WebWire | News by Industry : Agriculture / Aquaculture

Lawsuit: Frito-Lay's Genetically Modified Ingredients Are Not 'All-Natural'

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 11:31:39 EST

A proposed class-action lawsuit filed in New York alleges that Frito-Lay misled consumers by advertising that their Tostitos and SunChips brands are 'all-natural' when they contain corn and oils from genetically modified plants. The suit seeks to recover damages based on the claim that consumers allegedly choose to pay more for an 'all-natural' product, rather than similar products that were not.
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The plaintiff, Chris Shake, believes that marketing the products as 'all-natural' is deceptive, because genetically engineered plants have had their genetic material altered artificially in a laboratory—not through natural processes. A similar lawsuit was also filed in California last year.
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Frito-Lay, owned by PepsiCo Inc., maintains that it has followed all the industry's regulatory requirements. �
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Genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the food industry have become a controversial topic in recent years, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been petitioned to require food labels to indicate clearly the presence of genetically engineered ingredients.
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'The food industry is encountering new challenges, and EMSL Analytical is constantly assessing and implementing new technologies and methods to serve our clients better,' states Joy DellAringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Microbiology Supervisor at EMSL. 'We offer advanced testing services for food adulteration, GMO, and quality control, and our results are legally defensible.'
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For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com,�or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.
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About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.
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Grow Weed Website Shut Down For 2 Months, Back up

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 09:25:52 EST

GrowWeedEasy.com is a website that teaches legal marijuana growers "how to grow weed easily." The website was shut down Nov. 20, 2011 for unknown reasons, but it was likely due to the website's "questionable" content.

The website, which receives over 2,000 visits a day, was shut down suddenly and without warning. On January 14, 2012, the website was brought back online, unchanged, with an announcement on the home page of the website.

As of January 31, 2012, the announcement read:
'Important Announcement: GrowWeedEasy.com was shut down for almost two months, but we are back up with a renewed vengeance to get this information into as many people's hands as possible.The site was shut down on Nov 20, 2011 and we battled to get it back up, today Jan 14, 2012.We have some really big plans for this website and a really cool surprise coming soon!'

Not much has changed on the website except for three things: the addition of more articles in their Frequently Asked Growing Questions�section, a new Was this page helpful?�form on the side of every page, and a new link at the bottom of every page that says 420 Friendly Hosting by Hostgator.

It still remains to be seen what the "cool surprise" will end up being.

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Undeclared Allergen: Milk Found in Beef Sirloin, Causes Recall

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:44:44 EST

Approximately 2,645 pounds of beef sirloin products have been recalled, because they contain milk, an allergen that was not on the label. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall, explaining that J&B Group of St. Michael, MN discovered the problem during a routine label review of its product.
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No health effects relating to the recall have been reported.
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The recall only affects the following items, produced between January 1, 2011 and September 7, 2011:
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- 10.5-lb cases of 28 count, 6 oz. "ELLISON MEAT COMPANY BEEF SIRLOIN TOP BUTT STEAK, CAP OFF, NO ROLL, MARINATED," with an identifying case code of 62149.
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- 10-lb cases of 16 count, 10 oz. "ELLISON MEAT COMPANY BEEF SIRLOIN TOP BUTT STEAK CAP OFF / TENDERIZED WITH FICIN & BROMELAIN," with an identifying case code of 62151.
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'EMSL Analytical is one of the nation's leading food testing laboratories and offers a wide variety of allergen testing services,' states Joy DellAringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Microbiology Supervisor at EMSL. 'Moreover, we have over 30 locations across the United States and in Canada to serve our clients locally.'�
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For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com,�or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.
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About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.
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Drinking Three Cups of Tea a Day May Help Lower Blood Pressure

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:35:40 EST

A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that drinking three cups of black tea daily over several months may help lower blood pressure. Research participants—male and female, ages 35 to 75—were split into two groups. One group drank three cups of tea that contained 1,493 milligrams of powdered black tea solids with 429 milligrams of polyphenols and 96 grams of caffeine. The other group drank three cups that contained a placebo with the same taste and caffeine levels but no tea solids.
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Over six months, the test subjects in the first group saw between a two and a three point drop in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, compared to the placebo group. The researchers thus concluded that the drop was due to the benefits of the tea's antioxidants, called polyphenols.
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According to the study's authors, the results could translate into a 10 percent drop in the prevalence of high blood pressure and a 7 to 10 percent decrease in heart disease risk. Other studies have found that polyphenols can reduce or even prevent some of the damage, including cancer and heart disease, caused by compounds known as free radicals.
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'EMSL Analytical's experienced food chemists test food samples for antioxidative capacity, including polyphenols,' states Eugenia Mirica, Ph.D., Food Chemistry Laboratory Manager at EMSL. 'Our food laboratory offers a wide variety of special testing services needed by those in the food industry, using the most cutting-edge technology available.'
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For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com,�or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.
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About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.

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Allergen Alert: Vitamins Recalled Due to Undeclared Shellfish

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:39:29 EST

Rexall, Inc. of Deerfield Beach, Florida has recalled Rexall Calcium 1200 mg plus 1000IU Vitamin D3 softgels. These affected bottles actually contain tablets of Triple Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin and MSM Tablets.
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Glucosamine is derived from the shells of crustaceans, and therefore the product may provoke life-threatening allergic reactions in people with an allergy to shellfish.
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Only one lot, number 387651-04, is affected by the recall. So far, no illnesses have been reported related to this recall.
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'EMSL Analytical's allergen testing services can help companies avoid costly and disruptive recalls,' states Joy DellAringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Microbiology Supervisor at EMSL. 'Our FDA registered, cGMP compliant, and DEA licensed laboratory offers its expertise in analyzing various food allergens, including crustacean.'
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For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com,�or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.
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About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.

