Today’s global retail kosher market brings in more than $13 billion in sales annually, and, according to Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Lubicom, includes many non-traditional foods. Sue Fishkoff, author of Kosher Nation, adds that kosher food could represent as much as one-half of the food found in a typical United States supermarket. The United States is also home to 600 of the world’s 1,000-plus kosher certification organizations (30 years ago, there were only 18 globally)—making the certification industry worth $200 million a year. At the top of the heap, Manhattan’s OU Kosher covers more than 6,000 plants worldwide. Its closest competitor—Brooklyn’s OK Kosher—certifies 20 new companies a week, and is growing at close to 15 percent per year.

A federal district judge who found that hundreds of acres of genetically engineered (GE) sugar beet seedlings had been planted in September in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act has ordered their destruction. Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety had filed a suit on behalf of farmers, consumers, and conservation groups shortly after the USDA acknowledged it had allowed the plantings without the required impact analysis. Noting that containment efforts were insufficient, the judge said past contamination incidents were “too numerous” to allow the illegal crop to remain in the ground. He also outlined the many ways in which GE sugar beets could harm the environment and consumers. According to the judge, “farmers and consumers would likely suffer harm from cross-contamination” between GE sugar beets and non-GE crops.

Whole Foods said that starting in January 1, 2011, the company will stop selling products that contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in its stores in northern California. Whole Foods regional grocery buyer Parrish Placencia has admitted in an email that the company has “historically sold only a few products that contain HFCS.” This confirms some customers’ complaint that the company has been selling HFCS-containing products for some time. Whole Foods’ practice of using HFCS as an ingredient in its own pastries and cookies means the organic food retailer has no basis for selling these products at premium prices. The company indicates it  has no interest in removing HFCS-containing products from its stores nationwide.

Use of nanotechnology in the food, supplements and packaging industries is growing, despite concerns about safety and whether nanoparticles belong in organic foods. Writer Jill Richardson says she finds “terrifying” the idea that food makers are including nanoparticles in foods without labeling them as such. She notes that an AOL news article reported that common fruits and vegetables are often coated with an edible “wax-like nanocoating” that extends shelf-life and protects color and flavor. And nanoparticles can be found in salad dressings, sauces, diet beverages, and boxed cake, muffin and pancakes mixes. The EU addressed the safety issue, saying that nanotechnology must not be allowed in foods until proven safe. Canada has said that nanotech must stay out of organics. U.S. regulators are still reviewing the safety and organic issues.

The debate in China over the safety of genetically-modified food heated up recently when the Ministry of Agriculture awarded bio-safety certificates to a corn variety and two rice varieties that were genetically modified to resist pest damage. The move makes China the first country to approve GM food staples for field testing. But there remains significant disagreement among government officials and scientists over the question of commercializing GM food, despite the lack of scientific evidence that it is dangerous to humans. There is agreement, however, that ongoing research into human and environmental safety issues, as well as economic security issues, is needed. With food security a high priority, the government is looking closely at gene modification technologies as a way to ensure food supplies keep up with the ever-growing population.

Long-stalled legislation that would beef up U.S. food safety procedures by requiring more meticulous inspections of processing plants survived a technical vote in the Senate on November 17 and should have no problem reaching the floor for a final vote. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee had approved the bill unanimously a year ago but other, more pressing, legislative issues pre-empted the legislation. Senate Republicans joined Democrats to approve the procedural vote 74-25. Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, called it “shocking” that “the last comprehensive overhaul of America's food-safety system was in 1938 -- more than seven decades ago." The bill also gives the Dept. of Health and Human Services more power to initiate food recalls.

Though the USDA and America’s meat producers have tried to educate the public about discoloration – it’s not necessarily a sign of spoilage – consumers are still wary of fading or darkening meat and poultry. That costs retailers millions of dollars every year. But now those losses could be trimmed significantly if a new ingredient discovered by U.S. scientists is put into use. The pulp of a Tahitian fruit called noni, when mixed into ground beef, prevents rapid discoloration and extends shelf-life. The antioxidant pulp inhibits oxidation of the red beef pigment oxymyoglobin that occurs on exposure to air and grocery store lights. The pigment is turned into metmyoglobin, which gives meat a brownish-red or gray color. Experiments showed that noni pulp stabilized meat color for as long as four days.

