EIN Presswire: Food Safety Press Releases

Post Holdings, Inc. Reports Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2012 and Provides Outlook

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:41:55 +0000

Post Holdings, Inc. Reports Results for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2012 and Provides Outlook

PR Newswire

ST. LOUIS, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Post Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POST) today reported results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120523/CG12577LOGO)

Second Quarter 2012 Highlights:

Adjusted EBITDA improved sequentially from $45.6 million to $54.1 million
Market share stable at 11.1% for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2012
Great Grains showing successful volume increases driven by national advertising campaign

Ready to eat cereal category revenues declined approximately 1.5% for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2012 from the comparable year ago period. Category volumes, measured in pounds, declined 8% for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2012. Management believes the category volume decline is largely attributable to higher every day and promoted average prices and increased competition from cereal substitutes such as quick service restaurants and other breakfast items. The category volume and sales data are based on information from Nielsen that excludes Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and certain other retailers. Nielsen data is published monthly. The current year data referenced in this press release is as of March 31, 2012.

Post net sales decreased 3.3% for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 as compared to the prior year, comprised of an 8% decline in overall volumes, partially offset by higher average selling prices. For the six months ended March 31, 2012, net sales decreased 2.7% versus the same time period a year ago. Honey Bunches of Oats and Pebbles, our largest brand, were down 2.4% and 6.7%, respectively, versus the same time period a year ago. However, Great Gains, responding to a new national advertising campaign, was up 25.2% over the prior year.

Volumes decline across the post brand portfolio with the exception of Great Grains, which experienced year over year volume increases of 14% and 13% for the three and six months ended March 31, 2012, respectively. Great Grains benefited from an advertising campaign to support the brand re-launch.

U.S. dollar market share, as reported by Nielsen, was 11.1% for the thirteen week period ended March 31, 2012 compared to 11.5% a year ago and 11.1% for the thirteen week period ended December 31, 2011.

Gross profit margin decreased by approximately 400 basis points for the second quarter 2012 versus prior year, primarily driven by higher raw materials cost and unfavorable fixed cost absorption resulting from lower production volumes.

Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales was 29.6% for the second quarter fiscal 2012. Excluding the effect of $5.3 million of costs related to the transition and separation from Ralcorp, selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales increased from 24.4% in the second quarter of fiscal 2011 to 27.5% for second quarter fiscal 2012. This increase was primarily driven by higher advertising costs related to the national advertising campaign for the Great Grains brand re-launch and increased consumer support to stabilize the business and enable Post to compete more effectively in the ready to eat cereal category.

Capital expenditures for the six months ended March 31, 2012 were $15.8 million, inclusive of approximately $8.4 million incurred in connection with establishing Post as a stand-alone entity apart from Ralcorp. For the second half of fiscal 2012, Post management expects total capital expenditures to be in the range of $17 million to $19 million.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 was $54.1 million versus $67.4 million for the same time period a year ago. For the six months ended March 31, 2012, Adjusted EBITDA was $99.7 million versus $127.5 million for the same period a year ago.

Income tax expense was $8.6 million, which represents an effective income tax rate of 45.0%, for the three months ended March 31, 2012 compared to an expense of $13.8 million and an effective income tax rate of 32.2% for the same period a year ago. For the six months ended March 31, 2012, income tax expense was $14.7 million, an effective income tax rate of 38.7%, compared to an expense of $25.4 million and an effective income tax rate of 32.1%, for the six months ended March 31, 2011. The increase in the current quarter and year to date effective income tax rate was primarily the result of $4.6 million of non-deductible outside service expenses incurred to effect the Company's separation from Ralcorp, which resulted in incremental income tax expense of approximately $1.8 million. Management anticipates that for the balance of 2012, the effective income tax rate will be approximately 37% and that the effective income tax rate will return to its historical range of 32% - 35% in fiscal 2013. Management also estimates that annualized net interest expense will be in the range of $63 million to $66 million.

Net earnings were $10.5 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2012. For the six months ended March 31, 2012, net earnings were $23.3 million, or $0.67 per diluted share. Adjusted net earnings and Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 were $13.6 million and $0.39, respectively. Management has provided these non-GAAP measures because they are representative of Post as a stand-alone public company and not an operating segment of Ralcorp. For additional information regarding the Company's results and financial position, refer to the statements and schedules below.

As previously announced, the Company is restating its financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2011 and the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2011 as a result of Ralcorp Holding, Inc.'s restatement. Ralcorp has postponed the filing of its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter ended March 31, 2012 in order to conclude both the internal and external in-depth reviews associated with its previously announced financial restatements. While Post management is not participating in Ralcorp's review process, Post management is not aware of any issues from such review which would affect Post beyond the correction of the goodwill impairment charge previously reported. However, because Post was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ralcorp and subject to Ralcorp's accounting and financial reporting processes during the periods affected by this review, there can be no assurance that Post will not be further impacted. Until Ralcorp completes its restatement, Post is not in a position to complete the filings necessary to effectuate the restatement or its Form 10-Q for the second quarter. Post management expects to complete its filings as soon as practicable after Ralcorp completes its filings. Ralcorp has announced it expects to file its form Form 10-Q by May 31, 2012.

Outlook

For fiscal 2012, Post management estimates Adjusted EBITDA to be between $200 million to $210 million. Post management now expects Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months following the separation from Ralcorp to be in the range of $210 million to $220 million. Assumptions underlying the Company's guidance include management's objective to stabilize market share with appropriate trade and pricing strategies, and adequately invest in advertising and promotion to support and build equity across its portfolio of brands.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

