Drudgereport:Rotten tomatoes

The tomatoes/salmonella foodborne illness outbreak just got ratcheted up at least one giant notch in the public consciousness. The headline "Rotten tomatoes," accompanied by a picture of nice looking fruit, is featured front and center of the popular Internet news site Monday night, linking to this AP story.

CHICAGO - McDonald's, Wal-Mart and other U.S. chains have halted sales of some raw tomatoes as federal health officials work to trace the source of a multistate salmonella food poisoning outbreak.

Burger King, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell were among other restaurants voluntarily withdrawing tomatoes from their menus, following federal recommendations that consumers avoid red plum, red Roma or round red tomatoes unless they were grown in certain states and countries.
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest hamburger chain, stopped serving sliced tomatoes on its sandwiches as a precaution until the source of the bacterial infection is known, according to a statement Monday from spokeswoman Danya Proud. The Oak Brook, Ill.-based company will continue serving grape tomatoes in its salads because no problems have been linked to that variety, she said

Consumer food safety survey: halo effect for local produce

It's a sore subject with marketers, but a recent consumer survey examines the residual effects of repeated recalls and alerts about food. This story from Food Product Design points out that the appeal of local produce, a "halo effect" that extends to food safety perceptions. From the story:

According to a recent survey by Deloitte, New York, food safety fears have escalated of late, causing consumers to stop eating specific foods and highlighting the need for the industry to renew their fears about imported and domestic foods. Among the survey’s findings:

• Over half of Americans (57%) have stopped eating a particular food, temporarily or permanently, as a result of a recent recall;
• Three-fourths of Americans (73%) believe the number of food-related recalls has increased in the past year, while 76% are more concerned about the foods they eat than they were five years ago;
• Over three-fourths of consumers are most concerned by beef recalls (78%), followed by chicken recalls (67%), fresh fruit and vegetable recalls (53%), and dairy recalls (53%);
• One-third of consumers (33%) think fresh fish is “not at all” or “somewhat” safe.

Despite these specific concerns, 80% of Americans say they believe that domestically produced foods are safe, while more than half (56%) think imported foods are “not at all” or only “somewhat” safe.

The survey found that nearly 9 out of 10 Americans (89%) would like to see food stores sell more fruits and vegetables that come from local farms, and well over two-thirds (69%) said they would pay slightly more for such produce.

The food fuel debate

I made some calls today about the food-fuel debate. I'll have some coverage in The Packer about bio fuels and their impact on food prices, and the tangential news related to the U.N. Food Summit in Rome. One economist I talked with today said there has been no study that he has seen that does a thorough job of providing a number - a measure of how production of corn-based ethanol impacts food prices - and then backing that number up with deconstructing the various economic factors. More on that later...

Hope to have a Fresh Talk keyboard chat tomorrow morning with David Mitchell of The Packer, who has been the lead writer on the tomato/salmonella coverage.

Also extended an invitation to Kathy Means and Amy Philpott to participate in Fresh Talk as guest bloggers. That offer also goes out to any other association executive/industry leaders out there who would like to add some reasoned perspective to the news of the day. Email me at tkarst@thepacker.com if you are interested.

DeLauro: FDA "statements reveal an emphasis on protecting the industry"

Tomato marketers would never have guessed that recent FDA statements have been designed to "protect the industry," but that's one suggestion of Rep . Rosa DeLauro, who has questioned FDA actions during the tomato/salmonella investigation. A fair reading of her letter does reveal that the Congresswoman does have some valid questions, however. From the office of Rep. DeLauro:

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3), Chair of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, today sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach questioning the FDA’s response to the recent outbreak of Salmonella involving tomatoes.

“It would seem that these statements reveal an emphasis on protecting the industry, and a lesser concern with protecting the consumer who may be at risk,” DeLauro writes in the letter. “Meanwhile, consumers are once again forced to try to determine the status of an outbreak with unclear information. Instead, the FDA merely recommends consumers to contact the store for information as to whether the tomatoes they have purchased originated from an area that is not listed by the FDA. As we have learned from previous food-borne illness outbreaks, this approach often results in confusing, incomplete, or even incorrect information.”

Below is the text of the letter.

The Honorable Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D.

