food recall

Despite technological advancements in food safety in recent years, 2023 has been marked by some alarming food safety scandals globally, impacting public health and trust in the food industry. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the worst food safety scandals of 2023 and sheds light on the causes and consequences of these outbreaks and recalls. These scandals include a persistent Salmonella outbreak from poultry in the US; Listeria from frozen vegetables in Europe; an E. Coli outbreak linked to a Canadian daycare; pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables in India; and undeclared allergens in snacks in the UK, among others. These food safety scandals underline the critical importance of stringent food safety measures and regulations. The team discuss all the stages along the food supply chain that food safety could be weakened, from harvesting to preparation.

Also in this episode, Sydney talks about Postum, a beverage that originated as a caffeine-free coffee alternative. Invented in 1895 by Post Cereal Company founder C.W. Post, it was conceived as a healthier alternative to coffee. Post, who had a personal aversion to caffeine due to health reasons, sought to create a beverage that mimicked coffee’s richness without its potentially adverse effects. The original recipe comprised primarily of roasted wheat bran, wheat and molasses. This blend, when brewed, yields a warm, comforting beverage with an earthy taste reminiscent of coffee but with its own unique flavor profile. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in interest in Postum, partly driven by a broader trend towards healthier, more natural food and drink options. Although the team had never heard of Postum, they would be curious to try it and discuss how it differs from other coffee alternatives and coffee itself.

Read the full article here:

Worst Food Safety Scandals of 2023
Postum: A Time-Honored Coffee Alternative

For more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.

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Our special guest is Kelly Higginson, President & CEO of Restaurants Canada, and we dive into the challenges faced by the foodservice industry post-COVID, the role of technology, tipping and the road ahead for a $100Billion industry in Canada where now more than 50 percent of restaurants and foodservice businesses operating at a loss or barely breaking even.

In the news, Sylvain presents a new report from the Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Changing Traditions: The Impact of Rising Food Prices on Holiday Meals, and we talk about the cost of a traditional holiday dinner, including egg nog and options for Canadians who are food insecure.  

We talk about the state of the The Beer Store in Ontario raising questions about the future of beer regulations and the iconic empties return system. Irony reigns as environmentalists jet to Dubai for COP28. A cantaloupe recall sparks a discussion on its reputation and the shortcomings of Canada's dangerous food alert system. We reflect on the legacy of George Cohon, whose forays into "Burger Diplomacy" in Russia for McDonald's lay in tatters under Putin's rule. Still, his legacy and spirit of generosity shine through Ronald McDonald House. We wrap with the startling twist of strategy with WeightWatchers CEO's surprising shift into buying a company that can prescribe weight loss drugs.

About Kelly

Kelly Higginson took on the role of President and CEO of Restaurants Canada after serving the organization as Chief Operating Officer since 2022. Prior to this, she served as the Executive Vice President of Operations at The CFW Group, leading operational strategy for North American hospitality brands like ki modern japanese + bar, The Shore Club and Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House. During her time with The CFW Group, Higginson had first-hand experience navigating copious challenges as she worked to further the development and retention of employees through the global pandemic.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our host Francine shares some recent (and not-so-pleasant) personal developments since our episode about contaminated dog food. That leads to her and Matt sharing invaluable insights on crisis management in the food industry. Drawing from their extensive experience in the field, they emphasize the critical need for preparing ahead of time, long before a crisis strikes. 

They also have some even more disturbing news to share, it was recently found that an NJ school janitor has been accused of contaminating the school’s food supply with his own body fluids. 

Curious to know what Francine and Matt think about this? Press play and find out.

In this episode:

💩 [06:15] A personal development caused by the dog food outbreak

💩 [12:56] An outbreak of Listeria and E. coli – and the problem with our current recall process and crisis management

💩 [22:27] Contaminated dog food: What you can do to make sure there is no cross-contamination

💩 [24:52] Body fluid all over the school campus – and we're not just talking about pee or poop

Resources from this episode

https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/11/fda-reports-two-new-outbreaks-of-unknown-origin/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/product-recall-salmonella-dog-cat-food-mid-america-pet-food/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nj-school-janitor-accused-contaminating-food-faces-child-porn-charges-rcna124334

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“That's two separate things. One is traceability, figuring out where that problem is. And the other is figuring out how to get that stuff off the shelf as fast as possible.” – Matthew Regusci

“The time to create it [a crisis management plan] isn't in the middle of a crisis.  It's before the crisis.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Together, we can raise awareness and make a positive impact in the world of food safety!

