the latest in food science and technology news

The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWFJ) have released a new report, “Keeping America’s Food Safe: A blueprint for fixing the food safety system at the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services,” which examines problems with the current system and proposes ways to improve the food safety functions at the HHS to better protect the nation’s food supply. The report calls for immediate consolidation of food safety leadership within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and ultimately the creation of a separate Food Safety Administration within HHS. Currently, no FDA official whose full-time job is food safety has line authority over all food safety functions. According to the report, a speedy effort by the Obama administration to consolidate leadership within the FDA, followed by Congressional action to create a separate Food Safety Administration, would both ensure immediate progress on food safety and create a platform for long-term success in reducing food-borne illness. The report identifies the following key problems with the current structure of food safety programs at HHS:

• Inadequate leadership, prioritization, and coordination.
• Inadequate technologies and inspection practices.
• Inadequate staffing and resources.
• Inadequate inspection of imports.

The report offers the following recommendations:

• Increasing and aligning resources with the highest-risk threats.
• Modernizing the mandate and legal authority of the HHS Secretary to prevent illness, which would include enforcing the duty of food companies to implement modern preventive controls and meet government-established food safety performance standards.
• Immediately establishing a Deputy Commissioner at the FDA with line authority over all food safety programs, including the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the Center for Veterinary Medicine, and the food functions of the Office of Regulatory Affairs, as an interim step toward creating a Food Safety Administration.
• Working through Congress toward the creation of a Food Safety Administration within HHS, strategically aligning and elevating the food safety functions currently housed at the FDA and better coordinating regulation policies and practices with the surveillance and detection of outbreak functions at CDC and with food safety agencies at the state and local level.

Report (pdf)

Consumers Seek to ‘Recalibrate’ in 2009

Smacked by surging waves of financial instability, U.S. consumers are “recalibrating” their lives—seeking a safe and sane middle ground, according to a consumer trends analysis presented at IFT’s Wellness 09 conference held last week in Rosemont, Ill. Achieving balance in nutrition, budgets, lifestyles, and energy use are goals for consumers in 2009, according to co-presenters Lynn Dornblaser of Mintel International Group and Patti Marshman-Goldblatt of the National Marketing Institute.

Consumers have begun to “reset the scales after a decade of dualities and highs and lows,” said Dornblaser. The speakers cited a series of key trends, including the following, which are affecting shopping behavior and food choices.

• Small steps, big changes. Consumers have begun to make long-term changes to improve their health, but the changes tend to be small and sustainable rather than dramatic, but short-lived, according to the presenters.
• Personal + planetary health. “We’ve reached the tipping point, where consumers understand that personal health and planetary health are related,” said Dornblaser.  Companies that make the connection will fare well in the marketplace, she continued, citing the example of Frito-Lay’s Sunchips, which are formulated with healthful whole grains and produced using eco-friendly manufacturing processes.
• Clean sweep. From personal relationships to food choices, consumers are seeking to eliminate anything toxic from their lives. Clean, simple ingredient labels and marketing messages that promise “no junk” are resonating with consumers, the speakers claimed.

Check out the latest ePerspective post written by Lori Colman, Colman Brohan Davis, Inc., who attended Wellness 09. See what she had to say about one of the event’s major themes—“small changes.” Did you attend Wellness 09? If so, let us know what you thought by commenting on Colman’s post. Or if you didn’t attend, what are your thoughts on how the food industry can impact the obesity rates in the U.S.? Click here to comment.

ePerspective

Americans consume too much salt

According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most Americans consume more than double the amount of their daily recommended level of sodium. In fact, the study shows that 69.2% of the adult population should consume no more than 1,500 mg/day of sodium, and yet, during 2005–2006, the estimated average intake of sodium for persons in the U.S. was 3,436 mg/day. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults in general should consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately one teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day. A diet high in sodium increases the risk of having higher blood pressure, a major cause for heart disease and stroke. Nationwide, 16 million men and women have heart disease and 5.8 million are estimated to have had a stroke. People who reduce their sodium consumption benefit from improved blood pressure and reduce their risk for developing other serious health problems. Choosing foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, when eating out, asking that foods be prepared without added salt, and reading the nutrition label of foods before purchasing can improve health for all adults.

