Rosemont, IL — In light of data showing that about 1 in 4 working adults have low back pain, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is offering tips to strengthen and protect the back.

Itasca, IL — Taking simple steps before work begins can help curb job-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Bethesda, MD – Installing deer-crossing warning signs at common deer-vehicle collision sites increased driver safety behavior and decreased the number of collisions over a one-year period, according to Canadian researchers.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has moved to June 8-11 a Toxic Substances Control Act Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals virtual peer review of an EPA draft risk evaluation that states asbestos, a known human carcinogen, presents an unreasonable health risk to workers under certain conditions.

Nearly half of all work-related injuries involving mechanical power presses result in amputation, statistics compiled by OSHA show. Around 60% of amputations involve a worker’s fingers or arm getting caught or compressed by a press or other machinery such as a conveyer, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Waterloo, Ontario — Overhead work is associated with shoulder injuries. New resources from the Center of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, also known as CRE-MSD, are intended to help employers and workers address MSD risks caused by overhead work.

In Episode 32, the S+H editorial team dives into the October issue’s feature story on how to help reduce the stigma around workers’ mental health. The team also discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced changes in safety training.

Experts say employers need to make workers’ mental health as high of a priority as physical health. A big step in that process: confronting the stigma that often accompanies mental health disorders.

What’s one way workers can cut their risk of a back injury in half? “Store it off the floor,” the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says.

Download this white paper from Soter Analytics to learn how wearable technologies can automate ergonomic training processes, motivate workers and drive down injury rates as much as 55%.

Construction workers: Do you often perform the same task at work over and over again? Do you experience pain afterward? What starts as a minor ache or pain can quickly turn into a more serious condition – a repetitive stress injury.

Leicester, England — Researchers in England have developed a program they say can, when paired with a height-adjustable desk, reduce office workers’ sitting time by more than an hour a day.

Online education provider Columbia Southern University has unveiled 27 new academic programs for interested safety professionals and students. Earn a degree or additional specializations in your field.

Springfield, IL — Legislation that would require driver’s education courses to feature lessons on worker and driver safety in highway constructions zones is advancing in the Illinois Legislature.

This white paper outlines the steps to build an effective and comprehensive sanitization procedure for your facility – from identifying hazards, cleaning methods available and selecting supplemental wash-down equipment.

Whenever muscle damage occurs – whether it’s the result of a work-related incident, heat exposure, overuse or other cause – rhabdomyolysis can follow. Also called “rhabdo,” the condition develops when damaged or dead muscles break down and release cell contents into the blood, according to NIOSH.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency intends to significantly reduce emissions of ethylene oxide – a gas used to sterilize medical devices that’s been linked to cancer and neurological problems – under a new final rule.

Steve Kelleher, Research Fellow, Kemin Food Technologies, North America, will present the session, “Solubilized Proteins as a Fat Block in Production,” which highlights recent research exploring methods to reduce the amount of fat uptake while retaining moisture in deep-fat-fried protein products.

Washington — The Federal Highway Safety Administration has awarded $148 million in grants in an effort to “improve air quality and reduce pollution for truck drivers, port workers and families that live in communities surrounding ports.”

As food and beverage formulators work to meet both the pending regulatory changes regarding added sugars and consumers’ nutritional demands, Fibersol® soluble dietary fiber ingredients offer a solution to help formulators “redo” sugar in their products.

Food and beverages manufacturers are under pressure to reduce product sugar content. And it’s no surprise, considering the World Health Organization’s endorsement of soft drink “sugar taxes” and FDA’s new Nutrition Facts labeling guidelines, which require product packaging to list all added sugars. 

Consumers are studying nutrition and ingredient labels more than ever before. While more than half look for calories, many are specifically zeroing in on added sugars, total sugars, and total carbohydrates.

Apura Ingredients, the industry’s leading supplier of highquality, low- and no-calorie sweeteners, is begun partnering with EPC Natural Products Company, which offers integrated sensation optimization through its portfolio of taste and flavor modulators.

Washington — Risky driving behaviors are more common among oil and gas extraction workers whose employers don’t have a motor vehicle safety policy, NIOSH researchers say.

Global concerns over obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease will usher in the new year’s health and wellness initiatives. Consumers will engage in the annual effort to seek out food and beverage choices with more moderate amounts of nutritive sweeteners (i.e., sucrose and fructose), lower amounts of “undesirable” fats, and fewer calories. 

With only a couple of exceptions, lower-and zero-calorie sugar alternatives have failed to live up to the multifaceted functionality and flavor of sucrose and its components, glucose and fructose. In fact, great taste remains one of the primary obstacles to overcome with the range of sugar alternatives cropping up in the marketplace. A close second, of course, is performance in a formulation.