We'd love to hear from you!

Connect with Francine, Matt, and the "Don't Eat Poop!" show on LinkedIn! 

Share your thoughts and feedback on the show and feel free to offer any topics you would like to hear discussed.

Check out Francine's book Who Watches the Kitchen? on Amazon! 

_______

Produced by Ideablossoms

The Trader Joe’s recall situation has garnered significant attention in the past few weeks, as the popular retail chain declared three different product recalls during the last week of July. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the details of the recall, which has raised some eyebrows with food safety. Trader Joe’s, in a statement to Vox, called the series of recalls “a coincidence.” Yet, Melvin Kramer, President of the EHA environmental and public health consulting group, suggests another theory. The unique appeal of Trader Joe’s to consumers lies in its blend of global and local foods produced by small-scale makers. This variety may increase Trader Joe’s recall risk compared to stores sourcing from large-scale manufacturers. Trader Joe’s has gained a cult-like following for selling a variety of local specialty foods and crafting engaging narratives about its brands; however, the recent increase in Trader Joe’s recall from once or twice a month to three times in a week is alarming. The team talks about the lack of oversight from federal authorities like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and wonder whether consumers are partially to blame for high demand.

Also in this episode, Sydney reviews Netflix’s new food safety documentary, “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.” The objective of the documentary is not to dictate what foods the audience should avoid due to health concerns or to debunk myths about so-called healthy foods. Rather, its primary focus is to shed light on the negligent food safety practices employed by various companies and federal authorities. The film unpacks a variety of food safety issues, starting with the notorious E. coli outbreak between 1992 and 1993 that claimed the lives of four children who had eaten contaminated burgers from the fast-food chain Jack in the Box. The film also profiled Kenneth Kendrick, a former plant manager at Peanut Corporation of America who blew the whistle on his boss, corporation owner Stewart Parnell, for tampering with inspection records to ship out contaminated nuts. The narrative unfolds through several viewpoints, including those of food industry attorneys, politicians, regulators, scientists, victims’ parents and implicated businesses. The team praises the documentary for shedding light on several important but overlooked food safety issues in the US.

Read the full article here:

Trader Joe’s Recall 2023: Multiple Products Under the Microscope
New Netflix Food Documentary Exposes America’s Faulty Food Safety System

For more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.

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Cronobacter sakazakii, the bacteria linked to recent baby formula shortages and the Abbott infant formula recall, could soon join the federal disease watchlist. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about Cronobacter sakazakii, a bacteria that can cause severe infections, particularly in infants, and is associated with high mortality rates. It is commonly found in the environment, including in water, soil and dry foods such as powdered infant formula. In an outbreak that the CDC investigated last year, four babies were sickened, including two who died. In June, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) will vote to decide if it will officially recommend adding Cronobacter infections to the list of nationally notifiable diseases to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, only Minnesota and Michigan require doctors to report Cronobacter cases, which can be diagnosed as sepsis or meningitis, conditions that can result from infection. 

Also in this episode, Sydney talks about Coca-Cola owned Fairlife milk, which will receive a significant boost of $650 million as the company prepares to construct a new production facility in Webster, upstate New York. The Fairlife milk brand was founded in 2012 by husband and wife duo Mike and Sue McCloskey to offer a new type of milk that could provide families with better nutrition from the wholesome goodness of real milk. Fairlife milk boasts 50 percent higher levels of protein and calcium while containing 50 percent less sugar compared to traditional milk, while also being lactose-free. Despite an undercover video showing workers at one of Fairlife’s milk suppliers abusing calves and subsequent lawsuits, Fairlife milk has been dominating the milk category, earning over $1 billion in annual retail sales in 2022. The team asserts that animal abuse is not exclusive to Fairlife and wonders whether consumers seek value-added milk.

