Top Stories: FDA seeks to invest in foodborne illness prevention; Freezing temperatures effect supply, cost of veggies; Exploring the role of food to address health issues at Wellness 11
February 16, 2011
FDA seeks to invest in foodborne illness prevention
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting a budget of $4.3 billion to protect and promote the public health as part of President Barak Obama’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget—a 33% increase over the FDA enacted budget for FY 2010. The FY 2012 request covers the period of Oct. 1, 2011 through Sept. 30, 2012.
“FDA protects and promotes the health of all Americans through every stage of life,” said Margaret A. Hamburg, Commissioner of Food and Drugs. “The breadth of this mandate means that FDA responsibilities continue to grow. The new budget contains new resources so that FDA can fulfill its growing responsibilities to the American public.”
One critical area of the proposed budget is the Transforming Food Safety and Nutrition ($324 million) Initiative. With this increase, the FDA will begin to implement the landmark Food Safety Modernization Act and also empower Americans to make healthier food choices. FDA will establish a prevention-focused food safety system and leverage the valuable work of FDA’s state and local food safety partners. The result will be a stronger, more reliable food safety system to protect American consumers. The FDA will also empower Americans to make more healthful food choices through menu and vending machine labeling.
Press release
Freezing temperatures effect supply, cost of veggies
According to The Wall Street Journal, a major freeze in Mexico in early February has resulted in a shortage across the United States of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and other produce that could last until April and lead to higher prices at the grocery store.
Supermarkets, distributors, and restaurant chains are scrambling to find other sources for the items and to offer replacements. But the problem has been compounded by the fact that inclement weather has also hit other growing regions, like Florida and Texas, that would normally be able to make up for a supply interruption from Mexico.
Supervalu Inc., the United States’ fourth-largest food retailer by sales behind leader Wal-Mart Stores Inc., is girding for lower availability of some key vegetables because of the deep freeze, Mexico’s worst in more than 50 years. Dan Bates, Director of Merchandising for the company’s produce division, said that in the last 10 days he has seen the price of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, and eggplant rise and that the grocer may pass along some of those costs to shoppers.
The Wall Street Journal article
Exploring the role of food to address health issues at Wellness 11
The role of food is changing. People not only expect food to taste good but now they look to food to help address specific health problems. The opportunities this change represents for the food industry will be discussed in the Health Issues track sessions at Wellness 11, taking place March 23–24 in Rosemont, Ill. Among the five track sessions, Gary Beauchamp, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Adam Drewnowski, University of Washington, and Kunio Torii, Ajinomoto, examine the sodium reduction guidelines presented in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the challenges and opportunities they represent for the food industry.
This session will discuss the research behind the premise that sodium preferences may be lowered at will. Attendees will gain an appreciation for the formulation challenges within this arena, and learn about innovative technologies that reduce the sodium content in foods while maintaining food safety, palatability, and physical properties.
Wellness 11 offers a unique combination of the latest advances in the healthful foods arena, and the practical knowledge to apply these advances to your product development initiatives. In addition to the Health Issues track, Wellness 11 sessions are divided into two other tracks: Consumer Lifestyles & Demographics, highlighting how life choices affect eating habits, and Weight Management, which identifies product development opportunities within this arena. Learn about the other sessions taking place during Wellness 11 and register to attend today.
Eggs have lower cholesterol, more vitamin D
According to new nutrition data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), eggs are lower in cholesterol than previously thought. The USDA-ARS recently reviewed the nutrient composition of standard large eggs, and results show the average amount of cholesterol in one large egg is 185 mg, 14% lower than previously recorded. The analysis also revealed that large eggs now contain 41 IU of vitamin D, an increase of 64%.
“We collected a random sample of regular large shell eggs from 12 locations across the country to analyze the nutrient content of eggs,” said Jacob Exler, Nutritionist with the Agricultural Research Service’s Nutrient Data Laboratory. “This testing procedure was last completed with eggs in 2002, and while most nutrients remained similar to those values, cholesterol decreased by 14% and vitamin D increased by 64% from 2002 values.”