The review process used by the FDA to determine the safety of a faster-growing transgenic salmon does not take into account all of the consequences of the fish's widespread production, U.S. scientists say. If the agency approves the modified salmon, whose genome contains genes from two other fish species, it would be the first genetically modified organism accepted for human consumption in the U.S. But the scientists argue that the process used by the FDA assesses its safety only by comparing its nutritional profile to an equivalent portion of nonmodified salmon, and screening it for known toxins and allergens. That ignores potential health and environmental effects. A smarter approach would be for the FDA or even the Congress to broaden the interpretation of the terms "safe" and "health" in FDA statutes.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA), responding to a Fox Business News report that purportedly said chemically-grown produce is safer, said the only way consumers can minimize dietary exposure to pesticides is to purchase organic products. The OTA cited research by a Harvard assistant professor who has found that pesticide residues detected in the urine of children who eat conventionally produced fruits and vegetables disappear when children eat organic produce. Exposure to pesticides has been linked with higher risk of birth defects, the OTA said, as well as the onset of autism,  neurodevelopment problems in vulnerable fetuses and young children. “Consumers should know that organic foods have the least chemicals applied in their production and the least residues in the final products,” an OTA official said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to four makers of caffeine-laced malt beverage makers notifying them that caffeine is an “unsafe food additive” and the products ”pose a public health concern.” The companies have 15 days to respond and have the right to appeal. However, the FDA said further action is possible, including seizure of the products. The products in question are Core High Gravity HG, Core High Gravity HG Orange, Lemon Lime Core Spiked; Moonshot; Four Loko); and Joose and Max. The FDA said its decision came after a review of scientific studies and company literature, and consultation with toxicology and other medical experts. One of the companies, Phusion Projects, LLC, maker of Four Loko, has already said it will remove caffeine and other stimulants from its drinks.

The USDA has decided to allow growers to plant genetically modified (GMO) sugar beet seeds  until legal issues related to the seeds, which are genetically engineered to resist the weed killer Roundup, are decided. Groups opposing a September USDA decision to allow planting of GMO seeds filed a lawsuit asking for destruction of the seeds. Hearings are in progress in California on the issue. According to the International Dairy Foods Association, GMO beets account for 95 percent of America’s sugar beet crop and 60 percent of the domestic sugar supply. About 200 IDFA members who manufacture products that use sugar are affected by low domestic supplies and high costs. USDA is examining public comments on the impact of the GMO seeds on the economy and the environment.

Belgian researchers have discovered a link between retarded growth in Tanzanian infants and consumption of the toxin fumonisin produced by maize fungus. Stunted growth and low weight are a major cause of infant deaths in the country. For the study, researchers selected 215 infants. They then calculated the level of intake of fumonisin based on measurements of amounts of consumed maize-derived porridge. In 26 of the infants fumonisin levels exceeded recommended maximum daily levels. At 12 months of age, infants who were exposed to fumonisins intakes above the maximum tolerable daily intake were significantly shorter by 1.3 cm and 328 g lighter. “It appears,” the researchers concluded, “that the exposure to fumonisins is associated with growth retardation.” The researchers called for infant foods to be screened for mycotoxins such as fumonisin.

Research by U.S. scientists has found that people who take herbal and dietary supplements may be putting their lives at risk if they are also taking warfarin, a commonly prescribed blood thinning medication for people with atrial fibrillation who are at risk for stroke. Of the 100 most-used supplements, 69 percent interfere with the effectiveness of warfarin. The researchers interviewed 100 atrial fibrillation patients, finding that 35 combined warfarin with supplements and 54 percent did not know about possible interaction problems. The most commonly used herbal and dietary supplements were vitamins, glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil and coenzyme Q10. Warfarin and herbal and dietary supplements "compete" in the liver, changing the way the blood thinner works by either increasing the risk of bleeding or by increasing the risk of stroke. The researchers recommended better communication between doctors and patients.

Food companies in India that make health claims on product labels will have to have the claims validated once regulations implementing the new integrated Food Act take effect. The Food Act repeals several decades-old laws that were less restrictive, requiring only that claims and labels not be misleading. Under the new rules, health-related claims beyond those well-known and well-established scientifically must be justified by companies and scrutinized by state-level scientific committees. A food company executive said the regulatory changes are generally welcomed by the industry, but hoped the new process won't delay approval of new products. The new rules classify nutraceuticals, functional foods and dietary supplements as food, rather than drugs.

