HANNAFORD INTRODUCES TURDUCKEN FOR HOLIDAYS
SCARBOROUGH, Maine — A Louisiana favorite, turducken, has arrived in New England. Hannaford Bros. here has introduced the Hannaford Inspirations Turducken, an alternative to turkey for the holidays and the newest addition to the Hannaford Inspirations line. The name of the dish comes from the three meats used to make it — de-boned and layered turkey breast, duck and chicken meat — and the meats are interspersed with layers of stuffing. Hannaford offers two stuffing flavors, Cranberry Apple or Louisiana-style, made with corn bread, jambalaya, ham and peppers and a Louisiana grill rub topping. Turduckens weigh 4 to 5 pounds, serve eight to 10 people and retail for about $20. The retailer is offering shoppers a taste of the dish during in-store demonstrations. Stores also are offering shoppers tip cards featuring ideas for side dishes. Turducken will be available chainwide through Dec. 31. Operating more than 150 stores, Hannaford is a division of Delhaize America.
IGA COCA-COLA INSTITUTE LAUNCHES NEW DELI CLASS
CHICAGO — The IGA Coca-Cola Institute is offering a new Assistant Deli Manager Course, designed to improve the performance of deli associates at all levels. The course will cover consumer and industry trends; deli sales and merchandising of new and standard products; and deli operations including ordering, shrink management, and food safety and sanitation. Officials, in describing the course, said it can help deli department workers and store managers learn “how to differentiate from the competition and satisfy a consumer's need for convenience.” Course content draws from research from the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association, as well as proven merchandising practices used in stores, officials said. Retailers can get more information at www.igainstitute.com or by calling (800) 321-5442.
SOUTH KOREA BANS U.S. BEEF
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working to restore the beef trade with South Korea, following the country's recent decision to suspend beef imports from Arkansas City, Kan.-based Creekstone Farms after a small fragment of bone was found in the shipment, according to published reports. South Korea had only recently reopened the door to beef from the U.S. under strict regulations, including only allowing boneless cuts of beef. The country had banned U.S. beef for almost three years out of fears related to mad cow disease. Chuck Lambert, deputy under secretary for the USDA's marketing and regulatory programs, said he thought relations between the two countries were smooth during his visit to Asia. However, he was disappointed to come back and learn that nine tons of product were rejected due to the discovery of a small piece of bone, “the size of an adult fingernail,” Lambert was quoted as saying.
CANCER LINK TO BACON, SKINLESS CHICKEN EXPLORED
NEW YORK — Eating too much bacon and skinless chicken could be hazardous to human health, according to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. People who ate bacon five times a week or more were nearly 60% more likely to develop bladder cancer, while those who consumed skinless chicken just as often had a 52% greater risk of getting the disease, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston. Researchers looked at data for more than 130,000 men and women who participated in two studies. Participants were followed for up to 22 years, during which time 808 people developed bladder cancer. The researchers noted that nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines or both are responsible for the health effects of bacon seen in the study, but further research is needed before any conclusions can be made.
TESCO ROLLS OUT TRACEBACK PROGRAM FOR BEEF
DUBLIN, Ireland — Tesco will use a DNA-based program that will allow the retailer to identify and trace the origin of fresh beef from all of the company's vendors who supply Tesco's stores in Ireland. The retailer reached an agreement with IdentiGEN, a provider of DNA-based solutions to the agriculture and food industries, to use the company's proprietary DNA TraceBack tracking system for beef sold in all of the retailer's supermarkets and specialty stores in Ireland. The system is based on DNA samples taken from each animal, similar to the use of DNA for forensic identification of humans, officials said. IdentiGEN's technology, designed by researchers from Trinity College in Dublin, enables identification of products at all points along the supply chain.
