Food & Food Equipment News

Ruffino Italian Winery Expands Portfolio With Moscato d'Asti

Ruffino, the trusted Italian winery founded in Tuscany in 1877, announces the debut of its vintage Moscato d'Asti DOCG. The release of the 2011 bottling represents the first sweet, semi-sparkling Moscato Bianco from Ruffino, world-renowned for its award winning Chianti wines and characteristic celebration of la dolce vita. Ruffino Moscato d'Asti follows the launch of the winery's inaugural Prosecco DOC in 2011. With a suggested retail price of $15, Ruffino Moscato d'Asti, available nationally this month, is priced for success in the U.S. market, where Moscato is seeing a surge in popularity among Millennial consumers.

For more than 130 years, Ruffino's philosophy has combined Italian winemaking traditions with state-of-the-art technology. This synergy—a respect for history, balanced with a forward-looking passion for innovation and exceptional quality—is the foundation of the Ruffino house style. Moscato Bianco, believed to be one of the oldest domesticated old-world grape varietals, is therefore a natural fit for the heritage Ruffino brand. The grapes comprising Ruffino Moscato d'Asti were harvested in mid-September 2011 from within the exclusive 25,000-hectare Asti DOCG region situated in the southern part of Piedmont, premiere sourcing for Italian Moscato. Fermented in the Charmat method, which preserves the aromas of the grapes, this fragrant sparkling wine has an ABV of 6 percent and is characterized by light, effervescent bubbles.

The arrival of Ruffino Moscato d'Asti DOCG follows a year of skyrocketing growth within the Moscato category in the U.S. The fastest-growing Italian varietal by volume, with an increase of 178 percent in the 12-month period ending Nov. 27, Moscato is also leading the way in terms of dollar sales growth among all wines, with an increase of 89.5 percent. Studies show that Moscato is the preferred wine of Millennial drinkers aged 22–35, with more Millennial households choosing Moscato than any other generation.

Angus Lilley, Director of Marketing for Ruffino says, "With a belief that la dolce vita can be celebrated in many ways, Ruffino is pleased to offer a Moscato d'Asti DOCG to the U.S. market for the first time, where consumers are discovering a diverse selection of sparkling and semi-sparkling wines to suit their palates. Accessibly priced at $15, Ruffino Moscato is poised to enter a price segment that has experienced triple digit growth over the last year and after the successful launch of our Prosecco DOC in 2011, we feel confident in the prospects for Ruffino Moscato d'Asti."

Bright straw-yellow in color, Ruffino Moscato d'Asti begins with vibrant aromas of sweet citrus, peach and orange blossoms on the nose, giving way to notes of sage and white stone fruit on the palate. Its low alcohol content makes it an ideal aperitivo, or the perfect accompaniment to fruit and bread based desserts, such as Panettone, fresh fruit salads of figs and melon, or with bread and salami. For more about Ruffino Moscato d'Asti DOCG, visit www.ruffino.com.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Develops Method to Detect Carbendazim in Orange Juice

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced that scientists at its global Food Safety Response Center, located in Dreieich, Germany, have developed and internally validated a new method for detecting residue levels of the fungicide carbendazim in oranges and orange juice.

The new carbendazim method was developed in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement in January that it would test shipments of imported orange juice for the fungicide. Thermo Fisher’s method can reliably detect carbendazim in orange juice to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Speaking at the Food Safety Response Center in Dreieich, Alan Malus, Thermo Fisher Executive Vice President and President of the Analytical Technologies Group said, “Our team of scientists worked around the clock to develop a method to rapidly and reliably test orange juice for traces of carbendazim, and we are pleased to provide the industry with an improved method that automates the sample preparation and improves lab productivity.”

The new method for detecting carbendazim uses Thermo Scientific Turboflow technology to automate sample preparation, enabling laboratories to analyze more samples per day. Prior methods rely on manual sample preparation, which is time-consuming and not as repeatable as the new, automated method.

Carbendazim is a chemical fungicide that is used to treat crops worldwide, including in Canada, Japan, Europe and Brazil, to control the growth of fungus and mold. It is not registered for use on U.S. citrus crops. The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 requires that importers verify the safety of food from their suppliers and gives the FDA authority to block the importation of foods of questionable safety from facilities or countries.

Laboratories interested in obtaining a copy of the new, validated method can download a copy at www.thermoscientific.com/fsnews.