The collected eggs were sent to a laboratory at Virginia Tech University to be prepared for nutrient analysis at certified nutrient analysis laboratories. The samples were randomly paired for the testing procedure, and the analysis laboratories tested samples to determine composition of a variety of nutrients including protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Accuracy and precision were monitored using quality control samples.
According to Exler, this procedure is standard for the National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP), the program responsible for analyzing the nutrient composition of a wide variety of foods and making nutrition information publicly available. This information is available on the nutrient data lab website at www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata. The new nutrient information will also be updated on nutrition labels to reflect these changes wherever eggs are sold, from egg cartons in supermarkets to school and restaurant menus.
Press release
Diet soda may raise odds of vascular events
A study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2011 shows that even if you drink diet soda—instead of the sugar variety—you could still have a much higher risk of vascular events compared to those who don’t drink soda.
In findings involving 2,564 people in the large, multi-ethnic Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS), scientists said people who drank diet soda every day had a 61% higher risk of vascular events than those who reported no soda drinking.
“If our results are confirmed with future studies, then it would suggest that diet soda may not be the optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages for protection against vascular outcomes,” said Hannah Gardener, lead author and epidemiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
The researchers asked subjects at the outset to report how much and what kind of soda they drank. Based on the data, they grouped participants into seven consumption categories: no soda (meaning less than one soda of any kind per month); moderate regular soda only (between one per month and six per week), daily regular soda (at least one per day); moderate diet soda only; daily diet soda only; and two groups of people who drink both types: moderate diet and any regular, and daily diet with any regular.
During an average follow-up of 9.3 years, 559 vascular events occurred (including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by rupture of a weakened blood vessel). Researchers accounted for participants’ age, sex, race or ethnicity, smoking status, exercise, alcohol consumption, and daily caloric intake. And even after researchers also accounted for patients’ metabolic syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, and heart disease history, the increased risk persisted at a rate 48% higher.
Participants’ reporting their dietary behavior is a key limitation of the study. In addition, investigators lacked data on types of diet and regular drinks consumed, preventing analysis of whether variations among brands or changes over time in coloring and sweeteners might have played a role.
Press release
Energy drinks may pose health risk for children
Energy drinks may pose a risk for serious adverse health effects in some children, especially those with diabetes, seizures, cardiac abnormalities, or mood and behavior disorders, according to new findings from pediatric researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The study, “Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents and Young Adults,” was published online in the journal Pediatrics. In a review of the current literature, the authors determined that energy drinks have no therapeutic benefit to children, and both the known and unknown properties of the ingredients, combined with reports of toxicity, may put some children at risk for adverse health events.
Youth account for half of the energy drink market, and according to surveys, 30–50% of adolescents report consuming energy drinks. Typically, energy drinks contain high levels of stimulants such as caffeine, taurine, and guarana, and safe consumption levels have not been established for most adolescents.
“Until further research establishes their safety, routine energy drinks usage by children and teen-agers should be discouraged,” said Steven Lipshultz, Professor and Chair of Pediatrics, Associate Executive Dean for Child Health, and author of the study. “We wanted to raise awareness about the risks. Our systematic review suggests that these drinks have no benefit and should not be a part of the diet of children and teens. We need long-term research to define maximum safe doses of these beverages and the effects of chronic use, especially in at-risk populations.”
Study (pdf)
Eating berries may lower risk of Parkinson’s
New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges, and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 9–16, 2011.
Flavonoids are found in plants and fruits and are also known collectively as vitamin P and citrin. They can also be found in berry fruits, chocolate, and citrus fruits such as grapefruit.
The study involved 49,281 men and 80,336 women. Researchers gave participants questionnaires and used a database to calculate intake amount of flavonoids. They then analyzed the association between flavonoid intakes and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. They also analyzed consumption of five major sources of foods rich in flavonoids: tea, berries, apples, red wine, and oranges or orange juice. The participants were followed for 20 to 22 years.
