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Food safety on front burner in U.S. Congress
Voicing concerns about food ingredient imports and produce safety, U.S. Congressional Democrats are calling for increased legislation around food safety.
Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois (D) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut (D) are expected to introduce legislation today to grant the FDA authority to order recalls of tainted foods and to fine companies that fail to report contamination.
News reports also indicated that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has sent staff members to California to investigate food safety issues, including how tainted protein supplements from China got into pet foods. The panel is gathering information for a May 17 hearing at which lawmakers will grill Food and Drug Administration officials about gaps in efforts to protect the food supply.
FDA issues import alert for all Chinese vegetable protein
On April 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an import alert for all vegetable protein products from China for animal or human food use due to the presence of melamine and/or melamine analogs. The import alert is associated with an outbreak of cat and dog deaths and illness associated with pet food manufactured with vegetable proteins contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds. In response to the outbreak, FDA says it has been conducting an aggressive and intensive investigation of these products. FDA districts inspectors may detain, without physical examination, all vegetable protein products from China.
For more, see FDA import alert #99-29.
Research Briefs
Group increases orange juice debittering 1000-fold
A group or researchers from various institutions are seeking to better understand and optimize the sorption of limonin (the major navel orange juice bitter principle) by using plasticized polymeric films. They found that low molecular weight poly vinyl chloride plasticized with dioctyl adipate gave the best results for both limonin sorption. The debittering efficiency was a 1000-fold greater than that obtained with current polystyrene divinylbenzene resin beads, with potential for industrial-scale debittering.
The Debittering of Navel Orange Juice Using Polymeric Films
Journal Food Science Online Early
doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00283.x
Eggs promote weight loss
Several studies presented at this week's Experimental Biology 2007 meeting support research on the nutritional benefits of egg consumption, including its promotion of weight loss and its role in providing choline -- an essential nutrient often lacking in the diet.
The papers presented included “Eggs for Breakfast Help Promote Weight Loss,” a randomized control trial led by Nikhil V. Dhurandhar, associate professor in the department of infection and obesity at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. The group found that overweight and obese women who consumed a breakfast of two eggs a day (for five days a week or more) for 8 weeks, as part of a low-fat diet with a 1,000 calorie deficit: lost 65% more weight and had 83% greater reductions in waist circumference and reported greater improvements in energy levels than their dieting counterparts who consumed a bagel breakfast of the same calories.
Also, “Closing the Choline Gap with Eggs” by researchers at Iowa State University assessed choline intake in the diets of specific subsets of the U.S. population and found that usual intake is far below the Adequate Intake levels for older children, men, women and pregnant women.
Only 10% or less of these populations are eating close to the recommended amounts of choline. This study – which is one of the first to assess choline intake in the population – is important because choline is an essential nutrient needed for normal functioning of all cells and for brain function.
The finding that choline intake is low among pregnant women is particularly noteworthy as previous research has demonstrated that choline may help with brain and memory development in fetuses.
For more, see http://www.eb2007.org/.
What's in foods marketed to kids?
More than half of kids' foods that feature nutritional marketing information, such as “a good source of...”, in six major grocery stores were found to also be high in saturated fat, sodium and/or added sugar. So reported Agricultural Research Service (ARS) nutritionist Sarah Colby, who presented her findings at the annual Experimental Biology (EB) 2007 meeting at the Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C., held April 28 to May 2
For the study, Colby and colleagues surveyed nearly 57,000 food labels from the major grocery stores within the Grand Forks, N.D., metropolitan area. Of those, 9,105 were perceived to be marketed toward children, based on qualifiers such as graphics, lettering, and promotion designs.
Nearly 80% of those foods marketed toward children -- about 7,284 -- carried some nutrition marketing information on the package. But 60% of the kid-oriented foods that were packaged with nutrition marketing -- about 4,370 foods -- were also high in saturated fat, sodium and/or added sugar, when compared to the levels recommended in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
For more, see http://www.eb2007.org/.
Company News
Sargento acquires Portionables, Inc.
Sargento Foods Inc has acquired Portionables, Inc., which is based in Bellingham, Washington, with an additional manufacturing plant in North Sioux City, South Dakota. Portionables is a manufacturer of frozen sauce and other value-added food products. Sargento plans to use Portionables’ expertise to further enhance its new product portfolio for the company’s food ingredient and food service businesses.
"Portionables offered us an exciting and unique opportunity to secure best-in-class product development expertise and manufacturing," said Sargento Foods Inc. Chairman and CEO Lou Gentine. "We believe that high quality sauces and meal solutions where cheese and other fresh ingredients are integral to the recipe offer significant opportunities to better serve the expanding product needs of our customers. The combination of Portionables individually quick frozen (IQF) technology and our cheese expertise will help us realize this opportunity."
