National Food News

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, March 25th, 2010

In the past few days there have been some important developments regarding calories, nutrition, bees, food safety, and antibiotics in animals.

So Long Salt

A healthy competition is brewing among food companies.  Kraft Foods announced last week that it would reduce the amount of salt in its North American products by an average of 10 percent.  Don’t worry salt aficionados; the change will occur over the next two years.  Over 1,000 products will be affected, including Oscar Meyer Bologna, Easy Mac, and Velveeta.  A good move considering salt contributes to high blood pressure, which can then cause stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, and heart failure. 

Kraft is not the first company to cut sodium in its products; Campbell Soup Co and ConAgra has made similar statements this past year.  PepsiCo just announced its plans to reduce salt by an average of 25% by 2015.  Pepsi also stated it would stop selling full-sugar soft drinks at primary and secondary schools by 2012 and reduce the saturated fat per serving by 15% by 2020 and average added sugar per serving in beverages by 25% by 2020.

Tough Shuck

This past Tuesday the Virginia Marine Resource commission discussed new FDA regulations preventing the sale of contaminated oysters that are harvested during warm water months.  Although the majority of contaminated oysters that cause food borne illness come from the Gulf of Mexico, Virginia is trying to reduce the number of incidents.  Each year 15 people due from eating oysters contaminated with bacteria; 1 death has been linked to Virginia waters. 

If FDA finds another contaminated oyster to be sold by Virginia seafood suppliers, raw oysters will be prohibited from being shipped outside state lines.  New rules within the industry are being considered by next month.

Antibiotics Ban

New legislation has been announced regarding antibiotics in animals.  The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (HR 1549) and its companion bill in the Senate (S. 619) would prevent veterinarians and producers from using antibiotics in the absence of any clinical sign of disease or for nontherapeutic purposes.  To hear the cattle industry perspective, visit the Cattle Network.

Food Safety Comments Open to Public

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is accepting public comment regarding new food safety regulations; comments must be made online or by mail on or before May 24, 2010 and reference FSIS and the docket number “FSIS-2008-0025.”  The new proposed rule requires establishments to:

1) Quickly notify FSIS of any unsafe, unwholesome or misbranded meat or poultry products have entered commerce

2) Prepare and maintain current recall procedures for meat and poultry products produced and shipped

3) Document reassessments of its process control plans or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans

Restaurant Chains Count Calories

Within the new health care legislation, every large restaurant chain will be required to place their calorie information on all menus and drive-through signs.  Based on a similar policy that has taken effect in New York, the federal law requires restaurants with 20 or more stores to reveal the calorie amount on their products and inform consumers about the healthy daily calorie intake.  Restaurant chains fully support the legislation; however it may be years until calorie information is made public to consumers.

Hunger-Free Kids Act

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry unanimously approved the Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.  The legislation allows for $4.5 billion in new child nutrition program funding over the next 10 years, allows USDA to set national nutritional standards for foods sold on school campuses, could increase the enrollment in the NSLP, and provide high poverty schools with options for universal free meal services.  Secretary Vilsack believed $10 billion over ten years as a better number.  The bill heads to the Senate floor next.

Buzz Off

Honeybees are still disappearing and the harsh winter hasn’t helped.  New research will be conducted on pesticide use—which federal courts believe the EPA overlooked—after a Public Library of Science study found 3 out of 5 pollen and wax samples to contain systematic pesticides.  The pesticides are not used on honey sold to consumers, but the lack of bees is alarming.  Bees play an important role in the food supply as crop pollinators.

That’s just a little taste of what’s going on nationally.

–Aisha Salazar

Tags: Aisha Salazar, antibiotics, calories, food safety, Gut Check, honeybees, Hunger-Free Kids Act, Northern Virginia Magazine, oysters, restaurants, salt, Virginia