Fresh Cut Magazine

Process Adds Safety; Consumer Acceptance Increasing

FDA is considering a rule change concerning irradiated products: If the irradiation does not change the taste or texture of the product, then it would not have to be identified as irradiated. The current guidelines for the labeling of irradiated foods date back to the final rule published by FDA in 1986, which stated that any food product treated by ionizing radiation be labeled with the radura logo and the statement “treated with radiation” or “treated with irradiation.” The rule change is just part of a “perfect storm” for irradiation, said Richard Wiens, product manager of sterilization for MDS-Nordion. In addition to the concerns over food safety and the proposed rule change, the United States recently signed a bilateral trade agreement with eight nations that would allow the import of irradiated food items if the member nations reciprocate and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service…  » Read more

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It Starts with Sales

This article is part five of a multipart report on small business marketing. Michael Douglas said it well in the 1987 movie “Wall Street,” acting as the extremely successful and wealthy but unscrupulous corporate raider Gordon Gekko: “Greed is Good!” And when he was rolling in money, it was. Donald Trump’s catch phrase: ”You’re Fired!” has crushed the hopes of aspiring billionaires. It comes down to one thing in both cases – make the sale and make the money. Otherwise, see you later! Businesses revolve around sales. If you don’t have sales, your business will fail. How can you tell if someone has the skills to become a great salesperson? Look for these characteristics: •easy to get-along with •a great sense of humor •not easily offended •a positive attitude •wants to better themselves •eager to learn about your company and products Sales training is something the produce industry does not invest enough time…  » Read more

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Known for Artichokes, Grower is Innovative in Leafy Greens, Too

Castroville, Calif., is called the Artichoke Capital of the World, so it’s only natural that the biggest name in artichokes, Ocean Mist Farms, would call Castroville home. But in the eight decades that Ocean Mist has been growing and shipping artichokes, the company has expanded its produce offerings, which now include fresh-cut leafy greens. The Salinas Valley, where Castroville is located and much of Ocean Mist’s leafy greens come from, was hit hard by the E. coli outbreak in September 2006 that killed three and sickened hundreds nationwide – referred to as “9/14” in the valley because the impact has been similar to the 9/11 tragedy. As a direct result of the outbreak, food safety drives many decisions when it comes to California agriculture. Ocean Mist is no different, but the company has taken its commitment to food safety and combined it with a commitment to the environment.…  » Read more

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Cold Chain Begins Before Processing Starts

The fresh-cut fruit and vegetable cold chain is all about quality. As the food distribution system has developed over the years – with most of the food that Americans eat grown far away from where they live – maintaining cooler temperatures during transit has become important for shelf life and quality. Temperature fluctuation in trailers is now quite rare, so decreases in shelf life can often be attributed to handling procedures prior to packaging – and even prior to fresh-cut processing. Cooling Down Cold chain management really begins in the field – the sooner a fruit or vegetable gets into cold storage, the better. “Everything needs to be cooled, so the question is, when?” said Jim Thompson, Extension specialist for the University of California, Davis. The first step is to prevent produce from heating up and losing water immediately after harvest. Two simple measures that can reduce heat…  » Read more

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Texas Two-Step

The 2007 Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit will mark a number of “seconds” for me. It will be the second Fresh Summit I will attend for Fresh Cut magazine – the first being the 2006 show in San Diego. This also will by my second trip to Texas, and my first to Houston. Aside from one vacation with my wife in 2005, I haven’t had an occasion to visit the largest state in the continental United States. The show will also be the second with food safety fresh on the industry’s mind. Last year at this time, confusion reigned after FDA warned consumers not to eat spinach – an unprecedented statement that caused the sale of spinach to halt nationwide (and beyond U.S. borders). With that recall still fresh, there have been other instances that have reminded consumers that the food they buy at the store…  » Read more

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