Read the full article here:

Cronobacter Sakazakii: The Bacteria Behind the Baby Formula Shortage

Fairlife Milk Gets $650 Million Bet from Coca-Cola

For more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.

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Twitter: @XtalksFood
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Multinational medical device and health care company Abbott Laboratories is under investigation by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) following the closure of Michigan’s baby formula plant in February 2022. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the investigation, which is centered around Abbott’s unsanitary workplace conditions and fueled one of the worst baby formula shortages in recent history. Health officials found bacteria at the plant that can potentially cause deadly infections in babies. The plant was forced to close, but reopened several months later. Abbott relies on the success of its wide range of consumer and professional products, so while the outcome of the DOJ investigation remains to be seen, it is unlikely that Abbott’s overall earnings will suffer in the long-term. The team wonders who, if any person or agency, is to blame for Abbott’s unsanitary work conditions and whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the FDA’s workplace audits. 

Also in this episode, Sydney talks about artificial intelligence startup Nala Robotics, which might be able to solve the foodservice's labor shortage with its robotic dishwashers. The technology shifts the dishwashing responsibilities to Spotless, its robot dishwasher, and the company claims the entire process — from cleaning and drying to stacking and storage — takes just as long (or even less time) than a human dishwasher. Currently, the robot dishwasher has been deployed in several non-commercial kitchens, like hospitals and living centers, and will soon be utilized at a national diner chain. Nala’s business model allows restaurants to lease Spotless on a monthly basis for almost $3,000 a month. The team compares the price of Spotless with the price of hiring a human dishwasher and determines that the robotic dishwasher would be a better option for restaurant operators as long as it functioned properly. 

Read the full article here:
Abbott Baby Formula Plant Under Investigation by the DOJ
Could Robot Dishwashers Solve Foodservice’s Labor Shortage?

For more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.

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Twitter: @XtalksFood
Instagram: @Xtalks
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Welcome to another special SIAL bonus episodes of The Food Professor podcast!

Sylvain and I were thrilled to be the official podcast of the SIAL food innovation trade show held in Montreal in April. We had the opportunity to meet and get to know many food innovators and entrepreneurs, creators and makers from many facets of the food industry.   These are their stories.

In this episode:  Meet Laurent Dallaire, CEO Innodal

Check out the winners of the food innovation awards:  https://sialcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CP-Gagnant-Innovation-2022-EN.pdf

Thanks for joining us on this special bonus episode of The Food Professor.  Stay tuned for plenty of great interviews from our podcast studio on the trade show floor in Montreal at SIAL, and stay tuned for our regular full length episodes available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google - wherever you enjoy your podcasts today.  

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  ,      The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and now in its second season, Conversations with CommerceNext!  You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. 

Be sure and check out Michael's latest adventure for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Mars Wrigley announced a voluntary recall of various candy products after consumers reported thin metal strands in the candy itself or loose in the bag. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the latest Mars recall, which included Starburst, Skittles and Life Savers gummies that were manufactured by a third party and distributed across North America. She brings up several other recent recalls and explains why metal contamination is such a prevalent occurrence in the food and beverage industry. The team wonders whether more can be done to prevent metal contamination during manufacturing and whether this recall will impact Mars’ sales.

Also, in this episode, Sydney introduces the team to Kidfresh, a New York-based brand of frozen children’s food featuring hidden veggies. All Kidfresh products are made without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and are frozen immediately after being cooked to preserve the nutrients and flavors. Founded in 2016 by parents Gilles Deloux and Matt Cohen, the pair sought to create delicious and nutritious versions of classic children’s foods. Now, Kidfresh products are available in over 10,000 grocery stores nationwide and target children aged six to eight. The team applauds the company for appealing to both children and parents and discusses how far children’s food has come in the past few decades. 

Read the full articles here:

Mars Recalls Select Skittles, Starbust and Life Saver Gummies over Possible Metal Contamination

Kidfresh: The Better-For-You Kid’s Brand with Hidden Veggies

For more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.

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April 29, 2022

CRISIS! NO FORMULA FOR MY GTUBE FED SON!

In this episode, I wanted to share with you my experience with the recent recall of specialized formula that we needed to feed our 24 year old disabled son.  The recall, of Elecare Jr. and the subsequent supply chain crisis of baby formula and enteral g tube formula for adults and children, was extremely stressful.