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Outbreak of Drug-Resistant Salmonella Infections Linked to Ground Beef

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:47:41 EST

As of January 5, 19 people ages 1 year old to 79 years old have been infected with Salmonella Typhimurium in Hawaii, Kentucky, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The infections have been linked to ground beef that has since been recalled from Hannaford Supermarkets. The supplier of the product is still unknown.
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The strain of Salmonella responsible for the outbreak is resistant to several antibiotics, which increases the risk of hospitalization and of treatment failing.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people infected with Salmonella bacteria begin to show symptoms of diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. In the majority of cases, illness only lasts for 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However, in some cases, the diarrhea may be severe enough that the patient is hospitalized. If the infection spreads to the bloodstream from the intestines, the patient may die unless he or she is treated with antibiotics.
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'When testing for foodborne pathogens like Salmonella, EMSL Analytical provides clients with scientifically and legally defensible data,' states EMSL's National Food Microbiology Supervisor, Joy Dell'Aringa, M.S., R.M. (N.R.M.), C.F.S.P. 'We maintain strict adherence to our Quality Assurance/Quality Control programs and regulatory requirements, so companies can depend our results.'
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For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please call (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com, or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.
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About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.
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Recall of Honeycrisp Apple Cider due to Patulin Contamination

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:35:31 EST

Consumers are warned to avoid drinking Pepin Heights Orchard's Honeycrisp Apple Cider products with a use-by-date of February 9, 2012.
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Patulin is a mycotoxin and produced by Penicillium, Aspergillus and Byssochylamys molds. It grows on a variety of foods, including fruit, grain, and cheese, but it is a particular threat in apple juice. While the immediate effects of ingesting patulin have not been established, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes that long-term exposure is a health concern.
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The product was packaged in half-gallon plastic jugs and sold and distributed in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. No illnesses were reported, and no other batches of cider are affected.
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The Minnesota Department of Agriculture said routine lab tests confirmed that the cider in question contained patulin at levels of 58 parts per billion, higher than the 50 parts per billion limit set by the FDA.
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'EMSL Analytical's dedicated food division tests food products for patulin, among other mycotoxins,' states Joy DellAringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Microbiology Supervisor at EMSL. 'Our experienced team works with clients to determine the appropriate testing methods for their samples, depending on regulatory requirements, sensitivity requirements, and sample matrix.'

For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com,�or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.
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Choosing Organic T-shirts For Our Environment

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:28:17 EST

Sherrie Coleman from www.saltmotion.com reveals the facts about organic cotton versus conventionally grown cotton and what this means for our environment.

The difference, environmentally, between organic cotton and conventionally grown cotton is huge and not only effects our environment, but directly impacts the health of the cotton growers.

'Being 'green' means we need to consider what happens at grassroots,' Sherrie Coleman said. �

'Buying organic cotton isn't a hippy, new age thing, it's about what you're supporting, and indirectly doing, by buying non-organic cotton.' Mrs Coleman said.

'It's about broadening our vision to the entire supply chain, rather than simply looking on the clothing rack in our local shops.'

A few statistics* to consider;

Conventionally grown cotton accounts for more than 25% of worldwide insecticide use and 10% of the pesticides. Pesticides used in cotton production are among the most hazardous available.
Millions of children receive up to 35% of their estimated lifetime dose of some carcinogenic pesticides by the age of five through food, contaminated drinking water, household use and pesticide drift.
It can take up to 500 grams of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to conventionally grow the 1.5kgs of cotton needed to make a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.
Pesticides used on cotton cause acute poisonings and chronic illness to farm workers worldwide. Acute respiratory symptoms and other health effects in communities surrounding cotton farms are linked to high use of defoliation chemicals.

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The team at Saltmotion have made the conscious decision and commitment to be ecological; to be gentle and respectful of our planet. An ocean art gallery at heart, Saltmotion researched the best product so they could introduce an organic T-shirt range that is also Carbon Neutral as well as Fair Wear.

The T-shirt range is carbon neutral by the way of using renewable energy and low impact farming techniques.

'They're manufactured using majority wind and solar power so it's clean and renewable energy'.

Fair Wear Foundation is the Fair Trade body that regulates the clothing industry to ensure that working conditions are safe and free of pesticides, exclude child labour, excessive working hours and unhygienic working conditions.

For more information visit Saltmotion Gallery at Market Place Manly, Sydney or view their T-shirts online at www.saltmotion.com/saltmotion-apparel.html

*Statistics from Blank Cotton �

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Is Fungicide in Your Orange Juice?

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:43:42 EST

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it will increase testing for a fungicide that has been found in orange juice. In a letter to the juice industry, the agency said that an unnamed juice company claims to have detected low levels of the fungicide carbendazim in its own orange juice and in a competitors' juice. Fungicides are chemicals that destroy fungi and or their spores.
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FDA officials said that they are not concerned about the safety of the juice, and the increased testing is only to make certain that the contamination is not a problem. Carbendazim is not approved for use on citrus in the United States, so any amount of residue is considered illegal. Brazil, which exports oranges to the United States, does allow and use the chemical.
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Shipments of orange juice will be tested at the border, and those with any trace of the fungicide will be detained.
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'EMSL Analytical's dedicated and knowledgeable food division tests for fungicide and also offers FDA Import Detention Services, working with the FDA to coordinate sample collection and analysis,' states Joy DellAringa, M.S., RM (NRM), CFSP, National Food Microbiology Supervisor at EMSL.
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For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675,�email info@emsl.com,�or visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com.

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