Organic food news

• More Cyclospora infections in outbreak linked to Del Monte pre-cut fresh vegetables

  23-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  New parasitic infections linked to Del Monte brand pre-cut fresh vegetables continue to be reported even though the multi-national company initiated a recall on June 8.
  At least 144 people are confirmed to be infected by Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite, according to an outbreak update posted June 21 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
  However, in Wisconsin, where the vast majority of the infected people live, public health officials report 149 confirmed cases of cyclospor
  
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• NC restaurant remains open after E. coli confirmed in customer

  23-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  The Mexico Viejo restaurant in Taylorsville, NC, about 60 miles north of Charlotte, remained open Friday after as many as 45 customers reported illnesses to the local health department.
  Officials from the Alexander County Health Department said on Friday that one E. coli infection has been confirmed. One person was hospitalized due to the illness.
  County Health Director Leeanne Whisnant said the health department was notified Friday morning about the confirmed case of E. coli. The health departm
  
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• 129 tons of pork lard products recalled for lack of inspection

  23-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  Skokie, IL-based Quay Corp. is recalling approximately 258,121 pounds of pork lard products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
  The shelf stable packaged pork lard products were produced on July 29, 2016, through June 22, 2018. The following products are subject to recall:
  • 28-oz. sealed plastic cups containing “MARGARITA MANTECA PORK LARD” with sell-by d
  
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• BENEO opens North American application center in New Jersey

  22-06-2018 17:37 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  BENEO â best known for its chicory root fibers, low glycemic carbs, and rice ingredients â has opened an application center in Parsippany, New Jersey, to help it get closer to customers in the North American market looking to add fiber, reduce sugar and fat, and improve the taste and texture of their products.
  
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• Gotham Greens attracts new investor in $29m funding round to bring local produce nationwide

  22-06-2018 16:56 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Urban greenhouse developer and local produce grower Gotham Greens closed $29m in Series C equity funding last month from existing investors including the Silverman Group along with a new investment from global, family-run private equity firm Creadev.
  
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• Kidfresh to launch organic products and debut brand refresh by end of year

  22-06-2018 16:50 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Frozen kids food brand Kidfresh has carved out a solid spot for itself in the frozen foods aisle, an area thatâs re-heating with consumer interest after years of flat growth.
  
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• Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What is next for gluten-free, and how can allergy claims help boost sales?

  22-06-2018 14:42 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  After more than a decade of explosive overall growth, year-over-year sales of gluten-free products are starting to slow, according to some consumer data, but industry insiders suggest manufacturers could breathe new life into the segment by pairing gluten-free claims with allergy friendly ones.
  
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• UK firm claims to have first commercially viable scale-up process for brazzein

  22-06-2018 12:00 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Magellan Life Sciences says its patent-pending fermentation process to scale up the sweet-tasting protein brazzein will make it the first company to market the natural, zero-calorie sweetener.
  
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• U.S. follows Canada with recall of Now Real Food seed snacks

  22-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  A snack mix sold under the Now Real Food brand that was recalled in Canada a few days ago is now being recalled in the United States because clover seeds in the product are implicated in Salmonella outbreak investigations.
  In a recall notice for Now Real Food brand Zesty Sprouting Mix that was posted Thursday on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website, officials referenced multistate outbreaks linked to clover seeds, but did not provide any specific details. 
  The seed mix was
  
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• Trump wants a single federal food safety agency put under USDA

  22-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  President Donald J. Trump wants to consolidate federal food safety under a single agency housed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  President Barack Obama also wanted to consolidate food safety, only he preferred housing it in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Food and Drug Administration.
  Obama failed because Congress would not extend him the power to reorganize government. Trump is picking up where Obama left off on that one, seeking executive reorganization a
  
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• Beef pastrami recalled after company discovers curing problem

  22-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  To view photos of case labels for the recalled pastrami, please click on either image.
  An Iowa company is recalling more than a ton of beef pastrami after a consumer complaint spurred tests that showed enough curing solution may not have been used during production.
  Agri Star Meat and Poultry LLC of Postville, IA, reported the problem to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Thursday, according to the recall notice.
  “The problem was discovered on June 20 after the firm
  
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• Highlights from our healthy fats webinar: ‘Consumers in the cooking oil aisle are not thinking about fatty acids, they’re thinking, how processed is that?'