U.S. researchers experimenting with natural extracts of green tea and grape seed and bacteriocins such as nisin have successfully protected chicken and turkey hot dogs from pathogen contamination. The scientists believe food processing companies might be able to replace chemicals as a means of protecting against contamination. Food processors currently use chemicals and heat treatments to preserve food and lower the risk of bacterial food poisoning outbreaks and food spoilage. But the trend these days is toward less processing, fewer additives, and more natural ingredients. According to one researcher, “Natural extracts can accomplish the same goal without compromising taste or food safety.” A blend of 25 percent natural plant extracts and 75 percent chemical antimicrobials inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on the hot dogs, scientists said.

Construction of a 31,000-square-foot commercial greenhouse atop a two-story office building in Montreal, Canada, is almost finished. Developers of the project say planting could begin in January and the first harvest reaped six weeks after that. Urban farming, including rooftop gardening, are not a new phenomenon, but the large scale of the Montreal project sets it apart from previous efforts. The idea is to provide fresh produce for the community all year long, regardless of weather conditions. One of the entrepreneurs working on the project says food shipped thousands of miles is handled at many stages. The shipping affects taste and freshness. "Our goal simply is to be a neighborhood food source and raise the bar on the issue of traceability,” he says.

Restaurants will have to balance their efforts to comply with U.S. government regulations with customers’ demand for value and good-tasting food, according to Mintel Menu Insight’s foodservice trends study for 2011. Results of the study also reveal that 62% of consumers say they intend to eat healthier food in the coming year but assert that healthy food does not taste as good. Consumers will get better information as the healthcare bill requires restaurants with more than 20 branches to disclose nutritional information of their menu offerings. This rule, however, does not cover limited time offerings and restaurants are expected to exploit this with more seasonal items. The study also predicts that restaurants will include more local ingredients into their menus and will experiment with automated menus allowing consumers to get better information and restaurants to reduce front-of-house staff.

As U.S. food producers turn more to certified organic farming systems for a variety of reasons, they need better methods of ensuring the safety and post-harvest quality of organic leafy greens, including spinach, lettuce, arugula, cabbage and radicchio. The USDA is expediting the search for better safety methods with a $2.9 million grant to a University of Arizona researcher whose  comprehensive project will examine every step in the process, from field to fork. Since the late 1990s, U.S. organic production has grown steadily, the USDA says: more than two-thirds of U.S. consumers now buy organic products at least occasionally; 28 percent buy organic products weekly. The researchers will look at ways to eliminate bacterial – especially E. coli and salmonella – contamination in bagged leafy greens using organic methods.

A new, large egg recall may push consumers toward organic eggs to avoid contamination, but the Cornucopia Institute is warning consumers that what they see on the egg carton – the “USDA organic” label – may not be what they get. According to the Institute, many cartons so labeled come from big agribusiness farms that distribute mass produced eggs from warehoused chickens. The Institute says the hen houses of fraudulent producers are packed with birds. A door at the end of the facility is not useable by the chickens, but the companies sell their products as "free range," skirting USDA guidelines. “The chickens are never let out to graze or be in sunlight,” the Institute said. The birds are force-fed commercial chicken feed and injected with antibiotics or vaccines with toxins, violating organic rules.

Potentially dangerous chemicals used to coat junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are transferring into food consumed by people and contributing to chemical contamination of  blood, according to a Canadian study. The chemicals – perfluorinated carboxylic acids or PFCAs – result from the breakdown of chemicals used to make non-stick and water- and stain-repellant products like kitchen pans, clothing and food packaging. PFCAs such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are found in humans all around the world. Researchers exposed rats to the common popcorn package greaseproofing agent polyfluoroalkyl phosphate ester (PAP). They found the concentrations of PFOA from PAP metabolism to be significant and concluded that the metabolism of PAPs could be a major source of human exposure to PFOA, as well as other PFCAs.

The incidence of gout – a painful and often disabling form of arthritis – is on the rise globally, and women who drink sugary beverages are at high risk for it, according to a U.S. study. Gout occurs when the kidneys can’t remove all of the waste product uric acid; the excess accumulates in the body, causing deposits of needle-like crystals in the joints. For the study, researchers examined data from 79,000 women over 22 years, finding 778 cases of gout. Participants who drank one serving of sugar-sweetened soft drinks a day had nearly double the risk of gout compared to those who drank less than one serving a month. Those who drank two servings a day had more than double the risk. Results were similar for those who drank orange juice.

