Food safety and labeling

Research round-up: NASA, active packaging and dormant pathogens

28-Aug-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Summer is almost over and it is back to the research lab – we take a look at what research has been done in the last month.

As organic gains prominence, shoppers increasingly seek lower cost and higher value

21-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rising sales and household penetration of organic is a double-edged sword for the industry in the US as more Americans have started looking for lower prices, bulk packaging and easier access through direct to consumer channels, according to purchasing...

Soup-to-Nuts podcast: The opportunities & challenges of consumers' return to home kitchens

18-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite continued pressure from the on-the-go lifestyles that dominate today’s culture and have fueled the rise of convenience foods, packaged snacks and quick service restaurants, new research shows many consumers are beginning to shun these options...

Global ID acquires Brazilian testing lab

16-Aug-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

The Global ID Group (Global ID) has acquired a food safety testing lab in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. 

FDA allows use of ultrafiltered milk in cheese to ease fallout from new Canadian pricing scheme

15-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA’s decision late last week to allow manufacturers in some cases to use ultrafiltered milk and ultrafiltered nonfat milk to make cheese could help ease the negative impact on US dairy farmers of less expensive UF milk from Canada that currently is flooding...

One in five sausage samples subject to species substitution

08-Aug-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

One in five sausages sampled contained meat not declared on the label, according to a Canadian study.

Veggie Go’s brings “healthy innovation” to the fruit snack aisle with launch of Bites

03-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

New parents who remember enjoying classic fruit snacks growing up but who struggle to justify giving them to their children in the current era of clean eating and better-for-you foods now have a new option from Veggie Go’s that the company says they can...

An attractive produce section can give retailers a competitive edge, FMI study suggests

02-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Looks may not be everything, but they matter a lot – especially in the produce section, which can be a pivotal driver for foot traffic and subsequent sales throughout the entire store, according to new research from the Food Marketing Institute.

UK reports Cyclospora increase for third year in a row

26-Jul-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

The UK has seen an increase in cyclosporiasis for the third successive year with a link to Mexico.

As soda sales fall, kombucha rises

24-Jul-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Tumbling soda sales have opened the door to the mainstream market for a variety of functional beverages that were previously relegated to the natural channel, including kombuncha sales of which, according to one entrepreneur, grew 41% to $534 million...

Bonafide Provisions expands the reach and appeal of bone broth with Drinkable Veggies

19-Jul-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

As recently as two years ago, bone broth was virtually unheard of by the masses, but now it is seemingly everywhere with newcomers crowding the category and pushing early players such as Bonafide Provisions to innovate to stay ahead of the competition. 

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How hemp is overcoming hurdles to become the next superfood star

14-Jul-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nutrition-packed, environmentally sustainable and already notoriously well-known – although partly for the wrong reasons – hemp is well positioned to become one of the next big superfood superstars in the US.

Minebea Intec continues market development in Americas

12-Jul-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Minebea Intec is to open a facility in Mexico to continue its market development in the Americas.

Almost 1 in 5 seafood products mislabelled in Brazil

10-Jul-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

DNA testing has revealed more than 17% of fish in Brazil was identified as the wrong species.

IFT 2017 part two: Clean label moves beyond the ingredients list

07-Jul-2017 By Elaine Watson

'Clean label' used to be about ousting artificial (or artificial-sounding) ingredients from food labels, but is beginning to move beyond what must be declared on the ingredients list to cover incidental additives, pesticide residues, and animal...

Countries continue to find Salmonella in Brazilian meat

05-Jul-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Border rejections for Salmonella in chicken from Brazil have been reported by six countries in the last week.

Beekman 1802 epitomizes the American dream by helping small-batch producers reach their potential

29-Jun-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Founded during the recession by two “ultimate underdogs” who needed to pay their mortgage to save their farm, the gourmet food and lifestyle brand Beekman 1802 epitomizes the American dream and US value of giving a helping hand to those in need who are...

