An Irish tech entrepreneur who is passionate about food waste developed a smartphone app and organization that links businesses that have surplus food with charities that will then redistribute it to the needy. Restaurants and grocery stores can upload the details of their donation on the Foodcloud.net app, which then sends a text message to organizations telling them where to pick up the food. Foodcloud has distributed almost 1.5 million meals since it was created, and is now facilitating distribution of a ton of food daily. In 2014, the FoodCloud partnered with Tesco to give all surplus food from its 146 stores to charities across Ireland.
"Irish entrepreneur's app solves waste of food by redistributing it to those most in need", Irish Examiner, January 08, 2016
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A Kansas grocery store that sells only salvage foods and beverages at discount has proved beneficial to the local community, but has had some unique problems to overcome. The Bargain Barn’s shelves are filled with overstock items and products close to or a little past their expiration date that might otherwise end up in a landfill. So to keep its certification, the store must be inspected regularly by the state to make sure the food is safe. But that eases the concerns of some shoppers who worry that salvage food means spoiled food. In addition to inspections, the store faces the challenge of obtaining its food supply through bidding or contracting. State regulations prohibit buying locally produced goods, like eggs. But otherwise a full range of items is available, including gluten-free and international foods.
"Store sells salvage, discount food", Parsons (Kansas) Sun, February 17, 2016
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Following a successful six-month, 14-store pilot program, British grocery chain Tesco has finalized a plan to donate all unsold food to 5,000 charities in an effort to eradicate food waste from its stores and distribution centers by 2017. During the test, the Community Food Connection program resulted in delivery of more than 22 tons of food to needy people – approximately 50,000 meals. The company acknowledged it had discarded more than 55,000 tons of food last year. The Tesco initiative follows a similar effort by the Morrisons grocery chain.
"Tesco to give all unsold food to charity after finalising deal", Independent, March 12, 2016
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Campbell Soup Co. began using cans made with acrylic or polyester linings in March, and has committed to eliminating all cans with bisphenol A (BPA) linings over the next year. The company said all varieties of Campbell's soups and gravies, Swanson broths and Spaghettios pasta products will be packaged in non-BPA-lined cans. It is on schedule to have three-fourths of its soup portfolio in non-BPA cans by December. BPA is a component in metal can coatings that protects food from direct contact with metal surfaces. Studies have found that the compound causes health problems.
"Campbell Soup to switch to BPA-free cans by 2017", Reuters, March 13, 2016
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Stonyfield Organic, a U.S.-based organic dairy owned by France’s Danone group, has gone on record as supporting mandatory GMO labeling of food products. Parent company Danone has not yet publicly supported GMO labeling, but has also not “donated to campaigns trying to block it,” according to a Stonyfield spokesman. The U.S. Senate on March 16 defeated legislation formally known as the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, passed by the House last summer. Opponents of the bill, however, refer to it as the “deny Americans the right to know,” or DARK, Act. It would have preempted states, including Vermont, from requiring the labeling of GMO foods, instead implementing a voluntary system.
"Danone's Stonyfield backs mandatory GMO labelling - Expo West", Just-Food, March 14, 2016
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New York City's public schools have contracted with Somma Food Products to provide all 1,700 schools – 1.1 million students – in the system with 100 percent antibiotics-free, vegetable-fed ChickenTopia Drumstix for lunch. The city's Department of Education is one of six large urban school districts known as the Alliance that two years ago agreed that all school lunch chicken products must be sourced from humanely treated chickens raised with zero antibiotics of any kind and a vegetarian diet. Besides ChickenTopia, Somma Food Group's products include Merrywood Farms and Range Grass Fed Beef.
"New York City SchoolFood Launches Chickentopia 100% Antibiotic-Free, Vegetable-Fed Chicken from Somma Food Group", News release, Somma Food Products, March 17, 2016
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A legislative proposal to reduce Italy’s food waste – by a billion tons this year alone -- has passed the House and is likely to pass the Senate. The bill follows in the footsteps of a new law in France that makes it compulsory for large grocery stores and supermarkets to donate their unsold edible foods to charitable organizations for redistribution to the needy. The Italian version, however, uses a carrot rather than a stick in securing compliance. It provides large tax breaks for participants. The French law imposes stiff fines for discarding unsold food. A billion tons of food waste in 2016 would be twice the amount recovered in Italy last year.