Management has determined that the Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net earnings and Adjusted diluted earnings per share metrics presented herein are key metrics that will help investors understand the ultimate income and near-term cash flows generated by our business. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure which represents net earnings excluding income taxes, net interest expense, net other nonoperating income/expense, depreciation and amortization, noncash stock based compensation, nonrecurring cash compensation for retention/severance, accounts receivable servicing fees, costs to effect Post's separation from Ralcorp, mark to market adjustments on economic hedges and intangible asset impairments, if any, and including an estimate of incremental costs Post would have incurred had it been a stand-alone public company during the periods presented. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful to an investor in evaluating the Company's operating performance and liquidity because (i) it is widely used to measure a company's operating performance without regard to items such as depreciation and amortization, which can vary depending upon accounting methods and the book value of assets, (ii) it presents a meaningful measure of corporate performance exclusive of the Company's capital structure and the method by which the assets were acquired, and (iii) it is a widely accepted financial indicator of a company's ability to service its debt, as the Company is required to comply with certain covenants and limitations that are based on variations of EBITDA in the Company's financing documents. Adjusted net earnings is a non-GAAP measure which represents net earnings excluding costs to effect Post's separation from Ralcorp, nonrecurring cash compensation for retention/severance, items not transferred to Post after the separation from Ralcorp such as equity income and currency gains on intercompany debt, and includes an estimate of incremental selling, general and administrative costs and interest expense Post would have incurred had it been a stand-alone public company for the entire period reported. The Company believes Adjusted net earnings and Adjusted diluted earnings per share are useful to investors in evaluating the Company's operating performance because they provide investors with insight into the Company's performance on a basis consistent with being a stand-alone public company rather than an operating segment of Ralcorp. The calculations of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net earnings and Adjusted diluted earnings per share are not specified by United States generally accepted accounting principles. Our calculations of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net earnings and Adjusted diluted earnings per share may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures of other companies. See the reconciliation tables provided at the end of this press release.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. During the call, Terence E. Block, President and Chief Operating Officer, and Robert V. Vitale, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the results for the second quarter of 2012 and discuss outlook for 2012.

The call will be broadcast over the Internet and can be accessed by visiting the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.postfoods.com. Participants may join the conference call by dialing (888) 680-0865 in the United States and (617) 213-4853 from outside the United States. The conference identification number for all participants is 87070912.

For those unable to participate during the live call and webcast, a replay will be available on the Company's website until June 10, 2012.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release and on the conference call are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our expected effective income tax rates for the remainder of 2012 and fiscal 2013; the expected timing of our second quarter Form 10-Q filing; our expected capital expenditures for the second half of 2012; our expected annualized net interest expense; and our expected Adjusted EBITDA for the twelve months following the separation from Ralcorp and for fiscal 2012. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include the impact of the recently announced restatement of Ralcorp's and Post's financial statements; the impact of our separation from Ralcorp and risks relating to our ability to operate effectively as a stand-alone, publicly traded company; our high leverage and substantial debt, including covenants that will restrict the operation of our business; our ability to achieve benefits from our separation; our obligations to indemnify Ralcorp if the separation is taxable under certain circumstances; restrictions on our taking certain actions due to tax rules and covenants with Ralcorp; changes in our cost structure, management, financing and business operations following the separation; significant increases in the costs of certain commodities, packaging or energy used to manufacture our products; our ability to continue to compete in our product market against manufacturers of both branded and private label cereal products and our ability to retain our market position; our ability to maintain competitive pricing, successfully introduce new products or successfully manage our costs; our ability to successfully implement business strategies to reduce costs; impairment in the carrying value of goodwill or other intangibles; the loss or bankruptcy of a significant customer; allegations that our products cause injury or illness, product recalls and product liability claims and other litigation; our ability to anticipate changes in consumer preferences and trends; changes in consumer demand for ready-to-eat cereals; our ability to service our outstanding debt or obtain additional financing; disruptions in the U.S. and global capital and credit markets; legal and regulatory factors including changes in food safety, advertising and labeling laws and regulations; disruptions or inefficiencies in supply chain; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; consolidations among the retail grocery and foodservice industries; change in estimates in critical accounting judgments and changes to or new laws and regulations affecting our business; losses or increased funding and expenses related to our qualified pension plan; loss of key employees; labor strikes or work stoppages by our employees; changes in weather conditions, natural disasters and other events beyond our control; business disruptions caused by information technology failures; and other risks described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

About Post Holdings, Inc.

Post Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Post Foods, LLC. Post has enriched the lives of consumers, bringing quality foods to the breakfast table since the company's founding in 1897. Post's products are generally sold to supermarket chains, wholesalers, supercenters, club stores, mass merchandisers, distributors, convenience stores and the foodservice channel in North America. Those products are manufactured at four facilities located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Modesto, California; and Niagara Falls, Ontario. Post's portfolio of brands includes diverse offerings to meet the taste and nutritional needs of all families, including such favorites as Honey Bunches of Oats®, Pebbles®, Great Grains®, Post Shredded Wheat®, Post® Raisin Bran, Grape-Nuts®, and Honeycomb®. Post is dedicated to health and wellness, offering consumers a variety of cereal choices to meet their nutritional needs from whole grain and fiber to lower sugar offerings. For more information, visit www.postfoods.com.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
(in millions, except per share data)

	Three Months Ended March 31,				Six Months Ended March 31,
	2012		2011		2012		2011

Net Sales	$	250.5	$	259.0	$	469.8	$	482.7
Cost of goods sold	139.5		133.9		260.8		247.8
Gross Profit	111.0		125.1		209.0		234.9
Selling, general and administrative expenses	74.2		63.3		137.7		118.2
Amortization of intangible assets	3.1		3.2		6.3		6.3
Other operating expenses, net	0.5		0.1		0.5		1.1
Operating Profit	33.2		58.5		64.5		109.3
Interest expense, net	15.1		12.9		28.1		25.8
Other (income) expense, net	(1.0)		2.7		(1.6)		4.4
Earnings before Income Taxes	19.1		42.9		38.0		79.1
Income tax expense	8.6		13.8		14.7		25.4
Net Earnings	$	10.5	$	29.1	$	23.3	$	53.7

Earnings per share:
Basic	$	0.31	$	0.85	$	0.68	$	1.56
Diluted	$	0.30	$	0.85	$	0.67	$	1.56

Weighted-Average Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic	34.4		34.4		34.4		34.4
Diluted	34.6		34.4		34.6		34.4

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW INFORMATION (Unaudited)
(in millions)