IFT 2017 part one: From clean meat and clean label, to green jackfruit and banana flour

29-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

This year, edible bugs competed with clean (aka cultured) meat, green banana flour and jackfruit for the spotlight, while many fibers remain in limbo as the FDA mulls over definitions. Meanwhile, the clean label trend continues to gather pace, along with...

Competition among retailers heats up as consumers seek more diverse, ethnic products

28-Jun-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Consumer demand for products that are authentic and ethnic is not only prompting brand manufacturers to innovate it is also raising the competitive bar at retailers, according to industry experts.

Canada supports developing countries with food safety

27-Jun-2017 By staff reporter

Canada has donated CAD $200,000 to help developing countries comply with international food safety, animal and plant health standards.

Charm Sciences gets award from USDA

23-Jun-2017 By staff reporter

Charm Sciences has received the 2017 Small Business Contractor of the Year award from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

US bans fresh Brazilian beef imports due to safety

23-Jun-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Imports of fresh beef from Brazil have been banned until further notice by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

IFT 2017 Preview

Arjuna Natural Extracts expands US operation, launches 'clean label' preservatives line in US

15-Jun-2017 By Adi Menayang

Maker of essential oils and oleoresins Arjuna Natural Extracts is ramping up its US operations and opened a new sales office in Dallas earlier this month, making its line of products more readily available stateside. It will also be exhibiting at this...

Your guide to IFT 2017: From clean meat and cannabis edibles to space farming

15-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

What does 'processed' food mean? And how much is too much? Will consumers embrace 'clean' meat? And what can we grow in space? Check out FoodNavigator-USA's guide to the hottest topics at the Institute of Technologists (IFT) Annual...

Attorney: ‘Slapping another undefined term on packages that could be attacked legally’ is risky

'GoCleanLabel certified' scheme rolls out, but what does it mean?

13-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

A new 'clean label' certification scheme has been launched in the US market as the concept of ‘clean’ eating continues to gain traction. But will CPG brands embrace the ‘Go Clean Label Certified’ logo, and are there risks to using a term that...

Taste Test Friday: Consumers’ love the simple taste of Bobo, but not its simplistic packaging

02-Jun-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

In the highly-saturated bar category, Bobo’s nut butter filled oat bars stand out for balancing decadence and better-for-you ingredients for an easy to eat and satiating snack, but in our taste test they lost points for packaging elements. 

Peak Scientific expands office in Brazil

31-May-2017 By staff reporter

Peak Scientific has expanded a regional office in Brazil to support its customer base in LATAM (Latin America).

BAX system given Health Canada approval for Listeria

30-May-2017 By staff reporter

Health Canada has included Hygiena’s BAX system Real-Time PCR assay as a validated method to screen surfaces for Listeriaspecies.

AHPA urges EPA to revamp pesticide limits for botanicals

24-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

The American Herbal Products Association has urged federal regulators to revamp pesticide rules that unfairly impact minor crops that include many botanical commodities.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What snacks are hot and where consumers are buying them is evolving

19-May-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

US consumers are snacking more than ever, according to IRI data, but an analyst for the market research firm warns that CPG companies shouldn’t take this upward trend for granted because while many shoppers reach for packaged products to satisfy their...

Leading candy companies make historic commitment to reduce pack-sizes, increase label transparency

18-May-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Leading chocolate and confectionery companies are taking an offensive position in the ongoing war on sugar by together committing to reduce calories in single serve products and increase transparency with clear front-of-pack calorie labels.

Food safety recall round-up 21-27 April 2017

Recalls: Arsenic, aflatoxin and allergens

27-Apr-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Food alerts have been made by USA, England, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland.

Think clean label just means no artificial ingredients? Think again

CLEAN LABEL 2.0: Natural flavors and preservatives, pesticide residues, and Non-GMO in the spotlight

27-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

Think 'clean label' just means ditching ‘artificial’ ingredients and avoiding anything attracting negative press (warranted or otherwise)? Think again. Today, brands are also questioning whether ‘natural’ flavors, preservatives and sweeteners...

