MS Walk Pacific Grove

Hello!
The M.S. Walk Pacific Grove this morning was great! Although the weather was a bit down, spirits were high! Joy, my mom, and myself walked from Pacific Grove's Lovers Point to San Carlos Park (the park where all the divers go, just past Cannery Row). We signed up for the 5K walk but decided to go about a half a mile further. So instead of walking 3 miles we did about 4. Thank you everyone for donating. It means a lot to the MS Society and especially to our family. I know my grandpa was looking down on us today with a big smile on his face!
Thank you again!

Jade

Canned Tuna

Roya Kazem, US Foodservice Of San Francisco Brand Specialist,explains the features, advantages and benefits of canned tuna.

Roya Kazem, Brand Specialist on the right at the 2008 US Foodservice Spring Buying Show. Looking like a "Brand Ninja" wearing all black.

Solid Pack
USDA specifications allow up to 18% added flake. ***More Usable Tuna*** Rykoff-Sexton International® brand solid tuna specifications allow no more than 5% broken flake, not added grated flake, to be in the can.
Generally the percentage of broken flake found in our product is less than 5%.

Chunk Pack
USDA specifications allow up to 50% added flake. ***More Usable Tuna*** Rykoff-Sexton International® brand chunk tuna specifications allow a maximum of 20% broken flake, no grated flake, in our chunk Albacore tuna, a maximum of 20% flake in our chunk Tongol and Yellowfin tuna, and a maximum of 25% flakes in our chunk Skipjack tuna.

Clear brine is an indication of low fat content. ***Fat will affect drained weight of the product***
Look for fat floating on the top of the liquid. The floating fat generally indicates a stronger fishy tasting tuna.
This fat will affect drained weight of the product (less usable tuna) and the quality of the finished item.

Excessive fat is the result of poor storage and workmanship in the initial stages of processing.

less Burnt Flesh – Generally occurring during the retorting
(sterilization) process.
Burn spots occur in the flesh closest to the can. The tuna will appear
seared, with the flesh
being leathery and dry.
Burn spots are caused by improper packing of the tuna indicating there
was insufficient brine in the can.

less Blood Meat – When present, this is an indication of poor handling
of the fish as it was caught and poor cleaning if the fish during
processing.

Blood meat or bruised flesh has a very fishy aroma and bitter flavor.
When inspecting competitor’s tuna, look at the tuna very carefully for signs of blood meat and other defects.

Typically this is the area you will notice the greatest difference in products.
Our specifications for Rykoff-Sexton International® tuna call for any flake added to the can must be sorted to eliminate any defects present on the flake as well as larger tuna fillets.

This is typically not done with the competitive product on the market.

None of the Rykoff-Sexton International labeled tuna contains HVP, although it is added to the USF® chunk light Skipjack product.
HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein) will be listed as an ingredient if present.
HVP’s main purpose is to act as a binding agent for flake and as such will enhance the drained weight (it causes the tuna to hold excessive moisture).

Survey Reveals Green Living Despite Economy

May 2, 2008

Consumer interest in buying green, environmentally friendly products and healthy organic food remains high despite the tough economy, and rising food and energy prices. A recent market research survey released by Mambo Sprouts Marketing showed that consumers are placing a priority on buying green and two in three or more are using coupons, stocking up on sales, and cooking meals at home to stretch their grocery dollars.

Even with the faltering economy and rising food and energy prices, about nine in 10 (88%) consumers reported buying the same (52%) or more (36%) green environmentally friendly products vs. six months ago. About seven in 10 consumers are still willing to spend up to 20 percent more for "green" sustainable products. Only one in six (17%) respondents reported buying fewer natural and organic foods, as individual comments suggested that short-term savings would have long-term costs to their family's health and the environment. Read the full story here.

Challenge To Waste Management Ban On Polystyrene

Monterey County Should Address Key Environmental Issues
State and Local Businesses Demand Answers And Full Disclosure Before Vote to Ban Polystyrene Foam Food Containers

MONTEREY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Local and state business groups today challenged the Monterey Regional Waste Management District (MRWMD) to fully review the consequences of its proposed “model” ordinance to ban cups, to-go boxes and other food packages made from expanded polystyrene foam.

“Monterey peninsula officials have not answered fundamental questions about the basis and justification for a ban, which to date have been ignored,” said Mike Levy, a spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents a coalition of food packaging, plastics, restaurants and other businesses. “This process to ban a valuable consumer product has failed to seriously address dozens of critical concerns about negative environmental and economic impacts that will result from such a ban.”

The Monterey Peninsula and Marina Chambers of Commerce have echoed this frustration, requesting in comment letters that the District defer action on the ordinance until it has enjoyed more exposure and explanation. They have requested that more information be developed and shared about alternative food packaging products.

The ACC voiced those and other concerns in a letter sent Monday to MRWMD, which is urging city governments to adopt its recommended ban. The cities of Monterey, Marina and Pacific Grove are currently evaluating the ordinance. (Read the full story here.)

Clean Fish Shrimp

CleanFish is targeting upscale retail and foodservice markets with the launch earlier this year of its Fisherman's Daughter Wild Sonora Coast Shrimp and Laughing Bird Caribbean White Shrimp farmed in Belize. CleanFish, which has collaborated with the World Wildlife Fund and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, says Laughing Bird sales have increased by one-third since the show.

The product had a "soft launch" earlier this year, says COO Jeff Nibler. Recent new customers include Fortune Fish in Chicago, Cambridge Packing in Boston, The Berkeley Bowl and San Francisco Fish Market in the San Francisco Bay area and Santa Monica Seafood in Los Angeles.

Laughing Bird shrimp is sold fresh and is harvested, hand-peeled, chilled and shipped immediately. The vannamei shrimp are farmed at an inland closed-loop aquaculture system and are free if hormones, antibiotics and preservatives. The foodservice product is peeled and packed in 8-pound recyclable tubs, six tubs per case.

The Fisherman's Daughter wild shrimp are harvested by the Valdez-Cervantes family in Sonora, Mexico, and also are all natural. The family's sustainable shrimp harvesting methods incorporate lighter nets; smaller doors and a hydrodynamic design that means less drag on the ocean floor and less fuel use; turtle-excluder devices (TEDs) and bycatch reduction devices (BRDs); satellite monitoring technologies that assure the shrimp are harvested outside of environmental preserves; and third-party boat monitors from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.

Fisherman's Daughter Mexican white (vannamei), blue (stylirostris) and brown (Farfantepenaeus californiensis) shrimp counts range from U10 to 31-35 and are sold in 2-pound IQF bags, 10 bags per container. Sales are limited to the West Coast due to an unfavorable fishing season in the Sea of Cortez. Source