The USDA issued its final ruling on May 23.

Agri-Pulse.com reports that the USDA has ruled to modify the labelling provisions for muscle-cut covered commodities to require the origin designations to include information about where each of the production steps, such as where an animal was born, raised and slaughtered, occurred and removes the allowance for commingling of muscle cuts. (Read more at: U.S. proposed rule change to “exacerbate problems.”)

The changes, says industry stakeholders in Canada, amount to discrimination against Canadian and Mexican livestock imports. An issue the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled on last summer (read more at: “WTO sides with Canada – again”).

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) issued a statement, saying it’s “dismayed” that the U.S. is not complying with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) deadline to bring the U.S. COOL requirements into compliance with the U.S.’s international obligations and eliminate the discrimination against imported livestock.

The CCA adds that the WTO ruled last summer that COOL is in violation of WTO rules.

Cost of discrimination

The CCA explains that the requirement that meat produced in the U.S. from imported livestock bear a different label from meat produced from U.S.-born livestock causes segregation, with additional handling costs inflicted disproportionately on imported livestock.

This discrimination is costing Canadian cattle producers approximately $25 to $40 per head, totalling around $640 million per year. These losses have been incurred since COOL was implemented in late 2008 and continue to this day, says the CCA.

“It is extremely frustrating that the U.S. is continuing to inflict these costs on Canadian producers,” says Martin Unrau, CCA president.

The “USDA has demonstrated that it has no intention of attempting to end the discrimination and it is time it experiences some consequences.”

Unrau is referring to recent statements made by Gerry Ritz, Canada’s Agriculture minister, and Ed Fast, Canada’s International Trade minister, that Canada would impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports to Canada if the U.S. does not comply with the WTO ruling.

Today is the deadline set by the WTO and the USDA’s regulatory change actually increases the discriminatory impact of COOL.

CCA says the USDA has indicated that the amendment will be effective immediately, but that enforcement will be delayed for six months to allow for industry education.

More reaction

In the U.S. some groups welcomed the news.

The National Farmers Union told Agri-Pulse.com that it was pleased the USDA “decided to stand strong and keep COOL.” It further added that it applauded the USDA’s decision to “take a proactive approach in bringing COOL into compliance by providing more information on the origins of our food, instead of simply watering down the process.”

WorldPoultry.net reports that a poll found that 90 per cent of adult Americans favour “requiring food sellers to indicate on the package label the country of origin of fresh meat they sell.”

Additionally, says WorldPoultry.net, 87 per cent of adults favoured, either strongly or somewhat, requiring food sellers to indicate on the package label the country or countries in which animals were born, raised and processed.  The poll also found that 90 per cent of adults favoured, either strongly or somewhat, requiring food sellers to indicate on the package label the country or countries in which animals were born and raised and the fact that the meat was processed in the U.S.

But not all groups were pleased. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says it’s “disappointed” with the final ruling. SoutheastAgNet.com reports that the NCBA and its president, Scott George, issued a statement calling the ruling “shortsighted.”

“Our largest trading partners have already said that these provisions will not bring the U.S. into compliance with our WTO obligations and will result in increased discrimination against imported products and in turn retaliatory tariffs or other authorized trade sanctions. As we said in comments submitted to the USDA, ‘any retaliation against U.S. beef would be devastating for our producers.’ While trying to make an untenable mandate fit with our international trade obligations, USDA chose to set up U.S. cattle producers for financial losses. Moreover, this rule will place a greater record-keeping burden on producers, feeders and processors through the born, raised and harvested label,” says George.

“As cattlemen and women, we do not oppose voluntary labelling as a marketing tool to distinguish product and add value. However, USDA is not the entity that we want marketing beef, and on its face, a label that says ‘harvested’ is unappealing to both consumers and cattle producers.”

Canada’s federal government

Reaction from Canada’s federal government was also strong. Ritz and Fast issued a statement, saying:

“Canada is extremely disappointed with the regulatory changes put forward by the U.S. [on May 23] with respect to COOL. These changes will not bring the U.S. into compliance with its WTO obligations. These changes will increase discrimination against Canadian cattle and hogs and increase damages to industry on both sides of the border.

“Canada will consider all options at its disposal, including, if necessary, the use of retaliatory measures.

“We will continue to stand with Canadian cattle and hog producers against these unfair measures and we will not stop until we succeed.”

Elizabeth Lee, a plant agriculture professor, says as people age many will encounter problems with their sight.

So Lee and other researchers tested out an idea.

Elizabeth Lee, a plant agriculture professor. Photo: Martin Schwalbe.

