Food safety and labeling

Peapod founders launch online shopping tool Sifter: 'We are a dietitian in your pocket'

06-Jul-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Online personalized shopping platform, Sifter, is hoping to make label reading a thing of the past with a tool that instantly tells consumers which products fit their dietary needs and lifestyle.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What do consumers consider ‘healthy’ and how does that stack up to the truth?

14-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the pandemic shined a light on the role of diet and nutrition in health and wellness, it also revealed that most consumers don’t have a firm – or even loose – idea of what constitutes healthy – underscoring a need for more research and better education...

Campbell Soup Co: “The name of the game for ’22 is going to be remain pretty agile and nimble”

11-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Campbell Soup Co. executives were braced for a tough third quarter as vaccinated consumers began eating at home less just as the company cycled past the peak pantry stocking phase of the pandemic from a year ago, but even they appeared surprised by how...

FDA considers ‘last mile’ food safety concerns as consumers adopt e-commerce, delivery

08-Jun-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

The FDA is looking at how shifting shopping habits during the pandemic, including the rapid adoption of e-commerce to buy groceries and prepared food, may have “reinforced and accelerated” the need for new measures to ensure products are safe through...

Mars discusses the future of food safety: ‘We have a responsibility to help solve critical global food safety challenges’

07-Jun-2021 By Katy Askew

Food safety is a business-critical issue. People worry about food safety and security as much as global warming, pollution and poverty, research from confectionery giant Mars reveals. FoodNavigator hears from Dr Guangtao Zhang, director of the Mars Global...

New Kerry research shows consumers more focused on food safety

07-Jun-2021 By Jim Cornall

More than 60% of consumers have increased their focus on food safety following the Covid-19 pandemic, according to recent research conducted by Kerry.

Yumi backs Baby Food Safety Act: Heavy metals targets are challenging but feasible, says COO

04-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

The thresholds for heavy metals proposed in the Baby Food Safety Act - introduced in the wake of the recent Congressional Subcommittee report alleging ‘dangerous’ levels of lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic in baby foods – are challenging but feasible,...

Publix joins growing list of retailers allowing fully-vaccinated shoppers to go mask-free

17-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

After more than a year of requiring shoppers to wear masks and stepping up in-store safety measure, Southeastern US retailer Publix along with several other retailers said it will no longer require fully-vaccinated customers to wear face coverings, unless...

BrightFarms opens fifth indoor leafy green facility in North Carolina

06-May-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

BrightFarms has opened its latest indoor farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina, capable of producing 2 million pounds of lettuce per year in the Southeast US region which currently has limited options for indoor-grown leafy greens on store shelves, says...

Impossible Foods applauds 9th Circuit ruling over safety of its heme, slams ‘anti-science, anti-GMO activist group’ for ‘spreading lies’

04-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods has applauded a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the FDA’s approval of soy leghemoglobin (aka 'heme') - the star ingredient in its plant-based burgers - as a color additive.

Heavy metals in baby food: New York AG demands info on inorganic arsenic from Gerber, Beech-Nut, Hain, Nurture Inc

30-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

New York Attorney General Letitia James has requested detailed information from four of the companies named in the recent Congressional report into heavy metals in baby food on their approach to monitoring inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal – the...

Heavy metals in baby food... 69 lawsuits and counting: 'Inconsistent rulings could result in manufacturers being held to different standards...'

28-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

At least 69 lawsuits have now been filed against firms named in the recent Congressional Subcommittee report on heavy metals in baby food, prompting a legal wrangle over how best to handle the cases.

CBD watchdog finds 25% of products don’t test for microbials, pesticides, or heavy metals

27-Apr-2021 By Danielle Masterson

A report from a watchdog group found found that just 42% of CBD brands tested all their products for potency. Additionally, the vast majority of products tested were outside the limits of acceptable variance.

Hungry Planet raises $25m to meet ‘pent up demand’ for plant-based meat beyond burgers, sausage

19-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

After finetuning a diverse range of plant-based meat and seafood that goes far beyond the burger- and sausage-heavy offerings of today, Hungry Planet is ready to ramp up production and distribution of all nine of its proteins across retail, foodservice...

FDA unveils ‘Closer to Zero’ action plan on heavy metals in baby food, cautions that requiring levels that are 'not currently feasible' could be counterproductive

09-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Under pressure to act in the wake of the recent congressional report into heavy metals in baby food, the FDA has unveiled a new action plan - ‘Closer to Zero – setting forth its approach to reducing exposure to toxic elements in foods commonly eaten by...

PBFA slams ‘anti-competitive, anti-free market’ Wisconsin bills targeting plant-based dairy and meat

08-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

The Plant Based Foods Association has slammed bills proposing restrictions on the use of terms such as ‘milk’ and ‘meat’ on food labels and restaurant menus in Wisconsin, while state lawmakers insist they are urgently required to prevent consumer confusion....

Study highlights ‘troubling’ absence of animal welfare knowledge in aquaculture

05-Apr-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With traditional fishing methods in decline, aquaculture – the industrial farming of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic species – is on the rise, but with little knowledge of the impact it’s had on animal welfare, says a team of researchers at New York...

Investing in the Future of Food: RCV Frontline sees potential for startups to fill innovation demand post-pandemic

31-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

A new early-stage venture capital fund sees significant upside for financing food and beverage startups that may be too small for many other VC investors, but which in a few years could help meet “pent up demand” for innovation from large CPG players...

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...