	Six Months Ended March 31,
	2012		2011
Cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities	$	69.8	$	60.3
Investing activities	(15.8)		(7.0)
Financing activities	8.0		(50.1)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0.4		0.4
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	$	62.4	$	3.6

RECONCILIATION OF NET EARNINGS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (Unaudited)
(in millions)

	Three Months Ended March 31,				Six Months Ended March 31,
	2012		2011		2012		2011

Net Earnings	$	10.5	$	29.1	$	23.3	$	53.7
Income tax expense	8.6		13.8		14.7		25.4
Interest expense, net	15.1		12.9		28.1		25.8
Other nonoperating income (expense), net	(1.0)		2.7		(1.6)		4.4
Depreciation and amortization	16.0		14.5		30.9		29.1
Stock-based compensation	0.8		0.3		1.2		0.6
Nonrecurring cash compensation/retention	0.1		—		0.4		—
Accounts receivable servicing fees	—		(1.0)		(0.8)		(1.9)
Costs to effect the separation of Post from Ralcorp	5.3		—		8.0		—
Mark to market adjustments on economic hedges	—		(1.1)		0.6		(2.0)
Public company costs (1)	(1.3)		(3.8)		(5.1)		(7.6)
Adjusted EBITDA	$	54.1	$	67.4	$	99.7	$	127.5

Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of Net Sales	21.6%		26.0%		21.2%		26.4%

RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING PROFIT TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (Unaudited) (in millions)
	Three Months Ended March 31, 2012				Three Months Ended March 31, 2011
			% of Net Sales				% of Net Sales

Operating Profit	$	33.2	13.3	%	$	58.5	22.6	%
Depreciation and amortization	16.0		6.4	%	14.5		5.6	%
Stock-based compensation	0.8		0.3	%	0.3		0.1	%
Non-recurring cash compensation/retention	0.1		—	%	—		—	%
Accounts receivable servicing fees	—		—	%	(1.0)		(0.4)	%
Costs to effect the separation of Post from Ralcorp	5.3		2.1	%	—		—	%
Mark to market adjustments on economic hedges	—		—	%	(1.1)		(0.4)	%
Public company costs (1)	(1.3)		(0.5)	%	(3.8)		(1.5)	%
Adjusted EBITDA	$	54.1	21.6	%	$	67.4	26.0	%

(1)

Represents Post management's estimate of the incremental quarterly cash costs Post would have incurred as a separate, stand-alone public company.These costs were not actually incurred in the historical periods presented above. The estimated costs have been deducted in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA to provide a frame of reference for future periods.

RECONCILIATION OF NET EARNINGS TO ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS (Unaudited)
(in millions, except per share data)

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2012

Net Earnings	$	10.5
Adjustments to Net Earnings:
Costs to effect the separation of Post from Ralcorp	5.3
Nonrecurring cash compensation/retention	0.1
Other nonoperating income (expense), net	(1.0)
Incremental interest expense (1)	(1.1)
Public company costs (2)	(1.3)
	2.0
Income tax effect on adjustments	(0.7)
Incremental tax expense for transaction costs	1.8
Adjusted Net Earnings	$	13.6

Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding - Diluted	34.6

Diluted Adjusted Earnings per Share	$	0.39


(1)	Represents Post management's estimate of incremental quarterly net interest expense Post would have incurred if the debt incurred on February 3, 2012 to effect the spin-off from Ralcorp had been outstanding for the entire second quarter of fiscal 2012.
(2)	Represents Post management's estimate of the incremental quarterly cash costs Post would have incurred as a separate, stand-alone public company. These costs were not actually incurred in the historical periods presented above. The estimated costs have been deducted in the calculation of Adjusted net earnings to provide a frame of reference for future periods.

SOURCE Post Holdings, Inc.

Albemarle Food Safety business launches new antimicrobial product

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:10:00 +0000

Albemarle Food Safety business launches new antimicrobial product

PR Newswire

BATON ROUGE, La., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered specialty chemicals, announces the launch of a new antimicrobial used in meat processing, enhancing the company's food safety portfolio to include a liquid form of hypobromous acid.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/MM14279LOGO )

CellVex™ is a post-harvest antimicrobial proven effective against E. coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella for high volume applications in the meat and poultry markets. With the launch of CellVex, Albemarle can now offer customers two product platforms for hypobromous acid – solid and liquid. CellVex can be used as part of a multiple intervention strategy and is approved in all applications within a meat processing plant.

"Albemarle is dedicated to providing antimicrobial interventions to reduce food-borne pathogens across the globe. We offer unique products and science-based solutions for compliance with various global performance standards including the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service's Salmonella and Campylobacter initiative in poultry processing," stated Tina Craft, Global Business Manager, Specialty Bromides.

CellVex joins Albemarle's current food safety products, AviBrom^® and BoviBrom^®, which are solid forms of hypobromous acid and sold through a partnership with Elanco Food Solutions. Albemarle is the only company in the food safety industry to offer hypobromous acid in a solid form. AviBrom, an antimicrobial processing aid for poultry plants, was the first bromine chemistry solution introduced into meat processing. BoviBrom is a post-harvest antimicrobial rinse for beef processing. All three products are FDA-approved, are efficacious in reducing bacteria and can be applied in a variety of processing applications.

Albemarle utilized its new Research & Development Microbiology Laboratory in Baton Rouge at the Louisiana Business & Technology Center on the LSU South Campus Research Park for the development and testing of CellVex. This state of the art facility, fully staffed with research scientists, specializes in microbiology testing and is equipped to test all food-borne pathogens. As Albemarle expands its product offering, the company is working with key public and private entities to solve global food safety challenges.

Albemarle's Food Safety business is a part of the company's Fine Chemistry global business unit and offers a premium line of bromine-based antimicrobials as a unique solution for the food processing industry. Albemarle's food safety products are some of the fastest growing products used in processing today, proven effective against many pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 2010 and 2011. Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE Albemarle Corporation

California Egg Farmers Welcome New Animal Welfare Legislation

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:52:15 +0000

California Egg Farmers Welcome New Animal Welfare Legislation

Senator Feinstein Introduces Bill Supporting California's Colony Hen Housing System

PR Newswire

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of California Egg Farmers announced its support for the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012 introduced today by Senator Diane Feinstein. Among the bill's provisions, it would establish a national housing standard for egg laying hens. It proposes similar requirements to a bill introduced earlier in the year in the House of Representatives, HR 3798, and it is jointly supported by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the United Egg Producers (UEP).

