- CIES – The Food Business Forum announced the compliance of the first four food safety standards -- The BRC Technical Standard, The Dutch HACCP Code, The EFSIS standard, and The International Standard for Auditing Food Suppliers -- with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Guidance Document.
The GFSI was launched in May 2000, following a decision by a group of international retailer CEOs that there was a need to enhance food
safety, ensure consumer protection, strengthen consumer confidence, to set requirements for food safety measures, and to improve cost efficiency throughout the food supply chain. The GFSI.is based on the principle that food safety is a non-competitive issue, as any potential problem arising may cause repercussions in the whole sector, and is driven by an international Task Force comprised of over 50 retailer quality managers.
- Fruit and vegetable supplier Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has acquired Standard Fruit and Vegetable Co. Standard Fruit distributes several products that Fresh Del Monte does not offer, including tomatoes, potatoes and onions.
- Reuters reports this morning that an annual meeting of wheat industry companies is focused on a discussion of genetically modified wheat produced by Monsanto Co.
While some companies embrace the notion of a scientific tool that will enable them to grow more profitable and hardy crops, there are concerns about the anti-GM mood prevalent in Europe, which makes it almost impossible to sell such products there.
Monsanto has agreed not introduce GMO wheat until the industry is ready.