Nutrition author Marion Nestle says a friend of the court brief on gene patents filed recently by the U.S. Dept. of Justice in a federal suit against the U.S. Patent Office has angered the biotech industry and may have important implications for the food industry. In the brief, DOJ argues that because human and other genes are part of nature they should not be patentable. The brief excludes artificial gene modifications, but food biotech experts think the brief has broad implications. Nestle says patents on GM foods raise crucial issues: they are broad and concentrated in a few companies; biotech firms aggressively defend them; animal gene patents raise ethical problems; and some seeds containing patented genes prevent germination, requiring farmers to buy new seeds rather than save and use leftovers.

As produce growers and packagers await new 2011 regulations on food safety from the FDA, the agency has partnered with USDA and Cornell University to provide food safety educational materials and other resources. A three-year initiative funded with $1.15 million from the FDA and USDA, the Produce Safety Alliance will develop a standardized education program on good agricultural practices (GAP) and on-farm food safety measures in several formats and languages. The Alliance will also develop a database of modern scientific and technical information on farm and packinghouse safety, create an informational Web site, establish a network of educational collaborators, and assess current educational tools to identify gaps in knowledge. The PSA will  be located at Cornell, which has developed and disseminated food safety knowledge to farmers for many years.

A new report from the American Society for Microbiology describes the complex global system that moves food from the farm or factory to the dinner table and warns that threats to food safety can emerge at any stage. Food can contain ingredients from anywhere on the planet, may be processed at several facilities along the line, and  be handled by wholesalers, retailers, and several transporters. Moreover, illnesses resulting from food safety mistakes in the delivery chain often go undetected and unreported. The report provides examples of how further research and new technologies would benefit each step in the process, and describes how tighter regulations would foster good agricultural and manufacturing practices that, in turn, would reduce occurrences of contamination and improve traceability. Also recommended: increased consumer education efforts.

Noting that it is “committed to making worldwide palm oil production more sustainable,” the Dutch palm oil industry has issued a “manifesto” to the government proclaiming that all palm oil used in The Netherlands will be certified according to RSPO principles and criteria by 2015. Demand for palm oil is rising worldwide due to growing prosperity in China and India and increased use in biofuels. The result is expansion of oil palm plantation areas in producing countries and potential reduction of tropical rainforest. The eight industry groups that are party to the manifesto  represent palm oil refiners, processors and retail firms that market palm oil-based products, such as processed foods (e.g., margarine, ice cream and biscuits), cosmetics and personal care products (e.g., soap and lipstick), and biodiesel. 

A multinational team of researchers who examined results of clinical trials that studied whether widely used vitamin E supplements prevent stroke found mixed – but very sobering – results. The researchers looked at data from nine randomized trials involving nearly 119,000 people. Noting that the “results were largely disappointing,” they discovered that vitamin E actually increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding within the brain) by 22 percent, but reduced the risk of ischemic stroke (brain tissue death from lack of oxygen) by 10 percent. They argued that vitamin E’s 10 percent risk reduction was negligible compared to other types of intervention, especially blood pressure medication and lifestyle changes. The conclusion: “Indiscriminate widespread use of vitamin E should be cautioned against.”

A new report from Food & Water Europe says the inferior nutritional value and high costs of producing genetically-engineered  salmon will mean that, contrary to arguments offered by the GE fish’s developer, it will not alleviate global food shortages. The transgenic salmon developed by U.S. firm AquaBounty is being considered by the U.S. FDA for approval as a human food. The report says GE salmon can require large amounts of food, display deformities and likely have higher oxygen demands, making them expensive to produce, and therefore impractical for growers and consumers. According to F&EW, GE salmon have 35 percent fewer omega-3 fatty acids. The report also says that escapees from the GE salmon population could alter the genetic integrity of wild Atlantic salmon and Scottish farmed salmon.

The Natural Products Association (NPA) is warning its members to stay alert during the lame duck session of the U.S. Congress to make sure legislators soon to be out of power don’t “try to slip their pet proposals into must-pass legislation, like the spending bill.” A particularly noxious example that might rise from the dead is a bill that would add more enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission. An NPA official said the organization supports FTC actions “aimed at getting the bad actors out of the market” but not efforts that target “the legitimate industry” especially if they supersede current law. Another bad piece of legislation that might pop up again, the NPA warned, is Sen. John McCain’s Dietary Supplement Safety Act.