They crossed Argentine Orange Flint maize with standard North American corn. This created a new strain of corn that contains lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that protect eyes.

The team then fed the novel corn to chickens, which in turn laid eggs rich in these carotenoids.

The team published a report in the journal Crop Science.

New breeds

The report explained that the high-carotenoid diet produced eggs containing the antioxidants, although eggs from hens fed this corn contained less lutein than those of hens fed marigold petal extract, which is the current way of producing high-lutein eggs.

The researchers believe that it is possible to make a new breed of corn containing even more lutein and zeaxanthin, leading to eggs with more of these beneficial compounds.

In age-related macular degeneration, a progressive eye disease that is the leading cause of blindness in older adults, the eyes are low in lutein and zeaxanthin.

Doctors routinely recommend eating leafy greens, the only other vegetables rich in these antioxidants.

Barry Shelp, also a plant agriculture professor, worked on the study as well. Shelp explains that Lee had thought it was possible to create a breed of corn with increased lutein and zeaxanthin. The key was finding a way to get these antioxidants to people.

Why eggs

“Since most hens are fed corn, the best solution seems to be egg yolks where the carotenoids would be accompanied by oils, which may facilitate absorption by the human body,” says Shelp. “We found that lutein and zeaxanthin contents of the eggs were increased in hens ingesting this novel corn.”

Andrew Bart, a post-doctoral researcher, adds that the team felt this was an idea that held great potential for egg producers and also Ontario corn farmers.

“The goal for our team was to take our concept and create products that would be beneficial to farmers and which consumers will want,” says Bart. “We still have some work to do, but we proved the concept is a valid one.”

Lee and her team are encouraged by the findings, which show that researchers can breed plants to produce functional foods.

Photo from Everything Eggs

NASA issued a US$125,000 grant under its Small Business Innovation Research program to Systems & Materials Research Corporation (SMRC) to build a prototype of a 3-D food printing system.

One of the issues for a mission to Mars is having enough food for the trip.

In an article on Quartz.com, Anjan Contractor, a mechanical engineer at SMRC, explains that food needs to have at least a 15-year shelf life for long-distance space travel.

“The way we are working on it is, all the carbs, proteins and macro and micro nutrients are in powder form,” he tells Quartz. “We take moisture out, and in that form it will last maybe 30 years.”

The article says that pizza is an obvious candidate for 3-D printing because it can be printed in distinct layers. This way it only requires the print head to extrude one substance at a time.

Contractor’s “pizza printer” is still at the conceptual stage, and he will begin building it within two weeks.

It works by first “printing” a layer of dough, which is baked at the same time it’s printed by a heated plate at the bottom of the printer. Then it lays down a tomato base, “which is also stored in a powdered form, and then mixed with water and oil,” Contractor tells Quartz.com.

ABCNews.com reports that NASA is actually still in negotiations with SMRC.

Allard Beutel, a NASA spokesperson, did tell ABCNews.com that as the space agency looks into venturing further into space “we will need to make transformation improvements in our life support systems, including how we feed our astronauts during long, deep space missions.”

Beutel went onto explain that SMRC’s 3-D food printing system has “merits in addressing NASA’s advanced food system technology needs as we prepare for long duration human space exploration. In-space and additive manufacturing offers the potential for game-changing weight savings and new mission opportunities, whether ‘printing’ food, tools or entire spacecraft.”

Photo from NASA.gov

The Safe Food for Canadians Action Plan was unveiled on May 17. The plan will strengthen food safety rules, improve inspection, renew commitment to service and provide more information for consumers.

Through the action plan the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will launch a number of significant food safety enhancements over the next two years, says the federal government.

Most notably, the CFIA will work with consumer groups and industry to develop new regulations that will bring into force the Safe Food for Canadians Act, passed in November 2012.

As a first step, the CFIA is strengthening some of its beef safety rules and has implemented new mandatory requirements that will strengthen the control of E. coli in federally registered beef plants.

Requirements can be found in the CFIA’s, Meat and Poultry Products Manual. In the manual, the Policy on the Control of E. coli O157:H7/NM Contamination in Raw Beef Products says its purpose is:

• to provide clear guidance to industry and inspection staff on the measures required to control Escherichia coli O157:H7/NM in raw beef products; and
• to reflect the risk-based approach taken by the CFIA to address the risk posed by this pathogen.

Tenderized cuts

Also, by July 2, 2013, federally registered plants that produce mechanically tenderized beef cuts, such as steaks or roasts, will be required to label those products as tenderized and with cooking instructions.