The CDC has commissioned an Institute of Medicine (IOM) study that will outline strategies to reduce sodium consumption to levels recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This study is expected to be completed by Feb. 2010.

The study, which used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, is published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

MMWR report

IOM study information

Trust in supermarket food is slipping

According to The NPD Group’s Food Safety Monitor survey, the number of Americans who feel that foods in supermarkets are safe is slipping. In 2007 and 2008, 63% of Americans agreed with the statement that foods sold in supermarkets are safe, compared with 68% who agreed with the statement in 2004. Some of their top concerns are Salmonella, E. coli, trans fatty acids, mercury in fish/seafood, high fructose corn syrup, artificial growth hormones in milk, and genetically modified foods.

Additionally, the survey shows that consumers are more concerned about the safety of food in restaurants than food available from supermarkets; however, feelings about food safety in restaurants have remained steady over the years. The percentage of consumers who feel that foods served at restaurants are safe has remained, on average, between 48% and 49% since 2004.

“I believe that consumers’ slipping confidence in the safety of supermarket food is less about food safety and more about supermarkets expanding foodservice operations and offering more prepared, ready-to-eat foods,” said Harry Balzer, Chief Industry Analyst and Vice President at NPD. “More food handling issues and concerns come into play when foods are prepared for you. Consumers are now extending the concerns they have about the safety of foods served at restaurants to supermarkets.”

Release

Few fast-food diners check nutritional info

A study published in the American Journal of Public Health shows that most people don’t read the nutritional information before purchase at fast-food restaurants. In this observational study, the researchers determined how frequently consumers accessed on-premises nutrition information provided at chain restaurants. The number of patrons entering and accessing nutrition information was recorded at eight locations that were part of four major restaurant chains (McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks, and Au Bon Pain). Customers were considered to have looked at the nutrition information if they walked up to a poster with the information and turned their head toward it, picked up a pamphlet, or touched the screen of the computer that Au Bon Pain restaurants use to provide nutritional info.

Only six (0.1%) of 4,311 patrons accessed on-premises nutrition information before purchasing food. In McDonald’s, where both stores provided posters with nutrition information and one offered pamphlets, just two people were seen checking out this information before buying something, and two looked at the information after buying food. Three Burger King patrons looked at the nutrition poster, and one Au Bon Pain customer looked at the computer. None of the Starbucks customers picked up a nutrition pamphlet. The researchers concluded, “This very small percentage suggests that such information should be more prominently displayed, such as on restaurant menu boards, to help customers make informed decisions.”

Abstract

Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce risk of advanced prostate cancer

A study published in Clinical Cancer Research shows that consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may reduce inflammation and in turn decrease risk of prostate cancer development and progression. The researchers performed a case-control analysis of 466 men diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer and 478 age- and ethnicity-matched controls. Diet was assessed with a semiquantative food frequency questionnaire. In addition, the researchers genetically assessed nine cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) single nucleotide polymorphisms. Omega-3 fatty acid intake was divided into four groups based on quartiles of intake. Men who consumed the highest amount of long chain omega-3 fatty acids had a 63% reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer compared to men with the lowest amount of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. The researchers then assessed the effect of omega-3 fatty acid among men with the variant rs4647310 in cox-2, a known inflammatory gene. Men with low long chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and this variant had a more than five-fold increased risk of advanced prostate cancer. However, men with high intake of omega-3 fatty acids had a substantially reduced risk, even if they carried the cox-2 variant.

“The cox-2 increased risk of disease was essentially reversed by increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake by a half a gram per day,” said author John Witte, Professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Univ. of Calif. San Francisco. “If you want to think of the overall inverse association in terms of fish, where omega-3 fatty acids are commonly derived, the strongest effect was seen from eating dark fish such as salmon one or more times per week.”

The researchers did note, however, that more work is needed to see if the association between omega-3 fatty acid intake and lower prostate cancer risk is real.