"We thank Senator Feinstein for her leadership and we are pleased to support this bill. Most importantly, we welcome the recognition by the Senator and the HSUS that California's use of the enriched colony system is indeed a safe and superior hen habitat," said Arnie Riebli, a Sonoma County egg farmer and president of the Association of California Egg Farmers. He added, "We need this legislation so our state's egg farmers can effectively compete while providing California consumers with a local, wholesome and affordable supply of eggs."

The Egg Products Inspection Act would recognize the enriched colony system as the new national housing standard for laying hens instead of conventional cages. The enriched colony system enables hens to sit, stand, stretch and turn around in a clean, safe enclosure that protects hens from outside predators. The Association of California Egg Farmers has worked to strongly advocate the enriched colony system since the passage of Proposition 2 in 2008.

The colony system house provides 116 square inches of space compared to 67 square inches of space in a conventional cage. According to recently released data on hen performance in colonies versus conventional cages, eggs laid per hen in a colony house were 421 versus 399 eggs per hen in a conventional cage. In addition, mortality rates were lower in the colony housing system than a cage system.

"Passing the Egg Products Inspection Act would be a historic improvement for hundreds of millions of animals per year," stated Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States in a statement announcing the agreement. "It is always our greatest hope to find common ground and to forge solutions, even with traditional adversaries. We hope Congress seizes the opportunity to embrace this legislative collaboration and mutual understanding. We extend our thanks to the producers within the industry for agreeing to make the needed investments to upgrade their housing and improve animal welfare in a meaningful way."

The Association of California Egg Farmers (ACEF) is a statewide industry trade association for California's egg farmers. ACEF serves as the voice for California egg farmers and an industry that is critical to the state's economy and food supply. The organization advocates for state policies affecting the industry and to ensure the continued production of fresh and affordable eggs that meet the food safety and animal care standards consumers expect. California's egg farmers produce nearly 5 billion eggs a year, providing a fresh, affordable source of food and making California the fifth largest egg producer in the country.

CONTACT:	John Segale
	916.600.1081

SOURCE Association of California Egg Farmers

Washington, DC Chefs Nora Pouillon, Jose Andres, Todd Gray, Ellen Kassoff Gray and Rob Weland Join Veterans in Voicing Concerns about New Genetically Engineered Corn Pending Approval at the USDA

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:45:55 +0000

Washington, DC Chefs Nora Pouillon, Jose Andres, Todd Gray, Ellen Kassoff Gray and Rob Weland Join Veterans in Voicing Concerns about New Genetically Engineered Corn Pending Approval at the USDA

PR Newswire

Corn created by Dow to be resistant to 2,4-D herbicide has not been tested for human safety; chefs say it threatens crops in the DC metro area, including Maryland and Virginia

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday the Vietnam Veterans of America, preparing to observe the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War, called on President Obama to take strong and serious action regarding one of the newest genetically engineered crops pending approval at the USDA. The new corn seed has been created by Dow to be resistant to Dow's herbicide product 2,4-D, an earlier formulation of which comprised 50% of the Vietnam era toxin "Agent Orange." Today in Washington, DC Nora Pouillon, chef and owner of Restaurant Nora -- America's first certified organic restaurant -- joined with other leading chefs to support the veterans and ask for the vigilance of lawmakers.

Pouillon explained, "As chefs committed to making local and sustainable food available to Washington area residents, we are calling on the USDA, the FDA, the EPA, the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House to use all necessary caution before rushing this new invention to market." Ms. Pouillon believes this new crop highlights the lack of adequate consumer protection in our national food safety policies. "American servicemen and women have a tragic history with chemicals like 2,4-D. We are grateful that they are calling attention to how little American consumers really know about what is in our food -- and the fact that we all have a right to know. This new genetically engineered crop has not been subjected to any independent studies for human safety, nor has it yet been approved for cultivation in any other country. In addition, it poses a real and documented threat to the harvests of many of our wonderful specialty growers in Maryland and Virginia."

Todd and Ellen Gray of Equinox Restaurant have played a key role over many years in developing the DC region's reputation for outstanding dining with local ingredients. Ellen Kassoff Gray has written a personal letter to First Lady Michelle Obama, with whom she and her husband have collaborated on food projects. The letter concludes with Ms. Gray's request: "Please use the power of your position and the strength of your integrity to ask the necessary questions about this new corn invention. Encourage independent analysis and testing over at least several years so we don't rush to a decision. We have a right to know with more certainty if this new seed designed to be used with 2,4-D herbicide poses a risk to our families, farmers and environment that far outweigh any benefit to ordinary Americans."

The chefs speaking out have been in the DC area long enough to understand that advocates and lobbyists may debate for years whether this newer form of the 2,4-D chemical is safer than the earlier version that was in Agent Orange. However, one thing that independent scientists and Dow both agree on is that this new crop will cause a dramatic increase in the sale and use of the potent 2,4-D herbicide. Advocacy groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council have cited numerous studies linking 2,4-D exposure to serious illnesses and cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Rob Weland of Cork, who is planting an organic garden behind his restaurant, elaborates on Nora's concern about our local farmers and gardeners in Maryland and Virginia "Within 100 miles of our restaurant are numerous growers of important fresh specialty crops -- such as tomatoes, strawberries and grapes," explains Weland. The American Association of Pesticide Control Officials rated 2,4-D as the most likely pesticide in use today to cause drift damage to other crops, and can spread miles from where it is applied. With more than a quarter of Maryland's crop acreage allocated to corn, Weland is worried. "The huge increase in 2,4-D use that would accompany these new 2,4-D crops could threaten the livelihood of my producers, and the sustainability of our local Washington, DC food supply." Weland is also concerned about local residents. "Our metro DC area has dense population centers very close to farming regions. If there is even the slightest doubt about the dangers of large-scale 2,4-D use for human health, we need to stop and wait."