The chemical bisphenol A (BPA), used to line metal food cans and to make plastic containers such as baby bottles, has been associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and male sexual dysfunction in exposed workers. But no studies had taken a close look at BPA exposure in packaged foods. Now U.S. and German scientists measured BPA levels in 105 fresh and canned foods, plastic packaged foods, and in pet foods in cans and plastic packages. The researchers detected BPA in 63 of 105 samples, but said the BPA levels “did not reach concentrations ... associated with adverse health effects.” Canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans had the highest level of BPA, while canned Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup 2.5% Fat had no BPA. The researchers urged continued monitoring of the food and water supply.

A decision by Australia’s largest organic certifying body to allow use of a synthetic growth enhancer in organic chickens has created both controversy and confusion. At the root of the problem is the pressure on organic farmers to produce bigger chickens faster. But the country’s independent organic certifiers agreed last year to exclude synthetic amino acid isolates, such as DL-methionine, from chicken feed. Now the Biological Farmers Association, which owns Australian Certified Organic – the country’s largest organic certifier – wants the agreement changed, and methionine reintroduced, saying the industry has no choice, despite consumer confusion over the issue. “These things are essentially needed and there's no alternative that would bring the same outcomes,'' a BFA official said. Methionine is banned in Europe and is being phased out in the U.S.

Mothers who eat peanuts during their pregnancy may put allergic infants at increased risk of potentially dangerous peanut allergies, a U.S. study finds. Researchers assessed 503 three- to 15-month-old babies who had milk or egg allergies, had eczema or tested positive for milk or egg allergies, all of which are associated with a heightened risk of peanut allergy. Of the group – none of whom had been diagnosed with peanut allergy – 140 infants were found via blood tests to have a strong sensitivity to peanuts. Eating peanuts during pregnancy was a significant predictor of the test result. While acknowledging that their study had some limitations – like reliance on self-reporting – it nevertheless “highlights the need for further research to make recommendations about dietary restrictions."

Incomplete information from blood tests called serum immunoassays about potential food allergies is causing many children, especially those with eczema, to unnecessarily avoid certain foods, according to U.S. researchers, leading to nutritional risks. The researchers examined the medical charts of 125 children placed on restricted diets because blood tests indicated allergies to 177 foods, such as egg, milk, shellfish, peanut and tree nut. After many of the children later tried the restricted foods, physicians restored 84 percent to 93 percent of them to their diets. The researchers said children with known allergic reactions, especially anaphylactic reactions, should of course avoid questionable foods. But “a growing number of patients” on strict, unproven food-elimination diets end up with “poor weight gain and malnutrition,” thanks to overreliance on immunoassay tests.

U.S. and Chinese researchers who tested 427 male workers in regions known to contain high levels of bisphenol-A (BPA) found a correlation between BPA content in the urine and symptoms of sexual dysfunction. BPA is a chemical used to make plastic bottles, soda cans and a wide variety of other common products. According to the researchers, increased levels of BPA in the workers’ urine was linked with poor sperm quality, decreased sexual desire, difficulty in having an erection, lower ejaculation strength and lower satisfaction with sex life. The same trend was found among test participants who were exposed to BPA environmentally, but not at work. The researchers said the findings “may have important public health implications  given the widespread human exposure to BPA.”

A trade dispute between China and the U.S. over chicken import restrictions has ended with the U.S. accepting without appeal a World Trade Organization (WTO) censure of U.S. limitations on imports of cooked chicken. China had filed a complaint against the U.S. over a congressional ban imposed in an appropriations bill that prevented the U.S. from allowing imports of Chinese chicken. At its core, the problem originated as a food safety issue rather than a trade issue, as one congresswoman said. The U.S. had banned imports from China after bird flu outbreaks and other food scares several years ago. China retaliated with its own restrictions on U.S. poultry imports. But after imports were formally allowed, the congressional spending ban tied the hands of U.S. officials.

The dietary supplement red yeast rice (RYR) – also known as hong qu – is advertised as a natural therapeutic for treating hyperlipidemia (high blood cholesterol and triglycerides). A number of brands are available on the market, and a U.S. study has found wide variations in their active ingredient formulations. One brand, the study found, even contained detectable levels of a toxic substance. RYR is made by culturing a yeast (Monascus purpureus) on rice. That process yields compounds called monacolins, one of which has been purified and marketed as lovastatin. American consumers in 2008 spent about $20 million on the supplement. But, researchers concluded, there is a “need for improved standardization of RYR products and product labeling” and until then “physicians should be cautious in recommending RYR to their patients.”

