FDA lifts advisory on tomatoes
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has lifted its warning about the risk of getting Salmonella from eating tomatoes.
David Acheson, FDA's associate commissioner for foods, said in a conference call Thursday, July 17, that it is "highly unlikely" that raw tomatoes originally associated with the Salmonella outbreak are still on the market, according to published reports.
Networking and learning opportunities abound at FPFC expo
ANAHEIM, CA -- The Fresh Produce & Floral Council presented its 2008 Norman H. (Buz) Bolstad Produce Award to the Produce Marketing Association Education Foundation for the exemplary job it is doing to identify future leaders of the produce industry.
Each year until this year, the council has given the honor to an individual leader in the Southern California produce industry, but this year its presentation of an honorary award to the PMA Education Foundation was designed to shine a light on this important future leaders program.
Hot pepper market suffering under federal probe
With federal disease officials having turned their attention to Serrano and Jalape?o peppers in their ongoing Salmonella outbreak probe, some importers of hot peppers from Mexico have stopped shipping product.
According to a U.S. Food & Drug Administration update posted Monday, July 14, since April, 1,167 people infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.
Driscoll's strawberries featured on new Food Network program
The Food Network has launched a new program this summer and "Driscoll" strawberries will be featured in an episode to air July 28.
"How'd That Get on My Plate?" featuring Food Network host Sunny Anderson follows the journey of a single ingredient (such as eggs, strawberries, garlic, honey or apples) as it moves from its raw state into a finished, iconic product. From the farm to the factory to the market, Ms. Anderson travels the country showcasing the technology and innovation it takes to produce today's favorite foods.
Tomato growers unsure of next year's crop
WASHINGTON -- Florida tomato growers, already decimated from this year's drop in crop value, now find themselves having to make tough decisions on whether to plant for next year's crop with a Salmonella warning still hanging over some of their products.
The ongoing outbreak continues to tarnish the overall produce industry and put Florida tomato growers in the "untenable position" of trying to plan for next year's crop, said Mike Stuart, president of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association.
Fisher Capespan halfway through South African clementine deal
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ -- "We are finally into the South African season," Marc Solomon said July 10. "We had a very slow start with late crops" from not only South Africa, but Chilean and Peruvian citrus as well.
Mr. Solomon is the president of Fisher Capespan U.S.A. LLC, which has offices here and in Montreal.
On July 10, Fisher Capespan was among a number of importers receiving South African citrus brought to the port aboard a green reefer refrigerated break-bulk ship docked at the Gloucester Marine Terminal, here.
PMA adds Salmonella outbreak town hall gathering to foodservice conference agenda
NEWARK, DE -- The Produce Marketing Association has added a town hall- style gathering on the ongoing Salmonella saintpaul foodborne illness investigation to the agenda for its 2008 Foodservice Conference & Exposition, which will convene July 25-27 in Monterey, CA.
The town hall meeting will be held Saturday, July 26, to update conference attendees on the status of the federal government's investigation and PMA's related activities, and to respond to industry questions.
Tip Murphy dies at 48
Terrence (Tip) Murphy, a veteran of some of the more visible produce operations in the country, including Chiquita Brands International and Ready Pac Foods, died Sunday, July 13, after suffering a heart attack while playing golf with his friends. He was 48.
Most recently, Mr. Murphy worked at Ready Pac Foods, where for the past 16 months he served as its Eastern division vice president of retail sales.
Uncle Matt's expands organic citrus groves and family of growers in Florida
According to Matt McLean, founder and chief executive officer of Uncle Matt's Fresh, the organic produce arm of Uncle Matt's Organic, the number of organic citrus growers and the amount of acreage dedicated to organic citrus that the company manages are rising at a steady and healthy pace.
"We currently manage over 1,000 acres of citrus groves that include 15 different family-owned farms," Mr. McLean said in a press release. "This number is expanding every day as we help conventional groves transition to organic."
Golf tournament, spa retreat and contest all part of upcoming Bozzuto's trade show
Bozzuto's Inc., the wholesale supplier to 700 supermarket retailers in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, will hold its Supplier Appreciation Golf Tournament & Spa Retreat Monday, Aug. 10, in conjunction with its August trade show at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Ledyard, CT. The golf tournament will be held at Lake of Isles, adjacent to the casino.