Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

10 year snapshot shows changes in food consumption

10 year snapshot shows changes in food consumption NaturalResourceReport.com

Americans are eating a little less beef and pork, but more poultry. They like their cheese, but drink less fluid milk. Yogurt consumption is up, ice cream consumption is down. And, perhaps surprisingly, total fruit and vegetable consumption per capita has actually dipped despite what generally seems to be healthier eating habits. All these conclusions are based on the latest look at American consumption of food commodities by the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) over a ten-year period from 1998 through 2007.

“We are seeing some shifts in consumers’ diets,” says Brent Searle, analyst with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “Some of those shifts are related to health concerns, some are simply price related as commodities are influenced by a variety of factors resulting in retailers charging more or less.”

The ERS data does not include 2008 and 2009- two economically volatile years that have produced some large fluctuations in commodity prices and production. However, the 10-year snapshot reveals some interesting trends which can be instructive to all agricultural producers and processors, including those in Oregon.

“These types of long term trends are important to look at because they give agriculture some indication of where consumers are spending their dollars,” says Searle.

The food trends are based on US per capita consumption- how many pounds of a certain commodity the average American eats in a year. Those trends may differ slightly state-by-state, but they do reflect food choices that Americans, in general, are making.

The data shows red meat consumption is down from 115.1 pounds per capita in 1999 to 110.6 pounds in 2007. Beef consumption has dropped from 64.5 pounds per capita to 62.2 pounds in 2007. Consumption of pork, veal, and lamb has also decreased. Red meat’s loss is apparently poultry’s gain. Over the same period, chicken consumption has increased nearly 10 pounds per person, per year, from 50.4 pounds in 1998 to 59.9 pounds in 2007. Turkey consumption has remained fairly stable but the overall category of poultry has done well.

“Poultry consumption is up and I think that is related to packaging, convenience, relative ease of preparation, and certainly price competitiveness when compared to red meat,” says Searle.

Fish and shellfish is another category that has seen some gains in US consumption. In 1998, per capita consumption was 14.5 pounds. By 2007, that climbed to 16.3 pounds per capita. Egg consumption has also increased from 30.8 pounds per capita in 1998 to 32.1 pounds in 2007.

The US dairy industry has been on an economic roller coaster over the years with some wild swings in production, price, and consumption. In general, milk as a beverage has trended downward in consumption while at least some of the lower fat dairy products have shot upward.

The ERS data shows that fluid milk consumption has dropped from a high of 198.5 pounds per capita in 1998 to 178.2 pounds in 2007. No other commodity in the report has seen a bigger decrease over the last decade. But a closer look at the type of milk being consumed indicates Americans are trying to reduce the fat in their diet. Whole milk is down from 69.5 pounds per capita in 1998 to 55 pounds in 2007. Lower fat milk has actually increased over the same period of time from 95.6 pounds per capita in 1998 to 96 pounds in 2007.

A health-conscious America is more often walking past the ice cream aisle in the grocery store on its way to the yogurt section. Ice cream consumption is down from 16.3 pounds per capita in 1998 to 14 pounds in 2007 while yogurt consumption has nearly doubled from just 5.9 pounds per capita in 1998 to 11.5 pounds in 2007. Also on the rise is cheese as consumption is up from 27.8 pounds per capita in 1998 to 32.7 pounds in 2007. Cheese has gained tremendous popularity growth in such entrees as pizza and other quick serve products.

One of the head-scratchers in the ERS data involves consumption of fruits and vegetables.

“When you aggregate all fruit and vegetable consumption compared to a decade ago, it is down,” says Searle. “Conventional wisdom dictates the opposite direction, given our trend towards health consciousness.”

The category of all fruits and vegetables shows consumption down from 709.2 pounds per capita in 1998 to 680 pounds in 2007. A breakdown of those numbers indicates less consumption of fruit is responsible for the overall category drop. Consumption of all forms of fruit is down from 290.4 pounds per capita in 1998 to 263 pounds in 2007. Even fresh fruit is down from 129.1 pounds per capita in 1998 to 126.2 pounds in 2007.

“Part of the explanation may be that the price of some fresh fruit increased in 2007 because the devalued US dollar made imports more expensive,” says Searle. “We import a lot of fruit, primarily bananas, which is the number one fruit consumed in the US. Banana prices were up substantially at that time.”

