http://stationerytrendsmagazine.com/index.php/news en kwarren@greatamericanpublish.com Copyright 2012 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:01:23 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/crunch-pak-accepted-as-usda-national-strategic-partner/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/crunch-pak-accepted-as-usda-national-strategic-partner/#id:15893#date:15:01 Crunch Pak is now a national strategic partner of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Nutrition Communicator's Network. As a partner, Crunch Pak will conduct promotional activities in support of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate messages beginning with "Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables." To kick-off its partnership efforts, Crunch Pak is featuring MyPlate illustrations and Dietary Guidelines for Americans messaging on all of its digital communication tools including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the company website. The company also will add the MyPlate logo to packages of sliced apples. "We have been… Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:01 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/leasa-industries-co.-inc.-recalls-alfalfa-sprouts/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/leasa-industries-co.-inc.-recalls-alfalfa-sprouts/#id:15745#date:21:30 LEASA Industries Co. Inc. of Miami is recalling 346 cases of LEASA Living Alfalfa Sprouts with use by date 2/1/12 because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The alfalfa sprouts were distributed through Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisianna and Mississippi through retail stores and food service companies on Jan. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. The affected product is in 6-ounce clear plastic containers with a UPC code of 75465-55912. The UPC code is located on the side of the label at the side of the container. The expiration date of the package… Fresh Cut Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:30 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/pma-contributes-900000-to-center-for-produce-safety/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/pma-contributes-900000-to-center-for-produce-safety/#id:15601#date:14:24 Food safety in the produce industry continues to be top of mind for consumers and industry leaders in 2012. Recognizing that ensuring consumer confidence in produce is crucial to building greater consumption, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has announced the donation of $900,000 to the Center for Produce Safety over the next two years. PMA's Executive Committee approved the donation in late 2011, and the commitment was strongly endorsed by the association's board last week. Bryan Silbermann, president and CEO of PMA made the donation on behalf of PMA in San Diego at the start… Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News, Spudman, Vegetable Growers News Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:24 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/nielsen-acquires-the-perishables-group/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/nielsen-acquires-the-perishables-group/#id:15580#date:17:24 Nielsen Holdings N.V., a global provider of information and analytics around what consumers watch and buy, has acquired The Perishables Group Inc., the industry expert in fresh food consulting and category development. Nielsen acquired all company assets including data, advanced analytic IP, tools and ongoing client work. All employees of the Chicago-based company will join Nielsen's North America Consumer Analytics team. Nielsen will integrate perishables information and knowledge into its extensive retail measurement operation, providing a larger spectrum of insights across total store. "Nielsen acquired The Perishables Group to drive increased value for our clients.… Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News, Spudman, Vegetable Growers News Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:24 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/fda-issues-fsma-one-year-progress-report/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/fda-issues-fsma-one-year-progress-report/#id:15547#date:13:37 According to a report issued by the Food and Drug Administration, since President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) on Jan. 4, 2011, the FDA has made significant progress in developing proposed rules to implement the sweeping food safety reform law, publishing mandated reports, and taking important steps toward increasing overall food safety capacity in the United States. Following are brief summaries of what FDA has accomplished to date. Highlights Issued interim final rules on criteria for administrative detention and used this authority three times; issued interim final rules on prior notice of… Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News, Spudman, Vegetable Growers News Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:37 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/gme-inc.-international-acquired-by-vanmark/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/gme-inc.