During that time, 805 people developed Parkinson’s disease. In men, the top 20% who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the bottom 20% of male participants who consumed the least amount of flavonoids. In women, there was no relationship between overall flavonoid consumption and developing Parkinson’s disease. However, when sub-classes of flavonoids were examined, regular consumption of anthocyanins, which are mainly obtained from berries, were found to be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women.
“This is the first study in humans to examine the association between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” said study author Xiang Gao, Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. “Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.”
Press release
High-fiber diet may reduce risk of death from diseases
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that dietary fiber may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases. Dietary fiber has been hypothesized to lower the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. However, little is known of the effect of dietary fiber intake on total death and cause-specific deaths.
In this study, the researchers examined dietary fiber intake in relation to total mortality and death from specific causes in the NIH (National Institutes of Health)-AARP Diet and Health Study, which included more than 388,000 adults, ages 50 to 71. Diet was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire at baseline. Cause of death was identified using the National Death Index Plus.
During an average of nine years of follow-up, the researchers identified 20,126 deaths in men and 11,330 deaths in women. They found that dietary fiber intake was associated with a significantly lowered risk of total death in both men and women. Dietary fiber intake also lowered the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases by 24–56% in men and by 34–59% in women. Inverse association between dietary fiber intake and cancer death was observed in men but not in women. Dietary fiber from grains was most strongly tied to the lowered risk in the study.
Abstract
Calorie labeling may not affect teenagers’ food purchases
A new study led by an NYU School of Medicine investigator and published in the International Journal of Obesity challenges the idea that calorie labeling has an effect on the purchasing behavior of teenagers or what parents purchase for their children. Teens appear to notice the calorie information at the same rate as adults, however, they respond at a lower rate.
In the new study, the researchers gathered receipts and surveys from 427 parents and teenagers at fast-food restaurants both before and after mandatory labeling began in July 2008. They focused on lower income communities in New York City and used Newark, N.J., which did not have mandatory labeling, as a comparison city. Data were collected before labeling began, and one month after labels were present in restaurants. As parents and teens were leaving fast-food restaurants, their receipts were collected and the foods they purchased were confirmed, along with a brief survey.
Before labeling began, none of the teens in the study said they noticed calorie information in the restaurant. After labeling began 57% in New York and 18% in Newark said they noticed the calorie information. A total of 9% said that the information influenced their choices, and all of these teens said they used the information to purchase fewer calories. This number is considerably smaller than the percentage of adults who said the information influenced their choice (28%).
However, the study did not find a change in the number of calories purchased at fast-food restaurants after labeling went into effect. Teens purchased about 725 calories and parents purchased about 600 calories for their children.
The way food tastes was considered the most important reason that teens bought it, while price was a consideration for slightly over 50%. Just over a quarter of the group said that they often or always limited the amount of food they ate in an effort to control their weight. The study also reported that most teenagers underestimated the amount of calories they had purchased, some by up to 466 calories.
Press release
Abstract
Danone to raise prices due to high milk prices
According to Reuters, French food group Danone is planning to raise some of its prices this year as well as making productivity gains to help combat an expected 6–9% rise in raw material costs, it said on Feb. 15.
The world’s largest yogurt maker with brands like Actimel and Activia, forecast the price of milk, its biggest raw material cost, will rise 5–8% but looked for a small rise in 2011 operating margin, helped by cost cutting in Russia.
The Paris-based group said it expects 6–8% growth in underlying sales this year, after a 6.9% rise in the fourth quarter of 2010 and in the full year, despite higher milk costs and tough economic conditions, especially in southern Europe, like Spain.
Milk prices have been rising along with many other agricultural commodities due to strong emerging market demand and lower production in Europe and North America, which has been exacerbated by higher grain prices pushing up the cost of cattle feed. Liquid milk prices are notoriously volatile with dairy groups tending to buy supplies locally, and analysts say milk accounts for some 38% of Danone’s raw material costs. Last year Danone saw milk prices rise 10%.
Reuters article
Nestlé opens new factory in Nigeria
Nestlé has opened a new state-of-the-art factory in Nigeria reinforcing its commitment to Africa. With an investment of CHF 87 million (~$90 million), the Flowergate factory in Nigeria’s Ogun state will be firstly dedicated to the production of Maggi products, and more particularly in Popularly Positioned Products (PPP) varieties of the brand.
