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The threat of food and beverage shortages was averted earlier this month when a strike at 14 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts was tentatively settled after three days.

The strike by some 25,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) working at ports from Boston to Houston, was the first such work stoppage in this major supply chain hub since 1977.

While most of America took at least a little time off this summer, there is no vacation break for governmental agencies such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their roles as watchdogs for the consumer.

The organic products market has experienced a remarkable surge in popularity over the past few decades, transforming not only the food industry but also consumer approaches to health, environmental sustainability, and ethical food production.

“The emphasis is on farmers using renewable resources and mimicking natural ecosystems to conserve and maintain the soil and water without polluting the environment,” explains The Spruce Eats. “In a nutshell, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Food Safety Alert on Aug. 8, 2024, for a Listeria outbreak linked to meats sliced at delis that has sickened consumers across 13 states with three deaths.

The Listeria outbreak originated with Boar’s Head Reay-to-Eat Liverwurst products produced between June 11 and July 17, 2024, with a 44-day shelf life. The “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst made in Virginia” product comes in 3.5 pound loaves in plastic casing, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.

From farm to table, technology is transforming every aspect of food distribution, enhancing efficiency, improving traceability, and boosting profitability.

“Understanding the role that technology plays in every sector of the market is integral to building streamlined operations that result in higher levels of productivity and cut costs while saving resources,” says Impact Networking. “The food distribution industry is no exception.”

Americans are getting sicker as a nation, and it just may be what we are putting in our grocery carts and on our dinner tables that is causing the problem with four of the top six killers in the U.S. related to diet.

In recent years, the American diet has undergone a dramatic transformation. Our plates, once filled with whole foods prepared at home, are now dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs). This shift has not only changed how we eat but also significantly impacts our health and society.

FreshByte, a leading customer service organization specializing in software solutions for the wholesale distribution industry, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Pepper, the premier eCommerce platform trusted by independent food distributors of all sizes.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a transformative set of regulations enacted in 2011, fundamentally changing the approach to food safety in the United States.

FSMA shifts the focus from reacting to contamination outbreaks to proactively preventing them, ensuring a safer food supply for consumers.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has continued to evolve over the past 12 months and there could be big changes for one of FSMA’s key components, food traceability, if the proposed legislation succeeds.

As 2024 nears the midway mark, many consumers are grappling with the persistent issue of rising food prices. While inflation has been easing downward, many food prices remain stubborn or even continue to climb.

“In 2024, all food prices are predicted to increase 2.2 percent, with a prediction interval of 0.7 to 3.8 percent,” said the USDA Economic Research Service in April.