Top Stories
U.S. dietary calcium intakes less than most favorable
According to these researchers, U.S. calcium intakes remain less than optimal.
The researchers say that fortification of foods with shortfall nutrients may be the best strategy for dealing with widespread nutrient deficiencies, as it has the best chance of reaching the population segments most at risk, as contrasted with attempts at changing individuals' food choices or relying on voluntary supplement taking.
Given the wide array of potential calcium fortificants and fortification levels, there is not much to guide manufacturers interested in improving the nutritional value of their products. In this review, they assemble the calcium salts/complexes that have been used or proposed for use as fortificants and describe certain of their measured characteristics that relate to incorporation into foods, particularly what is known of their absorbability. The calcium salts most commonly used as supplements or fortificants exhibit similar absorbability when tested in pure chemical form. They find that each product must be explicitly tested to establish the degree to which its calcium is available to consumers.
For more, see Journal of Food Science.
Notice to JFS readers
The Blackwell-Synergy site is being upgraded on Saturday, October 13th. The system will be unavailable for approximately 10 hours during the deployment, and a message stating this will be posted on the page during the outage.
Extended Deadline for IFT National Election: Wednesday, October 17
Now is the time to take your IFT volunteer involvement to the next level. You have an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague for President-Elect or for a position as a Member of the 2008-09 Board of Directors. For more information, see the IFT Leadership Brochure.
It's quick and easy to submit a nomination online. Visit the IFT Member Center (login required) to complete the Volunteer Leadership Nomination Form. A form can also be requested by contacting Heather Lang, IFT Director of Executive Communications at hmlang@ift.org. The new deadline is Wednesday, October 17, 2007, so be sure to submit your nomination today!
Research Briefs
IFST issues Campylobacteriosis statement
IFST has now issued an Information Statement on Campylobacteriosis. Campylobacters occur widely as part of the intestinal flora of many warm-blooded animals and birds, particularly chickens and turkeys, and can be carried in animals that are used for food production and in domestic pets.
Evidence indicates that the most important risk factors for food-borne infection are consumption of undercooked poultry (particularly chicken), and other meat, unpasteurized or inadequately pasteurized milk and food that has been cross-contaminated.
For more, see IFST.org.
Low-fat diet may lower risk of ovarian cancer
A diet low in fat could reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in healthy postmenopausal women, according to new results from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Dietary Modification Trial. Researchers found that after four years, women who decreased the amount of dietary fat they consumed were 40% less likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who followed normal dietary patterns.
“Low-Fat Dietary Pattern and Invasive Cancer Incidence: Further Results from the Women’s Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial,” was published online October 9 by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
For more, see http://public.nhlbi.nih.gov/newsroom/home/GetPressRelease.aspx?id=2473.
Important rice production system under pressure
In the face of growing pressure on one of Asia’s most important food production systems, experts are warning that farmers must get more help to make them more efficient.
Irrigated rice production provides about 75 percent of the world’s rice needs, and has a particularly important role to play at the moment as international rice prices are at a 10-year high, while global stocks are at a 30-year low. However, at a meeting in Vietnam of more than 50 rice scientists from 13 countries, the problems facing irrigated rice farmers are being highlighted.
On 8-9 October, about 60 international rice scientists from 13 countries are to gather for the 3rd Steering Committee meeting of the Irrigated Rice Research Consortium (IRRC) of the International Rice Research Institute and hosted by the Vietnamese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS). High on the agenda is how to assist farmers with access to irrigation to be more efficient in their production of rice.
For more, see the CGIAR website at http://www.cgiar.org/
Company News
Cadbury spins off beverages to deal with Hershey?
Cadbury Schweppes PLC announced today that it plans to set up its Americas Beverages unit as a separate company instead of selling it because of the a lack of a satisfactory offer.
Cadbury plans to list the business -- which includes Dr Pepper and 7UP -- on the New York Stock Exchange through an issue of shares to Cadbury's existing shareholders. The process won't be completed before the second quarter of 2008, it said.
On July 2, Cadbury extended the timetable for the sale of its beverages business to allow bidders to complete their proposals against a more stable debt financing market. Since that time, according to the company debt market conditions have remained difficult.
The beverages unit generates over 80% of its revenues and profits in the US and its key peer group companies are also managed and listed there.
In other news, the Hershey Trust may be still trying to make a deal to merge their confectionary business with the Cadbury Schweppes candy operations. Hershey pursued a deal with Cadbury back in 2002.
On Oct. 1, the Hershey announced that Richard H. Lenny, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, will retire at end of 2007 and in a statement, indicated it wants to pursue possible mergers: “It is the Trust’s fundamental belief that the long-term prosperity of the Company requires the Company Board and its management to build on its strong U.S. position by aggressively pursuing strategies for domestic and international growth.”