  22-06-2018 03:36 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Are clean labels, minimal processing, and cultural traditions more important than nutrition in the oils and fats aisle for consumers? And do consumers trust the health âexpertsâ? Checkout our gallery of highlights from our June 20 webinar, Chewing the fat: Navigating the healthy fats minefield, which is now available on demand.
  
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• The plant-based Beyond Burger is now in 10,000+ foodservice outlets

  21-06-2018 18:01 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Beyond Meat has struck a deal with A&W - Canadaâs fastest growing national burger chain â to add its plant-based Beyond Burgers to the menu at 925 outlets, boosting its overall distribution in the foodservice sector to 10,000+ restaurants, hotels, college campus dining halls, and hospitals.
  
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• The plant-based Beyond Burger is now 10,000+ foodservice outlets

  21-06-2018 18:01 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Beyond Meat has struck a deal with A&W - Canadaâs fastest growing national burger chain â to add its plant-based Beyond Burgers to the menu at 925 outlets, boosting its overall distribution in the foodservice sector to 10,000+ restaurants, hotels, college campus dining halls, and hospitals.
  
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• Life after Annie's: Once Upon a Farm CEO sees great potential for chilled baby food and beyond

  21-06-2018 17:33 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  Itâs easy to look at the Annieâs brand now â which achieved double-digit household penetration during former president and CEO John Forakerâs tenure â and think the company never took a wrong turn on its path to center-store ubiquity.
  
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• What can big companies learn from small companies? A lot, say Kraft Heinz and Tyson Foods

  21-06-2018 17:25 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Large food corporations growing through bolt-on acquisitions isnât anything new and will continue, but what is changing are the structures and programs big companies are putting in place to tap into the mindset of emerging startup brands.
  
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• General Mills leads $12 million investment into GoodBelly

  21-06-2018 17:10 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  General Mills has led a funding round that poured $12 million into Boulder,CO-based functional food firm NextFoods and its GoodBelly brand via its venture investing arm 301 Inc.
  
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• Private label to account for 20% of sales at Thrive Market by year end, predicts SVP: ‘But we’re not trying to be an online Trader Joe’s’

  21-06-2018 16:50 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  One in every five dollars spent at online natural and organic membership club Thrive Market is likely to be on private label products by the end of the year, predicts merchandising chief Jeremiah McElwee. âBut weâre definitely not trying to be an online Trader Joeâs.â
  
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• Texas company recalls raw, frozen ground beef for E. coli

  21-06-2018 07:03 via Food Safety News
  Photo illustration
  Texas Naturals Meats is recalling almost 500 pounds of raw frozen ground beef that was produced almost a year ago because its own tests this week returned positive results for E. coli O103.
  The recalled “Green Fields Farms Rogers Texas Ground Beef” sparked concern at the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) because its expiration date is more than two years away — Aug. 8, 2020. The recall notice did not indicate whether any illnesses have be
  
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• Researchers warn against raw milk, cheese after testing dairies

  21-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  Research recently published by scientists in The Netherlands shows that E. coli and Campylobacter bacteria are so common on goat and sheep dairy farms that pasteurization is necessary to prevent contamination of raw milk and products made with it.
  The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment and the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority joined forces for the project. The government agencies annually investigate how common pathogens of zoo
  
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• Virulent Newcastle Disease means backyard chicken craze needs to clean up its act

  21-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  Orange color Polish crested chicken on exhibition in a cage.
  Photo illustration
  Homeowners with backyard chickens have now given federal agriculture officials reason to worry. A contagious viral disease affecting the respiratory, nervous and digestive systems of birds and poultry is spreading through backyard exhibition chickens in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in California.
  Virulent Newcastle Disease or vND is not a foodborne illness, but humans working with or around sick
  
