@Risk

The US food supply is among the safest in the world. But, even so:

• Each year, 70 million Americans are sickened, 300,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die after consuming contaminated foods and beverages.
• More than 56 percent of domestic food manufacturers have gone five or more years without a federal inspection, and regulators can inspect only a small fraction of the foreign firms that ship food to the U.S.
• In a report on food traceability, researchers found that only 5 of 40 selected products could be traced through each stage of the food supply chain.

(See this earlier post for even more statistics.)

It’s time to update our national food safety laws, and that’s why I applaud Congress for passing the Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) earlier this month. This legislation represents the first major changes to food safety laws in 70 years, and as such, it will have an impact on virtually all aspects of the food supply chain. The bill allows for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to order mandatory food recalls and requires food facilities to put sorely-needed food safety plans in place.

But, the legislation is far from a fete de complete. The Los Angeles Times reports that this historic effort “may run into trouble next year over an old problem –money.” (more…)

Supply chain traceability is becoming increasingly important –particularly for companies in the food and beverage sector and their customers.

In fact, more than three quarters (76 percent) of food service professionals recently polled by Voxware said that traceability is a priority for their companies.

The voice of the consumer appears to be getting louder. Nearly a third (31 percent) said their customers ask either frequently or urgently about plans on compliance, and more than half (52 percent) said their customers are asking about traceability occasionally. In addition, nearly three-fourths of respondents (72 percent) said they are either somewhat likely or very likely to adopt some traceability standards in the near future.

But for businesses, the expense of implementing traceability processes remains a significant challenge. (more…)

A new three-way partnership between DHL Global Forwarding, Interstate Transport, Inc., and Trans World Forwarding Inc. (TWF) will reportedly guarantee a complete perishable supply chain solution starting from point of origin in Central and South America to the final delivery locations across North America.

This unique collaboration will provide controlled temperature trucking for perishables coming in by air or ocean for all kinds of commodities such as cut flowers, produce and fresh seafood – all on one bill – from one freight provider.

TWF will act as DHL Global Forwarding’s preferred provider in charge of receiving cargo from the airport and seaport and then handling and processing the shipment until it is ready to be transported as per the customer’s need. Some of the services that TWF will provide include: customs clearance, inspections, storage, consolidations, pallet breakdown, cross-docking and direct delivery to importers in the Miami area.
(more…)

Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture released its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), and the new figures reflect the third-largest corn crop and yield on record.

WASDE forecasts 12.7 billion bushels with an average yield of 155.8 bushels per acre. (As a point of reference, in 2008, the United States produced 12.1 billion bushels with an average yield of 153.9 bushels per acre.)

According to the US Grains Council, increased consumption for ethanol use resulted in the simultaneous creation of more than 30 million metric tons of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a high-value feed product for domestic and international livestock producers. Although analysts initially projected 2010 exports of 6.2 million tons of DDGS, they now expect that amount will be surpassed this calendar year as the United States gears up to export approximately 8 million tons. China, which already has captured more than 2.5 million tons of US DDGS this calendar year, is anticipated to increase to more than 3 million tons in 2011. (more…)

Do business interests interfere with the work of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees who are involved with food safety?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is too often “yes,” according to new research by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

In survey results released earlier this month, the UCS revealed that hundreds of FDA and USDA employees feel undue corporate influence is a major problem affecting the nation’s food safety. Among more than 1,700 respondents who took part in the survey, (more…)