Comments are in for proposed Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls, but final rules have not been issued, leaving processors time to explore audit and certification alternatives.
Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, says there is still a lot of work for lawyers to do, but it’s possible there could be a version of the Farm Bill the House and Senate could agree to sometime in January.
Food manufacturers want more time to comment on FDA’s early November preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils, the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food. FDA’s preliminary determination is based on available scientific evidence, and the agency has requested stakeholder comments by January 7, 2014.
This 640,000-sq.-ft. citrus fruit processing/packaging facility is almost completely automated and has a roof of solar cells and a fuel cell system to supply energy to the plant and the grid.
Energy audits can spot potential waste and provide short-term fixes, but a refrigeration energy management system can keep temperatures and costs cool.