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• Appellate mandate ends biggest food safety criminal case in history

  21-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  It’s over.
  After 1,952 days in federal trial and appellate courts, the case of the United States versus Stewart and Michael Parnell et al is no longer active.
  It became history Wednesday when David J. Smith, Clerk of Court for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, entered as the mandate or final word of the appellate court the 21-page ruling a three-judge panel issued last Jan. 23.
  And if that were not final enough, Smith also returned seven boxes of exhibits to the U.S. Dist
  
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• SnackNation acquires EdgiLife, Love with Food

  20-06-2018 18:03 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Home and office snack delivery firm SnackNation has acquired EdgiLife, the a consumer insights and data analytics company behind the Love With Food brand, one of the nation's largest direct-to-consumer snack subscription services, for an undisclosed sum.
  
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• FDA to seek a 'sensible solution' to labeling sugars on pure honey, maple syrup products

  20-06-2018 17:08 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Following a strong backlash from consumers and industry on a proposal to label sugars on the label of a jar of honey or pure maple syrup as 'added sugars', the US FDA has announced it will âswiftly formulate a revised approachâ.
  
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• Innovative plant-based food options outperform traditional staples, Nielsen finds

  20-06-2018 16:26 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Plant-based food options continue to win over Americansâ share of stomach and wallets accounting for nearly 20% of food and beverage dollars spent last year, according to a new report by Nielsen.
  
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• Center store 'not a big driver of Lidl’s impact,' says Catalina study: 'Produce, meat, and seafood attract shoppers to Lidl stores'

  20-06-2018 16:11 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  A new study* exploring how local food retailers are impacted when Lidl sets up shop in a new neighborhood, shows that 60% of the sales declines experienced by competitors came from just three departments: produce, beer and wine.
  
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• New cases of salmonellosis reported in melon-related outbreak

  20-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  Ten more people are sick in a Salmonella outbreak that has spread to two more states. Pre-cut melons are implicated, according to public health officials who renewed their public warnings yesterday about the fresh fruit products.
  Two view a larger version of this map, please click on the image.
  The 10 new confirmed cases of Salmonella Adelaide bring the outbreak count to 70 victims across seven states. Out of 63 for whom the information is available, more than half have been so sick they had to
  
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• Canada reports more ill in outbreak traced to frozen chicken

  20-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  An outbreak in Canada that has been traced to raw, frozen chicken patties is continuing to make people sick, with nine new cases confirmed by federal officials.
  The new cases brings the number of ill people to 68. At least 15 people have been so sick they were admitted to hospitals, according to an update from Health Canada. The Salmonella enteritidis outbreak is spread across nine provinces. Illness onset dates reported so far rance from March 4 through May 13. The sick people range in age from
  
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• General Mills unveils ‘intentionally less sweet’ YQ by Yoplait: ‘It’s unlike anything that exists in the yogurt aisle today’

  19-06-2018 17:27 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Following on from the success of its new French-style yogurt Oui, General Mills has unveiled YQ by Yoplait, a new 99% lactose-free yogurt made with ultra-filtered milk (milk filtered to concentrate the protein and reduce the lactose/milk sugar) that âdelivers big on protein with an intentionally less sweet taste.â
  
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• FORTO ramps up distribution entering Walmart stores nationwide

  19-06-2018 16:37 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  FORTO Coffee Shots, a 2 fluid-ounce coffee drink, is migrating from the check-out counters populated by other energy shot brands and into the coffee aisles of 3,700 Walmart stores beginning this month.
  
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• Apeel avocados with ‘invisible’ plant-based skin debut at Costco

  19-06-2018 15:45 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Avocados coated in âApeelâ - an invisible plant-based edible peel proven to dramatically extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables - will debut in Costco and Harps Food Stores in the Midwest this summer following a tie-up between Apeel Sciences and produce companies Del Ray and Eco Farms.
  
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• Instant is no longer a ‘dirty word’ when it comes to tea, says Cusa Tea CEO

  19-06-2018 12:09 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  For many consumers the idea of instant tea evokes nose-wrinkling rejection due to its extensive processing, long ingredient lists and a flavor unlike a freshly brewed cup, but startup Cusa Tea wants to change this with a version made in an all-new way and with only premium organic ingredients.
  