Fruits, Vegetables Star in USDA’s New School Meal Standards

The United Fresh Produce Association applauds the release of new nutrition standards for school meals. First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack celebrated the new school nutrition standards today at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Va. The new standards will double the amount of fruits and vegetables served to 32 million students through the National School Lunch Program, the first such improvement in more than 15 years.

The new nutrition standard aligns the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, which emphasized increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.

“We are very excited that fruits and vegetables will be the stars of healthier school meals. Children like fresh fruits and vegetables and they will be eating more next school year when this regulation takes effect,” said Dr. Lorelei DiSogra, United’s vice president of nutrition and health, who participated in today’s announcement. “Increasing children’s consumption of fruits and vegetables will improve their health and reduce their risk of childhood obesity. We support this landmark effort by First Lady Michelle Obama and USDA to create healthier school meals and healthier school food environments for millions of America’s children.”

“Our members are partnering with schools across the country to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals,” said United President Tom Stenzel. "This is a great step towards providing our children with a foundation for healthy eating for the rest of their lives, and the fresh produce industry is proud to be involved.”

FoodLink Reports Significant Growth

FoodLink, the online network for fresh food retailers, wholesalers and suppliers, experienced significant growth in 2011, adding new customers at a record pace, introducing new products and growing network commerce for fresh produce by more than 30 percent.

“This has been a productive year for FoodLink and for our customers,” said Eric Peters, President and CEO, FoodLink. “At a time when fresh, safe food is increasingly important to consumers, FoodLink is rapidly becoming the industry standard for helping retailers, wholesalers and their suppliers manage the perishable goods category to achieve their sales and merchandising goals.”

FoodLink is an online network that improves business for all of the participants in the fragmented perishable goods supply chain. The network consists of more than 2,000 retail grocers and their fresh food suppliers, including carriers and third-party brokers and wholesalers. The network helps retailers manage the fresh food category to source the highest quality products at competitive prices while reducing waste and inefficiencies between suppliers and buyers that contribute to higher food costs. For suppliers, FoodLink is a sales platform that simplifies the process of managing orders, tracking shipments, responding to change requests, and receiving payment.

New Retailers and Suppliers Expand the Network

In 2011, retailers such as Giant Eagle, Price Chopper Supermarkets, KVAT Food Stores and Roundy’s Supermarkets selected FoodLink as their platform for sourcing and purchasing perishable goods. In addition, established FoodLink buyers such as Ahold USA, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Topco Associates, Supervalu and Unified Grocers all renewed their commitment to the network.

“FoodLink is a unique solution that enables us to improve our exposure and access to a broader array of high-quality suppliers for our produce department, thereby increasing value to our customers while eliminating many inefficient manual processes,” said Steve Kinishi, Vice President, Roundy’s.

The FoodLink network also grew in terms of overall purchase order (PO) volume and in the number of trading partner connections between buyers and sellers. More than 200 new suppliers signed up for annual subscriptions, and overall network traffic increased with more than 450 new supplier-buyer relationships. Year-over-year, the number of orders for fresh produce grew by 16 percent, contributing to a more than 30 percent increase in total sales over FoodLink in 2011.

In addition, a record number of high volume suppliers signed up for FoodLink DirectConnect, a service that directly integrates back-end financial and operational systems with the FoodLink network. New DirectConnect customers include Capital Logistics, C.H. Robinson, Dandrea Produce, Dole Fresh Fruit, Frank Donio, Genpro, Mission Produce, Nature Sweet, Premio Foods, Railex, Ready Pac Produce, Russet Potato Exchange and State Garden.

New Products for Suppliers

The pace of innovation at FoodLink accelerated in 2011 with new supplier-focused products such as FreshBuys promotional advertising, DirectConnect and supplier performance benchmarking through a partnership with the Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium. The company also launched Open EDI, enabling suppliers to transact with any buying organization with electronic data interchange (EDI), regardless of whether that buyer is currently on the FoodLink network.

“Our partnership with FoodLink enables perishable goods suppliers to gain access to the Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium, which already includes hundreds of shippers and logistics service providers,” said Bruce Tompkins, Executive Director, Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium. “By joining the consortium, perishable goods suppliers can compare their operations and financial performance against others, track best performance and best practices, and receive insightful industry information such as hot topic reports and thought leadership analysis.”

