It’s looking more likely food safety legislation will make its way through Congress this year. If not, the groundwork will have been laid that likely will mean passage of such legislation early next year as one of the first acts in the new Congressional session.

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2008, bi-partisan legislation co-sponsored by several senators, is the bill likely to be passed. All AFI members were sent summaries of this legislation. If you need another copy, please contact the AFI office.

The key points are a change from a one-time registration with FDA to renewals every two years, the requirement for foreign supplier verification programs and the creation of a voluntary qualified importer program, something similar to Customs’ C-TPAT program. The most important part of all of this is HACCP. That’s what members of Congress and food industry members have in mind when they refer to supplier verification programs. It’s not requiring HACCP but that’s the concept or yardstick people have in mind. If another verification program is equal to or better than HACCP, that’s okay. If there’s no program or a program that doesn’t address food safety issues as well as HACCP, it won’t do.

Even though no legislation has yet been passed and there will be a rulemaking procedure and a phase-in time period once anything is passed, members should, if they haven’t done so already, take steps to ensure they have a quality control program and/or verification program in place. It can’t just be a paper plan. It’s got to be something that is followed and audited. Even if somehow the government doesn’t require this, more and more customers will be doing so.

Going to SIAL? Please make plans to attend AFI’s SIAL Reception, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Monday, October 20 in Room 520B of Paris-Nord Villepente, the exhibition hall for SIAL. The reception is open to members and non-members, so please encourage fellow members and those you think would benefit from AFI membership to attend. Pre-registration isn’t required but is helpful for us in planning. Please visit www.afius.org to register.

LEGISLATOR WANTS SCANNING
OF ALL INBOUND AIR, SEA CARGO

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., has sent several letters to the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration chastising them for their interpretations of a 2007 law aimed at increasing supply chain security by calling for 100 percent scanning of inbound air and sea cargo.

The DHS, TSA and CBP have all argued the scope of the statutory requirements needs to be curtailed in light of operational, resource and other constraints. This position is widely supported by the trade community concerned about the costs of 100 percent scanning.

Thompson’s Aug. 5 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff accused the DHS of engaging in a “concerted effort to thwart the will of the American people” on the provision in the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 that requires 100 percent scanning of maritime cargo in foreign ports before it is loaded on ships bound for the U.S. by July 1, 2012. Thompson noted statements from Chertoff and CBP Commissioner Ralph Basham that express “consistent outspoken opposition” to this requirement and raised the question as to whether the Department ever intended to try and meet the statutory deadline.

CBP TO CONDUCT
NCAP TEST ON ACE

U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to conduct a National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Entry Summary, Accounts and Revenue (ESAR) capabilities. CBP says these new capabilities will include functionality specific to the filing and processing of formal consumption entries and informal entries. This entry summary processing will include Automated Broker Interface (ABI) Census Warning Overrides and issuance of certain CBP forms through the ACE Portal. Other new functionality will enhance Portal Account Management and allow for ACE Secure Data Portal reporting, according to CBP. Comments and interest in participation in the planned test can be submitted to Janet Pence at ESARinfoinbox@dhs.gov by October 27.

CBP ANNOUNCES ANNUAL
TRADE SYMPOSIUM

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced its annual trade symposium which will feature panel discussions involving department personnel, members of the trade community and other government agencies on the agency’s role in international trade initiatives and programs. The symposium will take place October 29-31 at the JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC.

FDA SEEKS INPUT ON FOOD
LABELING FOR ALLERGIES

FDA is calling on the food industry and other interested parties for input on the use of advisory labeling of allergens in food. FDA said it has found the use of advisory statements is not uniform in the U.S., particularly when it comes to the risk of cross-contamination during food production.

FDA is developing a long-term strategy to assist manufacturers in using allergen advisory labeling that is truthful and not misleading, conveys a clear and uniform message and adequately informs food allergic consumers and their caregivers. To that end, FDA is seeking information to assist the agency in determining how manufacturers currently use advisory labeling, how consumers interpret different advisory labeling statements and what wording is likely to be most effective in communicating to consumers the likelihood that an allergen may be present in a food.

A hearing will be held Sept. 16 at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in College Park, Md. Comments may be submitted to FDA by Jan. 14.

CALIFORNIA OLIVE HARVEST
EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT

California olive growers face their second-lightest harvest in more than a decade, reported Associated Press.

State and federal officials predict the expected table olive crop to be down by half due to harsh spring weather. And farmers say sparse fruit means it’s not practical to pick the fruit from many trees, reducing supply and driving up prices.

Last year’s boom harvest of 132,000 tons followed a record-low 23,000-ton harvest in 2006.

USDA’s probability survey predicts there are 65,000 tons of olives in the field. However, growers say fewer than 45,000 tons will actually be harvested because of rising fuel and labor costs mean they might not make enough from the crop to even cover the cost of picking it.

Growers are currently negotiating 2008 prices with processors so it hasn’t yet been determined how much of an impact the light crop will have on prices.