Portionables specializes in the development, production, and co-packing of IQF portion control foods. Individually quick frozen technology is a rapid freezing process where peak flavor, texture, and color of ingredients are preserved.
Portionables products are used in restaurants, cafeterias, and on dinner tables throughout North America. Principal products include sauces, soups, desserts, side dishes, and fruit and vegetable purees for both the foodservice and food ingredient sectors across the United States, Canada, and Western Europe.
Gadot to build new citric acid plant
Gadot Biochemical Industries Ltd., Israel, has established a joint venture with Jiangsu Nuobei Biochemical Co. Ltd, China, for building and operating a new citric acid and citrate salts production plant in China. Jiangsu Nuobei Biochemical is owned by Mr. Wan Kunlin, also owner of Lianyungang Best Biochemistry & Technology Co. Ltd., China. Total investment in the new plant by both companies will be approximately US$30 million.
The citric acid plant, with a capacity of 60,000 tons, will be built in Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park at Jiangsu Province. It will produce anhydrous citric acid, citric acid monohydrate, and tri-sodium citrate.
The production will be based on Lianyungang Best Biochemistry & Technology fermentation technology, coupled with Gadot's know-how in purification technology and will "provide high-value products with the highest quality standards." The plant is designed to have the most advanced environment protection facilities. Joint-venture shares will be held 51% by Gadot and 49% by Jiangsu Nuobei Biochemical.
Most of the production will be exported, with a smaller percentage made available to the local Chinese market. The plant is expected to be completed and online within one year from the start of construction.
Ocean Spray introduces antioxidant-rich juice blends
Ocean Spray is mixing things up by blending cranberries with antioxidant-rich fruits, such as pomegranate and grape, for a healthy duo of flavor-packed juice offerings. Ocean Spray's new flavors include Cranberry & Pomegranate 100% Juice and Diet Cranberry Grape Juice Drink.
In the new Ocean Spray Cranberry & Pomegranate 100% Juice, each eight-ounce glass provides a full serving of fruit and a full day's supply of vitamin C. The new Cranberry & Pomegranate Juice is available in a 64- ounce bottle at the suggested retail price of $3.59.
Takasago completes expansion of applications lab
Brian Buck, vice president and general manager, Takasago International Corp. (USA) Flavor Division, announced that Takasago Flavors has completed the expansion of dedicated confection and beverage applications laboratories at their Rockleigh, New Jersey facilities.
Yoshinari Nimura, president of Takasago International Corp., Dr. Sean Traynor, president of Takasago International Corp (USA), and Buck presided at ceremonies that precede another upcoming ribbon-cutting event for the relocation and renovation of Takasago’s sensory facilities, marking the conclusion of the first phase of the multimillion dollar expansion project.
"We are pleased that the entire Flavor Division participated in this celebration. Our creative staff recognized their contributions to the design, which has resulted in applications areas that truly represents the forward thinking that we are pursuing," said Buck.
"Our new and improved applications laboratories offer a working environment that is conducive to product development efforts. Our confection and beverage customers are already experiencing true partnerships with us in bringing new flavor concepts to their product line extensions as well as to their new products," said Buck. He added that from these advanced laboratory facilities, confection and beverage technical and marketing experts are consistently evolving new concepts in tastes.
ADM reports income increase
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.'s third-quarter net income rose 4.3%, helped by its corn-processing business and food, feed, and industrial operations, the company announced yesterday. Net income increased to $362.9 million, or 56 cents a share, from $347.8 million, or 53 cents a share, a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter ended March 31 rose 25% to $11.38 billion from $9.12 billion a year earlier.
Corn processing operating profit rose 15% to $251.8 million. ADM said lower operating costs and increased starch, sweetener and ethanol selling prices boosted results, but were partially offset by an increase in corn costs during the quarter
Regulatory News
Contaminated ingredient found in chicken feed
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have learned that byproducts from pet food manufactured with contaminated wheat gluten imported from China have been used in chicken feed on some farms in the state of Indiana. The finding is part of the continuing investigation into imported rice protein concentrate and wheat gluten that have been found to contain melamine and melamine-related compounds.
At this time, the investigation indicates that approximately 30 broiler poultry farms and eight breeder poultry farms in Indiana received contaminated feed in early February and fed it to poultry within days of receiving it. All of the broilers believed to have been fed contaminated product have since been processed. The breeders that were fed the contaminated product are under voluntary hold by the flock owners.