While these actions are specific to federally registered plants, Health Canada also intends to propose broader mandatory labels to identify beef that has been mechanically tenderized at retail outlets like supermarkets. This voluntary practice has been in place since 2012.

This spring, the CFIA will launch a review of the food regulations in Canada that will need to be revised in order to bring the Safe Food for Canadians Act into force. The government says it expects this process to take up to two years.

Active consumer and stakeholder engagement in the process will be important to the success of efforts to bring the new legislation into force. Consumer groups and stakeholders will have that opportunity at an upcoming food safety regulatory forum in June.

Long wearing polyurethane applies consistent torque to eliminate scuffing or burning of caps while other materials are available to suit virtually any application.

The company says standard designs are available for many types and sizes of equipment used to apply lug or screw caps, shaker tops, fitments, child-proof closures, over caps, double snap caps, trigger sprayers, large-size caps and more.

Fit-in replacement parts are readily available for chuck or in-line capping equipment including Haskin Strand, National Instruments, Pneumatic Scale, Resina, and Swan-matic as well as other equipment used to apply caps to plastic or glass bottles, jars or containers.

Vi-Cas says it can produce any style or design from supplied drawings or reverse-engineer the product from supplied samples.

Vi-Cas also offers vacuum cups in various shapes, sizes and materials, which provide short or long manufacturing runs, with short turnaround times.

www.vi-cas.com

Released by industry association Sous-Traitance Industrielle Québec (STIQ), the Baromètre industriel québécois study found 56 per cent of small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the province experienced revenue growth of at least five per cent last year.

Those numbers matched the study’s 2011 results, according to STIQ.

The study found 36 per cent of SMEs increased their respective number of employees by five per cent in 2012.

2012 was a very active year for many Québec-based prime contractors, especially in industries with highly-structured supply chains, such as aeronautics, transportation, mining and electrical energy.

The study shows manufacturers were able to capitalize on this dynamism and increase their sales volumes with prime contractors.

In 2012, 44 per cent of SMEs attributed more than 25 per cent of their sales to prime contractors, compared with 36 per cent in 2011.

Meanwhile, 49 per cent of respondents saw at least a five per cent rise in sales attributable to prime contractors, against 44 per cent in 2011.

Despite the solid numbers, SMEs in Québec could have sustained even higher growth in 2012 by investing more in research and development and acquiring advanced equipment, according to STIQ.

Only 55 per cent of firms invested more than two per cent of their revenues in R&D, while 68 per cent spent more than two per cent on equipment purchases.

As such, your operation has not only examined every possible entry point for contamination, but it also actively manages the prevention of physical, biological and chemical hazards.

In essence, your company is doing everything it can to prevent health risks and costly food recalls that could last for decades when it comes to damage to your brand reputation. But what about your suppliers? In particular, how does your uniform rental company measure up when it comes to food safety?

If you do your research, you might be surprised to learn that there continues to be a lag in the uniform rental industry, as far as best practices go in food safety. By and large, uniform rental services – even the big brands – have been slow to realize the full extent of the issue: that any contaminant is enough to compromise food products, and that such hazards can come from anywhere in the uniform rental service chain, if the proper care isn’t taken.

Most uniform companies do include food safety processes in their offerings. They recognize that safety is important enough to use the right laundering chemicals or to separate food-processing garments from other uniforms in their plant. But these measures are just minimum requirements, according to international safety standards. There is a bigger picture.

Food safety checklist for your uniform supplier

If you’re unsure as to where your uniform rental supplier stands on the food safety continuum, here are three features you should look for:

1. ISO registration

In addition to having ISO 9001 certification, which deals with quality management systems, you should look for ISO 22000:2005. As you probably know, ISO 22000 certifies food safety management systems.

For uniform rental companies, this standard ensures everyone on the premises, not just the delivery personnel, is trained, and that everyone is communicating regularly to ensure processes are followed consistently.

Another important feature of ISO 22000:2005 certification is that it ensures management’s commitment to food safety as a whole, and not just clean clothes. This element matters because, as you know, it’s not enough to simply manage the mechanical part of the process, there’s a human element that also needs to be addressed. Everyone needs to be aware and trained about food safety.

2. Traceable and verified processes

In addition to compliance with international standards, you should look for a uniform rental supplier who actively documents every step of their process, from pick up to delivery.

This is an important feature because it allows your team to ensure the uniform rental company is doing what its says it is doing. It also assures both parties that there is a paper trail should any improvements need to be made or any issues arise in the future.