We went through having to watch Daniel experience a dangerous allergic reaction to a substitute food that the doctor thought would be safe.  I spent days calling, everywhere, to find any supply of any amino acid based formulas even similar to what Daniel had been using for many years.

Eventually we had to switch to a different type of formulation all together, a vegan whole food made nutrition with peptides, created for g tube feeding.  That is called Kate Farms, and for now he appears to be tolerating it fairly well.  We are watching every symptom so carefully.

When the solution to feeding a fragile person suddenly disappeared over night, I was left scrambling to find a solution.  And there was nothing similar to the original formula available anywhere. 

He isn't a person who you can just, try this, try that...  because of extreme sensitivity. 

Adapting.   When the solution to the solution is not longer a solution, because both solutions are rendered not available.   

it is my world, caring for my son.  I am his LIFE giver, not just his CARE giver.  I take this responsibility very seriously, with deep awe and gratitude because of the love I have for my beautiful son.

I am one of a beautiful collective of people like me, who for many reasons, are faced with adversity and challenge in caring for another person.  In LIFE giving, and all that comes with it.

This is my adapted life story.  It changes every second.  I have learned to surf the waves of hypervigilence.  And with deepest empathy and compassion, I want to reach out across the universe to all who need someone who gets it.  I get it.  I am here, in Connecticut, caring for my son facing joy and challenge each day, writing and podcasting about it, creating video content for others to watch and share about this adapted life, and finding ways to grow in purpose and passion.

DEVELOPING PURPOSE FROM RESILIENCE IN ADAPTING.

Thank you for listening.  

WATCH US ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:  PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TOO! 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg

VISIT "DANIEL'S SPECIAL ART" ON ETSY.COM https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg

While the plant-based food industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years, how much have sales in the sector grown since 2018? In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the massive growth of plant-based food sales in the US, which hit $7.4 billion in 2021, growing by a whopping 54 percent since 2018. This data was released in a report from the Good Food Institute (GFI), which also pointed out that dollar sales of products in categories including plant-based milk, meat and eggs, outpaced sales of the animal products they aim to replace. The team discusses the wider market for plant-based food beyond vegans and vegetarians and wonders whether this exponential growth of the industry will continue in the coming years. 

Also, in this episode, Sydney discusses the semantics of the term “voluntary recall” when it comes to food safety recalls. Hormel Foods, for example, recently issued a voluntary recall of over 9,000 cases of Skippy peanut butter over concerns that a limited number could contain stainless steel fragments. So, was it Hormel’s choice to issue the recall or was it mandatory, despite being a “voluntary” food recall? Sydney explains that even though the term “voluntary” is used throughout the industry, this Class 1 recall, and others like it, are not optional nor are they unnecessary. A recall is only mandatory from the FDA if the business refuses to issue one on its own. The team agrees the term “business-initiated” recall is more appropriate and discusses the use of the term “voluntary recall” in other industries. 

Read the full articles here:

Here’s How Much Plant-Based Food Sales Have Grown Since 2018

Are Voluntary Food Recalls Truly Voluntary?

For more food and beverage industry content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.

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Last week, Kellogg Co. was hit with a $5 million lawsuit for "false, misleading and deceptive" marketing. The lawsuit alleged that Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts don't have strawberries in them even though the product's ingredients list says the popular pastries contain "2% or less of dried strawberries, dried pears and dried apples.”

Although food labeling lawsuits are hot right now, many of them can be traced back to one man: Spencer Sheehan, a New York lawyer who has filed more than 400 lawsuits, many against food and beverage manufacturers.

According to NPR, Sheehan has almost single-handedly created a historic spike in class-action lawsuits, which are up more than 1,000% since 2008. 

Sheehan went after Ferrara because Keebler Fudge Stripes cookies weren't made with real fudge. He did the same to General Mills for Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix. 

The lawyer is averaging about three new lawsuits a week, also targeting Frito-Lay's Hint-of-Lime Tostitos for prominently showing limes on the packaging while carefully tucking "flavored tortilla chips" in the bottom corner of the bag. 

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