Pouillon has reached out to other food leaders in the Washington, DC area to help spread the word -- from internationally recognized culinary innovator Jose Andres to Freshfarm Markets, a large network of farmer's markets in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia. "Jose has long advocated for making healthy food more accessible to America's children, and I am grateful that he agrees with us. Whether it is 'pink slime' in our meat or antibiotics in livestock, Americans are tired of hidden ingredients."

95% of the ingredients used at Restaurant Nora are certified organic, and her customers make the organic choice not only for environmental reasons but also as a health decision. However, Nora is quick to point out that even eating organic cannot prevent our exposure to these chemicals, if they are allowed into our environment in large doses. "The chemicals used to grow many genetically engineered crops contaminate our air, soil and water," Nora explains. "It took decades for the risks of other inventions like DDT and asbestos to be exposed. It is not right to ask Americans to be guinea pigs in another chemical experiment before we have the facts. American farmers can grow the best crops in the world without 2,4-D resistant seeds created in a laboratory."

Contacts:
Nora Pouillon: www.noras.com
Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray: www.equinoxrestaurant.com
Rob Weland: www.corkdc.com
Jose Andres: http://www.thinkfoodgroup.com

SOURCE Nora Pouillon

Food Safety During Picnic Season

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Food Safety During Picnic Season

PR Newswire

SILVER SPRING, Md., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Memorial Day Weekend is fast approaching – and with it, the start of picnic season. As you plan your next outing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds you that foodborne bacteria multiply faster in warm weather, and this can lead to food poisoning (also known as foodborne illness).

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Follow these tips to help ensure that your picnic basket is packed with food safety in mind!

Basic Warm-Weather Precautions To Prevent Food Poisoning

Prior to barbecue time - defrost meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator or by submerging sealed packages in cold water. You can also microwave-defrost, but only if the food will be grilled immediately afterward. If marinating, use the fridge not the countertop. Never reuse marinade that contacted raw foods unless you boil it first, or set some of the marinade aside before marinating food to use for sauce later.

Handling fruits and vegetables – thoroughly wash all produce before eating even if you plan to peel it. Fruits and vegetables that are pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated or kept on ice to maintain quality and safety.

When packing picnic gear - place food from the refrigerator directly into an insulated cooler immediately before leaving home, and use lots of ice or ice packs to keep it at 40 °F or below. Pack raw meat, poultry and seafood in a separate cooler if possible, or wrap it securely and store at the bottom of the cooler where the juices can't drip onto other foods. Place beverages in a separate cooler; this will offer easy drink access while keeping perishable food coolers closed. If your picnic site doesn't offer clean water access, bring water or pack moist towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands. Don't forget to pack a food thermometer!

Keep cold foods cold - load coolers into the passenger compartment of the car; it's cooler than the trunk. Once at the picnic site, keep food in coolers until serving time, out of direct sun – and avoid opening the lids often.

When grilling - have clean utensils and platters available. Cook meat, poultry and seafood to the right temperatures; use a food thermometer to be sure (see Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart). Keep cooked meats hot until serving time, at 140 °F or warmer; set them to the side of the grill rack to keep them hot. When removing foods from the grill, place them on a clean platter – never use the same platter and utensils you used for raw meat, poultry or seafood.

Watch the time and outside temperature - don't let hot or cold perishables sit out in the "Danger Zone"(between 40 °F and 140 °F) for more than two hours – or one hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90 °F. If they do, discard them.

Learn more about food safety during picnic season at:

Eating Outdoors, Handling Food Safely

Barbecue Basics: Tips to Prevent Foodborne Illness

CONTACT: FDA Office of Public Affairs: +1-301-796-4540

SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Restaurants to Add 450,000 Summer Jobs, According to National Restaurant Association Projections

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:48:55 +0000

Restaurants to Add 450,000 Summer Jobs, According to National Restaurant Association Projections

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Restaurants are expected to add 450,000 jobs this summer season, a 4.6 percent increase over the March 2012 employment level, according to National Restaurant Association projections released today. This year shows the highest summer employment numbers since 1993.

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"Restaurant industry employment growth will outpace overall employment growth for the 13th year in a row this year, illustrating the key role restaurants play in the nation's economy," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the research and knowledge group for the Association. "The boost of this year's 450,000 summer jobs will propel total eating and drinking place employment to its highest on record. Overall, America's nearly one million restaurants employ nearly 10 percent of the nation's overall workforce."

America's restaurants are the nation's second largest private sector employer with nearly 13 million employees, a number projected to grow by 1.4 million positions in the next decade.

The states projected to add the most eating and drinking place jobs during the 2012 summer season are New York (43,800), California (32,900), Massachusetts (28,800), Texas (24,600), New Jersey (22,900), Michigan (20,100), Ohio (19,900) and Illinois (19,400).

The states projected to register the largest proportional employment increase during the 2012 summer season are Maine (31.7 percent increase), Alaska (23.8 percent increase) and Delaware (20.0 percent increase).

Eating and drinking places added 444,100 jobs during the 2011 summer season, 427,100 jobs during the 2010 summer season, and 391,300 jobs during the 2009 summer season. The restaurant industry is usually the nation's second-largest creator of summer jobs, behind the construction industry.

Complete state-by-state 2012 projections, plus a national 10-year review, of restaurant summer employment can be found on the Association's website.

Summer employment is defined as the average number of eating and drinking place jobs in June, July and August. The number of summer jobs is the difference between the projected total 2012 summer employment and the March 2012 employment level. Generally, the U.S. restaurant industry begins to ramp up its summer seasonal hiring in April, and it peaks in June, July and August. Eating and drinking places account for approximately three-fourths of the total restaurant and foodservice workforce.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry's largest trade show (NRA Show May 18-21, 2013, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 19-21, 2013, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids' menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association

Sodexo Future Chefs Program Earns National Restaurant Association Recognition in First-Ever Innovator of the Year Awards

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:19:07 +0000

Sodexo Future Chefs Program Earns National Restaurant Association Recognition in First-Ever Innovator of the Year Awards

Program Wins Menu Development Category for Using Kid-Created Recipes to Improve Student Nutrition Nationally

PR Newswire

GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sodexo Future Chefs, a national program that encourages students to learn about good nutrition by creating their own fun, creative and healthy recipes, won the Innovator of the Year Award in the Menu Development category in the National Restaurant Association's (NRA) inaugural Operator Innovations Awards. The Future Chefs national challenge was formally recognized at the NRA Show 2012 in Chicago.