Commissioner

Food and Drug Administration

5600 Fishers Lane

Room 14-71

Rockville, MD 20857

Dear Dr. von Eschenbach:

I am writing to express concern over the recent Salmonella outbreak involving tomatoes. While I appreciate the investigative work being done by the Food and Drug Administration to determine the exact source of the contamination, I have questions regarding some of the agency’s actions during its investigation.

In the agency’s June 7 press release, the agency was able to identify the specific types of tomatoes that were subject to the outbreak. The FDA also was able to publish a list of states, territories, and countries where tomatoes are grown and harvested which have NOT been associated with this outbreak. In reviewing the details of this press release, one could presume that the FDA could have requested a recall of the tomatoes that were linked to the outbreak

A troubling aspect of the June 7 press release was the assertion that the FDA “recognizes that the source of the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer or tomatoes from a specific geographic area. Another assertion in the release noted that FDA also “recognizes that there are many tomato crops across the country and in foreign countries that will be ready for harvest or will become ready in the coming months.”

It would seem that these statements reveal an emphasis on protecting the industry, and a lesser concern with protecting the consumer who may be at risk. Meanwhile, consumers are once again forced to try to determine the status of an outbreak with unclear information. Instead, the FDA merely recommends consumers to contact the store for information as to whether the tomatoes they have purchased originated from an area that is not listed by the FDA. As we have learned from previous food-borne illness outbreaks, this approach often results in confusing, incomplete, or even incorrect information.

An adequate food safety system should be developed using the approach of protecting the consumer first. It is only through this approach that we will be able to better identify specific sources of food-borne illness outbreaks and contaminations.

Please respond to the following questions regarding the Salmonella outbreak involving tomatoes.

What evidence does the FDA possess that would lead the agency to suggest that the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer?

What evidence does the FDA possess that would lead the agency to believe that the contaminated tomatoes originated from a specific geographic region?

Why did FDA exclude cherry, grape or tomatoes still attached to the vine from the public health alert?

The FDA was able to publish a list of states, territories, and countries where tomatoes are grown and harvested which have NOT been associated with this outbreak. If the agency possesses evidence that would allow it publish such a list, why did the FDA not compel a recall of tomatoes from the other regions that were not listed?

The FDA is recommending that that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators continue to offer cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, from any source. What assurances can you provide that these types of tomatoes will not be linked to the Salmonella outbreak at a later date?

Thank you very much for your attention to this matter. Please provide a response to these questions by June 20.

Sincerely,

Rosa L. DeLauro

Chairwoman

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

CBP turns away "killer bees"

After hearing industry lobbyists pine for several years for transfer of plant protection duties back to the USDA, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency continues to burnish its image with the help of public relations. Here is a press release that slid across the inbox today with the headline "CBP takes sting out of shipments with killer bees arriving in Mississippi."

From the release:


Twice within a three-week period swarming bees later identified as aggressive Africanized Honeybees were detected and destroyed by U. S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists in Mississippi ports of entry. The so-called killer bees are a hybrid species known to be more defensive than European honeybees.
The first swarm was found April 26 on a vessel in Gulfport, arriving from Honduras, while the second was discovered on May 14 onboard a ship in Pascagoula that arrived from Jacksonville, Florida. In both cases, CBP agriculture specialists after detection and destruction of the insects, collected samples that were sent to the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson where extensive examination and morphometric testing confirmed them to be the Africanized bee.

These bees are likely to swarm more often, moving from one site to another. They are less selective in finding new homes, and can be found, as in these cases, attaching themselves to any structure that offers some protection from the elements. This type of bees are feared due to the heightened defensive response when the hive feels threatened.

“These are significant intercepts of a dangerous insect that has not yet been established in Mississippi,” said Robert C. Gomez, CBP director of field operations for New Orleans. “Their ability to colonize into an area can cause a problem to humans and animals but can also pose a threat to the beekeeping industry.

“These interceptions highlight the importance CBP places on our agriculture inspection program and in particular the diligence of our agriculture specialists in their ability to recognize and prevent the entry of organisms that could be used for biological warfare or terrorism,” Gomez added.

CBP employs more than 2,000 agriculture specialists who must meet strict educational requirements and receive intensive, scientific-based training developed and administered jointly by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and CBP. Agriculture specialists protect the United States from the threat of invasive pests and diseases with inspection, detection and prevention efforts designed to keep prohibited agricultural items from entering the country.