Research conducted by the U.K.’s University of East Anglia for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) suggests that decreased food availability will lead to higher prices and push consumers towards processed foods with higher sugar and fat content. The researchers believe that the FSA, which is charged with protecting the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food, will have to boost efforts to encourage healthier eating including using nutritional surveys and enhanced monitoring. While the researchers point to the need for additional work on a number of fronts to better understand likely upcoming changes and the impact on food supply, they also suggest that increased pathogens and additional food-borne disease and other changing risks will intensify unpredictability and require broader oversight to isolate new risks. 

The European Commission says it will recommend that animal cloning for the production of food, along with use of cloned farm animals and marketing of food from cloned animals, be suspended for at least five years. After that period, the temporary measures would be reviewed. The EC also will propose creating a system for tracing the sources of imported reproductive materials for clones, such as semen and embryos of clones. Farmers and industry would then be able to establish a database that would track the animals created from the reproductive materials. The Commission said the proposal for a moratorium, prompted by requests from the European Parliament and Member States for a specific policy, are “a realistic and feasible solution to respond to the present welfare concerns."

The U.S. Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the FDA, has filed a complaint in New York requesting a permanent injunction against Brooklyn juice company Juices Incorporated barring it from further processing and distribution of juice products because of violations of federal food safety laws. FDA investigators found that the company failed to adequately heat and refrigerate low-acid vegetable juices to destroy dangerous microorganisms. The company also allegedly failed to properly clean food-contact surfaces or maintain plumbing properly to avoid food and water contamination. The company was also charged with failing to have a Hazard Analysis plan for its carrot and beet juice products. Neglect of safety precautions for beet and carrot juices can lead to formation of that botulism bacteria that produces  a dangerous neurotoxin.

Scientific studies show that glyphosate, an active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup Ready herbicide, is linked to high increases in reproductive problems and early childhood health issues. Of particular concern is the use of Roundup on 90% of the soy crops in North America, along with growing usage in South American crop production. Soy, frequently used in infant formula and by nursing mothers, may be linked to a 300% increase in childhood cancer and a 400% increase in birth defects in Argentina over the last decade.  Advocacy groups want countries to mandate proper labeling and force retailers to pull products contaminated by genetic modification, especially baby formula, from their shelves.

Institute of Food Technologists President Robert Gravani told the recently-held Food System Summit that effective risk communication is critical to handling food safety issues. Not only would better communication protect food companies, it would also inspire consumer trust and confidence in the food distribution system. He outlined several best practices for insuring better risk communication, including prompt response, creating a crisis communication network, accepting uncertainty, partnering with the public, being open and honest, and being accessible to the media. According to the IFT, the food industry over the next ten years needs to double the yield of food from the same amount of land. That fact heightens consumer concerns about food safety and food labeling, issues that have grabbed headlines in the U.S. in the past year.

The Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group, reports that its investigation of purported organic egg producers found many facilities as crowded and “industrial” as those at conventional egg farms. U.S. organic standards require that organic chickens have access to the outdoors, but many farms pay only minimal lip service to the rule. In fact, 11 organic egg producers signed a letter to the National Organic Standards Board last year contesting the requirement, arguing that it was too financially burdensome. The Institute is planning  an official complaint to the USDA about unsatisfactory conditions at four farms, including Hillandale Farms, one of the producers involved in the recent salmonella outbreak. Besides Hillandale, egg producers Cornucopia is targeting in its complaint are The Country Hen (Mass.), Petaluma Farms (Calif.) and Paul Fuenger Farm (Wis.).

A survey among 1,000 American adults conducted by the Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, found that 93 percent want “country of origin labeling” (COOL) on the meat that they buy. Country of origin labeling law requires food retailers to provide customers with information regarding the source of meats, fish and shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain nuts. Results of the poll were submitted to the World Trade Organization, which is arbitrating a dispute among the U.S., Canada and Mexico regarding U.S. COOL requirements. CU said consumers want labeling to indicate at least one of the countries in which the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered, and nearly half  (47 percent) said they preferred a multiple country of origin label.