Whether it is fresh, canned, or dried, consumption of fruit is down over the 10-year period. Fresh vegetable consumption, on the other hand, is up from 192.8 pounds per capita in 1998 to 202.2 pounds in 2007, even though canned and frozen vegetable consumption has decreased. The buy local campaign and farmers’ markets have influenced fresh vegetable consumption, but so has the industry’s convenient packaging.

“Baby carrots, for example, has been a big hit with consumers and so has pre-packaged salads,” says Searle. “Other industry segments can learn from the success of the fresh vegetable industry, which has listened to consumers about the products they want. That has brought more dollars to that industry segment.”

When the statistics for 2008 and 2009 are available, there could be some changes. The price of specific food commodities has an even greater influence during a tough economy. As new trends emerge, agriculture will hopefully respond in a manner that keeps it viable.

foodsafety.gov - Sprouts : What you should now

Sprouts: What You Should Know

Do sprouts carry a risk of illness? Like any fresh produce that is consumed raw or lightly cooked, sprouts carry a risk of foodborne illness. Unlike other fresh produce, seeds and beans need warm and humid conditions to sprout and grow. These conditions are also ideal for the growth of bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.

Have sprouts been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness? Since 1996, there have been at least 30 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with different types of raw and lightly cooked sprouts. Most of these outbreaks were caused by Salmonella and E. coli.

What is the source of the bacteria? In outbreaks associated with sprouts, the seed is typically the source of the bacteria. There are a number of approved techniques to kill harmful bacteria that may be present on seeds and even tests for seeds during sprouting. But, no treatment is guaranteed to eliminate all harmful bacteria.

Are homegrown sprouts safer? Not necessarily. If just a few harmful bacteria are present in or on the seed, the bacteria can grow to high levels during sprouting, even under sanitary conditions at home.

What can industry do to enhance the safety of sprouts? In 1999, the FDA provided the sprout industry with guidance on reducing the risk of contamination of sprouts by harmful bacteria. The FDA and other Federal and state agencies continue to work with industry on detecting and reducing contamination and keeping contaminated sprouts out of the marketplace.

What can consumers do to reduce the risk of illness?

* Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).
* Cook sprouts thoroughly to reduce the risk of illness. Cooking kills the harmful bacteria.
* Request that raw sprouts not be added to your food. If you purchase a sandwich or salad at a restaurant or delicatessen, check to make sure that raw sprouts have not been added.

General Information

Safe Eats: Fruits, Veggies, and Juices (FDA)
Guidelines for safe eating during pregnancy include warnings about sprouts.
Background on Previous Outbreaks

Raw Alfalfa Spouts Linked to Salmonella Contamination (FDA)
FDA recommendations to consumers in response to the Spring 2009 outbreak.

Investigation of an Outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections Linked to Raw Alfalfa Sprouts (CDC)
Includes a map showing the number of cases by state in the Spring 2009 outbreak.

foodsafety.gov - Sprouts : What you should now

Sprouts: What You Should Know

Do sprouts carry a risk of illness? Like any fresh produce that is consumed raw or lightly cooked, sprouts carry a risk of foodborne illness. Unlike other fresh produce, seeds and beans need warm and humid conditions to sprout and grow. These conditions are also ideal for the growth of bacteria, including Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli.

Have sprouts been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illness? Since 1996, there have been at least 30 reported outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with different types of raw and lightly cooked sprouts. Most of these outbreaks were caused by Salmonella and E. coli.

What is the source of the bacteria? In outbreaks associated with sprouts, the seed is typically the source of the bacteria. There are a number of approved techniques to kill harmful bacteria that may be present on seeds and even tests for seeds during sprouting. But, no treatment is guaranteed to eliminate all harmful bacteria.

Are homegrown sprouts safer? Not necessarily. If just a few harmful bacteria are present in or on the seed, the bacteria can grow to high levels during sprouting, even under sanitary conditions at home.

What can industry do to enhance the safety of sprouts? In 1999, the FDA provided the sprout industry with guidance on reducing the risk of contamination of sprouts by harmful bacteria. The FDA and other Federal and state agencies continue to work with industry on detecting and reducing contamination and keeping contaminated sprouts out of the marketplace.