These items, whether in commercial cargo or with a person entering the United States, could cause serious damage to America’s crops, livestock, and the environment. In fiscal year 2007, CBP agriculture specialists intercepted almost 4,300 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products each day, including 164 actionable agricultural pests at ports of entry.

Bush: Contractors must verify status

This story reveals a new mandate from President Bush for contractors and "others who do business with the government' to electronically verify the legal status of their employees. Does this impact businesses that sell commodities to the USDA? I have a call in to United to see if there is any industry-related impact. From the story:

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez planned an afternoon news conference to discuss the order and other ways the administration has stepped up its crackdown on illegal immigration.

The order says federal departments and agencies must require contractors to use an electronic system to verify that the workers are eligible to work in the U.S.

The order is aimed at cracking down on hiring of illegal immigrants. But people who overstayed visas or came to the country legally but do not have permission to work, such as some students or those awaiting work permits, also could be snagged with the system.

"It is the policy of the executive branch to enforce fully the immigration laws of the United States, including the detection and removal of illegal aliens and the imposition of legal sanctions against employers that hire illegal aliens," in the executive order says.

Lidl coming to the U.S

Another German hard discounter is coming to the U.S. Lidl, rival retailer to Aldi in Europe, is coming to American shores, says this report. It doesn't seem Aldi was seeing much U.S.-grown competition, so this move by Lidl makes sense. From the story:

Lidl is Germany's second biggest discounter, after its archrival Aldi. It aims to get a US foothold by 2012 while it builds up its European business, Gehrig said.

He said the company also had Switzerland in its sights and planned to have 80 supermarkets there by 2009.

Lidl plans to add 1,000 new stores in Germany, bringing it up to a total of 4,000 -- nearly the same number of stores Aldi has. Gehring did not provide a timeframe, however.

Texas TV: Tomatoes and salmonella

Here is coverage of tomatoes/salmonella from West Texas posted yesterday to Youtube.

Report: McDonalds pulls tomatoes

The Louisville Courier Journal reports today that McDonalds has pulled tomatoes off its menu. From the story:


McDonald's restaurants nationwide are no longer selling tomatoes on any sandwiches because of the warning. McDonald's issued a statement saying: "The safety and well-being of our customers is a top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but food safety and quality at McDonald's will not be compromised." Grape tomatoes will still be available because FDA said they aren't involved in the warning, according to the statement. This is a precautionary measure, and isn't related to any specific incident at a restaurant.
FDA linked salmonellosis outbreak to consumption of certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these raw, red tomatoes, according to a press release. Since mid April, there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis nationwide caused by Salmonella Saintpaul, an uncommon form of Salmonella, according to the release. At least 23 hospitalizations have been reported.

Holding back

Thomas Cignarella, president of Morris Okun Inc., New York, N.Y., said this morning that tomato buyers there were cautious. "Nobody is really doing anything; retailers and foodservice (buyers) are holding back," he said.

He noted the bulk of Mexican production is finished and Florida is winding down as well, but still has substantial volume.

Production from the Carolinas is just getting started, he noted.

Until now, he said the wholesale market has been "maintaining" but events over the weekend have put a "hold" on everything.

Obviously the FDA's nationwide alert is tough on tomato traders everywhere. Hog farmers aren't too happy either, as it turns out. This story from Reuters explains:

Pork belly prices are under pressure as interest in the BLT, the popular summer bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, could dip after an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in nine U.S. states, with illnesses in two of them blamed on eating raw tomatoes

Prices of pork bellies, from which bacon is sliced, fell $4 to $15 per hundredweight in the cash markets on Thursday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Realistically, ideas that people are going to be wary of buying tomatoes can't have been viewed as a favorable development by belly traders," said Dan Vaught, Wachovia securities livestock analyst.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said the salmonella outbreak may be tied to the consumption of certain raw red tomatoes

Tomatoes and salmonella - Monday headlines

Some headlines from around the country....among the 1,614 news stories found by Google.

FDA warns of salmonella outbreak - Chicago Sun Times

Salmonella outbreak linked to raw tomatoes strikes about 150 - USA Today

Attack of the killer tomatoes?

Salmonellosis linked to some tomatoes