-international-acquired-by-vanmark/#id:15495#date:20:49 GME Inc. International, maker of hydrocutters and other food equipment used in the french fry, fruit and vegetable processing industry, announced that it has been acquired in an asset transfer agreement by Vanmark Equipment LLC of Creston, Iowa. GME will continue business under the name of GME International from its current location in Boise, Idaho. "The marriage of GME and Vanmark's receiving, peeling, washing and scrubbing products will offer customers a more complete solution to their processing line needs," said Tom Mathues, Vanmark's general manager. "We will utilize our global sales team to promote both… Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News, Spudman, Vegetable Growers News Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:49 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/national-registry-of-food-safety-professionals-receives-ansi-accreditation-/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/national-registry-of-food-safety-professionals-receives-ansi-accreditation-/#id:15467#date:15:57 The National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) has become the first and only food safety manager certification program to be accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) based on the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 standard for conformity - general requirement for bodies operating certification of persons. The ISO/IEC standard is globally regarded as the standard for organizations operating certification programs and providing assurance that the certified body meets the requirements of the certification. NRFSP maintains its existing CFP accreditation and has added the more rigorous accreditation to support, among others, multinational food organizations seeking a… Fresh Cut Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:57 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/avon-heights-mushrooms-inc.-recalls-fresh-spinach/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/avon-heights-mushrooms-inc.-recalls-fresh-spinach/#id:15409#date:15:20 Avon Heights Mushrooms, in full cooperation with the FDA, is recalling certain packages of fresh packaged spinach after a random sampling tested positive for E. coli. The brands include Krisp Pak 10-ounce bags, Better Brand 10-ounce bags and Avon Heights 4-2.5-pound bags. During routine surveillance sampling, one package of Better Brand 10-ounce spinach tested positive for E. coli. The implicated packages have a "best if used by" code of DEC16 and codes DP 340 and T691. No illnesses have been associated with this incident. "Out of a preponderance of caution the company is recalling all… Fresh Cut, Vegetable Growers News Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:20 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/fontaine-sante-recalls-salads-over-listeria-concerns/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/fontaine-sante-recalls-salads-over-listeria-concerns/#id:15247#date:20:16 The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to eat several kinds of packaged salads because they may be contaminated with Listeria. The Fontaine Santé Inc. salads have best before dates up to and including Dec. 26, 2011. For the rest of the story, click here to visit CBCNews.   Fresh Cut Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:16 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/cdc-declares-listeria-outbreak-from-cantaloupes-over/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/cdc-declares-listeria-outbreak-from-cantaloupes-over/#id:15246#date:20:11 The deadly Listeria outbreak from cantaloupes is finally over, the CDC announced Thursday. Health officials presented their "final update" of the nearly five-month long outbreak that sickened 146 people across 28 states. For the full story, click here to visit CBS News. Fresh Cut Sat, 10 Dec 2011 20:11 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/key-appoints-louis-vintro/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/key-appoints-louis-vintro/#id:14922#date:19:55 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Key Technology recently appointed Louis Vintro as senior vice president of business development and global operations. In the position, Vintro will be responsible for planning and managing all aspects of Key's operations, including business development, in support of the company's overall strategic objectives to deliver world-class automated inspection, specialized conveying, and product preparation systems to customers. “I'm excited to join Key and help customers ensure the safety of their food products while reducing their operating costs by leveraging our company's innovative equipment and world-class… Fresh Cut Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:55 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/center-for-produce-safety-announces-cantaloupe-food-safety-course/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/center-for-produce-safety-announces-cantaloupe-food-safety-course/#id:14751#date:15:42 In light of the recent outbreak of Listeria in cantaloupe, the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) announced it will be sponsoring an industry event on Jan. 11 in San Diego, Calif., to review the collective state of knowledge about cantaloupe food safety. PMA's Dr. Bob Whitaker, who also heads the CPS Technical Committee, is helping design and drive this event forward. Specifically, the meeting is will address: •Current cantaloupe food safety guidance and its use as a near-term training tool for growers in all production regions in the United States as well as abroad;•Updates to… Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:42 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/death-toll-from-listeria-outbreak-rises-to-28/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/death-toll-from-listeria-outbreak-rises-to-28/#id:14539#date:14:14 The death toll linked to listeria-contaminated cantaloupes in the United States has climbed to 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. Whole or pre-cut Rocky Ford-brand cantaloupe from Colorado-based Jensen Farms have been traced as the cause of what has become the deadliest U.S. food-borne listeria outbreak in a quarter century. Click here to read the rest of the story from Fox News. Fresh Cut Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:14 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/sanitation-issues-in-packhouse-led-to-cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-fda-says/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/sanitation-issues-in-packhouse-led-to-cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-fda-says/#id:14469#date:12:17 