Through Sodexo Future Chefs, students at Sodexo-served schools learn about the importance of making healthy food choices by creating and submitting their own recipes to Sodexo's student nutrition experts. Following district-wide events across the country, five national finalists are selected to create videos of their recipes. These videos are then posted online and the public is encouraged to view them and vote for their favorite.

In addition to crowning a national champion, Sodexo takes the best 12 recipes from the challenge each year and features them on school meal menus in the nearly 500 school districts the company serves nationally. This "For Kids, By Kids" approach to menu development has helped encourage reluctant students to try new things while also increasing overall school meal participation in schools.

"It's such an honor to be recognized by the National Restaurant Association for our innovative approach to creating healthy, fun and nutritious school meals kids love to eat," said Steve Dunmore, president of Sodexo Education-Schools. "Sodexo works hard to constantly improve the food we serve students each day and the Future Chefs program allows us to offer exciting new menu items made specifically for students by students."

Along with winning the award in the Menu Development category, Sodexo also earned Operator Innovations Award recognition for two other programs. The company's Did You Know Cafe, a concept designed to make the cafeteria an extension of the classroom specifically for middle and junior high school students, was selected as a finalist in the Health and Nutrition category. Additionally, Sodexo's industry-leading ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management System certification was recognized as a finalist in the Food Safety category.

Commenting on Sodexo and the other award winners, Jack Crawford, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2012 and President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC said, "These restaurant operators are true pioneers of innovation and leadership, who are breaking new ground on how to successfully run a restaurant business." He added, "It is our honor to recognize our Operator Innovations Award winners and, we believe they will serve as an inspiration to restaurateurs throughout our industry."

Sodexo in North America

Sodexo Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, delivers On-site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government and Remote Site segments, and Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions

Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as a partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 413,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of Quality of Life Services. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.

SOURCE Sodexo

Make Your Summer Grilling Season A Safe & Healthy One With Stop & Shop

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:01:14 +0000

Make Your Summer Grilling Season A Safe & Healthy One With Stop & Shop

Food safety and healthy grilling tips for your next barbecue

PR Newswire

QUINCY, Mass. and PURCHASE, N.Y., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ready, set, GRILL! As you prepare for the summer grilling season, Stop & Shop wants to make sure your next barbecue is a safe and healthy one by keeping food safety top of mind.

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"At Stop & Shop we strive to make it easy for customers to shop for healthy foods so they can eat healthy," said Julie Menounos, Stop & Shop nutritionist. "Grilling season is a great time to enjoy lean protein such as chicken, turkey and fish. Flavor your olive oil or citrus-based marinades with tons of fresh herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and mint. Add grilled fruits and vegetables to your cold salads, skewers, and salsas, and you can make grilling not only delicious, but good for you!"

Practicing food safety at home is easy with the following tips from Stop & Shop.

Don't put the meat on the bun until it's done by using a meat thermometer. Before removing from the grill, insert a meat thermometer halfway into the thickest part of the meat and wait about 15-20 seconds for a reading. All hamburgers made with ground beef need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Ground beef can still be pink inside and cooked to a safe 160 degrees F, so color is not always a true indicator. Ground and whole poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees F and chops, steaks and roasts from beef, veal or lamb are properly cooked at 145 degrees F for medium rare, 160 degrees F for medium and 170 degrees F for well done. The meat thermometer should read 150 degrees F for chops and roast from pork.
If you partially cook meat in the microwave or oven to reduce grilling time, do so immediately before the food goes on the hot grill. Always use a clean plate and clean utensils as cooked foods should not be placed on a plate that previously held raw foods, including meat, poultry and seafood.
When preparing your meats, marinate in the refrigerator, not on the counter or outdoors. If the marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, keep some in a separate container before adding the raw meat, poultry or seafood. Sauce used to marinate raw meat should never be reused.
Remember to refrigerate any leftovers promptly after serving and within two hours after cooking. Food should only be outside one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees F. When in doubt, throw it out.

With barbecues and events scheduled throughout the summer, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy eating patterns, but with the abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables available this time of year it's easy to incorporate more healthy items into your grilling menus. Since the grill is already fired up, why not throw some fruits and vegetables on too! The easiest way to grill vegetables is to brush them with a little bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking and then grill, turning until tender. Try grilling asparagus or corn on the cob by adding seasonings and a touch of butter.

Fruit is also a great option, as the naturally occurring sugar caramelizes when combined with the heat of the grill, making the fruit even sweeter. Almost any fruit can be cooked on the grill, but softer fruits such as peaches and plums require more attention to prevent overcooking. Try seasoning apples or pears with cinnamon before throwing on the grill and serve with low-fat whipped topping or vanilla frozen yogurt for a twist on dessert.

Summer is a prime time for locally grown produce which customers can purchase at Stop & Shop while purchasing a variety of fresh meat and seafood items for grilling. Stop & Shop strives to consistently provide its customers with the freshest, tastiest food available throughout the summer and all year round, which is why it has a Double Your Money Back Guarantee in place. If a customer is not completely satisfied with his/her purchase from Stop & Shop's meat, seafood, deli, produce, bakery, floral or dairy departments, they can receive a refund for double the price of the item, excluding items prohibited by law. The product can be returned with or without a receipt, but a receipt is preferred. Without a receipt, customers are refunded through a gift card based on the current price of the product.

For more information on food safety and healthy ideas for your next meal, please visit www.stopandshop.com.

About Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs approximately 62,000 associates and operates more than 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness – with emphasis on children's educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA's Smart Way program; has been awarded LEED (EB) certifications for 50 of its existing stores; and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit www.stopandshop.com.

