And produce industry trade groups vow to keep the issue on the front burner. In 2007 alone, 75 legislative proposals were introduced on food safety, after scares involving spinach, seafood, and pet food. Responding to large beef recalls in recent months, safety of food imports remains a chief concern, with limitations on the number of ports importers may use to ship foods into the United States. Country-of-origin labeling legislation is also up for approval. It's a difficult position for produce suppliers who must wait to see what packaging standards the yet-to-be-approved legislation requires. Without legal standards, foodservice and retailers will demand packaging and processing standards that reach much farther than proposed legislation, in order to protect their products and companies.
Source: Theproducenews.com
