News on Food Trends from the United States

June 09, 2015

Permira Funds to Acquire Maker of PopCorners® and Other Better-For-You Snack Products

Private Equity firm Permira is to acquire two manufacturers of Better-For-You branded and private label snack products, Medora Snacks, LLC and Ideal Snacks Holding Corporation

June 08, 2015

A look at the Innate Potato by FrankenFoodFacts

The blog FrankenFoodFacts recently published a review of the Innate potato of Simplot Plant Sciences. This blog by Layla Katiraee, who holds a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and is a senior scientist at a biotech company, offers the most insightful review of the Innate Potato PotatoPro has seen so far.

May 21, 2015

What is Your Health Worth? Snapshot of American Health and Nutrition Perceptions

With the theme “What’s Your Health Worth?”, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 10th anniversary Food and Health Survey is offering a wealth of new insights into Americans’ health and nutrition, including perceptions of their own health.

Whole Foods Market in Madison , Wisconsin (Courtesy: Whole Foods Market)

May 17, 2015

Whole Foods Market plans new chain of stores with lower prices.

Whole Foods Market, a leading organic and natural grocery chain, announced it plans to open a new chain of stores with lower prices.

May 14, 2015

Organic Label Just an Excuse to Sell Product at a Premium

Americans appear confused about the benefits of organics, with many perceiving the organic label as nothing more than an excuse to sell products at a premium, according to new research from MIntel

May 12, 2015

Conagra Foods acquires Blake's All Natural Foods

ConAgra Foods, Inc. announced today that it has acquired Blake’s All Natural Foods, a rapidly-growing, family-owned company which makes natural and organic frozen meals, including pot pies, casseroles, pasta dishes and other entrees.

May 11, 2015

HZPC takes potato genome browsing to the next level

Ceres, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERE), an agricultural biotechnology company, today announced that the company has licensed its Persephone bioinformatics software to global seed potato developer, HZPC Holland BV.

May 11, 2015

Potato Crisps in decline in Britain

It appears that the potato crisp is in decline in Britain, according to a survey carried out by 'The Grocer' Magazine

May 11, 2015

Where do my french fries come from?

Lamb Weston now provides restaurant operators in North America with a tool to find out where the potatoes that become their fries originated and then share that information with their customers.

Cornell University Nematode Laboratory, built in 1937

May 10, 2015

New York Senator launches push to replace Cornell University's outdated nematode lab

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer has urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prioritize the replacement and modernization of the Federal Nematode Quarantine Facility at Cornell University in the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Capitol Investment Strategy for Fiscal Year 2016.

May 10, 2015

McDonald's Announces Initial Steps In Turnaround Plan

McDonald's President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook recently announced the initial steps of the Company's turnaround plan

Potato Cyst Nematoe infected plant roots

April 30, 2015

Idaho Potato Farmers file lawsuit over PCN regulation

A group of 18 Idaho Potato farmers that say they have been negatively affected by the Pale Cyst Nematode (PCN) program filed an administrative lawsuit against the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture on Tuesday.

April 30, 2015

Teenagers’ potassium intake may lower blood pressure in adulthood

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that a diet high in potassium may protect teenagers from high blood pressure in adulthood. Since potatoes are a major dietary source of potassium, the potato sector should take note of this research.

Colorized Scanning Electron Micrograph of Clostridium Botulinum.

April 29, 2015

Improperly Home-canned Potatoes suspected as source of Botulism Outbreak

Ohio Department of Health officials say the likely source of the Lancaster botulism outbreak is home-canned potatoes used in a potato salad.

April 27, 2015

Paqui Brand (Tortilla Chips) acquired by SkinnyPop

SkinnyPop Popcorn LLC recently announced that it has acquired the Paqui brand of “better-for-you” tortilla chips and tortillas and that Paqui will immediately become a sibling brand to SkinnyPop in the better-for-you family of snack food brands.

McDonald's sign (Courtesy McDonald's Corporation)

April 24, 2015

Mcdonald's announces turnaround plan as it reports sales declines

McDonald’s announces to unwrap a plan next month that it says will help turn around sales declines around the world.

April 20, 2015

Utz Specialty Division launched to offer Better-for-You Snack Foods

Utz Quality Foods, Inc. recently announced the culmination of strategic development work to launch the Utz Specialty Division. The Utz Specialty Division will provide Retailers with a range of brands and products to excite consumers around better-for-you, craft and regional snack foods.

Potato protoplasts expressing green florescence to demonstrate high transformation efficiency.

April 15, 2015

Cellectis reduces cold sweetening in potato by inactivating a single gene

Cellectis Plant Sciences, Inc. has announced today that the Plant Biotechnology Journal has accepted the publication of its peer-reviewed manuscript demonstrating the phenotypic validation of potato lines developed by inactivating a single endogenous gene responsible for sugar accumulation when stored at cold temperatures.