SOURCE Stop & Shop

Albemarle celebrates grand opening of shared services center in Dalian, China

Wed, 23 May 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Albemarle celebrates grand opening of shared services center in Dalian, China

PR Newswire

DALIAN, China, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of highly-engineered specialty chemicals, will celebrate the grand opening of its Asia-Pacific shared services center in Dalian, China today during a ceremony held at the facility.

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Known as Albemarle's Asia-Pacific Center of Excellence (CoE), the Dalian site was developed as part of the company's "One Albemarle" strategy and complements the regional CoEs currently operating in Budapest, Hungary and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The CoEs are designed to standardize and streamline the company's global processes, resulting in one automated, scalable global platform for Albemarle's business which will reduce costs, improve productivity and better support the company's growth.

Albemarle established specific criteria when selecting the location for the Asia-Pacific CoE. The company chose Dalian because of several factors, including:

The level of support and engagement that was received from the local community and government officials
Dalian's unique geographical location between the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, making it an important international shipping hub and logistics center
The availability of a well-educated and experienced employee base to support strategic initiatives throughout the region.

"Albemarle is excited to celebrate the opening of our Asia-Pacific Center of Excellence, and we are pleased to be here in Dalian," said Scott Tozier, Albemarle's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "At Albemarle, our focus is on performance excellence in everything we do. This site will undoubtedly enable us to better serve our customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The exceptional local talent and the support of the local community and government made Dalian the ideal choice for this new CoE," he added.

SOURCE Albemarle Corporation

Leader in Antibacterial Phage Technology Micreos Secures Growth Capital

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Leader in Antibacterial Phage Technology Micreos Secures Growth Capital

PR Newswire

WAGENINGEN, The Netherlands, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Micreos of The Netherlands has attracted additional capital for accelerated growth of its phage business. Altria Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Altria Group, has acquired a5% stake in Micreos, viewed as global leader in phage technology for targeted control of bacteria.

Phage technology is set to change the world, because it is safe, simple, natural and has no side effects. Unlike antibiotics and chemicals, phages kill only their target bacteria without affecting other bacteria, which often are beneficial. Therefore, in many situations it is the most logical way to deal with unwanted bacteria, especially in the 'post-antibiotic' era.

Micreos (http://www.micreos.com) developed the first FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)-approved phage product for the food safety market. It has phage-based products on the market and in the pipeline. For the food chain this includes LISTEX against the deadly Listeria and SALMONELEX against Salmonella. The company will be launching a new series of anti-bacterial human health products later this year, under the GLADSKIN brand.

According to Dr. Margareth Chan, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), there is an emerging global crisis caused by rapidly evolving resistance among bacteria responsible for common infections that threaten to turn them into untreatable diseases. "A post-antibiotic era means in effect an end to modern medicine as we know it. Things as common as a child's scratched knee could once again kill."

Mark Offerhaus, CEO of Micreos: "Society desperately needs new solutions in the fight against bacteria such as MRSA, but even for many simple bacterial problems, phage technology offers an elegant solution. To meet demand for our products we are currently building the world's first GMP-quality (Good Manufacturing Practices) phage production plant. The investment by Altria Ventures will further accelerate availability of our products."

About Altria Ventures

Altria Ventures is the venture capital subsidiary of Altria Group. It invests in companies that deliver technology and consumer propositions that may have synergies with one or more of the Altria family of companies. More information: http://www.altriaventures.com.

About Micreos

Micreos develops phage-based products against dangerous bacteria and is viewed as global technology leader spearheading this exciting new field. The company focuses on antibacterial solutions for human health and food safety. More information: http://www.micreos.com.

About Phage Technology

Phages and phage-derived enzymes can be used for targeted control of unwanted bacteria. They are essential for life on earth, and kill roughly half of all bacteria on the planet every two days. Phages are the most abundant micro-organisms on earth. They are harmless to humans, animals and plants and are naturally present in high numbers on our skin, in our gut, in our environment, in our water and many of our foods. We consume high numbers of phages with our food, without any impact on human health or on taste and enjoyment of the product.

SOURCE Micreos

Grow Green Industries to Launch Groundbreaking Line of All-Natural Food Safety and Shelf-Life Enhancement Solutions at IFT12 in Las Vegas

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:10:00 +0000

Grow Green Industries to Launch Groundbreaking Line of All-Natural Food Safety and Shelf-Life Enhancement Solutions at IFT12 in Las Vegas

P.L. Thomas & Co. Will Manage Market Development Efforts for eatSafe™ Natural Food Wash and eatFresh™ Natural Antimicrobial in the United States and Canada

PR Newswire

LAKE FOREST, Calif. and MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Grow Green Industries, Inc. (Lake Forest, CA) and P.L. Thomas & Co. Inc. (Morristown, NJ) announced today that they will introduce a new line of all-natural food safety and shelf-life enhancement products at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo (IFT12) in Las Vegas in late June of this year. eatSafe™ Natural Food Wash and eatFresh™ Natural Antimicrobial are the result of a multi-year research effort into effective end-to-end alternatives to chemically based food sanitizers and preservatives that will also enhance the taste, sensory profiles and shelf life of fresh produce, seafood and poultry as well as prepared and processed foods. The new patent-pending products are synergistic complexes of GRAS and organic components that provide antimicrobial/antioxidant functionality and will allow food and beverage producers to offer the "cleaner" labels that consumers increasingly demand. Grow Green Industries has conducted extensive testing on these ingredients that show, for example, that EatFresh Natural Antimicrobial in dip, sauce and soup applications proved a more effective shelf-life enhancer than sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, while improving the overall flavor profiles of the tested formulas. In third-party lab tests, eatSafe Natural Food Wash removed 99.999% of bacteria and over 98% of pesticide residues from fresh produce in tests - making it a suitable replacement for chlorine-based sanitizers.