In 2011, FoodLink also launched FreshBuys LIVE, a first-of-its kind series of one-day regional events connecting retail buyers and perishable goods suppliers doing business over FoodLink. More information about the 2012 FreshBuys LIVE series can be found at: www.foodlink.net/live2012.

FDA Cracks Down on Carbendazim in Oranges, Ignores Other Foods, Expert Says

The FDA announced this week that it is implementing a “test and hold” policy for all imported shipments of orange juice to determine if they contain carbendazim (a fungicide, also called “MBC”). Under the law, a food cannot contain a pesticide residue unless the residue has an established tolerance level for that specific food. The Environmental Protection Agency has not established a tolerance level for carbendazim residues in orange juice.

The sudden crackdown on orange juice in particular highlights the questionable way that FDA and the EPA regulate pesticides in foods, said Benjamin England, former FDA Regulatory Counsel and founder of FDAImports.com. Carbendazim is now at the forefront of FDA’s attention because EPA has not established a legal limit in oranges (or orange juice). FDA will therefore reject for importation orange juice with more than “trace” amounts of MBC, greater than 1.0 parts per billion.

At the same time, England said, MBC is permissible in apples, apricots and bananas. Should the FDA stop all of those fruits too? The concentration of another pesticide (thiophanate methyl or TPM) that is related to (and degrades down to) MBC is permitted in apples and bananas at 2.0 parts per million and in apricots at a whopping 15 ppm. So how does FDA test for the presence of TPM? By testing for MBC, the same pesticide that is causing all the imported OJ containers to stop at U.S. ports of entry.

Not Just Apples and Oranges

FDA will not be stopping apples, bananas and apricots due to the presence of thousands more times (in concentration) of the same pesticide chemical simply because EPA has established those high tolerances, England said. Of course, if FDA were worried about the safety of MBC, it would also have to stop grape juice (with an EPA tolerance of 5.0 ppm) and cherry juice (the heavy-hitter, with an EPA tolerance at a monstrous 20 ppm). Grape juice is used as the base juice for most fruit juices sold in the U.S.A.—and it has a tolerance for TPM, which is measured by testing for carbendazim, the original “culprit.”

“Expect FDA to use these recent pesticide results in OJ as an excuse to stop, delay and test for MBC [carbendazim] in many other fresh and finished fruit and vegetable products”, England said. “While FDA is busy locking up the American orange juice supply, U.S. consumers will have to turn to other juices for their kids, like apple and grape juices. Apparently the fact that MBC is permitted at much (much) higher concentrations in those other juice products is lost on FDA.” The net result of FDA’s actions in this case will be to greatly increase the cost of orange juice, burden the American public with a gratuitous pesticide scare and unnecessarily bottleneck imports of orange juice and juice concentrates into the United States.

Importer Impact: What to Expect?

England cited other ways that the orange juice crisis would impact imports and manufacturers bringing in product to the United States:

• Expect FDA to become “concerned” about other imported fruits, vegetables, juices, juice concentrates, etc. FDA will hold the entry and test it for carbendazim and other pesticides for residues that are obviously not unsafe.
• If FDA detects a pesticide residue for which there is no tolerance in a food or finds a residue that exceeds a tolerance, the agency will refuse the entry.
• If FDA finds an “illegal” pesticide residue or a residue that exceeds a tolerance the product is going on one of FDA’s automatic detention lists (import alerts).

For more information, go to www.fdaimports.com, call (410) 740-3403 or contact Jon Barnes at jrbarnes@fdaimports.com.

PMA Members Donate $900,000 to Center for Produce Safety

Food safety in the produce industry continues to be top of mind for consumers and industry leaders in 2012. Recognizing that ensuring consumer confidence in produce is crucial to building greater consumption, the Produce Marketing Association has announced the donation of $900,000 to the Center for Produce Safety over the next two years. With this contribution, PMA is continuing to reinvest in the future of its members and is ensuring that all other funds provided to the Center go directly to fund research.

PMA’s Executive Committee approved the donation in late 2011 and the commitment was strongly endorsed by the association’s board last week. Bryan Silbermann, president and CEO of PMA made the donation on behalf of PMA in San Diego Wednesday at the start of a CPS meeting attended by industry and government leaders as well as food safety researchers.