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• High-pressure pasteurization facility focuses on food safety

  19-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  A Michigan couple is killing foodborne pathogens and extending the shelf life of foods while making their state home to one of the largest high-pressure processing machines in the world. Garden Fresh Gourmet’s founders have the Great Lakes HPP Food Innovation Center officially up and running.
  High-pressure pasteurization (HPP) can kill a variety of pathogens in food. The process, which can be applied to food after packaging, also extends shelf life. Co-founders of
  
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• Investigators link raw milk cheese to E. coli outbreak in France

  19-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  Investigators in France have confirmed a link between the cases of several children with a disease that destroys blood-clotting cells, causes low red blood counts and kidney failure and the consumption of cheese made with raw milk.
  The investigations carried out by Santé Publique France have confirmed an epidemiological link between these cases and the consumption of reblonchon, the cheese made with raw milk.
  In a follow-up on the E.coli O26 outbreak in France earlier this year, inve
  
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• Canada changing beer standard to help brewers, consumers

  19-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  Changes sought by brewers to Canada’s National Beer Standard are open for comments during the next 90 days, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Beer is one of the industries that made Canada great again and again as its 817 brewing facilities account for 84 percent of the beer purchased in Canada.
  Domestic wines satisfy only 33 percent and domestic hard liquors only 56 percent of the country’s drinkers.
  Nevertheless, Canadian brewer associations favor  
  
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• NEW PRODUCTS GALLERY: From thinkKIDS protein bars to Teavana sparkling tea

  19-06-2018 02:13 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Check out FoodNavigator-USAâs latest gallery of new products hitting US shelves, spanning new protein bars for kids and protein-packed snacks from upcycled chicken breast trim to the latest wave of reduced sugar beverages.
  
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• Maximize engagement on Instagram by carefully curating photos, shooting stories & using polls

  18-06-2018 13:55 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  When it comes to marketing on social media it is easy for companies to spread themselves too thin by trying to be everywhere and reach everyone, which is why the public relations experts at Konnect Agency recommend that firms pick one or two platforms on which to focus.
  
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• Origin Almond tackles cold-pressed juice pain points: sugar & food waste

  18-06-2018 13:43 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  For all the enthusiasm surrounding cold-pressed juice, the category faces significant challenges, including high sugar content and a substantial amount of food waste generated during production â two problems that startup Origin Almond says its new line of shakes solves.
  
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• U.K. retailers report chicken campylobacter levels for Q1

  18-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  The top nine retailers across the United Kingdom have now published their latest testing results on campylobacter contamination in UK-produced fresh whole chickens (covering samples tested from January to March), according to the June 15 report by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
  The latest figures show that on average, across the major retailers, 3.8 percent of chickens tested positive for the highest level of contamination; these are the chickens carrying more than 1,000 colony forming un
  
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• Campylobacter in chicken liver parfait nearly killed British man

  18-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  A British man who was admitted to intensive care after an awards banquet in October lost the use of his limbs, his speech and the ability to blink — leaving his eyes wide open and him unable to sleep.
  “I remember trying to communicate to my wife that I didn’t want our son to see me as I felt like I was turning into a vegetable,” Philip Earlam told the Evening Standard. “I couldn’t move and I could barely see. It was so frightening seeing parts of my body shut
  
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• Break up with paper; commit to digital; embrace food safety

  18-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a four-part series on electronic record keeping to enhance companies’ food safety efforts. The series is sponsored by PAR Technologies. 
  Whether it be for improved business management, safeguarding against food safety compromises or ticking all the boxes to keep the FDA at bay, record keeping is the backbone to a food company keeping the lights on and remaining in operation.
  Paper is still the norm… for nowAccording to Matth
  
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• Multiple brands of chicken, beef and pork products recalled

