more Black shoppers, who Nielsen reports wield an annual buying power of $1.5 trillion and make more grocery trips per year than all other racial groups, need to stock and prominently highlight more products by Black-owned...

5 strategies to engage with online shoppers

'Winning at shelf' is less important than 'winning at couch'

04-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Once considered a top priority for a food or beverage brand’s success, ‘winning at shelf’ is now only “somewhat important” as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic reshapes how consumers plan and shop for groceries and how manufacturers and retailers engage...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How can industry help feed students returning to school online & in person

31-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As many schools negotiate how to teach children safely during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, they also must navigate how to feed them – a challenge that will require creativity and cooperation from regulators, legislators, and school nutrition professionals...

Hormel warns of lower inventory, stresses maintaining supply chain, production efficiency is ‘critical’

26-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

After months of meeting heightened consumer demand related to coronavirus pantry stocking and increased at-home consumption, SPAM and Skippy manufacturer Hormel Foods could face inventory shortages in the fourth quarter if additional outbreaks at facilities...

House Ag Committee requests relief for ranchers, specialty crop farmers & seeks investigation of cattle industry amid pandemic

10-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Members of the House Agriculture Committee are demanding USDA take a closer look at and provide additional relief for the coronavirus pandemic’s “disproportionate toll on farmers and ranchers,” and the specialty crop sector.

USDA proposes stricter oversight, enforcement of organic to better detect, prevent fraud

05-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Responding to increasing fraud threats to the organic industry, the US Department of Agriculture seeks to strengthen oversight and improve the transparency and traceability of organic food through a four-prong plan that praises and mirrors actions already...

Talkwalker report reveals shifting consumer preferences and pain points

04-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Evolving shopping habits brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic are remolding consumer needs, and food brands must build new connections with their customers by paying close attention to new emerging issues, pain points, and desires that matter most to their...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Baby food doesn’t have an ‘added sugar problem’ it has a ‘too much sugar’ problem

03-Aug-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s recent recommendations that children under 2 years avoid all added sugar to ensure they consume the nutrients they need without excessive caloric intake may not go far enough to drive a significant change in...

Sen. Booker targets corporate consolidation in agriculture for ‘fundamentally broken’ US food system

29-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Decrying the US food system as “fundamentally broken and worsening the challenge of justice in our country,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is on an mission to block and dismantle corporate consolidation in agriculture, which he argues places profits over...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Albertsons reports 21.4% total sales growth and 276% surge in e-commerce sales in Q1 2020

27-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Retailer Albertsons, owner of Safeway and Jewel-Osco, reported a 21.4% increase in sales to $22.8bn for the 16 weeks ended June 20, 2020 compared to $18.7bn for the same period last year.

Better visibility in storage containers cuts waste, improves margins, creates more flexible food system

24-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

By using wireless sensors to detect subtle changes in the quality of stored crops, the CEO of California-based startup Centaur Analytics says food and beverage companies will be better able to ensure supply chain continuity in the face of “unique or random...

Experts and health organizations call for ‘stronger, better-funded’ federal nutrition research

23-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The US must strengthen and increase funding for federal nutrition research to accelerate critical discoveries, and most importantly, improve public health, say a group of research, policy, and government experts in a new report.

General Mills CEO: Sustained sales must be earned with solutions to ‘real problems’ in the kitchen & society

17-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ongoing social distancing requirements, the resulting recession and a rediscovery of the joy of cooking and baking will help sustain some, but “certainly not all,” of the surging sales enjoyed by many CPG food and beverage brands since the coronavirus...

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, says Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

15-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, reducing average consumption from 13% of daily energy intake to just 6%, the equivalent of 30g for someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, according to the expert committee advising the...

FDA unveils 10-year FSMA implementation plan

14-Jul-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration yesterday launched a website portal it calls a ‘blueprint’ for the full implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act. The document lays out a plan for actions over the next decade.

SHIFT20: 3 ways to ‘build back better’ a food-system damaged by social inequality & coronavirus

14-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The uneven impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has underscored systemic inequalities, but it also has created an opportunity “to build back better” the food system, according to a panel of experts gathered on the opening day of the Institute of...

FDA to resume on-site domestic inspections

13-Jul-2020 By Danielle Masterson

After pausing on-site surveillance inspections in March, the Food and Drug Administration plan to resume domestic inspections starting the week of July 20.

Mintel: Consumers to adapt ‘less but better’ approach to animal proteins

10-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Animal proteins will become less of a center-of-the-plate staple for many consumers, according to Mintel, which attributes the shift to the ability to meet protein needs from a wider variety of sources, and ongoing concerns about food safety and price...

Stop & Shop accelerates online operations to meet record e-commerce demand

01-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

To support increased online shopping demand, Stop & Shop (part of Ahold Delhaize USA) is expanding same-day delivery, opening new warerooms (small fulfillment locations to serve online grocery customers), and adding more store pickup locations by...

Trending topics at SHIFT20, the virtual IFT show, from plant-based protein trends to sustainable packaging

29-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

From plant-based protein trends to sustainable packaging, managing food waste, using artificial intelligence to track consumer sentiment, and the latest developments in cell-cultured meat and keto diet trends, here are some of the education sessions that...

SHIFT20: How the virtual IFT show will work…

29-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Confused about navigating the virtual IFT show (Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and expo) next month (July 13-15)? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Corrine Calice, senior director, knowledge and learning experiences; and Susan Young,...

Consumers seek transparency online and in-store: FMI and Label Insight study

26-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A majority (81%) of consumers say transparency is ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’ to them when shopping online and in-store, according to a new report by The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Chicago-based Label Insight.

FDA moves to keep coronavirus fears from interrupting ingredients trade

25-Jun-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration says it will move actively to prevent the worldwide trade in dietary ingredients, food ingredients and whole foods from being restricted because of misplaced coronavirus infection concerns.

Food allergy consumers represent large untapped market opportunity: FARE study

22-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

US consumers managing food allergies spend more than $19bn annually on specialty food products free of the top nine food allergens, according to results of a two-year consumer study released by FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the largest...

Norway squashes speculation that salmon was source of fresh Covid wave in China

17-Jun-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Norway’s seafood industry has hit back after China halted imports from European salmon suppliers after a new wave of coronavirus at a Beijing market was said to have entered the city via salmon.

Stress prevention replaces weight management as top health concern, creating marketing opportunity

16-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

For the first time in a decade, weight management is no longer America’s top health concern as anxiety and stress prevention and treatment rise to the No. 1 position of a long list of health conditions with which households are grappling, according to...

Label Insight report shows millions of dollars in missed opportunity for brands selling online

15-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Despite online grocery taking off in recent months, CPG brands may be leaving millions of dollars of missed revenue on the table by not highlighting key product attributes when they present their brands online, according to a report by Label Insight.