“Our Executive Committee decided that PMA’s ongoing investment in CPS really is a show of faith in the future of our industry and simply the right thing to do,” said Rich Dachman, PMA’s Chairman of the Board and Senior Vice President of National Sales at Sysco Corp. “We helped create CPS five years ago to bring together government, industry and researchers so we could find answers to big questions about produce safety. Today PMA and its members make a significant statement that we are moving ahead on the road to continuous improvement in our food safety knowledge and practices.”

Over the past four years, CPS has funded more than 50 research projects with grants of more than $9.2 million from government as well as organizations throughout the produce supply chain. Today’s gift brings PMA’s total contribution to CPS to more than $3 million.

“This gift could not come at a more opportune time for industry and demonstrates the leadership of PMA members,” said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, Executive Director, CPS. “Ensuring the health and safety of the consumer can only be enhanced through continued research and process improvements to mitigate any potential produce safety issues that may occur in the future. I could not be more pleased and honored with this generous donation.”

Grapes May Help Prevent Age-Related Blindness, New Study Shows

Can eating grapes slow or help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a debilitating condition affecting millions of elderly people worldwide? Results from a new study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggest this might be the case. The antioxidant actions of grapes are believed to be responsible for these protective effects.

The study compared the impact of an antioxidant-rich diet on vision using mice prone to developing retinal damage in old age in much the same way as humans do. Mice either received a grape-enriched diet, a diet with added lutein, or a normal diet.

The result? Grapes proved to offer dramatic protection: the grape-enriched diet protected against oxidative damage of the retina and prevented blindness in those mice consuming grapes. While lutein was also effective, grapes were found to offer significantly more protection.

“The protective effect of the grapes in this study was remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age even if grapes were consumed only at young age,” said principal investigator Silvia Finnemann, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University in New York.

Finnemann noted that results from her study also suggest that age-related vision loss is a result of cumulative, oxidative damage over time. “A lifelong diet enriched in natural antioxidants, such as those in grapes, appears to be directly beneficial for retinal health and function.”

AMD is a progressive eye condition, leading to the deterioration of the center of the retina, called the macula. It is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. Oxidative damage and oxidative stress are thought to play a pivotal role in the development of AMD.

“Preserving eye health is a key concern as we age and this study shows that grapes may play a critical role in achieving this,” said Kathleen Nave, President of the California Table Grape Commission. “This is good news for consumers of all ages who enjoy grapes, and adds to the growing body of evidence that grapes offer an array of health benefits.”

The California Table Grape Commission was created by the California legislature in 1967 to increase worldwide demand for fresh California grapes through a variety of research and promotional programs.

Nutritionists Recommend Blueberries for Year-Round Health

Two leading nutrition experts recommend fresh, ripe blueberries for year-round good health.

With the arrival a new year, and the inevitable resolutions to eat healthier that arrive with it, Ellie Krieger, RD, and Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, are advising the health-conscious to reap the ample “superfood” benefits of blueberries.

Ellie Krieger, RD, the nationally acclaimed registered dietitian and host of Food Network’s “Healthy Appetite,” notes that, at only 42 calories per half-cup serving, blueberries are ideal as a smart snack option in lieu of more fattening snacks. “I advise people to eat the rainbow,” says Krieger. “One of the things that makes food so appealing and enticing is also what makes it good for you: color. Blueberries are chock full of anthocyanins which act as powerful antioxidants.”

Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, (aka "The Rogue Nutritionist"), well-known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health, cites the abundance of antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, potassium and other essential nutrients found in the Little Blue Dynamos. “There are no bad fruits; of course, some are just absolute superstars and blueberries are one of them,” says Bowden. “That’s why blueberries are one food I eat every single day-without exception.”

Considered by many leading nutrition experts as a “superfood,” blueberries are purported to improve brain function, prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia (according to independent university studies), lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. Scientific evidence also suggests that blueberries may even be beneficial to the skin.

Both Krieger and Bowden will be appearing in news media during the winter to remind consumers about the many benefits of summer-fresh blueberries, which are available all year round thanks to thriving blueberry production in Chile, where the blueberry harvest is at its peak during the North American winter, when domestic blueberries are unavailable. The two nutrition experts are eager to share with audiences how easily and deliciously summer-fresh blueberries integrate into breakfast, lunch, snack and dessert to give a nutritional boost to every meal.

Appearances by Krieger and Bowden are part of the Chilean Blueberry Committee’s campaign to educate consumers on the health benefits of fresh blueberries. The CBC has added new menu creations to its stock of nutritious blueberry recipes, developed literature highlighting pertinent nutrition research and is supporting the experts’ national television tours.

