Foodborne illness is a preventable and underreported disease that presents a major challenge to both the general and at-risk populations. Link

On a summer’s day in 1906 Theodore Roosevelt pushed through new food safety regulation. The Food and Drugs Act passed that day over 100 years ago was the last time the US food safety system was modernized. Link

Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, the new principal deputy commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, met with Produce Marketing Association and other food organizations earlier this week to discuss ways to enhance food safety. Link

Everyone in the IT industry is talking about cloud computing, but there is still confusion about what the cloud is, how it should be used and what problems and challenges it might introduce. Link

Members of the new White House Food Safety Working Group outlined their plans and priorities to industry stakeholders including PMA during an April 24 conference call.  On March 14, President Barack Obama announced the creation of the working group... Link

The Eastern Bag and Paper Group distributes commercial paper products, as well as cleaning supplies, healthcare products, and food service products, throughout the northeastern United States. Link

As the  recession forces cutbacks in personnel and hiring, fleets as well as dealerships continue to look for ways to "automate" or at least simplify many common maintenance shop procedures -- from paperwork to truck inspections. Link

Beginning in February, some Pocono produce boxes will carry “WOW!” stickers to draw attention to exceptional quality. The boxes may also have “Inspected By…” cards inserted, touting the work of the distributor’s quality assurance team, which pulls samples for inspection on all produce items. And e-mail alerts... Link

Produce trade association United Fresh has teamed with B2B connectivity specialist Axway to support its Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI), an industry-led effort to enhance traceability throughout the global, fresh produce supply chain. Link

Not yet entering the heated controversy surrounding the pallet fire safety debate, CHEP has announced new developments in its Web-based customer portal application. Link

In the wake of a number of high profile product recalls, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services conducted an exercise (see .pdf) to examine traceability in the food supply chain. IFDA and other food industry groups are working together to identify supply chain practices to significantly improve product traceability. Link

The Board of Governors for GS1 US Inc. has elected Robert W. Carpenter, a former executive with ARAMARK Corp., as the not-for-profit organization’s new chief executive officer... Link

Cloud computing a bright spot in midst of recession... Link

The food industry reacts to the massive peanut recall by re-examining safety procedures within each link of the food chain. Link

Poultry distributor Simmons Foods is clucking over its remote monitoring solution that helps prevent costly spoiled food loads. Link

Cincinnati: Argenti Lemon S.A., one of Argentina's lemon exporters, has deployed a radio frequency solution from Psion Teklogix Inc., to help ensure the effective production of lemons from their 24 plantations and to keep track of the 2,000 contract employees. Link

While the use of electric on-board computers (EOBRs) have yet to be mandated by the Dept. of Transportation, fleets that have adopted them have seen benefits in safety and fuel economy... Link

Leaders from Produce Marketing Association (PMA), National Restaurant Association, and International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) have joined forces on a multi-phase project to identify opportunities to increase fresh produce use in foodservice to promote healthy lifestyles. Link

Mitigating climate change is sure to top legislative agendas in the years to come. Smart companies are turning the potential burden into an opportunity. Link

The latest models feature a variety of high-tech innovations. Link

The benefits of a WMS are numerous, but like most technologies, a WMS has a lifecycle. Link

At an Atlanta reverse logistics facility, a real-time location system tracks assets from above -- and zeroes in on doubled productivity. Link

GS1 Canada, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to developing global standards for e-commerce and supply chain processes, has created a special committee dedicated to traceability. Link

GS1 US, a not-for-profit organization, today announced that its annua. U Connect Conference® for supply-chain professionals will be held June 2-5, 2009, in Orlando, Fla., and will feature Bruce Richardson, renowned chief research officer of AMR Research, delivering the Conference Keynote. Link

From its modest beginnings in 1957, as a small group of boat owners from Mexico seeking a US market for its harvest of premium shrimp, Ocean Garden Products has grown to a leading global provider of seafood products to the foodservice and retail industries. Link

Belgravium’s Voice Recognition System (VRS) has the ability to support increasing numbers of distribution operations within a range of industry sectors. Food Service, Grocery and Cold Storage industries... Link

Justin Levy demonstrates how the convenience and speed of technology decreases opportunities for face-to-face time. Link

The Web 2.0 revolution is transforming the very fabric of business and society today. But does banning wikis, blogs and sites such as Facebook at work boost productivity, or damage engagement, networks and creativity? Link

A final rule that would have mandated electronic onboard recorders for at least some motor carriers is on hold after President Barack Obama's new administration Tuesday ordered all federal agencies and departments to stop any pending regulations until they can be reviewed by incoming staff. Link

Penske Truck Leasing customers now have an array of Internet tools available to them with the launch of MyFleetatPenske.com. The site includes practical tools and information Penske account holders can use to maximize fleet efficiency and improve compliance and driver safety, Penske said. Link

Cadec Global has announced that Publix Super Markets, Inc. has purchased and will implement the company’s Mobius TTS on-board computers and software on the more than 600 trucks in its private fleet. Link

Survival in this ultra-competitive industry requires a fresh focus on the fundamentals. Whether it’s skyrocketing material costs, out-of-control SKU proliferation or strict regulation, every industry has an Achilles’ heel. If ignored or mismanaged, vulnerabilities in one link of the chain can wreak havoc on the entire system. Link

Despite the weak economy, food and beverage distributors continue to invest in automation. Here are 12 major reasons. Link