  17-06-2018 06:01 via Food Safety News
  To view all product labels provided to USDA by the company, please click on the image.
  A Michigan company is recalling more than 14 tons of salami, bologna, sausage and hot dogs made from poultry, pork and beef, according to a notice from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
  Winter Sausage Manufacturing Co. in Eastpointe, MI, had to recall the 28,300 pounds of meat and poultry products because they were made with animals that were slaughtered under religious exemption, which is n
  
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• Recall in another country triggers seed mix recall in Canada

  17-06-2018 06:00 via Food Safety News
  Canadian officials report that Puresource Inc. is recalling a three-seed sprouting mix, packaged under the Now Real Food brand, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.
  No illnesses have been confirmed in Canada in relation to the “Zesty Sprouting Mix,” according to the recall notice posted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). 
  “This recall was triggered by a recall in another country. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is conducting a food safety investi
  
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• CDC: Don’t eat any Kellogg Honey Smacks of any size, date

  16-06-2018 07:00 via Food Safety News
  Regardless of the package size or date codes, consumers should not eat any Kellogg’s Honey Smacks according to public health officials who say more than 70 people have Salmonella infections associated with the cereal.
  Friday night both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded their public warnings about the cereal. A day earlier Kellogg Co. initiated a recall of certain sized boxes of Honey Smacks with certain date codes.
  “Do not ea
  
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• Del Monte recalls veggie trays because of parasite outbreak

  16-06-2018 06:09 via Food Safety News
  Del Monte is recalling freshcut vegetable trays because they are the suspected to be the source of a parasite that has sickened at least 78 people across four states.
  The vegetable trays were identified by public health departments in Wisconsin and Minnesota a week ago as the likely source for the microscopic Cyclospora parasite. At that time, the states urged consumers to not eat the fresh, pre-cut Del Monte vegetables.
  Photo illustration
  Federal officials reported Friday night that Del Monte F
  
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• BlueNalu enters ‘cellular aquaculture’ space with funding from New Crop Capital

  16-06-2018 03:12 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  Another start-up in the burgeoning cultured meat arena has emerged from stealth mode this month in the form of San Diego-based BlueNalu, which aims to make a splash in the cellular aquaculture field with cell-cultured seafood products after raising an undisclosed, but âsignificantâ sum from New Crop Capital.
  
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• FDA announces public meeting on cultured meat, says it can be regulated under existing frameworks

  15-06-2018 22:47 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  With a clutch of start-ups getting closer to commercialization of cell-cultured meat (aka âclean meatâ) the FDA has announced a public meeting to give stakeholders the chance to comment on the technology and the terminology used to describe it, but also indicated that it believes it can be regulated under existing regulatory frameworks.
  
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• Dairy recalls raw milk for E. coli; best-by dates through June 21

  15-06-2018 20:04 via Food Safety News
  Anyone who has raw goat milk on hand from St. John Creamery should not consume it because samples have tested positive for E. coli, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal illnesses.
  The Monroe, WA, based creamery issued the recall Thursday. The recalled raw milk has best-by dates between June 17 and June 21. The dairy has voluntarily and temporarily ceased sales, according to local media reports.
  “The recall was initiated after ‘the presence of toxin-producing E.coli in ret
  
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• Chocolate milk recalled because of improper pasteurization

  15-06-2018 19:49 via Food Safety News
  Routine testing by The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has revealed some milk from an Orange County dairy farmer was not properly pasteurized, prompting a recall of “Pasteurized Creamline Chocolate Milk” that was distributed in Pine Bush, NY.
  The recalled improperly pasteurized milk was sold at the Stap Dairy Farm Store at 426 Drexel Drive in Pine Bush.
  The milk was sold under the name Stap Dairy and packaged in half-gallon plastic containers, bearing t
  
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• Are challenger food & beverage brands living up to their early promise?

  15-06-2018 17:22 via FoodNavigator-USA RSS
  
  US packaged food companies have been âfrantically buying up new challenger brands at escalating deal multiples to offset the weakening sales trends in their core businesses,â says a new report from Bernstein. But success rates have been hit and miss, with several high profile acquisitions losing momentum in 2017/18.
  
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