Sara Lee increase sustainable coffee volume
Sara Lee announced today the doubling of its worldwide procurement of sustainable coffee. With this new commitment, Sara Lee brings its total sustainable coffee volume to 20,000 tons.
During the past four years, Sara Lee has achieved an eight-fold increase in its sustainable coffee volumes: from 2,500 tons in 2004 to the 20,000 tons it has committed to procure in 2008.
"As a major global coffee roaster, Sara Lee can boost sustainability as a competitive way of producing coffee that supports the environment as well as the socioeconomic conditions of local communities," said Frank van Oers, chief executive officer of Sara Lee's Coffee & Tea division.
FMC BioPolymer raises prices for cellulose and Carrageenan
FMC BioPolymer, an operating unit of FMC Corp., announced today that effective November 1, 2007, it will increase prices for Avicel® and related brands of its food and pharmaceutical grade microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose gel by 4 percent to 8 percent and increase prices on its carrageenan product line by 4 percent to 6 percent. Depending on the product line and business unit, increases will be applied to list prices and as contracts permit.
“The major drivers for this action are significant cost increases in raw materials, specifically pulp and seaweed, as well as energy costs that remain at near record high levels,” said Jerry Whelan, Commercial Director, FMC BioPolymer.
Caravan Ingredients announces price increase
Due to increasing costs for commodity raw materials such as soy bean oil, palm oil, stearic acid and glycerin, Caravan Ingredients announced they are increasing the selling prices of its emulsifier and lactylate products.
“The price increase was inevitable due to spiraling raw material costs,” said Ian Trood, VP Sales Caravan Ingredients. “Given the current market conditions a price increase of between 20% and 30% is expected, although the actual cost increases will vary by product based upon the market driven cost inputs.”
Effective November 1, 2007 prices will be increased for all products not covered by supply contracts.
Caravan Ingredients is a manufacturer and supplier of the finest quality bakery and food ingredients, specialty chemicals, polymer additives and specialty blending equipment.
New executives appointed at Kerry
Stan McCarthy has been appointed Chief Executive Designate for Kerry Group in Tralee, Ireland. He will be replacing Hugh Friel, who is retiring as Chief Executive and Director of Kerry Group on Dec. 31, 2007.
McCarthy joined Kerry Group in 1976 where he worked in finance at the company’s headquarters in Ireland. He was instrumental in establishing Kerry Americas in Beloit following the group’s 1988 acquisition of Beatreme. He has served as Kerry Americas president since 1996 and will continue in his role as he transitions to his new position.
Gerry Behan has been appointed President and CEO Designate of Kerry Americas, effective January 1, 2008. Behan will be responsible for leading Kerry’s regional ingredient businesses in Canada, the United States, and Latin America.
Behan joined Kerry Group in 1986 and has held numerous finance and operations positions. He has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Kerry Americas since 2004.
Constructive eating tools
This dinner set comes with a bulldozer pusher, fork lift fork, and front loader spoon. The “tools” would be great for doing some heavy lifting of mashed potatoes and gravy.
For more, see http://www.flyingpeas.com/ce-utensils.html
Regulatory News
FDA Food Code updated with Supplement
The U.S. FDA has posted the Supplement to the 2005 FDA Food Code.
The Food Code is an important part of the strategy for achieving uniform national food safety standards and for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of our nation's food safety system. The Supplement, which updates the 2005 Food Code, reflects the current science, emerging food safety issues, and imminent health hazards related to food safety. A Summary of Changes is included in Part 1 of the Supplement to assist in quick identification of the changes.
The next complete revision of the Food Code will be published in 2009. The Supplement provides the most current food safety provisions to agencies planning to initiate rule-making activities before 2009. In addition, this Supplement gives other users of the Food Code -- educators, trainers, and the food service, retail food, and vending industries -- up-to-date information on mitigating risk factors that can contribute to foodborne illnesses.
For more, see http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fc05-su2.html.
FDA expands produce safety Action Plan
In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched the 2004 FDA Produce Safety Action Plan, which is intended to minimize the incidence of foodborne illness associated with consumption of fresh produce.
In 2006, FDA, in collaboration with the State of California's Departments of Public Health and Food and Agriculture, began a multi-year Initiative as part of a risk-based strategy intended to reduce public health risks by heightening the focus on preventive food safety efforts on specific products, practices, agents, and growing areas of greatest concern. The first year of the Initiative focused on lettuce (Lettuce Safety Initiative) as a response to recurring outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 associated with fresh and fresh-cut lettuce.
