ARTICLES BY MELISSA LIND

  • The Nation’s Largest Food Safety Inspection Database Is Up And Running
    5/18/2015

    Food safety inspection data has traditionally been difficult to aggregate as each regulating agency has compiled its own data in individual databases. While it is fairly simple to find publicly available inspection data on the USDA and FDA websites, local and state agency information hasn’t been so easy to find… until now.

  • How Vision Inspection Systems Boost Efficiency In Food Processing And Packaging Lines
    5/15/2015

    In the food industry, ensuring the quality of products is essential to consumer safety and a thriving business. Automated visual inspection can help your company meet and exceed regulation compliance, improve customer satisfaction, and boost the efficiency in processing lines.

  • Are Your Blend Sampling Practices Effective?
    3/31/2015

    If you are using powder blends as part of your food manufacturing process, performing routine sampling of the blend to maintain quality assurance is essential. Chosen sampling technique can be the difference between really knowing that blending processes are good and being way off the mark.

  • GMO Apples And Potatoes Are OK With The FDA
    3/25/2015

    In a rare announcement from The FDA regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOSs) in food, the agency announced its approval of two varieties of genetically-modified apples and six varieties of genetically-modified potatoes on Friday, March 20, 2015. 

  • Raising The Bar To Prevent Undeclared Food Allergens
    3/13/2015

    Undeclared allergens were responsible for nearly half of all food recalls last year.  This number represents a dramatic rise from 2009 when allergens were responsible for just over a third of food recalls.

  • Why Traceability Is An Essential Part Of The Food Industry
    12/18/2014

    The food-supply chain has changed immensely from the days of raising food for your family’s dinner table. As the world has grown and sourcing has become more global, the supply chain has become much longer and increasingly complex. We can no longer directly question the harvester or even the intermediary vendor of our food and must rely on more advanced methods of traceability.

  • Preparing For Digital Supply-Chain Traceability
    12/5/2014

    Just like almost every other industry, the food-supply chain is going digital.  Some sectors of the food industry have tracking and traceability data collection and management under control, but others do not.  Is your company prepared for the inevitability of electronic communication requirements?

  • Transparency In Fresh Foods Boosts Consumer Trust
    10/16/2014

    One of the biggest areas of concern in traceability is the fresh food sector. Fresh food producers have a ready-made market and easily sell goods to consumers who want non-GMO, local, sustainable food. Until recently, it was difficult for a produce or meat supplier to provide adequate information in a tech-savvy world

  • GFTC Releases Global Food Traceability Best Practices Guidance
    9/9/2014

    The Global Food Traceability Center’s new best practice guidance document provides a framework outlining outstanding traceability methods across six sectors — dairy, meat and poultry, seafood, bakery, produce, and processed foods

Melissa Lind

Melissa Lind is a contributing writer for Food Online with a focus on the food supply chain and product inspection. Melissa graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and her background includes 20+ years in health and safety along with strategic business relations and research analysis.