Abstract

Consumers switching from classic soda to ‘lighter’ beverages

A report from Mintel shows today’s adults are rapidly switching from calorie-laden soda to other, often lighter beverages. From 2003 to 2008, Mintel estimates that the regular carbonated soft drink market lost 15.6 million adult drinkers. Just 68% of respondents to Mintel’s Nov. 2008 survey said they drank regular soda in 2008, down from 76% in 2003. During the same period, the number of diet soda drinkers grew: 7.8 million more adults reported drinking diet soda in 2008 than in 2003.

“Regular soda has taken the brunt of criticism from America’s obesity and health issues, because people associate it with ‘empty’ calories and artificial ingredients,” said Krista Faron, Senior Analyst at Mintel. “As health and wellness awareness grows, more people are turning away from old-fashioned pop and looking for healthier, lower calorie drinks, as well as drinks that offer the functionality to meet their specific lifestyle needs.”

The greatest changes in Americans’ drinking habits have occurred outside the soft drink market. As consumers adopt healthier lifestyles and look for new beverages to go with them, Mintel has seen rapid growth in the number of people who regularly drink non-soda options:

• Bottled water: 24 million more Americans drank bottled water in 2008 than in 2003
• Energy drinks: Driven by young adults, the number of energy drink users nearly doubled from 2003 to 2008 (to 34.5 million from 17.4 million)
• Sports drinks: In the past five years, 11 million adults started drinking sports drinks

In Mintel’s consumer survey, one in three beverage-purchasing adults (34%) said they’re drinking more water and less carbonated beverages to manage weight or other health conditions, compared to 2006.

Release

U.K. consumers remain cautious about emerging food technologies

A report by the U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) shows that people remain cautious about the emergence of new food technologies. The report, which looks at research since 1999, brings together knowledge from the U.K. and beyond, on public opinion about up-and-coming food technologies, such as nanotechnologies and cloning. The findings will help to shape the FSA’s future work on emerging technologies.

According to the research, genetically modification (GM) and animal cloning remain the areas of most concern for people. Interestingly, the review also showed that food technologies tended not to be a burning issue for the vast majority of people and often did not generate strong opinions. Awareness of emerging food technologies is generally low, and the concept of ‘functional foods’ and food applications in synthetic biology seem virtually unknown. The exceptions to this are GM and cloning which most people have heard of, at least in the U.K. Nevertheless, people may not realize that they are consuming GM foods, even in the U.S. where GM foods are widely available, and awareness certainly does not mean that people feel confident in their knowledge about these technologies. On the whole, attitudes towards novel food technologies in the U.S. and in Asian and developing countries seem to be more positive than they are in Europe.

“Our top priority is to ensure the food on the shelves is as safe as it possibly can be, but we also need to be aware of how people feel about new technologies,” said Clair Baynton, Head of Novel Foods, Additives and Supplements at the FSA. “Because so little tends to be known about emerging food technologies, attitudes towards them are frequently driven by emotions rather than facts. Understandably, people are wary when they’re not sure about the benefits and risks.”

The research looked at public opinion concerning:

• Nanotechnologies
• Functional foods
• Synthetic biology
• GM food and crops
• Cloning
• Irradiation
• Novel food processes

FSA report

Senomyx extends collaboration with Campbell

Senomyx, Inc. has announced the extension of the collaborative research phase under its initial collaborative research and license agreement with Campbell Soup Co. During the collaboration research period, Senomyx will continue to work with Campbell on the discovery and commercialization of new ingredients that improve the taste of wet soups and savory beverages. Under the extension, Campbell will provide research funding for one year with three annual options of one year each that could further extend the collaboration. In addition, upon successful outcome of this research, Senomyx may receive a milestone payment as well as royalties based on net sales of products using the new ingredients.

“Senomyx is very pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with Campbell, whose renowned market-leading brands include soup, baked snacks, and healthy beverages,” said Kent Snyder, Senomyx’s President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. “Like our partners, Senomyx is committed to using innovative approaches to create flavorsome, lower sodium products. This is an exciting time for the company as we continue to evaluate potential new flavor ingredients that could maintain the salty taste desirable to consumers while facilitating a meaningful reduction of sodium in foods and beverages.”