3. Validated claims

Finally, you should ensure that your uniform rental company is being third-party audited against a recognized standard. This means that certification can be revoked if the supplier is not complying – an important measure for ensuring the same constant vigilance that you demonstrate in your business.

As an added benefit, a third-party audit will reduce your company’s headache of having to audit the supplier yourself.

Next steps?

If you have gone through this checklist and realize that your uniform rental company doesn’t measure up, call and talk to them about your expectations. As a customer – especially one in the food industry – you should feel empowered to demand these features from your uniform supplier.  After all, food safety is that important.

Chad Laframboise is Operations manager at Northern Uniform, the first uniform rental company in North America to be ISO 22000:2005 certified. Contact him at Chad@NorthernUniform.com

MarketsandMarkets, a U.S.-based global market research and consulting company, says the global gluten-free market is projected to reach US$6.2 billion in five years.

The report is called Gluten-Free Products Market By Type (Bakery & Confectionery, Snacks, Breakfast Cereals, Baking Mixes & Flour, Meat & Poultry Products), Sales Channel (Natural & Conventional) & Geography — Global Trends & Forecasts To 2018.

MarketsandMarkets says the report defines and segments the global gluten-free product market with analysis and forecasting of the global revenue and volume for gluten-free products.

The report also identifies the driving and restraining factors for the global gluten-free product market. The market is segmented and revenue is forecasted on the basis of major regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (ROW).

The largest volume share in the sector are gluten-free bakery and confectionery products, which accounted for about 46 per cent, followed by gluten-free snacks that contributed about 20 per cent in the gluten-free market.

North America contributed to about 59 per cent share in the global gluten-free product market.

The highest consumption of gluten-free product in the global market was through conventional sales channels. Chain stores have become a preferred retail channel for gluten-free products, and there has been growth in the sales and assortment carried by the supermarkets and mass merchandisers.

The demand for new products and a variety of gluten-free products is increasing in the market. The existing companies are actively introducing new products with different ingredients and flavours, demonstrating that they are attuned to the needs of their consumers.

Developments in the global gluten-free products market have been growing globally, but it has been growing at a higher pace in North America and Europe. Companies such as Hain Celestial Inc. (U.S.), General Mills Inc. (U.S.), Dr. Schar (Italy), Amys Kitchen Inc. (U.S.), and Boulders Brand Inc. (U.S), are involved in market dynamics.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten that leads to extensive damage in the small intestine of genetically susceptible people. There is no medication available except a gluten-free diet for this disorder.

The increasing number of celiac patients, gluten intolerance and health-conscious consumers has increased the demand for gluten-free products. The gluten-free products market is experiencing a double-digit growth.

The most important factor behind buying more gluten-free food products is that consumers consider them healthier than conventional products.

Other important factors are growing retail presence and continual improvements in new gluten-free products development.

One of the major restraints of the gluten-free products market is a lack of awareness. Many consumers do not know the difference between an allergy and intolerance. Furthermore, many consumers are either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed entirely for celiac disease.

In its export forecast for the province, Export Development Canada (EDC) said huge increases in B.C.’s global exports in 2013 and 2014 will push it to the top of the pile.

Delivering the forecast in back-to-back speeches in Victoria, B.C., and Vancouver, EDC chief economist Peter Hall predicted the province’s exports will grow by 11 per cent this year, followed by another 12 per cent in 2014.

“British Columbia’s exports are on track for a vibrant expansion, sharing top spot among the provinces with Nova Scotia,” Hall said. “B.C. is enjoying an exceptional recovery in forestry and very strong gains in ores and metals. Following recent ups-and-downs, B.C. is in an international sales sweet spot this year and next.”

The forestry sector accounts for approximately 32 per cent of the province’s international sales, the largest share of B.C.s total.

Hall predicted that provincial exports of forestry products will grow by 25 per cent in 2013 and another 17 per cent in 2014, this after only two per cent growth in 2012.

“Forestry exports are set to experience impressive growth, with demand and prices for lumber driven upwards by rising U.S. housing starts that are expected to expand by 34 per cent in 2013 and 24 per cent in 2014. Those are big numbers,” Hall said.

“The recovery of China’s construction sector will also add momentum. Looking forward, though, supply constraints will start to emerge after 2014, suggesting potential for significant investment in lumber capacity.”

The energy sector is also an important contributor to the province’s export picture, accounting for 27 per cent of total international sales.

EDC’s forecast predicts a four per cent decline this year, ahead of 10 per cent growth in 2014.

