Industry News

A team of UW–Madison researchers set out to help solve the problem of foodborne pathogens, collaborating with meat industry advisor Bob Hanson and representatives from numerous industry partners. The group also shared the results of their effort to design, test, and validate a new processing method known as hydrated surface lethality (HSL).

Food safety is critical to every fresh produce grower. It's important for agricultural workers to understand the food safety risks during harvest and their health and hygiene practices. There are some good tips listed in this article.

There continues to be an increasing gap in the amount of fiber that consumers are eating daily. Due to the rise in price of fruits and vegetables and the convenience of processed foods, it continues to be an obstacle. People should have about 25 grams of fiber per day, but they appear to be consuming much less.

Microgreens with antioxidant compounds are gaining wide popularity as a functional food. According to a US study, these tiny plants could unlock nutrition challenges, such as being used as an emergency resource in catastrophe situations, or even food for long-term space missions.

Banyan Botanicals recently announced their findings around their study of self-massage with daily massage oil. The trial participants had positive results at the end of this study including the following: decreased stress levels, improved sleep quality, and an overall improved quality of life. This was similar to those who also had regular professional massage twice a week.

In June of 2020, the Harvard Law School Animal Law and Policy Clinic (Harvard) submitted a Petition for Rule Making to the the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requesting that it adopt a labeling approach for ‘cell-based’ meat and poultry products that respects First Amendment commercial speech protections. The FSIS responded in September of 2021 addressing these issues related to labeling of products using animal cell culture technology.

Louisiana will be allowing hemp-derived delta-8 THC in food, while more than a dozen states are banning the THC isomer or limiting it to marijuana retailers. This direction came from the Louisiana Department of Health, telling businesses that applications are open to register for licenses to make foods containing cannabinoids.

As of the end of August, the EU will be enforcing stricter limits for cadmium and lead in baby food and in produce. These heavy metals are found in trace amounts in soil and are naturally taken up into fruits and vegetables by their roots. The goal is to reduce exposure to carcinogenic substances.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced 13 new members and 17 returning members to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods. The newly appointed members serve a two-year term.

Alternative cheese may soon be getting a tech upgrade. A handful of startups have developed cow-free processes for replicating those key dairy proteins. When California-based startup New Culture set out to develop a better alternative cheese, the company’s founders surveyed a range of processes that could be used to grow dairy proteins.