Release

Pepsi reduces plastic in Aquafina bottle

PepsiCo's Aquafina is launching the Eco-Fina Bottle that, with a weight of 10.9 g, is made with 50% less plastic than the half-liter Aquafina bottles produced in 2002.  This is expected to eliminate an estimated 75 million lbs of plastic annually. In addition to light weighting the half-liter bottle, Aquafina is driving additional environmental benefits by producing the Eco-Fina Bottle at Aquafina purification centers where filling occurs and by eliminating cardboard base pads from Eco-Fina Bottle 24-packs, which will contribute to saving 20 million lbs of corrugate by 2010. The Eco-Fina Bottle will be available in 24-packs and begins shipping to retail outlets nationwide this month.

“The Eco-Fina Bottle represents more than simply innovative packaging design,” said Rick Gomez, Chief Marketing Officer, hydration brands at Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “It showcases our commitment to develop best-in-class products, packages, and manufacturing processes while acting responsibly in everything we do. We're excited to answer the call of our consumers by offering the same great-tasting, pure water in a much lighter and more eco-friendly 100% recyclable bottle.”

Release

Gates Foundation provides $24 million to improve crop science

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a $48 million collaboration with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help improve the plight of small farmers in the developing world, according to The Seattle Times. Each organization will provide $24 million over five years to fund cutting-edge research on ways to make crops resistant to drought, disease and pests, improve soil quality, and tackle a wide range of problems that limit agricultural productivity in Africa and other poor nations. The new award program, called BREAD—Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development—will support a competitive award program for scientific research projects that address serious constraints to smallholder agriculture in the developing world. The NSF’s peer review process will select who will receive the grants; the Gate Foundation will also have a say in grant selection. The BREAD program will put out its initial call for grant applications in early June 2009, and the first grants will be awarded in early 2010.

The Seattle Times article

BREAD info

Earthoil India receives Fair for Life status

Earthoil, a subsidiary of Treatt plc, has been awarded Institute for Marketecology (IMO) Fair for Life status for its Indian mint growing project. Granted by the IMO Social and Fair Trade Certification Program, this award reflects Earthoil’s commitment to ethical trading. Fair for Life is a brand neutral third party certification program for social accountability and fair trade in agricultural, manufacturing, and trading operations. To achieve Fair for Life status, Earthoil India had to fulfill certain key criteria that included guaranteeing good working conditions, respecting core labor rights, and ensuring smallholder groups have a fair relationship with farmer organizations and the individual farmer. Earthoil’s Indian grower project received a full audit by IMO prior to the award.

“We’re delighted to be awarded Fair for Life status,” said Campbell Walter, Sales and Marketing Director at Earthoil. “It is a tangible acknowledgment of our dedication to ethical trading and practices. At Earthoil we firmly believe that ethical trade and organic farming practices are inextricably linked. By offering our growers better trading conditions, we are contributing to sustainable development and securing the rights of producers, workers, and their communities in developing countries.”

Release (pdf)

McDonald’s to promote pesticide use reduction

Responding to shareholder concerns, McDonald’s Corp. has agreed to formally survey and promote best practices in pesticide use reduction within its American potato supply chain. McDonald’s is the largest buyer of potatoes in the U.S. This agreement led to the withdrawal of a shareholder resolution filed by the Bard College Endowment, Newground Social Investment, and the AFL-CIO Reserve Fund. This was the first shareholder resolution focused on environmental and worker health issues ever to be filed by a college or university endowment.

Through this agreement, McDonald’s has committed to: 1. survey its current U.S. potato suppliers; 2. compile a list of best practices in pesticide reduction that will be recommended to the company’s global suppliers (through the company’s Global Potato Board); and 3. communicate findings related to best practices to shareholders, and in the company’s annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report. The agreement was developed in collaboration between shareholders and McDonald’s, with support from the Investor Environmental Health Network.