Nestlé’s PPPs are adapted to meet the specific needs of emerging consumers in terms of price, accessibility, format, and nutritional benefits, which are important for the future growth of Nestlé’s operations in Nigeria.
“Nestlé has been operationally present in Nigeria for 50 years, bringing meaningful value to society at large by sourcing locally, creating new local employment, offering nutritious products, and helping in the further development of the region. By opening our new facility in Ogun State, we will be closer to our consumers and can better adapt our products to their needs and preferences. This latest investment is proof of our commitment to Africa in which we will invest CHF 1 billion over the next two years,” said Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke.
With this new 12-hectare factory, Nestlé will double its production of culinary products in Nigeria and meet the growing need for Maggi products, plus other countries in the Central and West African Region.
As Nestlé’s 27th factory in Africa, it will offer jobs to 180 people and indirect jobs to hundreds more. In addition, the factory also has potential for the production of other Nestlé products in the next phase of future expansion.
Press release
Hodgson Mill adds wind turbines to HQ, plant
Hodgson Mill Inc., Effingham, Ill., a national producer of all-natural and organic whole grain foods, has added two wind turbines to successfully complete the second phase of a new company “green initiative”—that is bringing renewable energy to the company headquarters and food manufacturing facility. Conducted in partnership with Midwest Green Energy LLC, the hybrid renewable energy project of solar and wind systems is well underway.
The renewable energy systems at the Hodgson Mill headquarters in Effingham, Ill., consists of four solar module arrays and two 12kW second generation Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs). Each solar module array is ground-mounted on a dual-axis solar tracking system producing 3.4kW of electrical power. The sophisticated solar tracking system automatically rotates to capture the full power generated by the sun, improving output by 24% in the winter and 42% in the summer when compared to a fixed array solar installation.
“Our customers could always feel good about buying our high quality, all-natural and organic products. Now they can feel great about how we produce them in a sustainable way utilizing renewable energy,” said Ray Martin, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Hodgson Mill.
Press release
Brenntag opens new facility in Indonesia
Brenntag has unveiled its new distribution facility in Jakarta, Indonesia, built to meet growing market demand. The facility will provide a bigger storage capacity than the current warehouse in Jakarta, and allow Brenntag to improve and expand value-added customer support throughout the supply chain, from purchase and formulation through to packaging and logistics.
In Indonesia, Brenntag markets a diversified line of specialty and industrial chemicals for a variety of applications, including personal care, coatings, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, textile, rubber, plastics and polymers, agro, feed, refrigeration, polyurethanes, and minerals. The new facility adds to the company’s seven existing warehouses in Indonesia and Brenntag’s growing distribution network in the Asia-Pacific region, which also includes more than 40 distribution centers.
“We’ve seen a growth in the demand for chemical distribution in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in Indonesia. By expanding our local presence, we are making an investment to better serve our customers with advanced support and meet growing market demand; it will also strengthen our presence in the region,” said Steven Holland, COO of Brenntag.
With an in-house coatings application laboratory, the facility offers value-added services to its customers by meeting specific requirements for the formulation and customization of various blends of industrial chemicals. It provides further technical application support with a sample room, designated cool rooms for textile, food, and beverage products, and two rooms to safely store hazardous and flammable products.
Press release
Schar breaks ground on first U.S. facility
Schar has broken ground on construction of its first manufacturing facility in the United States. Beginning in early 2012, this dedicated gluten-free facility in southwest New Jersey will produce items from Schar’s current product line, as well as new food items currently in development.
“This new state-of-the-art gluten-free facility marks yet another important step in Schar’s continued growth in the United States,” said Donna L. George, President and COO of Schar USA. “We will continue to introduce innovative gluten-free foods into supermarkets and health food stores across the country. As we look to become the U.S. market leader in gluten-free foods and innovation, New Jersey is a perfect location to support our national distribution and growth.”