Sugar reduction solutions company SweeGen announced Food Standards Australia, New Zealand (FSANZ) has assessed and approved Bestevia® Reb E stevia sweetener as a food additive, stated in Application A1183, published on July 28, 2020.

“Texture and color influence the perception of sweetness. So, it is not just about the texture and physical attributes of the sugars but also of preparing the base ingredients in ways that can enhance the sensory experience of the food product," said Kantha Shelke, PhD, CFS principal of Corvus Blue, LLC. “Processing techniques, such as caramelization, roasting, drying/dehydrating, and fermentation can help enhance sweetness without the need for sugar, too."

Sweegen will be debuting Tastecode™ Natural Flavor Technologies, taste tools that allow brands to unlock the code to delicious tastes consumers love by addressing specific taste challenges and optimizing the sensory experience at the molecular level.

BENEO has expanded its ingredients portfolio with new Beneo-scL85, a short-chain fructooligosaccharide (scFOS). The new variant offers customers greater versatility for sugar replacement and enrichment of foods with dietary fiber.

Sugarbreak is empowering consumers to proactively achieve better health through a comprehensive, medical community-endorsed system that uses all natural, scientifically-proven ingredients to help manage blood sugar as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

BENEO has extended a production line at its Pemuco, Chile, operation that enables processing capabilities for the production of its liquid chicory root fiber Orafti® Oligofructose LL with a significantly expanded shelf life of one year.

The ingredient was developed using a patented fermentation process on grape derivatives and allows food manufacturers to reduce sugar and sodium while enhancing flavor and increasing shelf-life across many different food and beverage applications.

Kerry announced a groundbreaking development in its vision to create a world of sustainable nutrition – Tastesense™ Salt. Kerry’s Tastesense™ Salt solutions deliver on salt and rich savory taste, without adding sodium, by retaining essential flavor properties and replicating salty impact, body, and linger.

The white paper also calls attention to mitigation strategies and highlights research, collaboration, and public health communication needs to better address the issue while also offering insight into how a global, interdisciplinary approach can expedite solutions.

Kantha Shelke, PhD, CFS principal of Corvus Blue, LLC, shares effective ways to lower sugar content in RTE and heat-&-eat cereal products through both technical means as well as using alternatives to the refined sugars still predominant in these most popular breakfast products.

As we move into 2025, the food industry is poised for significant transformations. Reducing sugar in kids' cereals, embracing the snack revolution, and innovating in the bakery sector will shape the future of food. These trends reflect a broader shift towards health, sustainability, and consumer satisfaction, paving the way for a more nutritious and delicious future.

While the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends an intake of added sugar of less than 10% of daily calories, only 42% of Americans are meeting this guideline.

GMO is a common term used by consumers to describe foods that have been created through genetic engineering. While GMOs have been available to consumers since the early 1990s and are a common part of today's food supply, research shows consumers have limited knowledge and understanding about what GMOs are, why they are used, and how they are made.

In the formulation of reduced sugar food and beverage products, ingredient trends are shifting towards clean label, natural alternatives that provide sweetness without compromising taste or texture.

More than half of all participants in a recent survey report actively reducing their sugar consumption. US consumers also try to limit or reduce purchases of high sugar ingredients. Interestingly, consumers are unwilling to give up indulgences and they also look for healthier versions of indulgent foods.

As we look toward 2025, the focus on sugar reduction will only intensify. Consumer demand for healthier, lower-sugar options is driving innovation at an unprecedented pace, and ingredient suppliers are responding with increasingly sophisticated solutions. From new plant-based sweeteners to advanced blended systems, the future of sugar reduction is bright—and product developers have more tools than ever to meet these evolving needs.

Data is valuable because it helps manufacturers make better decisions. But there’s a big difference between collecting data and being able to actually use it. If you don’t have a system in place to be able to understand what the data is telling you, then you’re going to be overwhelmed by it.

Allagash Brewing Company reports that it has experienced a more than 40% reduction in unplanned work orders since implementing Limble, a CMMS and asset management platform, across its maintenance organization.

In January 2020, I started as the Editor-in-Chief of FOOD ENGINEERING’s sister publication, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods. At the time, I was looking forward to touring cold foods processing plants and learning about the industry firsthand, which in turn, would make our editorial content stronger, because I’d be writing from experience rather than second-hand information delivered via email and phone calls.

The CFI FCICA 2024 Annual Convention and Trade Show full education session lineup is now available. 

This new requirement was established following a months-long infant formula shortage sparked by insanitary conditions at one of the nation’s largest infant formula facilities. 

The joint efforts aim to reduce waste, increase recycling of organics, reduce climate pollution, save families and businesses money, and support a circular economy.

With the global milk powder market set to increase in value over the next 10 years, and with dairy farms targeting optimized productivity, further waste reduction efforts are not just necessary but imperative.