"Italy to Rescue 1 Billion Tons of Food Waste a Year", Eat Drink Better, March 18, 2016
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Add ConAgra Foods Inc. to the growing list of food companies that are doing what they can to comply with a Vermont GMO label law in the absence of judicial intervention or federal action. ConAgra will change its labels on all GMO products distributed across the country to comply with the Vermont law that goes into effect in July. Kellogg Co., General Mills Inc., Mars Inc. and Campbell Soup Co. have also announced nationwide compliance with Vermont’s law because it’s too expensive to make packaging changes for just one state. Most companies would prefer to have a comprehensive federal standard, but the U.S. Congress is not likely to come to an agreement on the issue any time soon.
"ConAgra Going Nationwide With GMO Labeling", The Wall Street Journal, March 22, 2016
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Several retail food chains announced they are switching to cage-free eggs. The latest group includes Bashas’, The Fresh Market, and Aldi. Bashas’ will be completely cage-free by 2017 because it is “the right thing to do,” says CEO Edward Basha. The Fresh Market’s store brand of eggs are already cage-free, but it will switch to cage-free for all of its eggs within four years. Aldi says it will offer a cage-free egg choice by the end of the year, but has set 2025 as the target date for 100 percent cage-free eggs in stores.
"Bashas', Fresh Market, Aldi commit to cage-free eggs", Supermarket News, March 23, 2016
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Nashville, Tenn.-based restaurant chain Shoney's has committed to serving only cage-free eggs in its 150 restaurants by 2025. The company said it is working with its suppliers “to back the brand's dedication to the humane treatment of animals” and figure out a smooth implementation. "This is about a movement, not a trend," said CEO David Davoudpour, who acquired Shoney's in 2007. Shoney’s serves 50 million eggs a year. Other companies that recently announced a transition to cage-free eggs include restaurateur HMSHost, egg producer Pasco's Oakdell, grocery retailer SuperValu, PepsiCo, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, snack maker Snyder's-Lance, Walmart, Otis Spunkmeyer, and grocery chain Giant Eagle (Pa.).
"Shoney's Makes Commitment to Serve Only Cage-Free Eggs", News release, Shoney's, March 23, 2016
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A California lawmaker believes legislation he has proposed would help solve the food waste problem with one simple change. The bill would replace all the confusing expiration date phrases on food labels with two simpler notices. The confusing terminology – used by manufacturers and not regulated by the federal government – leads to waste of food that is still safely edible. Terms like "best by," "freshest by," and "sell by" would be replaced by ‘best if used by” and “expires on,” the latter indicating food should not be eaten after this date. Foods presenting a food safety problem would be determined by the California Department of Public Health.
"Food waste is target of legislation on expiration labels", SF Gate, March 24, 2016
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Canadian grocery shoppers are spending more time, and money, in the frozen food section of their supermarkets, thanks to a falling Canadian dollar and rising fresh produce prices. The result is an impressive 3.5 percent increase ($188 million) in sales over last year. Frozen produce is selling especially well, with fruit sales up 11 percent and vegetables up eight percent. Frozen produce, according to Nielsen, is a way to eat more healthful foods without having to worry about waste. Also selling well in this era of limited free time and more convenience are frozen (family size) dinners and premade meat patties. Sales of these items have increased two percent and 18 percent, respectively.
"What's Heating Up In The Frozen Food Section?", News release, Nielsen, March 24, 2016
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Chickens fed antibiotics can live in cramped, unsanitary conditions without getting sick. They also tend to gain more weight. However, a highly vocal movement against antibiotic use in meat and poultry in the United States is inducing more producers to end the use of antibiotics. The goal is to protect consumers from a growing threat of antibiotic resistance as well as early puberty in children. Restaurant chains like Subway and McDonalds are demanding antibiotics-free meats. And poultry producers, including Tyson, Pilgrim’s Pride, Perdue Farms, and Foster Farms have all promised to mostly stop using antibiotics over varying time frames. It’s an uphill climb, however: 92 to 95 percent of food produced in the U.S. contains antibiotics.