The forecast also noted that the recovery in the United States will mean solid growth for the province’s machinery and equipment producers and agri-food sales through 2014.

Nationally, Canadian merchandise exports are forecast to rise nine per cent in 2013 and five per cent in 2014, while economic growth (GDP) is expected to rise 2.2 per cent this year and 1.9 next year.

EDC is forecasting global growth of 3.5 per cent in 2013 and 4.2 per cent in 2014.

The program also ensures the delivery of veterinary services in all regions of Quebec. Currently there are 460 veterinarians servicing more than 12,000 Quebec farmers.

The program means the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) will devote $1 million over the next three years to collecting data on the use of veterinary drugs, through an electronic transfer, and implementing new monitoring activities.

MAPAQ says $2.4 million will go toward special measures for the next generation of animals in remote areas for the three years of the program.

Also, $1.84 million will go to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal to help support educational activities.

TORONTO — There are almost 300,000 unfilled private sector jobs out there and manufacturing is among the sectors with the highest number of vacancies, according to data compiled by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

The Toronto-based CFIB, which represents small and medium-sized businesses, reports the percentage of unfilled jobs remained steady at 2.5% in the first quarter of the year, representing approximately 295,000 full- and part-time positions.

“As the economy has improved and unemployment has come down, companies, particularly smaller companies, have struggled to fill open jobs,” says Ted Mallett, CFIB’s chief economist and vice-president. “While unfilled jobs may seem harmless, they represent missed opportunity for business and the economy.”

The highest vacancy rate occurs in businesses with fewer than 19 employees, while those with 500 or more employees had the lowest (1.6%).

The highest numbers of actual jobs available are in manufacturing, hospitality, retail, and construction with 30,000 to 40,000 job openings across the country.

The construction industry has the highest vacancy rate (3.6%), although that rate is dropping.

Declines are noted in oil and gas (2.4%), information arts and recreation (2.2%), retail (2%) and hospitality (2.6%). There have been modest increases in agriculture (2.9%), transportation (2.5%) and social services (2.2%).

Saskatchewan has the highest vacancy rate (3.9%), followed by Alberta (3.7%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (2.9%). BC and Quebec fall within the national average (2.5%), while while Manitoba (2.3%), Ontario (2.1%) Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (1.9%) and PEI (1.5%) fall short.

The CFIB noted the federal government’s planned changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program could make it even harder for smaller firms to find needed staff.

“Smaller businesses structurally have higher vacancy rates,” says Mallett. “The TFW program has been one way for these businesses to fill openings that they could not fill otherwise. Ironically, it was problems at larger firms that prompted changes to the program, yet it is smaller companies with legitimate challenges that will bear the brunt of the impacts.”

First quarter findings are based on 2,909 responses, collected from a stratified random sample of CFIB members, to a controlled-access web survey.

Click here to read Help Wanted: Private sector job vacancies in Canada Q1 2013.

In Edmonton to deliver a provincial export forecast, Export Development Canada (EDC) chief economist Peter Hall predicted Alberta’s exports will surge by nine per cent in 2013 and another six per cent in 2014.

“Alberta’s export story over the next two years will be determined by both the capacity to ship crude oil and pricing of natural gas. Conditions will be helped by a dollar that’s eased back from parity,” Hall said in his forecast to Canadian Manufacturing and Exporters (CME) members.

The energy sector dominates Alberta’s exports, accounting for approximately 73 per cent of the province’s total international sales

Hall predicted that provincial exports of energy products alone will grow by nine per cent this year, followed by another seven per cent in 2014.

Those numbers will come, he said, after the energy sector experienced growth of only two per cent in 2012.

“While global crude prices have stabilized, Alberta’s crude has been sharply discounted because of tight transportation capacity constraints,” Hall said.

According to Hall, the price gap between West Texas Intermediate and Western Canadian Select crude earlier in 2013 averaged around $20 per barrel, which adds up to about $16-billion in annual losses.

While a combination of increased rail capacity and Canadian pipeline repurposing has boosted shipments and arrowed the price gap, Hall said capacity constraint still pose a threat to the sector.

In other areas, the continued economic recovery in the United States is expected to help the machinery/equipment and forestry sectors, with industrial activity in the U.S. spurring equipment sales and a resurgent U.S. housing market boosting lumber exports.

EDC’s forecast noted that other export categories will perform well this year, but 2014 will be more of a mixed outcome.

Fertilizer prices are predicted to slip a notch, even though Alberta is expected ship more this year.

Metals and minerals will be up considerably in 2013, but chemicals will grow at a slower rate.