What can consumers do to reduce the risk of illness?

* Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).
* Cook sprouts thoroughly to reduce the risk of illness. Cooking kills the harmful bacteria.
* Request that raw sprouts not be added to your food. If you purchase a sandwich or salad at a restaurant or delicatessen, check to make sure that raw sprouts have not been added.

General Information

Safe Eats: Fruits, Veggies, and Juices (FDA)
Guidelines for safe eating during pregnancy include warnings about sprouts.
Background on Previous Outbreaks

Raw Alfalfa Spouts Linked to Salmonella Contamination (FDA)
FDA recommendations to consumers in response to the Spring 2009 outbreak.

Investigation of an Outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections Linked to Raw Alfalfa Sprouts (CDC)
Includes a map showing the number of cases by state in the Spring 2009 outbreak.

Zogby - Hope Amid Fear This Holiday Season

Zogby - Hope Amid Fear This Holiday Season

72% of Adults Can Imagine Becoming Poor But Half Expect Their Financial Situation to Improve

Utica, NY -- Financial recovery may be slow after the economic meltdown, but there is hope this holiday season according to a new Zogby Interactive poll*. Seventy two percent of adults say they either already consider themselves poor (20%) or can imagine becoming poor (52%), yet Americans can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Thirty-three percent of Americans expect their financial situation to improve a year from now and that figure jumps as we look to the future. Fifty percent of Americans believe their personal financial situation will be better off five years from now, 18% think their situation will be about the same, and 20% believe they will be worse off financially five years from now.

John Zogby's The Way We'll Be highlights traits of generational clusters developed from years of polling. The youngest of the generational groups studied, First GlobalsTM (born 1979-1990) and the next oldest, Nikes (born 1965-1978), currently worry the most about having enough money. Fifty-one percent of First GlobalsTM and 50% of Nike's say they worry either all of the time or most of the time about having enough money compared to their older counterparts; 47% of Woodstockers (born 1946-1964) worry and 32% of Privates (born 1926-1945) worry all or most of the time about having enough money.

While they worry about having enough money, younger generations are most optimistic about their financial future, with 69% of First GlobalsTM and 60% of Nikes saying they expect to be better off financially five years from now.

In spite of worry over their personal financial situation, 81% of Americans who participated in our October 23 - 26 poll** still plan to shop for gifts this holiday season and 40% will spend $500 or more on gifts this year. Initial reports, including those from ShopperTrak RCT Corporation, suggest Americans turned up for Black Friday shopping but were cautious with spending. With just under four shopping weeks left retailers are anxious to see how much consumers spend and what they spend it on.

According to Zogby President, CEO & Author, John Zogby, in his book, The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream, "Americans have so long been defined by the desire to acquire and a willingness to uproot self and families in search of better financial opportunities, I find this remarkable. To live in the United States is to be bombarded with advertising messages. Marketers sometimes seem to be living inside our televisions and computers. In theory, we should be obsessed with consumption, with getting and spending. In practice, 36 percent of all of us - and nearly half of those who believe that the American dream is attainable in any form in our lifetime - now view it in nonmaterial terms."

John Zogby's book tour has included speeches at top banking, finance, and retail organizations as well as political organizations and trade associations across the U.S. and abroad. The book has received accolades for its applicability across industries and among leaders who need to understand the emerging new American consensus. For a personalized and autographed copy of the The Way We'll Be, visit www.zogby.com.

*Zogby International conducted an online survey of 2,330 adults from November 4 - November 6, 2009. A sampling of Zogby International's online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the US, was invited to participate. Slight weights were added region, party, age, race, religion, gender, education to more accurately reflect the population. The margin of error is +/- 2.1 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.

**Zogby International conducted an online survey of 3,614 adults October 23 - 26, 1009. A sampling of Zogby International's online panel, which is representative of the adult population of the US, was invited to participate. Slight weights were added region, party, age, race, religion, gender, education to more accurately reflect the population. The margin of error is +/- 1.7 percentage points. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups

Social media - The red ballon project

Government awards $40k for social media sharing

Some might call it a complex viral contest. The government is calling it a research opportunity.

In a quest to learn more about how people use computers in a social context, Darpa, the Pentagon's research agency, will award $40,000 to the first person or team to determine the location of 10 red balloons that are scattered across the continental U.S., The New York Times reports.

