Another Food Recall? What Recall Increases Mean
It seems like food recall increases are telling us something. From the Romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak to the withdrawal of Salmonella-contaminated pig-ear treats, recalls are showing up in newsfeeds at a steady clip. While we hear about food recalls regularly, it’s essential to consider what the numbers mean. Let’s look at some of the […]
Meat Alternatives: Who Will Win the Protein Race?
Meat alternatives continue to make the news—from litigation over meat naming rights to the latest plant-based startup to get funding. We first reported on protein alternatives in February 2017. In the article, we looked at global protein demand and dwindling supplies, expected population growth, and the edgy startups creating plant-based, fish-based, and lab-grown “meat.” Two-and-a-half […]
Food Packaging Waste: How Big Food is Cleaning Up
Food packaging waste continues to pose challenges for manufacturers. Press coverage points to the environmental impacts of ocean wastelands of plastic trash, and governments around the world are implementing plastic bans. However, plastic remains the most practical material for food packaging. The world’s ubiquitous infatuation with plastic food packaging During WWII, the military discovered how […]
3 Whey Interesting Cheese Facts You Might Not Know
Cheese facts are plentiful on the internet, from discovery-by-accident origin stories to Queen Victoria’s giant cheese-wheel wedding gift. Here are three not-so-typical cheese facts that relate to cheese production, its global reach, and cultural importance. 1) How science saved the cheese industry During the 1970s, traditional rennet (harvested from calf stomachs and used to create […]
New Marijuana Laws a Possible Challenge for Food Transportation
As new marijuana laws come into effect in more states, food transportation businesses face the possibility of increased driver shortages due to pre-employment drug testing. FMSCA mandates drug testing for marijuana (and other illicit drugs) for Commercial Driver License (CDL) employees. However, now that marijuana use is legal in many states, policymakers may eventually need […]
Watch These 3 Food Industry Trends Q2-Q4
Each January, articles on food industry trends fill in-boxes and social media feeds. By the second quarter, they fade, overshadowed by new issues and events. However, from dramatic shifts in consumer buying habits to new government regulations, trends signal change that can affect how food distributors, manufacturers, and processors operate. That’s particularly important for inventory […]
What This Bee Parasite Discovery Means for the Food Industry
Scientists have known about this bee parasite for years. Now, they’ve discovered new information about what the parasite does to the bee. The new findings matter because around 2006, beekeepers started reporting the collapse of bee colonies which sparked concern for the food industry. After all, when it comes to our food supply, many ingredients […]
How to Save Money and Recoup Cash on Problem Food inventory
When it comes to problem food inventory, the sooner it’s out of the warehouse, the better. Plus, if you can save money and get some cash back on your investment, that’s a huge bonus. How do you manage that stack of unusable food ingredients sitting in the corner of your warehouse: the rock-hard sweetener, the […]
3 Quick Ways to Boost Inventory Management (and Your Bottom Line)
There’s the inventory management task that comes around like clockwork — when it’s time to reconcile inventory. It’s when your inventory management system gets put to the test. And it’s the moment of truth that reveals inventory problems, such as insufficient, slow-moving, excess, obsolete or discontinued stock. Maybe you feel you have good inventory management, […]
Will U.S. Trade War Tariffs Force Food Businesses to Change Course?
A recent by-product of the U.S. trade war is theChina tariff list. The list includes all the food ingredients that will be slapped with the latest import duties. And that has supply-chain folk — from importers to manufacturers — gearing up for increased expenses on their imported food ingredients (from processed fish to dried egg […]
The Latest on How Millennials Are Changing the Food Industry
There’s been a lot written about how millennials are changing the food industry. This large generation, who are now having families, want to know what’s in their food. They’re also open to non-traditional foods and are not easily sold on marketing claims. Here’s the latest on millennial food preferences, and what that means for food […]
5 Innovative Food Safety Tools for a Smooth FSMA Finish
We’re seeing more innovative food safety tools, thanks to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). If we go back a bit, as FSMA rolled out, food industry folk got busy putting together their new food safety plans. That included meeting Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) and Preventive Controls. At the same time, R&D teams got […]
