Washington, D.C.—In an effort to stem the wastefulness and risks to consumer health associated with meat product recalls, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated a new rule that will prevent meat processors from shipping to stores until safety tests are returned. This “test and hold” practice, according...
Newark, DE—While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) develops its own produce tracing program as is now required by law, a program already established by several produce industry groups, the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), is forging ahead with its own “track-and-trace” system. The passage of the Food Safety Modernization...
At the April 26–29 meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) in Seattle, WA, committee members planned to consider various proposals that would have a major impact on how the National Organic Program is run. One proposal that could prove contentious is for the allowance of synthetic materials in...
Washington, D.C.—On April 6, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and other stakeholders gathered in the nation’s capital to promote the natural products industry’s interests to elected officials for Natural Products Day, organized and hosted by the Natural Products Association (NPA). High on the agenda for discussion were the Tax Equity for...
Andy Keller, inventor of the ChicoBag company and alias Bag Monster, is setting sail on a new journey that is meant to expose the harmful affect that plastic bag pollution has on the world’s oceans. Keller, who is famous for dressing up in a monster costume made of 500...
Washington, D.C.—In opposition to recently deregulated genetically modified (GM) crops, a lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) and Earthjustice. Anti-GM crop activists gather at a rally held on March 26 in front of the White House in Washington,...
Rockville, MD—Many natural products supporters are dissatisfied with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Advisory Committee's late-March vote, advising FDA that synthetic colors used in foods do not need to carry warning labels. The FDA group recently reviewed data and testimony from parents and experts linking synthetic food dyes to...
Canada—A recent study found bisphenol A (BPA) levels in Canadians were approximately half the amount of levels discovered in Americans. However, the reason for this difference remains unknown, according to study analysis published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). “Surprisingly, for each age group that was analyzed, the...
The American Botanical Council gave New Chapter of Brattleboro, VT this year’s Varro E. Tyler Phytomedicinal Research Award. Nature’s Plus of Melville, NY formed a partnership with OneBode and NBA MVP and All-Star Steve Nash. Nature’s Plus will be the exclusive retail distributor of OneBode’s performance supplements. Jarrow Formulas,...
Silver Spring, MD—The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) recognizes individuals and companies making substantive, positive contributions to the herbal product industry each year. The winners of the sixth annual AHPA Awards are: The AHPA Herbal Hero Award went to Edward J. Fletcher, chief operating officer of Strategic Sourcing, Inc.,...