Nationally, Canadian merchandise exports are forecast to rise nine per cent in 2013 and five per cent in 2014, while economic growth (GDP) is expected to rise 2.2 per cent this year and 1.9 next year.

EDC is forecasting global growth of 3.5 per cent in 2013 and 4.2 per cent in 2014.

Through the SLIM program, funding will go towards helping Saskatchewan processors adopt best practices, new technologies and processes. By finding efficiencies and improving production in processing facilities, the government hopes to grow value-added agrifood processing in the province.

The program will also provide funding for eligible processors to conduct lean gap analysis and identify process improvements, as well as the technology, facility improvements and training needed to improve productivity and efficiency.

Interested applicants can find more information at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/growingforward2

The agency says the decline largely reflects lower sales in the petroleum and coal product and in the chemical manufacturing industries.

Excluding these industries, Canadian manufacturing sales rose 0.3 per cent.

Overall, sales declined in 10 of 21 industries, representing approximately one-third of Canadian manufacturing.

Sales of non-durable goods declined 0.8 per cent to $24.4-billion and were partially offset by a 0.2 per cent increase in sales of durable goods.

Sales fell in six provinces in March with most of the decreases reported by manufacturers in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan.

Sales jumped 30.7 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador and there was very little change in the sales in other provinces.

That statistic comes from a report called Estimates of the Burden of Foodborne Illness in Canada for 30 Specified Pathogens and Unspecified Agents, circa 2006, which was just released by the Public Health Agency of Canada and published in the journal Foodborne Pathogens and Diseases.

Public Health says the report provides the most accurate picture yet of which foodborne bacteria, viruses and parasites (pathogens) are causing the most illnesses in Canada. It also estimates the number of foodborne illnesses without a known cause.

The agency says it has estimates for two major groups of food-borne illnesses:

• Known foodborne pathogens: There are 30 pathogens known to cause foodborne illness. Many of these pathogens are tracked by public health systems that monitor cases of illness.

• Unspecified agents: Because you can’t “monitor” what is not yet identified, estimates for this group of agents were developed by first looking at the health effects or symptoms that they are most likely to cause – acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) (i.e. vomiting and diarrhea). Unspecified agents were defined as: agents with insufficient data to estimate agent-specific burden; known agents not yet identified as causing foodborne illness; microbes, chemicals, or other substances known to be in food whose ability to cause illness is unproven; and agents not yet identified.

To estimate the total number of foodborne illnesses, the agency estimated the number of illnesses caused by both known foodborne pathogens and unspecified agents.

The report also identifies the top four pathogens that cause domestically acquired foodborne illnesses in Canada, circa 2006. Those are:

• Norovirus with an estimated annual number of illnesses of more than 1 million;
• Clostridium perfringens with an estimated annual number of illnesses of almost 200,000;
• Campylobacter spp. with an estimated annual number of illnesses of almost 150,000; and
• Salmonella (nontyphoidal) with an estimated annual number of illnesses of almost 88,000.

Trends

The agency says data from the Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (CNDSS) and National Enteric Surveillance Program (NESP) provide the best measures of disease trends.

Although these systems include only a portion of the pathogens that make up the estimates, it does allow us to see changes over time for these important foodborne pathogens.

According to these systems some foodborne illnesses have dropped substantially over the past decade, but infections caused by one of the most common pathogens – Salmonella – have not declined.

Trends in foodborne illness for 2011 compared to the 1998-2000 baseline period:

• No significant change in the rate of Salmonella infection (NESP).
• 35% decrease (95%CI 33-36%) in the rate of campylobacteriosis (CNDSS)
• 68% decrease (95%CI 65-71%) in the number of O157 Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) infections (NESP)
• 27% decrease (95%CI 22-32%) in the rate of shigellosis (CNDSS)

Other important pathogens commonly transmitted through food (e.g. norovirus, Clostridium perfringens, Toxoplasma gondii) are not tracked in part because they cause mild symptoms of short duration and because of current limitations in laboratory capacity and techniques.

Common prevention measures (e.g. safe-food handling) that would decrease illness caused by tracked pathogens would also decrease illness caused by pathogens not currently being tracked.

For more on the report, visit: Public Health Agency of Canada.

The company says food manufacturers can reduce salt levels by 25 to 50 per cent in various applications without sacrificing taste.

Soda-Lo Salt Microspheres work by turning standard salt crystals into free-flowing crystalline microspheres. These smaller, lower-density crystals can efficiently deliver salty taste by maximizing surface area relative to volume.

