Produce / Floral

The Obama administration yesterday took the first step toward overhauling and modernizing the country’s food safety system, including stricter rules for the production of eggs, poultry, beef, leafy greens, melons and tomatoes.

Sales in the long-established carbonated drinks segment have been flat to slightly down over the past five years, according to Mintel, a leading market research company. During 2003-08, Mintel estimates the regular soda segment lost 15.6 million consumers aged 18 and over, and the diet soda segment only added half as many, or 7.8 million adult consumers.

Adult obesity rates did not decrease in a single state over the past year, but rather increased in 23 states. Also, the percentage of obese and overweight children is now at or above 30 percent in 30 states.

The Obama Administration yesterday took the first step toward overhauling and modernizing the country’s food safety system, including stricter rules for the production of eggs, poultry, beef, leafy greens, melons and tomatoes.

In a bid to encourage pride in homegrown goods, Spartan Stores, Inc. this weekend will host a Michigan’s Best Sample Fest as part of the kick-off of its “Michigan’s Best” campaign highlighting more than 2,400 products that are grown or produced in the state.

Changes to the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which will expand participants’ options to include fresh fruit and vegetables, require grocers nationwide to take note and follow some simple guidelines to ensure a smooth implementation phase, according to Brenda Berry, WIC account executive with St. Louis Park, Minn.-based MoneyGram International.

Crispy Green Inc., the Fairfield, N.J.-based maker of Crispy Green® Crispy Fruit premium, freeze-dried fruit snacks, has unveiled Strawberry FruitziO, the first entry in its new snack line, at the 55th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York.

At a ceremony held Monday at the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade’s (NASFT) 55th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York and hosted by celebrity chef Ming Tsai, the 37th sofi (“specialty outstanding food innovation”) awards were revealed.