Mexico The drought conditions earlier in the year and then the excess rain during the planting season has continued to give challenges to the Mexican broccoli and cauliflower industry. The rain continued in Mexico during September and October when the rainy season should usually end. The total precipation in the state of Guanajuato has surpassed …
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Weather is changing, Autumn is upon us. United States The weather has started to turn in the Pacific Northwest. Cool, crisp mornings with late afternoon warmth for a short period before night cools back down has hit the Columbia Basin this week. The days are becoming shorter and you can see the start of the …
Have you ever heard the saying “God made dirt, so dirt don’t hurt”? Wonder if that is a true statement or just something that some school children made up when they were throwing it at each other? I believe there is some truth to this statement– Being in the food industry we understand that listeria …
This month, China announced new trade tariffs that will affect $60 billion worth of products produced in the United States. China’s announcement is in response to recently imposed duties on $200 billion of imported Chinese goods. Earlier this year, the United States also upped fees on Chinese products valued at $34 billion and imposed a …
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If you’ve ever fallen victim to food poisoning, you probably remember the meal that caused it. But you’re probably not sure which underlying bacteria caused your symptoms and discomfort. Clostridium perfringens is a common culprit. Caused by a bacteria that thrives at room temperature, C. perfringens commonly affects cafeteria settings, where food is prepared in …
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Europe The European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors have reported another tough summer season for Europe’s vegetable crops. In the North of Europe a very warm and dry summer with lack of rain since May is resulting in lower pea,corn, and potato yields. In addition winter lasted longer than usual and the spring was …
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Earlier this summer, temperatures hit record highs across Europe as heat waves swept the continent. A summer with extreme dryness and heat has left normally green fields a disturbing shade of brown. Drought settled over Europe with a high pressure weather system remaining in place for much of the summer. Vegetable growers/producers are facing the …
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Europe The European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors have reported it will be another tough summer season for Europe’s vegetable crops. In the North of Europe a very warm and dry summer with lack of rain since May is resulting in lower pea and corn yields. In addition winter lasted longer than usual and …
Continue reading “Europe Faces Another Difficult Crop Season”
In July, Japan and the European Union signed a groundbreaking free trade deal that eliminates over 90% of tariffs on goods exchanged between Japan and European countries. Trade between the European Union and Japan represents more than 600 million consumers and is valued at approximately $150 billion, or approximately one-third of the global economy. Notable …
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A recent listeria outbreak in the European Union has been linked to a frozen vegetable facility in Hungary through whole genome sequencing. The facility has stopped all production and sales due to this recent information. To date approximately 50 people have been reported infected with 9 deaths. Countries affected are Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and …
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Cauliflower is still gaining popularity as a great healthy alternative and we are seeing brand new and exciting applications, here are a few of them: – Peek A Boo is now featuring a Chocolate ice cream with hidden cauliflower. You might wonder, why cauliflower? The reason the producer states on its website is simple: Because …
More than 200 people have been infected by an intestinal parasite after reportedly eating vegetables from Fresh Del Monte Produce vegetable trays, the federal authorities said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were 212 cases of the infection, cyclosporiasis, in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin as of Thursday. According to the C.D.C., …
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United States Northwest green pea harvest is in full swing! To date weather has been favorable and the crop is expected to progress well. Yields and quality are good. Sweet corn plantings are pretty much completed in the Northwest. To date the crop conditions look good and everyone is expecting high yields and nice quality. …
The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act now contains requirements that aim to prevent intentional adulteration of the food supply. Intentional adulteration refers to attempts to purposely harm consumers by contaminating the food supply. This form of attack could be perpetrated by terrorist organizations or other enemies who access the food supply through domestic facilities or …
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Look Who’s Eating Cauliflower-Rice! Just about everybody who is health conscious and looking for a new and delicious frozen vegetable alternative is eating (and loving) frozen cauliflower-rice. It’s not often that a frozen vegetable gains such quick popularity, but cauliflower-rice is definitely one of the hottest products trending in frozen food today, and here’s why: …
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Kellogg’s is voluntarily recalling certain lot codes for their Honey Smacks Cereal due to possible salmonella contamination. In our industry when manufacturing or repacking for big league companies, e.g. Kellogg’s, you need to make sure that your food safety plan is bulletproof so no potential hazard makes its way to the end consumer. The food …
Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupted on Sunday, June 3rd, killing at least 62 people and spewing a river of lava and plumes of smoke almost 6 miles into the air. Broccoli season is underway; fortunately, there was no damage done to the plantations. The winds were blowing east/northeast of the volcano, while the main growing area …
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On May 25, the FDA released a new guide for smaller food facilities that are subject to the FDA’s registration requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The new Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG) details the steps food facilities must take to register with the FDA under the FD&C Act, which …
If you’re looking for the latest food trend, it just might be hiding in the freezer aisle. Led by millennials and European consumers, frozen foods are currently enjoying a renaissance in popularity–with lucrative results for innovative food producers. RBC Capital markets show that for the first time since 2013, frozen food volume growth is positive. …
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United States Northwest green pea harvest for most processors is now underway. To date weather has been favorable and the crop is expected to progress well. Sweet corn plantings are approximately 50% to 75% completed. Most processors have planted about the same corn acreage as last season however, with some changes in the percentage of …
Continue reading “Northwest Green Pea Harvest In Full Swing”