FDA Accepts UPSIDE Foods Conclusion That its Cultivated Chicken is Safe to Eat

• After a rigorous evaluation, UPSIDE Foods became the first company in the world to receive a "No Questions" letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cultivated meat, poultry, or seafood
• This letter indicates that the FDA accepts UPSIDE's conclusion that its cultivated chicken is safe to eat
• This historic step paves the way for the company's path to market in the United States and brings cultivated chicken one step closer to consumers' plates

Today, UPSIDE Foods, the leading cultivated meat, poultry and seafood company...

NCC Delivers Comments on FSIS Proposed Salmonella Framework

The National Chicken Council (NCC) today delivered public comments at a U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) virtual meeting about the agency’s recently announced regulatory framework for Salmonella in poultry products. NCC’s comments addressed each of the three components the agency said it is currently considering as part of a new strategy.

Food safety is a top priority for the broiler industry, and NCC supports changes in food safety regulations that are based on sound science, robust data, and are demonstrated to positively impact public health...

U.S. Meat Sector Releases First-Ever Data Report on Environment, Other Key Indicators

A major new report released in advance of the United Nations Climate Summit next week in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, reveals that about 81% of facilities reporting data are covered by Meat Institute members’ commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

With 100% of the Meat Institute’s large U.S. members (more than 2000 employees) submitting data, the report covers an estimated 90% of meat sold in the United States (by volume) and sets the first ever baselines for measuring progress toward ambitious targets for environmental sustainability...

NTF Statement on FSIS Salmonella Framework

The National Turkey Federation (NTF) issued the following statement on the release of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) Proposed Regulatory Framework to Reduce Salmonella Illnesses Attributable to Poultry:

“National Turkey Federation members are committed to further enhancing the safety of their products and building on the turkey industry’s ongoing efforts to address Salmonella throughout turkey production. As FSIS and industry look towards comprehensive strategies to advance this priority, it is imperative that the best science drive food safety policy. The Salmonella..."

GrubMarket Expands Further on the West Coast through the Acquisition of Rainfield Marketing Group

GrubMarket today announced it has completed the acquisition of Vernon, California-based Rainfield Marketing Group, a well-known and highly respected fresh produce company that provides the highest quality fruits, vegetables, and Asian specialty items sourced from some of the most prominent suppliers across the U.S., Mexico, and Korea, among other global locations. Rainfield Marketing Group currently operates in California, selling to hundreds of large grocery retailers, multi-unit restaurant groups, foodservice companies, and wholesale customers across the U.S., and has a strong reputation as a...

Certified Group Partners with Groundswell Strategy to Strengthen Their Role as Food Safety Experts

Certified Group, a leading provider of laboratory testing services for customers working in FDA and USDA-regulated markets, today announced a partnership with Groundswell Strategy. The partnership enables Certified Group companies, Food Safety Net Services (FSNS) and EAS Consulting Group (EAS), leading North American providers of laboratory testing and regulatory consulting services, to engage with customers to meet regulatory compliance objectives, ultimately helping respond to and prevent foodborne illness.

Led by former Administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, Carmen Rottenberg, Groundswell Strategy will...

Play it Safe with Ready-to-Cook Foods

The convenience of ready-to-cook foods can save time and effort during the hot summer months but eating these types of foods without preparing them as directed on the package can make you sick. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently developed a quiz to help you test your safety knowledge about ready-to-cook foods.

The U.S. has one of the safest food supplies in the world, but foods occasionally do become contaminated somewhere along the food-supply chain­, and that includes ready-to-cook foods. Ready-to-cook foods...

Applications Being Accepted for New Poultry Industry Innovation in Safety & Health Award

The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council is currently accepting applications for a new Innovation in Safety & Health Award program. The program is open to National Chicken Council (NCC), National Turkey Federation (NTF) and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) members and is intended for poultry and egg industry members that have made a significant advancement in operational excellence in a safety and/or health innovation.

Award applications can be entered in the industry categories of Poultry Processing (NAICS 311615), Poultry & Egg Production (NAICS 1123)...

Chipotle Tests RFID Technology for Traceability

Chipotle Mexican Grill today announced it is testing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to enhance its traceability and inventory systems at its Chicago distribution center and approximately 200 restaurants in the greater Chicago area. A leader in food safety, Chipotle is one of the first major restaurant companies to leverage RFID case labels to track ingredients from suppliers to restaurants via serialization.

"RFID labels transform inventory management into an automatic, digital function that optimizes restaurant operations and gives our Restaurant Support Centers access to inventory data in real-time," said Scott Boatwright, Chief Restaurant...

Sanderson Farms Feed Mill Named Integrator Feed Facility of the Year

Sanderson Farms’ feed mill in Collins, Mississippi has been recognized as the 2021 Integrator Feed Facility of the Year by the American Feed Industry Association in partnership with Feedstuffs and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. The award, which recognizes the highest achievement in feed manufacturing facilities, was presented during the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s annual Feed Mill Management Seminar.

“Sanderson Farms’ Collins facility demonstrates excellence in all of the Feed Facility of the Year scoring areas — safety, quality control and food safety, government compliance, housekeeping and facility appearance, productivity..."

Giant Eagle Extends Its Leadership in Food Safety With Adoption of SmartSense IoT Framework

SmartSense by Digi®, part of Digi International – a leading global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity solutions – today announced it has expanded its relationship with Giant Eagle, Inc., one of the nation’s leading food, fuel and pharmacy retailers. SmartSense protects Giant Eagle’s 215 pharmacies and provides digital task management for its 175 grocery properties and 92 convenience stores. With the latest phase of IoT deployment including 32,000 new SmartSense digital temperature monitoring devices to remotely, automatically and continuously monitor its critical food assets...

North American Meat Institute: New York Times Gets it Wrong

The following is a statement released by the North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute):

The New York Times’ The Daily podcast’s examination of the beef and cattle markets is simply wrong.

The beef and cattle industry is a complex marvel of American ingenuity with innovations that have allowed the US beef industry to produce more meat with fewer cattle, while improving sustainability, food safety, affordability, worker safety and beef quality.

There are many steps in the beef value chain: cow calf operators, feeders, packers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and food service...

Five Guys Enterprises Renews Its Food Safety Partnership with ComplianceMate

Five Guys, an international restaurant chain founded in 1986, has renewed its agreement with CM Systems LLC and its ComplianceMate food safety software through 2025. Unlike other QSR concepts, Five Guys does not use frozen meat in its burgers. All food is cooked fresh, and the storage of ingredients within Five Guys' refrigerators is very closely monitored for quality and food safety.

Jim Gibson, Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Five Guys, says, "ComplianceMate continues to prove itself to be the best solution for all of our..."

PODCAST: Waste Not Want Not: Cosmetically Imperfect Items, Food Safety, and a Veteran Owned Business

This week on Market Digest Laura chats with Eric Ouellette of Semper Foods. They discuss how cosmetically imperfect items can still be used, companies fighting for value added product to store in freezer inventories, the food safety issue and how Semper Foods has contributed to food banks, whether chicken tenders are going away or not, and so much more!

Campbell Appoints Daniel L. Poland Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer

Campbell Soup Company today announced the appointment of Daniel L. Poland as Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, effective Jan. 10, 2022. Poland succeeds Bob Furbee who informed the company of his intent to retire after 38 years of service. Furbee will remain with Campbell until April 2022 and work with Poland to ensure a smooth transition.

Poland will lead Campbell’s end-to-end supply chain function including procurement, food safety and quality, occupational health and safety, engineering, planning and logistics, and all manufacturing sites...