What is healthy? Comments flood in as FDA docket closes

Oldways: ‘It’s time we stopped tying ‘healthy’ to a formula of nutrients divorced from actual foods’

25-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

“If we were looking for an easy answer and widespread agreement on the definition of ‘healthy,’ we didn’t find it [at a public meeting last month],”observed the FDA in a blog post this week. So could it seriously consider banning the word from food labels...

Certification programme achieves government recognition

11-Apr-2017 By staff reporter

CanadaGAP has received full government recognition.

School nutrition standards under fire again, threshold for free, reduced meals increased

10-Apr-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Congressional pressure on federal agencies to back down from nutrition policies created under the Obama Administration continues to mount with the standards for school meals now in the cross-hairs. 

Glyphosate to join Proposition 65 list

10-Apr-2017 By Elaine Watson

The herbicide glyphosate is to be added to the list of chemicals known to cause cancer under California's Proposition 65 legislation, which means companies producing products containing residues of the popular herbicide may in future have to feature...

Plant-based products may need to boost visibility of dairy-related allergen warnings

04-Apr-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

An FDA-issued alert from frozen dessert brand Dream reiterating that some of its products contain traces of milk also warns other plant-based product manufacturers that they may need to go beyond legally mandated allergen warnings when it comes to dairy...

Misfit Juicery’s two-prong approach to addressing the anti-sugar trend’s threat to juice

29-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Startup Misfit Juicery is taking a two prong approach to the growing threat to the juice category posed by consumers’ increasing concern about sugar, and in doing so is setting itself apart from the competition.

Dispatches from GFSI 2017 in Houston

USP seeks comments on non-targeted analytical methods guidance

27-Mar-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

USP is seeking feedback on a guidance document that covers how to develop and validate non-targeted analytical methods for authentication of food ingredients.

Mixed news for food agencies in Trump’s budget

20-Mar-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

There was mixed news for food safety agencies in President Donald Trump’s budget blueprint.

Synbio ingredients have vast market penetration, new list shows

17-Mar-2017 By Hank Schultz

Synthetic biology, or GMO 2.0 as some are calling it, has vastly more penetration in the marketplace than was previously believed. That’s the takeaway from the assembly of the first list of such ingredients.

Snacklins plant-based pork rinds marry popular vegan and meat snack trends

09-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Snacklins started out as “a joke gone too far,” according to a co-founder, but the growth of the plant-based take on pork rinds is nothing to laugh at – thanks in part to its ability to bring together two booming, and seemingly polar opposite trends:...

Union Kitchen spotlights global flavors, functional beverages & upscale classics

07-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food and beverage entrepreneurs make global flavors approachable for hesitant Americans, offer functional beverages and put modern, unique twists on classic favorites at the Washington, DC-based incubator Union Kitchen’s Meet The Makers event March 4. 

Bonamar launches irradiated crab meat

02-Mar-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Bonamar Corporation has partnered with Gateway America to launch crab meat products that have been irradiated.

One farmer adds balance to the public discussion about GMOs by sharing their sustainability benefits

02-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Contrary to what some may believe, farmers who grow genetically modified crops are “not the devil with horns,” and do have the planet’s and consumers’ health and best interests in mind when they select which seeds to plant and harvest, a Maryland farmer...

General Mills invests in organic to boost sales, ‘do the right thing’

01-Mar-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

General Mills’ splashy commitment last year to double the number of organic acres it sources from by 2019 not only is a strategic business move to boost sales, but part of a larger effort to “do the right thing,” according to the company’s organic ambassador. 

Irradiated ground beef approved in Canada

24-Feb-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Canada will permit the sale of fresh and frozen raw ground beef treated with irradiation.

Three strategies to tap into the multi-billion-dollar multicultural cuisine market

23-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

The rapidly changing face of America and the growing influence of multicultural households on the mainstream population demand retailers revise their marketing and stocking strategies to better meet evolving consumer demands, new research from Nielsen...

State bills call for warnings about risks associated with synthetic dyes & sugar-sweetened beverages

21-Feb-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Two California state senate bills would mandate controversial warnings on some foods and beverages, and if enacted could start a domino effect among other like-minded states, potentially creating a patchwork of laws and compliance headache for national...