STUDY SHOWS DRIED PLUMS
GOOD FOR BONE HEALTH

Polyphenol-rich dried plums may boost bone strength and density by up-regulating growth factors linked to bone formation, according to a new study.

“We have demonstrated that dried plum polyphenols effectively enhance osteoblast activity and mineralization under normal and inflammatory conditions,” wrote the authors from Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. “The findings of this study suggest that the polyphenols in dried plum are at least in part responsible for the anabolic effects of dried plum reported in previous animal studies.”

USDA REPORTS ON
CALIFORNIA RAISIN GRAPE

The California raisin-type variety grape forecast is 2.20 million tons, up seven percent from the July forecast, according to USDA’s 2008 California Raisin Grape Objective Measurement Report. Bunches per vine totaled 40.6 compared to 38.3 recorded in 2007.

A frost in April hit some grape growers hard, but raisin variety grapes had minimal damage. The report indicated the raisin crop is behind but appears to be catching up and maturing nicely. It is forecast for the 2008 crop to be an average to slightly above average sized crop.

PROCESSED TOMATO PRODUCTS
MAY BENEFIT THE PROSTATE

Continuing research shows that processed tomato products, particularly tomato paste, may fight prostate cancer even better than the tomato itself, according to recent research by the University of Missouri.

“It appears that the greatest protective effect from tomatoes comes from rehydrating tomato powder into tomato paste,” said Valeri Mossine, research assistant professor of biochemistry in the College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, in a statement released by the university. “Processing of many edible plants through heating, grinding, mixing or drying dramatically increases their nutritional value and cancer-fighting potential.”

This seems counter-intuitive to the general dietary rule that eating something in its original state is superior to a processed food. The UMissouri study found that it isn’t just the lycopene in tomatoes that protects against cancer. When linked with a compound called FruHis – an organic carbohydrate present in dehydrated tomato products – it exerts a stronger protective effect against prostate cancer.

“Before this study, researchers attributed the protective effect of tomatoes to ascorbic acid, carotenoids or phenolic compounds,” Mossine said. “FruHis may represent a novel type of potential dietary antioxidant. Our ongoing research now focuses on unraveling the mechanisms behind why this has a beneficial effect.”

NUTS’ HEALTH BENEFITS
SPUR DEMAND

Nuts are becoming evermore popular ingredients in packaged food products as manufacturers continue to satisfy consumer demands for nutritious goods, reported Foodtechnology.com.

The number of new packaged food products containing nuts launched in North America grew two percent from 2006 to 2007, according to Mintel Global New Products Database. Almonds are particularly popular, with the amount of product launches containing almonds jumping 30 percent over the same period. The U.S. almost doubled the number of new almond products between 2003 and 2007, with launches rising from 183 to 312.

Mintel said: “Research links consumption of nuts or dried fruit with numerous functional benefits such as improved cardiovascular, urinary tract, neurological and even dental health.

“Consumption can also be directly linked to reducing risks for cancer and diabetes as well as lowering cholesterol and helping in weight maintenance. As media and the industry promote such findings, sales for nuts and dried fruit escalate.”

A Mintel report showed that a growing number of manufacturers are putting health claims on their products containing nuts. Among all new nut products launched, nine out of ten made some sort of health-related claim.

ECONOMY IMPACTING
ORGANIC FOOD SALES

The high cost of gas and food prices appear to be nibbling away at the high growth rates long enjoyed by organic and natural food makers and sellers, reported USA Today.

While sales growth has slowed, it still remains strong because of the loyalty of core organic buyers. But some industry executives say new customers are tougher to attract with the cost of organics running 10 to 50 percent more than non-organic rivals.

Sales of organic foods and beverages are expected to reach $24 billion this year and average about 18 percent annual growth through 2010, according to the Organic Trade Association.

Almost 70 percent of U.S. shoppers bought something organic over a recent three-month period, says Laurie Demeritt, president of The Hartman Group. However, Hartman’s consumer survey showed that organic use has been leveling off since 2006 – a trend Demeritt expects to continue this year due to the economy.

An Information Resources survey of 1,000 consumers also found 52 percent said they were buying fewer organic products because of cost.

START PLANNING
FOR 2009 AFI CONVENTION

The 2009 AFI Convention will take place April 30-May 2 at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club in Naples, Fla. This beachfront resort is situated on seven miles of pristine white-sand beach on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast. The resort offers an onsite championship golf course, an award winning tennis center, a world class luxury day spa, large swimming pool and complete fitness center . With four beachfront restaurants, limitless recreational activities and situated nearby boutiques of “Olde Naples,” this 125-acre natural paradise offers something for everyone. The discounted room rate is $215.

The convention will kick off Thursday evening with a welcoming reception. Presentations and meetings will take place Friday and Saturday mornings, with sporting activities and evening receptions on Friday and Saturday and a dinner Saturday evening. The convention committee is busy lining up the program. Complete details will be available soon on AFI’s web site.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

AFI will host a reception at SIAL in Paris, October 19-23.

North American Olive Oil Association Meeting, January 16 in San Francisco

2009 AFI Convention: April 30-May 2, Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, Naples, Fla.