“Leadership companies such as Sysco (which supplies Wendy’s), General Mills, and Campbell’s have already demonstrated that pesticide use reduction makes sense from both an environmental health and business perspective,” said Dr. Richard Liroff, Executive Director of the Investor Environmental Health Network. “We welcome McDonald’s stepping up to the plate and look forward to supporting the company’s efforts to reduce pesticide use in the future.”

McDonald’s and shareholders agreement (pdf)

Diedrich Coffee sells U.S. Gloria Jean’s Coffees franchise operations

Diedrich Coffee, Inc. has signed a definitive agreement with Praise International North America, Inc., an affiliate of Gloria Jean’s Coffees International, for the sale of its Gloria Jean’s Coffees domestic franchise operations. Gloria Jean’s Coffees International holds the rights to the Gloria Jean’s Coffees brand for all international countries excluding the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The sale of the Gloria Jean’s Coffees domestic franchise operations to Praise International North America includes a total of 102 franchise and company-orientated locations in 24 states. The purchase price is approximately $3.1 million and the transaction is expected to close within 60 days. Terms of the sale include a five-year roasting agreement and rights to use the Gloria Jean’s Coffee brand names in perpetuity in the company’s various wholesale business channels and Keurig K-cup product lines.

“In late 2006, Diedrich Coffee announced the sale of certain company-operated Diedrich Coffee and Coffee People retails stores as part of our plan to expand our wholesale business and focus the retail side of our business on our Gloria Jean’s franchise operations,” said J. Russell Phillips, President and CEO of Diedrich Coffee. “With the transaction announced today, we will take that strategy one step further and focus primarily on the sale of specialty coffees in our wholesale business channels.”

Release

Extra credit reading

Haagen-Dazs helps the honey bees
Haagen-Dazs has announced its goal of distributing two million bee-friendly flower seeds in 2009, encouraging other American families to follow President & Mrs. Obama's lead to plant gardens and help these important pollinators.

Watch your emotional appetite
April is Emotional Overeating Awareness Month with the goal of informing and educating people about the misconceptions of overeating due to the stresses predominant in today’s world while providing helpful strategies for coping.

Cheetos the size of golf balls
This is no April Fools’ Day trick…Frito-Lay’s Cheetos brand is launching Giant Cheetos snacks, which are golf-ball sized cheesy snacks that bring a sense of fun to snacking.

Win $1 million in the Pillsbury Bake-Off
You could win $1 million with one simple recipe idea in the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, which is open for entries until April 20.

Chicago scores 17 James Beard nominations
At a ceremony on March 23, the Chicago dining community snared 17 nominations for the James Beard award, the culinary equivalent of the Academy Awards.

Michener to run USDA’s FAS

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has named Michael Michener as Administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Michener has served in three U.S. foreign affairs agencies in the past 10 years. He has spent considerable time overseas promoting post-conflict stability operations, economic development, and human rights. Most recently, he served as the Senior Democracy and Governance Advisor and Lead Planning Officer for the U.S. State Department’s Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization. From 2005 to 2007, he served as the Lead Iraq Policy Officer for the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, managing nearly $400 million in assistance programs promoting democracy and human rights in that country.

The FAS has primary responsibility for USDA’s international activities, including market development, international trade agreements, and negotiations and the collection and analysis of market information. The FAS also administers USDA’s export credit guarantee and international food aid programs, and helps expand income and food availability in developing nations.

Release

Sharfstein serves as FDA Acting Commissioner

According to Reuters, President Obama has announced that Joshua Sharfstein will serve as Acting Commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) beginning March 30. Obama appointed Sharfstein earlier in March as the FDA’s Principal Deputy and nominated former New York City Health Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to serve as Commissioner. Hamburg needs Senate confirmation before running the FDA.

Reuters article

Proposed bill to ban antibiotics in animals creates stir

Legislation, “The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act” (PAMTA), was introduced March 17 in the House (H.R. 1549) by Representative Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and in the Senate (S. 619) by Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). The introduction of the bill builds on the momentum from last year's Congressional decision to enact a data collection provision in the Animal Drug Use Fee Act (ADUFA), as well as the enactment of an antibiotic resistance research provision into the farm bill. Proponents of the legislation believe that the antibiotics used in animal agriculture need to be reviewed to determine whether the increasing levels of resistance have rendered them unsafe due to resistance concerns. The bill would review the safety when antibiotics important in human medicine, such as penicillin and tetracycline, are used as additives to animal feed.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) estimates that 70% of all the antibiotics used each year in the U.S. are fed without a prescription to livestock and poultry—not to treat illness, but to promote slightly faster growth and to compensate for crowded, stressful, and unhygienic conditions at industrial-scale livestock and poultry facilities. Some believe that this practice encourages the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are transferred to humans via food, air, and water.

However, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is expressing strong opposition to the legislation and in a letter to Congress, AFBF President Bob Stallman said the bills (H.R. 1549 and S. 619) would handicap veterinarians and livestock and poultry producers in their efforts to protect the nation’s food supply and maintain the health of their farm animals. Industry groups that oppose the ban contend animal deaths would go up, producer costs would rise, meat output would drop, and consumers would see prices climb. They believe there is no evidence that a public health threat has occurred because of the use of antibiotics in animals.

“Farmers and ranchers and the veterinarians they work with use antibiotics carefully, judiciously, and according to label instructions, primarily to treat, prevent, and control disease in our flocks and herds,” said Stallman. “Antibiotics are critically important to the health and welfare of the animals and to the safety of the food produced.”

Under the proposed legislation, drug manufacturers would be allowed to sell antibiotics for nonhuman uses if they can show there is no danger to public health from microbes developing drug resistances.

H.R. 1549

S. 619

AFBF statement

EFSA issues opinion on MRSA in animals and foods

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion on the public health significance of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in animals and foods. EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) found that while food maybe contaminated by MRSA, there is currently no evidence that eating or handling contaminated food may lead to an increased risk of humans becoming healthy carriers or infected with this bacterium. The Panel also concluded that where MRSA prevalence in food-producing animals is high, people in contact with live animals, especially farmers, veterinarians, and their families, are at greater risk than the general population. In the case of food-producing animals, a specific type of MRSA, called CC398, has emerged and is most often carried without symptoms by intensively reared animals. The Panel noted that this strain represents a small proportion of the overall cases of MRSA in the European Union. Various types of MRSA, including CC398, can be found in slaughterhouses and on raw meat, but the Panel stated that, based on current data, the risk of infection for slaughterhouse workers and persons handling meat appears low.

The BIOHAZ Panel also said that systematic monitoring of MRSA should be carried out to evaluate trends in the development of MRSA in food-producing animals in all Member States. Further work should be performed on harmonizing methods for sampling, detecting, and quantifying MRSA in humans and animals, and for detecting MRSA as a contaminant in food, and in the environment.

EFSA Opinion

Proposed bill would lower Tenn. food sales tax

According to a NewsChannel5.com story, Tenn. State Representative G.A. Hardaway is backing a bill that would lower the state’s food sales tax from 5.5% to 4.5%. Currently, the state’s food sales tax is the third highest in the nation. The tax costs the average Tenn. family about $370 a year, but if the bill passes, it would save families about $70. However, since the food sales tax brings in millions of dollars for the state, it is unlikely that the bill will pass this year. Hardaway has proposed taking a look at tax reforms to make up for the lost money.

NewsChannel5.com article

Arkansas bill looks to increase tax on milk

On March 26, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill (H.B. 1451) introduced by Representative Johnny Hoyt (D-Ark.) that would require milk wholesalers to pay a fee of 30 cents per 12 gal of milk sold, or 2.4 cents per gal. Revenue from the fee would go into a fund to provide subsidies to dairy farmers when milk prices fall below a certain level. Proponents of the bill hope it will provide some much needed relief for the state’s struggling dairy farmers. The fee-generated money would be redistributed through a proposed dairy stabilization fund that also proposes to make 50 cent-per-hundredweight incentive payments if farmers exceed the average annual milk production or if the amount of white blood cells found in the milk is under a certain level. The cell count is used as a quality indicator, since leukocytes increase in response to harmful bacteria.