Food safety scares and the spate of expensive recalls in the past year have pushed food producers to work with computer companies to implement digital tracing technologies to follow produce as it travels from farm to grocery store. The technologies go beyond bar coding to include sophisticated trace-back systems that use “smart labels.” Though many farmers are reluctant to abandon manual tracking because of the expense involved, everyone agrees something has to be done: the current system of tracking contaminated foods is slow, inaccurate, cumbersome and wasteful. The lack of guidance from the federal government on traceability standards is another problem, so many expect food retailers to pressure food producers to at least adopt the U.S./Canada Produce Traceability Initiative as a step in the right direction.

Following a Greenpeace report – confirmed by an Australian television network – that small amounts (less than 0.1 percent) of genetically-modified soy and maize were found in a widely-used baby formula made by Pfizer, a group of activist mothers marched on Parliament to call for changes in Australia’s labeling laws. Two senators agreed and committed to sponsoring legislation to address weaknesses in the country’s food labeling system. Current Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) laws let manufacturers include up to one percent genetically-modified ingredients without label disclosure, so Pfizer’s product is within the legal limit. But as one protester put it, “Australian parents have a right to know what goes into their – and their children’s – food.”

Eleven coastal-state senators told the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that it should  discontinue its review of a genetically modified salmon because they believe the agency’s process is more suited to approving a new drug than a new human food. The AquAdvantage salmon was created using Chinook salmon growth hormone and genetic material from the eel-like pout to make it grow two times faster than natural Atlantic salmon. If okayed by the FDA, it would be the first GM animal approved for human consumption. The senators assert that the review process is keeping the public in the dark about the GM salmon, because the company is allowed to withhold some information submitted to the agency as confidential.

European governments have expressed their disapproval of a proposal by the European Commission to relinquish authority to outlaw or approve genetically modified (GM) crops to individual member states. The proposal is part of a projected overhaul of EU policy on GM crops that would give member states more leeway in regulating cultivation within their borders. Critics of the proposed overhaul, however, say that such a system would generate legal confusion for farmers and agri-businesses. Member states, meanwhile, are afraid the plan would end up fragmenting the internal market for agriculture goods. Currently, member states can only curb GM crop farming under strict conditions. Authorization licenses are legally binding in all 27 countries in accordance with the principles of the EU's single market. 

Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) recently studied scientific literature to determine potential health implications of nanotechnology application in the food industry, especially on food and food contact materials made with nanomaterials. The study was prompted by the accelerating used of nanotechnology in the food industry. Currently, nanoparticles are added into shaped objects and films to improve food packaging materials. It is also used to nanoencapsulate food ingredients and additives and process food ingredients to form nanostructures. The study found that no general conclusion could be made on the safety of nanofood: "At present, there is no tenable evidence that food and food contact materials derived from nanotechnology is any safer or more dangerous than their conventional counterparts.”

To further examine the level of estrogen in diary products, the Ministry of Health will be conducting another examination in Beijing and Shanghai using not only manufactured diary products but breast milk as well. The Chinese CDC also formed a team of experts from the area of food safety, pediatric, and women’s health to discuss results from a previous examination in Wuhan, which they say was performed meticulously. The experts are not yet sure if the dairy powder caused an elevated estrogen level in the children who participated in the Wuhan examination. Ministry of Health resources say that the results of the recent test can be obtained in about two or three days, but they are not sure how they will be announced to the public. 

In the wake of the recent widespread outbreak of egg-derived salmonella poisoning, U.S. researchers are working on a better way to identify the strains of salmonella bacteria that may be the source of the problem.  The government knows that the very common Salmonella Enteridis bacterium instigated the outbreak that led to a recall of half a billion tainted eggs and sickened more a thousand people. But because Salmonella Enteridis is so common, they can’t pinpoint which strain was at the root of the outbreak using current DNA testing methods. So a new tool for better identification would prove valuable. The new approach under development looks at DNA sequences of specific genes, a method that allows scientists to accurately differentiate the various possible  strains.

An Australian university is launching a study to gather enough information to help consumers decide whether organic food purchasing is really worth it. The first phase of the study by scientists at RMIT University will look at what organic consumers believe and how they actually behave when shopping for food. A later phase will investigate whether the bodies of adult organic food consumers have fewer toxins than those who eat conventional food. The researchers cite a U.S. study in which children who substituted organic food for conventional food in their diets proved to less pesticide residue in their tissues. Participants in the initial phase will also be asked to take an Organic Food Intake Survey to determine how much organic food they eat.