SODA-LO makes it possible to enjoy the same salt taste while consuming lower levels of salt. Because SODA-LO is made from real salt, it has none of the bitter aftertaste or off-flavours associated with some other salt compounds or substitutes.

SODA-LO Salt Microspheres has been shown to work well in a wide variety of foods including baked goods, breading and coatings and salty snacks.

In other news, Eminate, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nottingham University, has secured a patent in the U.S. for SODA-LO. The ingredient is licensed to Tate & Lyle by Eminate.

www.tateandlyle.com

The European Commission launched the news measures in early May.

The aim, says the commission, is to strengthen the agri-food chain in Europe. And to simplify legislation that had 70 pieces to it. With the new measures it now has five pieces of legislation.

The measures will also reduce red tape on processes and procedures for farmers, breeders and food business operators (producers, processors and distributors).

In Europe, the agri-food industry is the second largest economic sector, employing more than 48 million people.

The commission says businesses will benefit from simpler, science and risk-based rules in terms of reduced administrative burden, more efficient processes and measures to finance and strengthen the control and eradication of animal diseases and plant pests.

Consumers will benefit from safer products and a more effective and more transparent system of controls along the chain.

The main elements of the package include office controls, animal health, plant health, and plant reproductive material (including seeds).

Under animal health, the new measures include:

1.  The package will introduce a single piece of legislation to regulate animal health in the EU based on the principle that “prevention is better than cure.”

2. It aims to improve standards and to provide a common system to better detect and control disease and tackle health, food and feed safety risks in a coordinated way.

3. This enhanced system, allied with better rules on identification and registration, will give those working to protect our food chain, such as farmers and veterinarians, the capability to react quickly and to limit spread of disease and minimise its impact on livestock, and on consumers.

4. Furthermore, it introduces categorization/prioritisation of diseases, which require intervention at EU level. As such, it enables a more risk based approach and appropriate use of resources.

5. Sufficient flexibility is provided to adjust the animal health measures to different sizes and types of establishments (e.g., small and medium enterprises, hobby holding, etc.) to different local circumstances in particular with respect to registration and approval requirements for establishments and the keeping animals and products.

6. On a broader scale the law needs to be flexible and robust enough to provide for the effective response of the whole EU in the event of important climate changes thus giving us the tools to deal with new and unknown emerging risks so that we can adjust quickly to new scientific developments and international standards.

That’s why the organization has resubmitted an application – the first application was submitted more than 10 years ago – to Health Canada to allow ground beef to be irradiated in Canada.

The CCA’s first application, reports the CalgaryHerald.com, was “stalled in the bureaucracy.”

Effective technology

The CCA says irradiation can be an effective technology, which Canada has already approved for use on other foods such as potatoes, onions, wheat flour, spices and dehydrated seasonings.

It’s also used as a normal course of business in 50 countries around the world to improve food safety for consumers.

The Canadian Meat Council, says the CalgaryHerald.com, also wrote a letter to Health Canada last December urging it to approve the use of irradiation.

The ability of irradiation to reduce E.coli O157 and other pathogenic E.coli is well established, says the CCA. When combined with food safety interventions already in use, irradiation could essentially eliminate E.coli-related illness associated with ground beef.

The CCA believes this is reason enough to support making this choice available to Canadians who wish to purchase irradiated food products.

Consumer resistance?

But back in the late 1990s, says the CalgaryHerald.com, consumer resistance was strong. It’s why Health Canada abandoned the approval process, even after it had received many applications from industry groups seeking approval of the process for meat, poultry and seafood.

And, says the CalgaryHerald.com, Health Canada abandoned the process in spite of evidence showing that irradiation of ground beef, chicken, prawns and mangoes was safe and effective at killing pathogens including E. coli.

Beef irradiation can be performed using electricity to create energy which can destroy harmful bacteria. This process, called E-beam, is routinely used in the U.S. where irradiated beef products have been available to consumers since 2000.

The Health Canada scientific review process has confirmed that irradiation causes minor changes to food, similar to cooking, and does not lead to any change in beef that would have an adverse effect on human health or that would significantly diminish its nutritional value.

The World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have endorsed the safety of irradiated foods.

Saying the government was pleased the idea had been quashed, Government House Leader Peter Van Loan warned such fees would have a detrimental effect on both sides of the border.

“A border fee like this would have been very damaging to both the American and Canadian economy,” said Van Loan.

International Trade Minister Ed Fast was equally elated, applauding the decision as a recognition that “free and open trade, rather than protectionism, is the way forward to create jobs and prosperity for workers in both our countries.”

