News on Food Trends from Northern America

Jim Skinner, CEO of McDonald's, is inspecting the kitchen of one of his restaurants in Oak Brook, Ill., with the rigor many of his peers might reserve for financial reports. He examines the food-preparation area as he explains, in great detail, the &q...

On August 2, 2011, the United States Potato Board kicked-off the first weekly recipe email featuring Grilled Pesto Potato Salad to highlight a favorite healthy summertime recipe. The goal of the weekly recipe email is to encourage tUSPB's target consum...

The American Heart Association published in their journal the results of a meta-analysis of the relation between Potassium Intake and stroke. This is of particular interest to the potato industry since potatoes and potato products are a major dietary...

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) announced today that it has now surpassed themilestone of 200,000 square feet for the 2011 PROCESS EXPO trade show, doubling the size of the 2010 show floor. The show will be held November 1 – 4 at McCor...

ConAgra Foods/Lamb Weston sweet potato processing plant in Delhi was recognized as "2011 Green plant of the Year"in a contest organized by FoodProcessing.com. The plant was selected by readers from three finalists: Faribault Foods' main pl...

In response to criticism from the Idaho Potato Commission, the U.S. Potato Board has created a new set of rules for the use of its Potatoes: Goodness Unearthed logo. The biggest change governs the accepted size of the logo on retail bags, according t...

Idaho potato producers will spend $2.49 million over six years for the naming rights of a college post-season football bowl game, according to a contract between the Idaho Potato Commission and Humanitarian Bowl Inc. The contract was released to the C...

A US Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist, Xiaohong Wang - a molecular biologist - has created a new weapon in the war being waged against the potato cyst nematode-a diagnostic test that identifies the type of nematode infesting a grower's field.

Portion control is a tenet of healthy eating, and it appears that consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of managing the portion size of the foods they eat, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research company. For a recent report...

The Potato Association of America held its annual meeting last week in Wilmington, North Carolina. Each year they recognize leaders in their industry with Honorary Life Membership Awards for both technical and non-technical achievement in their careers...

The United States Potato Board (USPB) Executive Committee has issued the steps they are taking to implement new procedures that have been approved by the USPB Administrative Committee and Domestic Marketing Committee to set a new direction for our nutr...

McDonald’s Corporation Chief Executive Officer Jim Skinner today announced that Steve Easterbrook will resign as President of McDonald’s Europe effective September 30, 2011. Easterbrook, 44, is joining the privately owned Gondola Group and will assume ...

Despite a cold, dry spring with lots of wind, the Colorado potato crop is poised to have a slightly better-than-average year. Jim Ehrlich, Executive Director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, notes that despite the wind, the quality and...

Burger King Corp. on Friday said it is retiring "The King"mascot, a man with an oversized plastic head and creepy smile who in recent years has been shown in ads peeping into people's windows and popping up next to them in bed. The move is a...

The USPB is pleased to deliver the industry’s sales and utilization estimates for calendar year 2010. The full report is attached following this story.

ConAgra has hinted it could step up its pursuit of Ralcorp after the US food group suffered a third rejection by its quarry of its proposal – improved to $5.2bn – to buy the company. Ralcorp said on Friday it had a rejected the latest $94 a share cash...

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension says late blight sightings have been confirmed over the last month throughout Aroostook County and the Midcoast areas. Meanwhile, the Maine Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Association has received reports...

U.S. restaurant unit counts declined by -2 percent, or a loss of 9,450 restaurants, based on the most recent restaurant census conducted by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. NPD's Spring 2011 ReCount®, which is a census of commercial r...