| GENERAL ISSUES |
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Threat of Pandemic Influenza |
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- Originated in Mexico. First identified around April 20. Initially called swine flu. Name change to H1N1 flu was recommended by OIE (World Animal Health) and the food industry.
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- Swine flu name damaged pork sales
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- Recommendations to prevent spread of flu were to wash hands, avoid hand contact, cough into sleeve and avoid people who are ill. Additionally ill workers were advised to stay home.
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- The Harvard School of Public Health conducted a poll the week of May 4 that showed that 67% of Americans are now washing their hands or using sanitizers more often, compared with 59% who said the same thing the week of April 27.
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The economy remains a critical issue |
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- According to a 2008 study by food-industry consulting firm Technomic, 25 percent of consumers reported buying more prepared meals than they did a year ago. Sales are expected to keep growing as grocers continue innovating and improving their prepared items
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- 80% reported buying at least one prepared meal from a retailer in a typical month
- Restaurants are offering more prepared meals of their own, although they often sell theirs in grocery-store frozen-food aisles or in meal kits requiring some prep time
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- Restaurants are also trying to improve their takeout offerings, working on packaging so meals hold up better during long rides home and trying to offer items that can easily be reheated.
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Restaurants continue to look for ways to reduce costs without reducing quality< |
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- Areas of concern are less waste, better portion control, fewer deliveries
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- Ways to address these concerns include better specifications and better tools to assure proper portion control, e.g., ladles
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| FOOD INDUSTRY ISSUES |
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Incidence of foodborne infections show little change |
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- A 10-state report released late last week by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows little change in the incidence of key foodborne infections for 2008 vs. the preceding three years. The findings are from 2008 data reported to the agency as part of its Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, FoodNet.
“Progress has plateaued,” Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, was quoted as saying in press reports. "This indicates to us further measures are needed to prevent future illness."
Campylobacter, listeria, salmonella, shigella, E.coli O157, vibrio and yersinia did not change significantly when compared to the previous three years, according to the report, which also notes that although there have been significant declines in the incidence of some foodborne infections since surveillance began in 1996, the declines all occurred before 2004.
- The discussion of the need to overhaul the Food Safety System in the US continues
- Concerns about food-borne pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella will contribute to sales of more than $1.2bn/year for disinfectant and antimicrobial chemicals in the US by 2013, according to the latest report from the international business market research organization Freedonia
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Consumers Top Food Issues |
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- According to the most recent NPD Food Safety Monitor, Americans’ top food safety concerns are salmonella and E. coli, with 80 percent of respondents indicating at least some level of concern.
- The most recent survey had trans fatty acids a close third at 79 percent, followed by mercury in fish/seafood (68 percent), mad cow (65), high fructose corn syrup (58), artificial growth hormones in milk (64), genetically modified foods (51), foot and mouth (48), and meat/milk from cloned animals rounding out the top ten at 42 percent.
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Consumer confidence in supermarket food safety lessens according to NPD |
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- Less to do with perception of the safety of the food supply, and more to do with the kinds of foods now sold by supermarkets
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- Foods like packaged sandwiches and rotisserie chickens – foods that need more handling in preparation
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Reforms to the Regulatory System |
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- Obama increases FDA budget
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- Obama asked Congress to increase the FDA's budget by $300 million, bringing the agency's total for the 2010 fiscal year to $2.35 billion. The budget increase would allow the agency to hire more scientists and inspectors as well as "begin to solve some problems," said William Hubbard, a former FDA official
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- The Food and Drug Administration is failing to meet its goals for auditing food-safety inspections that states do on its behalf
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- The FDA fell short of its goal in at least 17 of 39 states it paid to do inspections in the 2007-08 contract year. In five states, the FDA did no audits
- State agencies do half the FDA's food inspections. The FDA aims to audit 7% to help make sure states do good inspections.
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Recalls |
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- Recalls for items containing pistachios continue
- Alfalfa sprouts are recalled for Salmonella
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| G&L Consulting Group, LLC, 479.696.8189, glades@cox.net |