Tilt-tray sorter speeds delivery of frozen-food items to Switzerland’s largest supermarket chain. Link

While some produce goes from field to consumer in a relatively straightforward manner, sometimes even being packed for shipment in the field itself, most produce goes through a more complicated process in a processing facility. Link

The 2009 GS1 General Specifications are now available. All changes from the previous version have been approved through the GSMP (Global Standard Management Process) in line with documented business requirements. Link

New system saves money and the environment. Link

The United States Department of Agriculture today announced details of the final regulation for the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) program... Link

In an effort to improve driver safety, Ryder has announced it has begun installing GreenRoad Technologies' Safety Center in the vehicles of select fleets. Ryder said they chose the system because it is tailored to meet specific driver needs and provides a suitable prevention mechanism that gives transparent information on driver improvement. Link

For the fifth year in a row, Food Logistics has identified the top 100 technology solution and service providers to the food industry. Link

Wireless technology is converging to make warehouses more productive. Stories like this illustrate how wireless technology, which encompasses RFID, voice, barcode scanning and mobile computing, makes warehouses more efficient, more productive and cheaper to operate. Link

Global Transport and Logistics Pilot Program will show end-to-end visibility between Japan and the Netherlands based upon GS1 EPCglobal standards. Link

Relieving traffic congestion and improving vehicle safety are the common themes for a wide variety of advanced technologies on display and under discussion here at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems. Link

A new feature on PHH Arval's website allows clients to interact directly with other users to exchange ideas and information and enhance communication, the company has announced.

Information and communications technologies will become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions but can abate far more of them. Link

Two opportunities to attend: Nov. 4th 1:30 PM or Dec. 4th 1:30 PM Eastern. Link
The need to communicate accurate product information in the same language is critical to success in the foodservice industry. Today in the foodservice industry, 85 to 90 percent of inbound shipments have errors...

Environmentalists and consumer advocates urged the government Thursday to increase testing of farm-raised salmon from Chile after authorities in Germany detected banned chemicals in Chilean fish. Link

Tomatoes that have been genetically modified to be rich in antioxidants can give protection against cancer, a team of British scientists has found. Link

Looking to slash your IT investments? Consider the possibility that targeted ones might generate savings and revenues exceeding what you could save through cost cutting. Link

Every package of raw hamburger and chicken in Florida supermarkets soon will be labeled with a fact already found on fresh produce and seafood: Where the food came from. Link

According to some sources, automated ordering and forecasting systems are becoming increasingly important in the supply chain. However... a skeptical "wait and see" attitude prevails among many decision makers. Link

When it comes to finding the right idle-reduction technology, you’d be well served to heed the advice offered by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – you’d better shop around. Link

According to Ciatti, there are two basic ways to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in diesel exhaust... Link

Food industry leaders set to appear Thursday before a House committee say they will testify about what they view as mistakes in the federal response to the continuing salmonella outbreak... Link

Nortura is launching a system that will employ RFID to track meat from butchering and processing to the store, with a long-term goal of tracing it from birth to plate. Link

According to the company, the B400T determines if vehicles are safe enough to stay on the road in only 30 seconds. Link

Order Picking Systems Decisions Are Closely Tied To Location and Storage Mode Decisions. Link

Purchasing an ERP system represents a substantial investment—and one of the most important decisions a company can make. Link

SCDigest and Wright State University help one or more companies evaluate the potential incremental benefits of RFID on the shop floor (and also in one distribution center) versus bar codes. Link

Transportation and Logistics Phase 2 Pilot Program has demonstrated the impact of GS1 EPCglobal Standards on providing visibility of goods on a global level . Link

Today’s routing systems help fleets of any size save money on fuel. Link

As companies search for solutions that increase efficiencies-in the face of higher operational issues-on-demand TMS is meeting great expectations. Link

Risk management at the fleet level is ready to take a giant leap forward and may be the “wave of the future” for safety management. Link

A VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol)-based voice-activated picking solution helps Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. (CCE) maintain order accuracy rates of more than 99.8%. Link

Automating paper logbooks is just the tip of the iceberg of benefits from electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs). Link

Voice-directed work is easy to implement and helps companies achieve their cost and profit goals. Link

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA), Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), and United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA) formed a joint Produce Traceability Initiative in 2007, intended to drive adoption of consistent traceability best practices throughout the produce supply chain. Link

Are labor costs the bane of your distribution center?  Get a handle on labor costs with today’s solution- labor management software. Link

Managers of temperature-controlled supply chains, or cold chains, can't afford to take anything for granted. Link

One of the most compelling issues facing many consumer goods companies today is how to leverage the mountain of downstream demand data to which they have access. Link

Higher production and efficiencies, lower operational and labor costs, and a smaller real-estate footprint might sound like a tall order, but this is exactly what automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) deliver. Link

New technologies – such as GPS, RFID and more – make onboard computers more powerful and more fruitful for fleet operators. Link

Order Picking is incredibly important – it involves a big piece of the total labor budget and it directly affects customer satisfaction. The ability to quickly and accurately process customer orders is essential. Link

Wholesaler-distributors can capture the full benefits of technology when new business practices are adopted at roughly the same time as major technology investments. Link

As one of the warehouse’s most labor-intensive functions, order picking is a key area that companies focus on for automating processes with new technologies. Link