As with exposure from hogs fed contaminated pet food and for similar reasons related to the dilution of the contamination, FDA and USDA believe the likelihood of illness after eating chicken fed the contaminated product is very low. Because there is no evidence of harm to humans associated with consumption of chicken fed the contaminated product, no recall of poultry products processed from these animals is being issued. Testing and the joint investigation continue.
For more, see FDA press release.
FDA, USDA find melamine in hog feed
Following discovery of the chemical melamine in imported rice protein concentrate used in some hog feeds, FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are investigating further. Actions include USDA's rejection of hogs fed the tainted feed to keep them out of the food supply. The agencies say the likelihood of illness after eating pork from hogs fed the contaminated product is very low.
For more, see the FDA press release.
New food protection czar at FDA
Commissioner of Food and Drugs Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach has announced a new senior position at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Assistant Commissioner for Food Protection. The Assistant Commissioner will provide advice and counsel to the Commissioner on strategic and substantive food safety and food defense matters.
David Acheson, M.D., F.R.C.P. will be assigned to the new role. Currently, Acheson serves as chief medical officer and director of the Office of Food Defense, Communication and Emergency Response at the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).
In his new role, Acheson will work with individual FDA product centers, as well as the Office of Regulatory Affairs to coordinate FDA’s food safety and defense assignments and commitments.
In addition, Dr. Acheson will serve as the commissioner’s direct liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, of which FDA is a part, and to other U.S. departments and agencies on food safety and food defense related inter-agency initiatives.
One of Acheson’s first projects will be the development of an agency-wide, visionary strategy for food safety and defense. The strategy will identify and characterize changes in the global food safety and defense system, and identify current and future challenges and opportunities. It will also name potential barriers, gaps, and most critical needs in a food safety and defense system. The strategy will serve as the framework in helping the agency prioritize and address food safety and defense challenges.
FDA’s role in measuring perchlorate in foods
On April 25 Robert Brackett spoke before the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials on the FDA's role in measuring and assessing the presence of perchlorate in food and beverages. For a copy of the testimony see www.fda.gov/ola/2007/perchlorate_levels042507.html.
Unauthorized GM in rice protein for UK animal feed
Animal feed containing unauthorized GM rice protein has been imported into the United Kingdom via the Netherlands, according to the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA). Investigations in Cyprus showed that the GM line Bt63 had been found in rice protein concentrate imported from China via the Netherlands. This GM line has not been authorized in the EU.
For more, see the FSA news release.
European Food Safety Authority seeking comments animal cloning safety
The EU’s European Commission has requested that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) comment on food safety, animal health, animal welfare, and the environmental implications of using live cloned animals obtained through somatic cell nucleus transfer technique, their offspring and the products obtained from those animals.
A working group of experts in the field is currently being established to prepare a draft opinion. EFSA is seeking scientific contributions from third parties which could be useful for the preparation of the opinion.
For more, see www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/data_collection/sc_data_cloning.html.
FAO/WHO call for active chlorine experts
The Joint Secretariat of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts in the use and consequences of use of chlorine-containing compounds and alternatives in assuring safety and sanitation in food production and processing for appointment to an Expert Meeting on the subject, planned for later this year.
FAO and WHO are also seeking published and unpublished data on process chemistry, microbiology, effectiveness, health consequences, and residues to ensure a comprehensive review and appropriate and effective recommendations.
Details of the call for information and experts are accessible on the FAO and WHO websites. Related questions may be directed to Rosetta Newsome at rlnewsome@ift.org or Cory Bryant at cmbryant@ift.org.
IFT & Meeting News
Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Aging Management webcast
 Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Aging Management: Beyond Fish Oil
May 10, 2007, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. CT
Four in every 10 U.S. adults want more omega-3 fatty acids in their food, according to a January 2007 HealthFocus USA Trend Survey. And, while the American Heart Association and the FDA both support omega-3 fatty acids, some nutrition professionals note that foods with naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids are healthier than foods with the fatty acid added.
What's the real story? Join moderator Roger Clemens Dr.P.H., and get your questions answered at this live IFT webcast. Interact directly with experts such as Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., R.D., Chair-Elect of the Nutrition committee for the American Heart Association; Ernesto Hernandez, Ph.D., of the OmegaPure Technology and Innovation Center; and David J. Kyle, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Advanced BioNutrition Corporation.
Visit the IFT Knowledge & Learning Center for more information and to register. When registering, enter this market code 0507EM1043.
Save $100 on IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo registration
This summer, more than 20,000 top food science and industry professionals from around the world will convene in Chicago at the IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. It’s the ONLY event that brings together professionals from all of the many disciplines involved in food science and technology for scientific education, networking, and career development.
Registration is now open! Early birds, save $100 when you register by June 29, 2007. Visit ift.org/amfe for more information and to register.
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