Located in Logan Township, N.J., the 50,000-sq-ft facility is expandable to up to 80,000 sq ft based on projected company growth. The new production site will create more than 50 new jobs in the state of New Jersey.
Dr. Schär Srl, based in Burgstall, Italy, will invest over $15 million into its new facility. The company has been developing and producing gluten-free products for over 30 years and is the leading gluten-free manufacturer in Europe. Schar USA was incorporated in 2007 and has introduced over 32 products to the U.S. market.
Press release (pdf)
Klein named President, CEO of The Global FoodBanking Network
Jeffrey D. Klein, former Managing Director of Equity Group Investments (EGI), has been named President and CEO of The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN). GFN’s mission is to alleviate world hunger, support food banks and food bank networks where they exist, and work collaboratively with government and the private sector to create food banks in communities where they are needed.
“We are very pleased that Jeff Klein has committed to lead GFN and advance the impact of food banks internationally,” said William Rudnick, GFN Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Jeff’s strong international background, business success, and commitment to GFN’s mission make him the ideal person to lead our fight against world hunger.”
Klein has worked with the global food industry in various ways, through investments and Board involvement in a number of restaurant companies and the grocery industries in North and South America. Klein has also been involved in domestic and international non-profit work for many years, serving on the Board of Governors of microfinance leader Opportunity International and traveling overseas with service work organizations.
Press release (pdf)
Extra Credit Reading
Ronald McDonald held hostage by activists
A group called the Food Liberation Army took the Ronald McDonald statue a week ago from a McDonald’s in Helsinki, Finland. The kidnappers are demanding that McDonald’s answer specific questions about the way it produces food.
Acne: Are milk, sugar the causes?
Dairy products and sugar may cause acne. As our sugar and dairy consumption has increased over the last 100 years, so has the number of people with acne.
Top 10 healthy restaurant breakfast picks
Editors at Health magazine selected their top 10 picks for healthy chain-restaurant breakfasts, which include McDonald’s fruit and maple oatmeal and Cosi’s spinach Florentine breakfast wrap.
Yellow snow soda
Avery’s Beverages in New Britain, Conn., has made yellow snow soda, inspired by the massive amounts of snow the area has gotten this winter. It’s called “I Am Sick of Snow!” and it has a lemon-pineapple flavor.
Canada to strengthen food allergen labeling rules
Leona Aglukkaq, Canadian Minister of Health, and Royal Galipeau, Canadian Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orleans, have announced regulations to strengthen the country’s labeling of food allergens and gluten sources. This means that Canadians with food allergies, sensitivities, and celiac disease will soon be able to make more informed choices about the foods they buy. The Ministers also unveiled what the food label will now look like.
“Our government is committed to protecting children and families from dangerous products, and this is clear from the measures we have taken in our new Consumer Product Safety Act,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “All parents want to have confidence in the food they are serving their families, and these changes to food labels will make it easier for parents of children with food allergies to identify potentially harmful, if not fatal, ingredients in foods.”
The new regulations will require additional labeling and strengthen the labeling requirements through clearer language and the declaration of otherwise “hidden” allergens, gluten sources, and sulfites.
Because of the complexity of the changes and the shelf-life of foods, industry has been given 18 months to implement the new allergen labeling regulations. The coming into force date is set for Aug. 4, 2012.
Press release
Microwave technology earns second FDA approval
Efforts to commercialize a new microwave-based technology for food preservation, developed by a team led by Washington State University scientist Juming Tang, are gaining momentum with a second approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its use in preserving what it calls “non-homogeneous” food—in this case, salmon fillets in sauce.
The second approval came in December. It follows the October 2009 FDA approval for use of the technology for “homogeneous materials”—mashed potatoes, specifically.
“The first approval validates the scientific and engineering premises behind our work,” said Tang. “The second approval makes the technology viable for processing more complex food systems, which is a major milestone to commercialization.”