Opponents of the legislation claim the fee will increase the retail price of milk by at least 3 cents/gal. In a letter to Ark. Governor Mike Beebe, State Government Affairs Manager Joshua Culling urged Beebe to veto the bill, which is now on the Governor’s desk. “Such an arbitrary and regressive tax hike on dairy products is bad policy, and it reverses much of the good achieved by the grocery tax cut you signed into law last week,” said Culling in the letter. “Because a large number of food products contain milk, prices at the supermarket will rise accordingly. This tax will also encourage Arkansans to opt for other beverages to avoid the milk tax. Because of the nutritional value of milk, such a policy could very well encourage consumption of less healthy alternatives simply out of financial considerations.”

H.B. 1451

Arkansas Democrat Gazette article

Culling letter to Governor

IFT Nanoscience Web site

IFT is excited to announce the newest addition to our Web site, the Nanoscience Webpage. This site is designed to provide the IFT membership with information on our organization’s involvement with the growing field of food nanoscience. It also provides current information related to nanoscience application in food including research and development updates; environmental, health and safety issues; and regulations. This website contains information on IFT’s past Nanoscience Conferences, upcoming events, recent news briefings, various Nano reports and a variety of other helpful resources. Click here to visit the nanoscience page.

The World of Food Science addresses food security

The new issue of The World of Food Science centers around the theme of food security and provides a timely reminder of the huge challenges that face governments, national and international organizations, food producers, processors and distributors, and the consumers themselves, over the availability of sufficient food to satisfy the requirements and expectations of the world’s poor and undernourished. Included in this edition are papers from the 14th World Congress of Food Science and Technology, expert statements that catalyzed comments during the pre-Congress internet forum, and reports of activities involving international organizations (United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization). Click here to read the latest issue of The World of Food Science.

Food science outreach workshop

Calling all IFT Food Science Ambassadors and others interested in food science community outreach. This workshop will be held on Monday, June 8, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., and will help you teach science using food. You’ll observe and practice quick and easy experiments from IFT’s Food Science Activity Guide. Experiments include: “Alginate Gummies,” “Can You Taste without Your Nose?” and “There's Iron in Breakfast Cereal?” You'll take away useful resources to help you lead these and other experiments on your own. (Please note: These are the same experiments that were conducted last year.) All IFT members, especially Food Science Ambassadors, are welcome! Please RSVP to careerguidance@ift.org if you plan to attend the workshop. Your RSVP helps to ensure that adequate supplies are available so that everyone will receive a valuable hands-on experience.

Last days to register for webcast broadcast live from IFT Food Laws & Regulations Division Symposium

"There’s a New Sheriff in Town": Impacts that Regulatory Developments and a Change in the Administration Will Have on Your Business
April 3, 7:30–9:00 a.m. CST

Join this lively discussion that will examine current issues in food regulations including food safety and food security, in light of the Obama administration. Discover exactly where and how food safety, science, and the law intersect.

Presentations include:
“How Melamine Changed the World,” presented by Dr. David Acheson (Associate Commissioner for Foods, Food and Drug Administration) and “The New Administration and Legislative Agendas,” presented by John Bode (Principal Attorney, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz P.C.).

To register for either the live or on-demand webcast, click here. When registering, please enter this code: 0309EM1463

Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses to offer focused food science education

Plan now to attend these half-day to two-day targeted education courses to help you discover the latest best practices, gain insight and perspective from industry experts, and share practical know-how with your peers. IFT will offer nine Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses in conjunction with the 2009 IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. Check out the links below for course descriptions and speaker bios.

For more information, and to register, visit ift.org/IFT09. When registering, please enter this code: 0409EM1467

2-Day Courses
Descriptive Analysis in Sensory Evaluation
Food Science for the Non-Food Scientist
Ingredient Applications for Product Innovation and Consumer Health
Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S.
Microencapsulation in Food Applications
Safety and Vulnerabilities of Domestic and Imported Ingredients

1.5-Day Course
Capitalizing on India’s Global Competitiveness and Robust Agri-Food Sector

1-Day Course
Foundational Skills for Technical Professionals: How to be an Effective Influencer

1/2-Day Course
Teaching Food Science and Food Engineering through Case Studies

http://www.ift.org/