New Supermarket Food-Safety Course Unveiled
ciation Educational Foundation has announced the launch of ServSafe Training for Supermarkets, a food-safety training program developed with assistance from supermarket industry experts and based on established food-safety principles from the second edition of NRAEF's food service-oriented ServSafe program. In addition to the 2001 FDA Food Code updates, the new program has content created specifically for deli, bakery, seafood, meat and produce retailers, and contains supermarket-specific case studies, exercises, resources and glossary items, according to officials with the foundation. After completing the course, participants will be prepared to take the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Examination. In addition to creating a training program for staff, the NRAEF has developed the ServSafe Instructor Toolkit for Supermarkets, a set of motivating programs designed to help energize, organize and customize training sessions.
Turkey Group Targets Grill Season
WASHINGTON -- The National Turkey Federation is preparing to inaugurate a retail-focused summer grilling promotion for turkey called "Give Turkey a Turn." The campaign will launch in Charlotte, N.C.; Columbus, Ohio; and Sacramento, Calif.; in June and will feature a mix of in-store promotions, advertising and public relations initiatives. The $1 million campaign follows up on a similar program initiated five years ago that targeted the food-service industry. For the retail measure, each market will promote the availability of a local chef grillmaster, selected to inform consumers on turkey grilling methods, according to NTF officials.
Whole Foods Nets Sustainable Seafood Award
AUSTIN, Texas -- Whole Foods Market has been named a recipient of a "regional excellence" award from the United Nations Environment Programme, The Wild Foundation and host sponsor Animal Planet for Whole Foods' 2001 Fish for Our Future educational awareness campaign. The program was a monthlong promotion of wild Alaska salmon, and included in-store and media initiatives designed to raise consumer awareness of sustainable species efforts. The salmon was the first North American fish certified sustainable by the London-based Marine Stewardship Council. The natural foods retailer, and five other companies, will be honored for their campaigns on Earth Day, April 22.
Salmon Poll Tracks Color Preferences
PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- The newest findings from a multi-phase study of salmon consumers show that those who eat the fish prefer "rich, consistent color." The poll, conducted by pigment manufacturer Roche Vitamins, mailed a questionnaire and color visual aids to nearly 1,100 homes where an earlier survey found a high consumption rate of salmon products. A section of the questionnaire asked respondents to review a list of purchase criteria, and found that 44% rated flesh color as "extremely important," making it the No. 1 criterion, according to researchers. A subsequent section of the study found more than two-thirds stated a preference for the dark-pigmented photo image.
