Food

A multistate salmonella outbreak has been linked to cut melons, and most of the illnesses have been reported in Michigan and Indiana. Most people who have been infected with this strain of salmonella bought pre-cut melon at Walmart or Kroger stores, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.If you've purchased pre-cut melon from Walmart or Kroger, including fruit salad mixes with melon, you should throw it away.Both stores have removed all cut melon associated with this outbreak, Michigan health officials say. [node:read-more:link]

The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) announced four more people have died as a result of the Yuma, AZ-linked E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, bringing the total to five. [node:read-more:link]

Officials have warned Tennessee consumers to throw out any raw milk from French Broad Farm after more than 10 children, all under the age of 4, became sick with infections from E. coli in the last few weeks. Most of the children drank raw milk from the farm before becoming sick, Food Safety News reports. The Knox County Health Department has said that the dairy farm has stopped distributing milk, but warns people to still avoid milk from the farm for the time being. [node:read-more:link]

Per capita red meat and poultry disappearance (the amount used in domestic markets, including fresh and processed meat sold through grocery stores and used in restaurants) is expected to reach record highs in 2018, eclipsing the previous high in 2007. Based on USDA forecasts, in 2018, Americans will have access to 222.4 pounds of red meat and poultry on a per capita retail weight basis. Average annual per capita disappearance of beef decreased 0.3 percent annually from 2000 to 2015 but has increased since 2016 and is expected to grow by 3.7 percent in 2018. [node:read-more:link]

alifornia cannot require companies to place warning labels on glyphosate products, a federal judge affirmed in a ruling issued Tuesday that questions the benefits of Proposition 65, which is meant to inform the state’s residents about cancer-causing chemicals. “Given the evidence in the record, the court questions whether California has shown that requiring a Proposition 65 warning for glyphosate directly advances the law’s stated interest in informing Californians about exposures to chemicals that cause cancer,” U.S. [node:read-more:link]

The “Beyond Meat” patties that offended Mr. Kendig were made with pea protein, canola oil, coconut oil, potato starch and “natural flavor.” They’re part of a posse of look-alikes invading meat country—from plant-based burgers that ooze “blood” at first bite to chicken strips grown in a tank from poultry cells. [node:read-more:link]

Mars Inc., the maker of its namesake chocolate bar and Wrigley’s chewing gum, is spending $1 billion on sustainability with a strategy to make greener practices increase profits. Mars is working to reduce its exposure to environmental, social and governance risks, known as ESG, because it’s next to impossible to track exactly where the huge amounts of raw materials that it uses are from, according to Parkin. The company buys 0.2 percent of the world’s palm oil, sourcing it from thousands of mills. [node:read-more:link]

A recent survey of U.S. consumers about their purchase intentions and willingness to pay premiums for cage-free eggs and breast meat from slow-growing broilers showed that willingness to pay a premium could be affected by information provided to consumers as part of the survey. Information from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and from the Coalition for a Sustainable Egg Supply study each impacted willingness to pay a premium for cage-free eggs, but in opposite directions. [node:read-more:link]

The National Pork Board and USDA are working to create a Secure Pork Supply plan to help lower the disruption to producers and the marketplace if a foreign animal disease (FAD) event occurs. The plan is intended to help pig farmers prepare and quickly respond if an FAD occurs, and is similar to plans in development for other livestock and poultry producers. The plan enhances communication and coordination of all pork chain segments to help producers keep their farms operating and all related business activities functioning. [node:read-more:link]

Mexico was the pacesetter for pork exports in April, with volume up 34 percent from a year ago to 79,019 metric tons, according to data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation. [node:read-more:link]