Unsanitary conditions at a Colorado cantaloupe farm's packing facility are a possible contributing cause of one of the nation's worst outbreaks of listeria contamination in food, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. CNN Click here to read the rest of the story. Fresh Cut, Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:17 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/taylor-farms-voluntarily-recalls-salads-over-potential-salmonella/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/taylor-farms-voluntarily-recalls-salads-over-potential-salmonella/#id:14468#date:12:14 Taylor Farms Retail Inc. has issued a voluntary, precautionary recall of 3,265 cases of various salad blends with the potential to be contaminated with salmonella following a random test conducted on a finished package of spinach by the State of Washington Department of Agriculture, according to a release from FDA on Oct. 19. For a list of the recalled salads, click here. The products were distributed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Puerto Rico and sold in various retail supermarkets. No… Fresh Cut Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:14 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/pma-names-impact-award-winners/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/pma-names-impact-award-winners/#id:14426#date:23:33 Mike O'Brien, vice president of produce and floral for Schnuck Markets and past chairman of the Produce Marketing Association, announced the winners of the 2011 Impact Awards during the morning breakfast session at Fresh Summit Conference and Expo on Oct. 15. The entries - 28 finalists in all - were judged with a cumulutive score in the categories of marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency/functionality, sustainability and consumer convenience, a new category this year. The winners of 2011 are: - Apio Inc. and Clear Lam Packaging: New Peel/Reseal Apio Squash package - Hollandia Produce: Live… Fresh Cut Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:33 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/listeria-detected-in-giant-eagle-shredded-lettuce-recall-announced/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/listeria-detected-in-giant-eagle-shredded-lettuce-recall-announced/#id:14419#date:21:02 Giant Eagle has been informed by FDA of the presence of listeria monocytogenes in a routine random sample test of Giant Eagle Farmer's Market 8 ounce package of Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, produced by River Ranch Fresh Foods LLC, with a use by date of Oct. 14. To date, there are no reported cases of customer illness due to consumption of this item, according to an FDA statement. The packaged product affected is Giant Eagle Farmer's Market Shredded Iceberg Lettuce (UPC 3003430195). Additionally, the shredded iceberg lettuce was used in a small number of prepared deli… Fresh Cut Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:02 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/another-processor-recalls-fresh-cut-cantaloupe-product/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/another-processor-recalls-fresh-cut-cantaloupe-product/#id:14315#date:13:49 Fruit Fresh Up Inc. of Depew, N.Y., is recalling approximately 4,800 individual packages of fresh-cut cantaloupe and cut mixed fruit containing cantaloupe because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Fruit Fresh Up Inc. was not advised of the possible contamination of the cantaloupe it acquired from an independent wholesale vendor until last Sept. 27. The recalled product was distributed in Buffalo, N.Y., and surrounding areas in retail stores and through catering orders. The fresh-cut fruit subject to this recall was sold between Aug. 31 and Sept. 11 and consisted of the… Fresh Cut Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:49 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/salmonella-find-in-grape-tomatoes-leads-to-salad-recall/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/salmonella-find-in-grape-tomatoes-leads-to-salad-recall/#id:14268#date:12:41 Thorntons Inc., Louisville, Ky., is recalling its six ounce Garden Salads and 5.6 ounce Chef Salads because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, according to FDA. The recalled salads were manufactured and distributed by Greencore U.S.A. to select stores in Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Evansville, Ind., Lexington, Ky., and Nashville. The product comes in a black bowl with clear lid and is marked with expiration dates Sept. 30, Oct. 2 and Oct. 3 on the label on the front of the package. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection… Fresh Cut Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:41 GMT http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/true-leaf-recall-expands-to-19-states-and-canada-including-retail/ http://freshcut.com/index.php/news/release/true-leaf-recall-expands-to-19-states-and-canada-including-retail/#id:14269#date:12:46 True Leaf Farms is expanding its voluntary recall of romaine to include 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine because of the potential of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The initial recalled product was shipped between Sept. 12 and 13 to a retail foodservice distributor in Oregon who further distributed it to at least two additional states, Washington and Idaho, according to a release from FDA. At the request of FDA, the recall notification is expanded to cover additional product shipped to wholesale foodservice distributors in 19 states and Alberta, Canada. The states include Alaska, Alabama,… Fresh Cut Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:46 GMT