"Movement Against Antibiotic-Treated Meat Gaining Momentum in the United States", Blog, Euromonitor International, March 31, 2016
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Midwestern retail chain Meijer announced a commitment to all cage-free eggs in its stores by 2025. The company's current volume sales of cage-free eggs are “relatively low,” but the trend is in that direction. Meijer sells cage-free, free-range and traditional eggs, most of them sourced from farms in Michigan that have been working with the Meijer family for more than 50 years. Meijer (Grand Rapids, Mich.) operates 223 supercenters and grocery stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.
"Meijer Announces Goal to Source Only Cage-Free Eggs by 2025", News release, Meijer, April 01, 2016
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Food writer Marion Nestle writes that it’s all well and good that the food industry is getting rid of bisphenol-A (BPA) from its packaging, and removing unnatural additives, artificial colors or flavors, high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, gluten and GMOs – or at least including GMOs on their labels. Products sell better, and companies make more money, when the labels proclaim “free from.” And consumers benefit “to an extent,” she says. But highly processed foods still contain a lot calories, and often excessive salt and sugar. People need to eat vegetables and other unprocessed foods. “No amount of subtraction from highly processed foods is going to change that,” she concludes.
"No amount of 'free from' labelling will make processed food good for you", The Guardian, April 02, 2016
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Politico reports that voluntary goals for sodium levels in processed foods will be released this summer by the FDA, thanks to a lawsuit by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Having to reduce salt content makes some food companies nervous, because the ingredient gives breads, crackers and sauces “their trademark taste.” It’s likely, however, that the reductions would be phased in over ten years. The CSPI lawsuit should push the FDA to release the salt targets completed two years ago but kept under wraps. Excessive salt content in processed foods has been a bête noire of the Obama administration for years.
"Obama's latest food crackdown: Salt", Politico, April 03, 2016
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A majority of working poor, middle-class and even higher-income Canadian consumers – nearly three out of five – say the rising cost of food is making it tougher to feed their families, an Angus Reid Institute poll finds. To deal with the problem, consumers are cutting back on meat purchases, buying cheaper brands, and choosing what they believe are less healthy but cheaper foods. Sixty-three percent of Canadians say the government has not paid enough attention to rising food prices, and 53 percent say the issue is “one of the most important” facing the country today.
"Rising food prices: Canadians – regardless of income level – say it’s getting harder to feed their families", Angus Reid Institute, April 04, 2016
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Thanks to a newly launched organic database system that tracks and reports on certified organic operations, the USDA announced continuing double-digit growth in U.S. organic farming, ranching, handling and processing. The data collected from the constantly-updated Organic Integrity Database confirm that there are now 21,781 certified organic operations in the U.S. -- up 12 percent since 2014 -- and 31,160 around the globe. The total retail market for organic foods and other products is now valued at more than $39 billion here and more than $75 billion worldwide. The agency has invested a billion dollars in more than 40,000 local and regional food businesses and infrastructure projects since between 2009.
"USDA Reports Record Growth In U.S. Organic Producers", News release, U.S. Department of Agriculture, April 04, 2016
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Walmart and Sam’s Club announced a commitment to sourcing only cage-free eggs by 2025, though they hedged a little, saying the accomplishment of the goal depended on “available supply, affordability and customer demand by 2025.” In a statement the companies said the cage-free pledge supports their “aspiration” of achieving the “five freedoms” of animal welfare for farm animals in its supply chain,” announced a year ago. Besides freedom to express normal animal behavior, the others are freedom from hunger and thirst; discomfort; pain, injury or disease; and fear and distress. The company is requiring all of its egg suppliers to be certified and fully compliant with United Egg Producers (UEP) Animal Husbandry Guidelines.
"Walmart U.S. Announces Transition to Cage-Free Egg Supply Chain by 2025", News release, Walmart, April 05, 2016
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Turkey processor Butterball LLC announced a new line of ground meat made from birds never treated with antibiotics. The move puts Butterball in the rapidly expanding group of meat and poultry processors that are eradicating antibiotics from their animal husbandry schemes. Perdue Farms Inc. in February said it is transitioning to chicken and turkey products that use “no antibiotics ever.” Tyson Foods Inc., said it will eliminate antibiotics by September 2017. Butterball says its “Farm to Family” brand of antibiotics-free ground turkey is already appearing in grocery stores. It expects to generate $100 million in retail sales over the next three to four years from the product.
"Turkey Burgers Go Antibiotic-Free as Butterball Jumps on Trend", Bloomberg, April 09, 2016
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