Trending

Robots Gain Popularity in Retail Grocery Stores

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Have You Met Marty? He’s made by Badger Technologies and only one of five robotic systems currently in place in grocery stores throughout the U.S.  He checks inventory, alerts staff to spills on the floors and directs customers to various store locations.  As of April 2020, 172 Giant Stores and 325 Stop and Shops have …

Food Safety

FDA PROPOSES NEW RULE FOR FOOD TRACEABILITY

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The FDA has proposed a new rule “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods” (Food Traceability Proposed Rule).  This is a key part of the FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint and would implement Section 204(d) of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This was prompted by the many produce recalls over the …

Food Safety

Getting Smarter About Food Safety

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The FDA is initiating a new approach to smarter FOOD SAFETY that will use technology and other methods in order to create a more digitized traceable food system. Simplicity and modernization are also keys in the development of this “smarter food safety” along with effective leadership and additional education in the area of food safety …

Trending

In Search of Restaurant Survival as Consumers Demand More Affordable and Safer Food

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Throughout the world, COVID-19 has changed the way people dine both inside the home and out. Public attitude towards restaurants and choice of eating places has changed.  Restaurant owners have had to become more innovative and adapt to these differences in order to keep their businesses open and hopefully, profitable. Some are ready and anxious …

Crop News

Potato Market Still Uncertain

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United States Northwest sweet corn has commenced, and so has the true heat of summer!  Processors are between 35% and 45% complete with their pack.  Favorable weather continues continue in the Pacific Northwest for this crop.  Packers are keeping true to their budgets and quality. Carrot will commence in late September.  The sometimes-forgettable Lima Bean …

Food Safety

Truth and Transparency: Is Your Product Label “Clean” Enough for COVID Consumers?

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In the food industry, there is really no definition for “clean label”, yet its importance cannot be underestimated. It has taken on even greater significance with the impact of COVID-19 and more buyer demand for truth and transparency. And the global market for “clean” labelled food sales this year will be worth $180 billion – …

Trending

COVID-19 Leads to E-Grocery Boom Snapshot: China & the USA

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USA Online grocery sales in the U.S. grew 22% in 2019 (Coresight Research U.S. Online Grocery Survey 2020) and COVID-19 lockdowns have propelled e-commerce food shopping to an even higher level.  In April 2020, e-commerce sales overall jumped 49% compared to early March before lockdowns went into effect, according to new data from Adobe’s Digital …

Crop News

Northwest Sweet Corn Season Begins!

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United States Northwest green peas harvest has been completed.   Conditions have been good; however, weather heated up in the middle of the pack which caused bunching for some processors.  Overall budgets were met, however there may be more lower grade peas than desired, with high quality AAA grade product at a premium.   In regard to …

Trending

State of the Specialty Food Industry Report

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Each year the Specialty Food Association publishes a detailed industry report – it is a joint research project prepared by Mintel and SPINS/IRI.  The report covers the three most recent calendar years of sales data and has figures for 63 specialty food categories. In addition, it includes data and insights from a 23-question customer survey …

Food Safety

Export of Frozen Food to China Now Under Scrutiny

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Earlier this month, Chinese officials advised that traces of the Coronavirus were found on chopping boards used for cutting imported frozen salmon at the Xinfadi market in Beijing.  With 137 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Beijing, salmon was immediately removed from the supermarkets in major Chinese cities despite the fact that the National Health …

Food Safety

What You Need to Know Today About Food Product Dating

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With home cooking on the rise due to the recent COVID-19 quarantine, many people are taking the opportunity to clean their food storage areas and check the use-by dates on canned, dried and frozen products in pantries, refrigerators and freezers. However, due to lack of understanding, many consumers are unknowingly tossing out perfectly safe and …