The US Department of Homeland Security had wanted Congress to authorize the study of a fee that could be collected from everyone entering the US from Canada and Mexico.

But the Senate judiciary committee voted Thursday to amend an Immigration Reform Bill designed to implement stricter border security measures, and closed the door on considering charging land border crossing fees.

The fight over potential hikes in the cost of moving across the border isn’t quite over, however, as the Obama administration continues to examine ways of paring down its massive budget deficit.

The US Department of Agriculture last week also recommended imposing fees for an array of border services, including inspections of agricultural products, commercial aircraft, rail cars, ships and even passenger baggage.

Van Loan said the prospect of new charges at the Canada-US border is always looming, and that’s why the federal government has to keep sending a message they are not a good idea.

“Obviously this is an idea that pops up from time to time, but we have to remain always in Washington active in advancing our interests,” he said.

The agriculture department last week suggested new border fees should be imposed to help offset the costs borne by US Customs and Border Protection to provide free services at America’s borders.

Fast also jumped on that proposal, saying he would press upon his US counterpart the harm that USDA fees could cause to businesses and the economies in Canada and the United States.

Market and trend analysis

The first step at this level would be to understand what the learning is from the white papers. From the market analysis white paper we should be seeking to understand what external forces are at work and what market trends are resulting from those forces. There are several tools that can be used. First, there is what is called a PEST analysis. What are the political, economic, social and technological forces at work and how are they affecting the food sector globally and in Canada? There is also the five forces analysis tool. Who are our customers, our competition, potential new entrants, the threat of substitute products, and who are our suppliers? And what is happening relating to each of those forces? In addition, this white paper should allow us to better understand what consumer trends are emerging, and what trends are emerging in the retail grocery, foodservice, food processing, and agriculture/fisheries levels of the value chain.

This will get us to the point where we can focus on what we need to do to make Canada Food Inc. the best food sector in the world (our sector vision) and a dominant player that is sustainably competitive (our mission).

Likewise, we need to look at the benchmarking white paper to understand, within the global market, where our strengths and weaknesses lie and what the opportunities and challenges are for us to succeed. In other words, do a SWOT analysis. This should be done at the overall “corporate” level for the entire Canadian food sector, and should be broken down into the “business units”: red meats, poultry, seafood/aquaculture, dairy, horticulture, grains/oilseeds/pulses, beverages, and complex manufactured foods.

Sustainability

We also need to look at the sustainability white paper using a similar type of SWOT analysis, but looking at how we need to manage our sector in a more environmentally sustainable manner, given that our resource base is at the heart of our sector.

This step in the strategic learning process needs to be done by a combination of business leaders from the sector at all levels of the food supply chain, and covering all of the “business units” referred to above. It must also involve government leaders from some mix of agriculture and food, industry and international trade ministries, since policies related to the sector lie in all of those ministries and may need some adjustments as well. This would be the “corporate board of directors” plus “senior management” from all of the business units.

Brand strategies

Out of all of this analysis, we should be able to start developing the strategies that need to be carried out in order for us to be successful. This starts with some overall “corporate” strategies for Canada Food Inc. related to needs and possibilities that exist for the whole food sector. These corporate strategies need to be supplemented with “business unit” strategies to take advantage of opportunities that exist most at a commodity sector level. These sector strategies need to support the national strategies as well, so there needs to be some consistency of what we are trying to do while allowing variation, as needed, at the commodity sector level. These “business unit” strategies need to be done at the sector level, and cover all of the “brands” that exist there. For example, the red meat business unit needs to have strategies for red meats, but the “brands,” i.e. beef, pork, lamb, etc., also need to ensure that they have strategies that are in line with the red meat strategies and the corporate level strategies, but that contain the flexibility needed to adapt them to “brand” needs. Again, all levels of the chain need to take part collectively in this exercise.

I will acknowledge that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada did take some steps in this direction with the creation of the Sector Roundtables. I’m not sure what the results have been in this regard, but those roundtables may provide forums that could be used to carry out what I’ve just outlined.

This really takes us to the align step in the process, but I will leave it there for now. In my next article I will talk about the align and execute steps.

Gary Fread is president of Fread & Associates Ltd., consultants to the food industry. He has spent 25 years in management positions in the food processing industry, with a background in sales, logistics, purchasing and technical areas. He has worked with Procter & Gamble, Campbell Soup and Morrison Lamothe, and is the past president and CEO of the Guelph Food Technology Centre. He is active in many food industry associations and organizations, serving on the boards of several. Contact him at gfread@sympatico.ca