FDA and the California Department of Public Health are continuing these efforts in 2007 with a focus on a broader range of leafy greens, including spinach, building upon lessons learned in the first year, subsequent outbreak investigations, and our 2007 Tomato Safety Initiative which is underway in Virginia and Florida.
Beginning in October 2007, FDA investigators, in coordination with their respective state counterparts, and with the cooperation of the industry, will visit farms in California to assess the prevalence of factors in and near the field environment which may contribute to potential contamination of leafy greens with E. coli O157:H7 and the extent to which Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and other preventive controls are being implemented.
To further focus this risk-based approach, collaborators have been reviewing data to identify areas where co-existing environmental risk factors are present. Data analyses and GIS mapping will be followed by preliminary assessments to confirm the data analyses and to finalize site selection for the field assessment.
For more, see http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lettsaf2.html.
USDA concludes GE rice investigation
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the conclusion of the genetically engineered rice (GE) investigation. The investigation, which was conducted by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Investigative and Enforcement Services in coordination with USDA's Office of the Inspector General, focused on the unintentional release of trace amounts of regulated genetically engineered rice detected in two commercial varieties of long-grain rice.
Bayer CropScience developed and field tested the regulated GE rice lines known as LLRICE601 and LLRICE604, which were designed for herbicide tolerance. Both GE rice lines have the same added protein, commonly referred to as the PAT protein, which has been safely used in other deregulated products for more than ten years.
The investigation was initiated on Aug. 1, 2006, after Bayer CropScience reported that regulated LLRICE601 had been detected in the long-grain rice variety Cheniere. Based upon the findings of the investigation, APHIS will not be pursuing enforcement against Bayer CropScience. USDA was unable to make any definitive determinations that could have resulted in enforcement action.
For more, see USDA press release.
Cargill recalls 845,000 lb of beef patties
Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation is voluntarily recalling approximately 845,000 pounds of frozen ground beef patties produced at its Butler, Wis., location because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced on Oct. 6.
The products were produced on various dates from Aug. 9 through Aug. 17, 2007, and were distributed to retail establishments, restaurants and institutions nationwide. Each label bears the establishment number "Est. 924A" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
IFT & Meeting News
Product Traceability - How Far is Enough in Today’s Marketplace?
October 24, 2007, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Central
Food companies worldwide are becoming increasingly concerned about their ability to trace where their products originate. This helps reduce the production and distribution of unsafe or poor-quality products, which in turn reduces the potential for bad publicity, liability, and recalls. The better and more precise the tracing system, the faster a producer can identify and resolve food safety or quality problems. Join us to learn about traceability as an important ingredient in a safe and efficient food supply, and explore key areas of consideration for establishing a traceability system.
The Organics Debate—Is the Premium Worth It?
November 29, 2007, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Central
Sales of organics have surged more than 20 percent each year in the past decade. According to the Organic Trade Association, Americans spent $14 billion on organic food in 2005. Will this surge continue? What does the future of this mainstream trend hold for growers, food product developers, regulators and, ultimately, consumers?
Join us for these compelling webcasts and learn more about our new pricing structure by visiting ift.org/knowledge. When registering, please enter offer code: 1007EM1073.
Call for Nominations for IFT Awards and Fellows
Food science and technology matters! Professionals in the field improve the availability, nutrition, and safety of the world’s food supply. They bring scientific and technological innovation to an increasingly global marketplace. IFT honors all the many ways the food science and technology field makes a real difference.
Call for Achievement Award Nominations: IFT is now accepting nominations for awards that recognize individuals and teams for remarkable contributions in research, applications, and service. The 2008 IFT Achievement Awards (http://members.ift.org/NR/exeres/179ABBC2-7D92-4040-9EFF-C9F55E86FA7A.htm?NRMODE=Unpublished&wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished) are designed for our colleagues in industry, academia, and government. Deadline to submit a nomination for the 2008 award year is December 1, 2007.
Call for IFT Fellow Nominations: IFT is now accepting nominations for IFT Fellows. Election as an IFT Fellow is a unique professional distinction conferred for outstanding and extraordinary contributions in the field of food science and technology. Deadline to submit a Fellows nomination is February 1, 2008.
Read Concise Reviews and Hypotheses in Food Science
The Journal of Food Science makes its 2007 and 2006 Concise Reviews and Hypotheses in Food Science section available for free to all readers.
This unique section of the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT) peer-reviewed, print and online journal features in-depth reviews of all aspects of food science, including safety and nutrition, as well as pioneering areas of research, and important areas of study that push the boundaries of scientific discovery or are touched by scientific controversy.
To access Concise Reviews and Hypotheses in Food Science, visit www.blackwellsynergy.com/loi/jfds, click on each individual 2007 or 2006 issue, and locate the Concise Reviews Section near the top of the table of contents (look for the green “Free” box next to the article title).
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