In the case of a foodborne outbreak, researchers have to be prepared to track down the culprit. This video, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, shows the training investigators go through at the Food Emergency Response Network labs at the school's Jamaica Plain campus.

feedingamerica.org

According to a new report from Feeding America, about 15 percent of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2009, or didn't have enough food or money to get enough food.

The report, Map the Meal Gap, sought to understand the problem of hunger in America in order to properly address it. The nonprofit group gathered data on the county level and found an estimate of the food budget shortfall that food insecure households reported. The cost of food index, based on UPC-coded food items, established a relative price index across the country for categories of USDA's Thrifty Food Plan.

According to the report, the average food insecure individual reported needing an additional $13.99 per person per week. The estimated food budget shorfall was found by using the average individual shortfall, the cost of food index and a multiplier to account for seasonal variations.

Across the United States, 16 percent of households in all 3,137 counties were food insecure, with 318 counties with rates around 24 percent. These counties were more likely to be economically disadvantaged compared to the national average. Areas like Imperial, Calif., which had an unemployment rate of 28 percent, also had high food insecurity rates. Poverty was also related, with areas like Kenedy, Texas, reporting high food insecurity rates alongside a 52 percent poverty rate.

The counties with the largest numbers of food insecure individuals were in large cities:

• Los Angeles: 1.7 million, 17.4 percent food insecurity (FI) rate
• New York City boroughs: 1.3 million, 16.2 percent FI rate
• Cook County, Ill. (Chicago): 846,000, 16.1 percent FI rate
• Harris County, Texas (Houston): 706,000, 18.1 percent FI rate
• Maricopa County, Ariz. (Phoenix): 626,000, 16.2 percent FI rate
• Wayne County, Mich. (Detroit): 471,000, 23.8 percent FI rate
• Dallas, Texas: 450,000, 18.9 percent FI rate
• San Diego, Calif.: 442,000, 14.8 percent FI rate
• Miami-Dade, Fla.: 433,000, 17.6 percent FI rate

Many food insecure households don't receive assistance from government programs because the household income is above the federal poverty line, and a large percentage of those households can be found in metropolitan areas.

The cost per meal varied across the country and was related to the food insecurity of households. The average cost per meal in the United States was $2.54, and the counties with the most food insecure households paid almost $1 more per meal on average. Major metropolitan areas had higher meal costs -- New York at $3.72, Washington, D.C. at $3.41-- as did mountainous or exceptionally rural areas.

Getting Americans to consume fresh produce means addressing some of the problems in society -- most notably that there is a large portion of the population that does not qualify for government programs, but cannot afford to feed a household every meal of the year.

Robbie Flexible has a new flexible pouch, called Fresh N Tasty Produce Pouch, that is designed to hold fresh-cut produce.

According to the company, Fresh N Tasty Produce Pouches benefit consumers with their built-in handle for easy transport; resealable zipper; slim profile allowing for convenient storage; bottom gusset that helps keep package upright preventing unwanted spills; and a large window gives clear view of fresh produce inside.

According to the company, Fresh N Tasty Produce Pouches benefit retailers because the colorful graphics increase impulse sales; offer the ability to differentiate their produce department through attractive merchandising; encourage improved consistency of product quality throughout its shelf life through modified atmosphere packaging and provide store sustainability message by offering an eco-friendly package. The packaging footprint is smaller than rigid packaging, and there is less product shrinkage due to packaging leaks.

Fresh N Tasty Produce Pouches benefits to processors include: consumer-friendly packaging that leads to increased brand loyalty from retailers; fresh-cut produce in a value-added package; more consistent product quality throughout entire shelf life resulting from MAP package; and communicating company sustainability by offering an eco-friendly package.

As compared to an average rigid containers, the Fresh N Tasty Produce Pouch uses 67 percent less fossil fuels, produces 71 percent less CO2 emissions and results in a 56 percent reduction in solid waste, according to the company.

For more information, visit www.robbieflexibles.com.