Darpa is responsible for protecting the country from technological surprises. The goal of the experiment is to see how teams will use the internet to gather and share information for reaching the goal.

It boils down to what is possibly the most intricate study of online word-of-mouth sharing. The 10 balloons will be visible from major roadways from one day, and officials associated with the project are expecting everything from custom built software applications to the dissemination of false information.

Other nefarious online practices are expected as well; in a brief experiment the agency conducted earlier, information on the balloon's location was for sale on Craigslist.

Covance investing $14M to set up food safety lab - NJ Biz.com Drug development and food tester Covance Inc., in Princeton, said Tuesday it will creat

Covance investing $14M to set up food safety lab - NJ Biz.com

Drug development and food tester Covance Inc., in Princeton, said Tuesday it will create a food safety and nutritional chemistry laboratory in Battle Creek, Mich., investing $14 million to create a facility to conduct microbial food-safety testing and other types of examinations for clients in the region.

Kellogg Co. will be an anchor client at the facility, Covance said. The consumer food maker and Covance entered into a $42 million, seven-year services contract to conduct various testing at the lab.

Covance said the forthcoming lab will be affiliated with the National Center for Food Protection, in Battle Creek. The company said it will acquire and renovate a 30,000-square-foot building for the lab, which it expects to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2010.

The company said it expects to receive $4.3 million in total incentives from the city and from the state of Michigan. Covance said the lab will create 40 jobs over time.

10% price cut in UK for fruits and veggies - Banmoco.co.uk

10% price cut in UK for fruits and veggies - Banmoco.co.uk

The news was announced yesterday that there would fever taxes of fruits and vegetables.

In supermarkets, a surplus of some of these produces have induced a 10 percent price cut for all fruit and vegetables.

According to food industry publication The Grocer, a bag of a dozen popular fruits and vegetables ordinarily cost about £9.69 during the month of November, which represents a 9.9 per cent decrease during the same month last year.

Richard Dodd, a representative for British Retail Consortium, said this is welcomed news for people who are attetmpting to eat more healthily. Among falling food prices, vegetables and Fresh fruit are the top performers.

Mr Dodd said that many crops have been larger than last year, both in the UK and abroad, and food retailers are helping producers and customers by having promotions that stimulate demand and reduce prices.

Despite the Government urging all people to consume at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, a study for The Grocer magazine earlier this year revealed that many people were curbing efforts to eat healthily because of the recession

The Grocer magazine said said that prices could no longer be used as excuses for not eating healthily, with prices dropping across The Grocer’s fruit and vegetable section with many dramatically less expensive than twelve months ago.
The biggest price fall is experienced by banana-lovers. On average, the fruit is 36 per cent less expensive than last year. Fresh lemons and garlic are 20 per cent cheaper, as apples and onions are 16 per cent less.

Other less expensive produce are oranges, iceberg lettuces and cauliflowers.

Perriello backs fresh produce bill - WNBC29

Perriello Backs Fresh Produce Bill


Perriello Wants Fresh Produce In Food Banks

Food banks across the country are seeing more people who need their help, but very little of the food they give away is fresh produce. Congressman Tom Perriello is co-sponsoring a bill that could change that.

The bill Perriello proposed would create permanent tax incentives for farmers who donate their extra food to charity. Perriello says this legislation is a step that would help local farmers meet the increased needs of food banks in Virginia and beyond.

Less than 20 percent of the 18-million pounds of food the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank distributes is fresh produce.

The food bank's CEO says the more fresh produce that is donated, the more it can give to the people it serves who normally eat fast food.

Farmers already get a tax break for donating excess food to charity. But that break ends for some of them at the end of the year. Perriello's proposal would make the tax incentives permanent.

Perriello says, "The farmers who, again, are operating on thin margins, get a little bit of credit for it, but more importantly, the food banks get good local nutritious food to help balance out the diets of those they're trying to help."

Whitney Critzer, with Critzer Family Farms, says "It would be a good thing for us. And it's very helpful for us to always receive credit for that. Because it's something you are contributing, like a cash donation or something like that."

The Farm Bureau has endorsed the bill.

Perriello says his proposal simply builds on things that have been successful before, and creates a positive outcome for the food banks, the people who need them, and small farmers.