Chile is currently the second largest producer of cultivated blueberries worldwide and also the leading grower in the Southern Hemisphere, where the fruit is available during the winter season, when it is not being harvested in the Northern Hemisphere. For more information about Chilean blueberries, go to www.chileanblueberrycommittee.com (click on the British flag at the bottom for English).

Texas AgriLife Extension Sets Prospective Wine-Grape Grower Workshops

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service viticulture team has set the dates for its Prospective Wine-Grape Grower Workshop from January to June.

“This workshop was created by the team as a means to educate farmers, entrepreneurs or any other individual considering planting a commercial vineyard of what is generally involved in that sort of enterprise,” said Fritz Westover, AgriLife Extension viticulture adviser for the Gulf Coast.

Westover and other team members work together to schedule and present these prospective grower workshops throughout the year in different wine-grape growing areas of the state.

The day-long program consists of a series of presentations that provide an overview of the unique requirements and risks associated with establishing and operating a commercial vineyard in Texas.

The workshop begins with registration at 8:30 a.m., followed by presentations and instruction from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Topics include vineyard economics, necessary viticulture expertise, vineyard site considerations, risk factors and vineyard labor requirements.

The scheduled dates, cities and lead viticulture team presenters are:

• Feb. 7, Pittsburg, Fran Pontasch.
• March 14, Houston, Fritz Westover.
• May 4, Fredericksburg, Penny Adams.
• June 15, Lubbock, Dusty Timmons.

Specific locations for the workshops will be determined later and posted on the Texas AgriLife Extension Conference Services website at http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu  Registration can be completed online, with information on specific workshops available by entering the word “wine’ in the keyword field. Registration is $150 per individual or $250 per couple, and lunch is included.

The workshop also serves as a prerequisite for application to the Texas Viticulture Certificate Program offered by Texas Tech University and AgriLife Extension,” Westover noted. More information on the certification program can be found at http://winegrapes.tamu.edu/viticulturecertificate.html

Additional information related to wine-grape growing in Texas can be found at http://winegrapes.tamu.edu.

Testarossa Debuts New Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

Testarossa Winery's Rob and Diana Jensen have released their first ever "Dos Rubios Vineyard" Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The Dos Rubios property is located in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. These debut bottlings represent a new chapter in Testarossa's role as one of California's best known producers of small lot, vineyard specific Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Testarossa Director of Winemaking Bill Brosseau worked directly with respected SLH grower Kirk Williams in the design and installation of Dos Rubios. Every aspect of the Dos Rubios Vineyard project was laid out by Bill; it is the culmination of his 20-plus years' experience in Central Coast winegrowing. The row spacing, vine density, rootstocks, and clones were chosen by Bill to perfectly match the site. The farming regimens, from trellising, to water management, to the organic practices are all under Testarossa's direction.

Bill comments that "it was an exciting opportunity: being allowed to design a new vineyard from the ground up, in one of California's most famous appellations."

"From 'the dirt to the bottle,' we have complete control over every step of the process," he continued. "Dos Rubios represents the 'next generation' vineyard where wine quality was reversed engineered, thanks to Kirk and Rob's interest to go above status quo. Our philosophy of 'pay now' (with passion and investment) versus 'pay later' (having to overhaul a tired, over-worked vineyard), allowed us to collaboratively work with Kirk to spare no expense on details of the install."

Like Testarossa (Italian for "redhead"), "rubio" is the Latin America term for folks with red or blonde hair. The name "Dos Rubios" represents the vineyard partnership of proprietor Rob Jensen and grower Kirk Williams, both fair-haired.

The designation was also chosen to show the winery's respect for the innumerable farm workers of Hispanic descent who make up the backbone of the California wine industry.

The Dos Rubios Vineyard is located in the heart of the cool climate, Santa Lucia Highlands appellation. The 26-acre property is planted to four Pinot Noir clones (Pommard 4, 667, 115, 37-Mt.Eden) and two clones of Chardonnay (17, 76).

Only 183 cases were made of the Testarossa 2010 "Dos Rubios Vineyard" Chardonnay. It retails for $39.

For the 2010 Testarossa "Dos Rubios Vineyard" Pinot Noir, 247 cases were produced. The Pinot Noir retails for $54. Both wines are currently only available in the Testarossa Winery Tasting Room and to Testarossa wine club members.