Tang and his team were charged with developing a food preservation technology that would extend shelf life and improve food quality and nutrition. The team’s Microwave Sterilization Process technology immerses the packaged food in pressurized hot water while simultaneously heating it with microwaves at a frequency of 915 MHz—a frequency that penetrates food more deeply than the 2450 MHz used in home microwave ovens. The combination eliminates food pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in just 5–8 min and produces safe foods with much higher quality than conventionally processed ready-to-eat products.
Press release
Please remember to vote in the 2011 IFT Leadership Election
The 2011 IFT Leadership Election is live. All eligible voting members should have received an email with instructions on how to cast their vote. If you did not receive an email but feel you should have, please contact IFT at info@ift.org or by phone at 312-782-8424. To learn more about the candidates in this year’s election, as well as the participating sections, please go to www.ift.org/elections. The election will close precisely at 5:00 p.m. Central time on Wednesday, March 9, 2011. Be sure to cast your vote before this deadline.
Impact of botanicals on functional health to be explored at Wellness 11
Botanicals that are generally recognized as safe, in addition to spices and herbs, offer functional health benefits to help food manufacturers develop innovative products. Botanicals boost many compounds that support functional health and can be delivered without altering the flavor profiles of products. Historical and new clinical evidence also suggests that spices and herbs have health benefits (including heart health) in addition to their flavor-enhancing role.
Explore these concepts more fully at the session, “Spices, Herbs and GRAS Botanicals: A Natural Fountain of Functional Health,” at the Wellness 11 conference, March 23–24 at the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, Ill. Angela Dorsey-Kockler of BI Nutraceuticals; David Heber of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition; and David Serrano of McCormick & Co. Inc. will explain how these ingredients can be used to replace less-desirable choices such as salt, wheat, and preservatives. This session will explore how these ingredients are ideal for new and reformulated foods.
View all Wellness 11 sessions. Register for Wellness 11 by March 1 and save $100! View our video to see why Wellness conference attendees return year after year to this unparalleled event.
Tomorrow’s free IFT Webcast provides the straight scoop on sweeteners
The Latest Research on Sugars: It’s the Calories that Count, Not the Sweetener
Feb. 22, 2011
2:00–3:00 p.m., CST
Get the “scoop” on the latest research on a variety of sweeteners, including high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Product developers, marketing personnel, plant production specialists, and quality assurance managers can learn the truth about this sometimes controversial topic, including answers to:
- How do sweeteners compare when consumed as part of a eucaloric (weight-stable) diet?
- Do sugars such as HFCS cause changes in weight, body composition, or abdominal fat, or result in an atherogenic lipid profile?
This live webcast is free to IFT members, has a capacity of 1,000 attendees, and is first-come, first-served. Learn more and register.
Learn the latest on the new food safety legislation with the IFT Food Regulations course
February 18–March 18, 2011
This IFT Food Regulations online course combines self-paced online learning with opportunities to interact with fellow participants and IFT experts via live, virtual Q&A sessions. The first presentation opens Feb. 18, 2011, with the first live Q&A on this topic on Feb. 25. Participants can begin any time before the Q&A on the 25th.
This comprehensive course will deepen your understanding of food regulations and regulatory agencies. You’ll learn how to identify regulatory issues within the product development life cycle, and you’ll have opportunities to access resources that pertain to regulatory updates.
This combined method of learning is an ideal way to gain a thorough understanding of the new food safety legislation, make personal contacts with key regulatory figures, and network with like-minded colleagues. Learn more about the course modules and register.
Create a product tracing plan with IFT’s new in-depth education series
Product tracing has become an increasingly critical product development consideration. Developing a tracing plan, however, can be complex and time-consuming.
GS1 US and IFT have partnered to create a three-part program designed to help food safety and supply chain professionals develop traceability programs for their organizations. The series consists of two webcasts (Feb. 15 and March 15, which can be taken on-demand) and a face-to-face workshop with two date/location options.
With this series, you’ll gain a foundational understanding of critical tracking events and key data elements. Then you’ll put your new knowledge to work, developing a sketch of your supply chain, and applying step-by-step methodology to implement a product tracing plan within your own company. You’ll also get the tools you need to convince your supply chain partners to make the same commitment to this system. Learn more about this series and register.