According to Mareya Ibrahim, Founder and CEO of Grow Green Industries, the drive behind the creation of these new all-natural products was a desire to address the food safety issue in a natural, sustainable way. "While we are making progress in the area of reducing foodborne illness in the United States, it is still a major issue. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans - or 48 million people - gets sick from the food they eat. It's a problem that is worthy of our attention. And we felt that an all-natural solution that avoided potentially harmful chemicals was a natural extension of that drive," she said. "At the same time, we are passionate foodies and have roots in the natural foods industry. We know that any solution - to be really viable - had to take into consideration people's desire for great-looking, better-tasting food that stays that way for a long time. We feel that with eatSafe Natural Food Wash and eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial, we have addressed both goals - from the farm to the kitchen table," she added.

An End-to-End Solution for Food & Beverage Producers

eatSafe Natural Food Wash and eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial are a two-part solution for safer, longer-lasting and better-tasting foods in both their raw and processed states - combining antimicrobial control of bacteria, yeasts and molds with antioxidant properties that improve sensory characteristics and preserve freshness.

eatSafe Natural Food Wash is a 7-part synergistic complex of organic, FDA-approved GRAS components designed for farms and food processing operations to ensure that products are free from foodborne pathogens. It is available in liquid or powder form. Tests at the Institute for Food Safety and Health at the Illinois Institute of Technology showed that it removed up to 99.999% (5-log) of bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and coliform bacteria from the surface of produce. Beyond pathogens, eatSafe Natural Food Wash is formulated to remove other potential contaminants, including pesticides, oils and wax, dust and soils. This ability to clean produce, along with the antioxidant functionality engineered into eatSafe Natural Food Wash to extend shelf life, enhances the appearance and flavor of foods.

eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial is a 5-part synergistic complex of organic, FDA-approved GRAS components designed to protect prepared/processed foods and beverages from bacteria, yeast and mold growth, and to enhance shelf life through several different mechanisms. It is also available in liquid or powder form. eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial offers the additional benefit of extending shelf life of prepared and processed foods up to 200% compared to test controls. A key benefit of eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial is its mild taste profile as a replacement for preservatives that affect flavor - both natural and synthetic.

Both eatSafe Natural Food Wash and eatFresh Natural Antimicrobial control pathogens via a cell electro-potential disruption mechanism. The efficacy of these products is derived from the synergistic combination of components. Unlike many other sanitizing and preservative products, eatFresh and eatSafe have a broad spectrum of efficacy, with the ability to handle different pathogens by varying use levels, rather than more traditional methods of combining different preservative types - making them very cost-effective when compared to other similar products on the market.

New Market Opportunities and Better Profitability for Producers

According to Paul M. Flowerman, President of P.L. Thomas, these new all-natural products open up new opportunities for consumer product development and can significantly reduce overall costs for all-natural foods and beverages. "We're very excited for the opportunity to partner with Grow Green Industries in launching and developing the market for these new products. The all-natural and clean label movements are among the hottest on the consumer scene right now - ranking above such stalwarts as reduced fat or sugar. Industry surveys show that 70% of consumers are interested in products that offer natural preservatives," he said. "Beyond this, the eatSafe and eatFresh offer an end-to-end solution for improving taste, quality and shelf life. The economic implications of vastly improved shelf life for all-natural products are enormous," he added. For more information, visit: http://www.plthomas.com.

Media Contact:

Mark Falconer
Sciencewerks
Voice: 407-412-9705
E-mail: mfalconer@sciencewerks.net

Company Contact:

Devin Stagg, Product Strategy
P.L. Thomas & Co. Inc.
Voice: 973-984-0900 x235
E-mail: devin@plthomas.com

This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Grow Green Industries, Inc. and P.L. Thomas & Co. Inc.

Grub Crawl Inc. Partners With Bon Appetit Magazine

Wed, 23 May 2012 07:13:44 +0000

Grub Crawl has announced a new partnership with Bon Appetit magazine through 2014.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, May 23, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Grub Crawl has announced a new partnership with Bon Appetit magazine through 2014. Beginning in June 2012 as part of the new deal, the magazine will promote future Grub Crawls in their magazine and on their online webpage. Grub Crawl will be part of "The List" in the magazine's upcoming issue, set to hit newsstands in May.

Bon Appetit, one of the top circulating food magazines in the country, will also send an annual email newsletter blast to all San Francisco-based subscribers about Grub Crawl's future events. Also, Bon Appetit will also have the option to coordinate and promote their own crawl in which customers can get a discounted ticket toward the event.

"Teaming up with Bon Appetit is a great step for us as a company," said Grub Crawl co-founder Henson Gawliu. "Collaborating with a major publication helps bring out the best in what we have to offer to a wider audience."

Bon Appetit celebrates the world of great food and the pleasure of sharing it with others. Every issue invites readers into a hands-on experience, engaging them in all aspects of the epicurean lifestyle-cooking, dining, travel, entertaining, shopping and design.

Their philosophy matches well with Grub Crawl's vision of providing customers with not only the best food the Bay Area has to offer, but a social food tour event in which food lovers get a chance to experience the city and the people in it.

"The potential of this partnership is limitless and we will one day see a Grub Crawl in every top tourist destination in the world," said Gawliu. "Why try only one restaurant while on vacation when you can try multiple restaurants in a single day?"

Since 2010, Grub Crawl has established itself as one of the top food tours in the Bay Area. Having hosted hundreds of crawls, the company prides itself in providing locals a great taste of the Bay Area's food scene.

For more information about Grub Crawl or if you are interested in partnering up with Grub Crawl Inc. for a future Grub Crawl, please contact Henson Gawliu Jr at info@grubcrawl.com.

A "Grub Crawl" is essentially a walking social food tour in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. We take a group of Grub Crawlers to a series of restaurants and have everyone taste the best dishes each restaurant has to offer, all in one night. Reservations are already set. Each restaurant selects the dish they want to showcase. We provide a completely unique dining experience at a reasonable and discounted price! Grub Crawlers get to indulge themselves in the food, the restaurants, the culture, and the San Francisco Neighborhoods. For more information email us at info@grubcrawl.com.

Website: http://www.grubcrawl.com

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This Father's Day, Help Dad Find His Inner Viking: Give Him Adventure in a Bottle with Einstok Icelandic Craft Ale

Wed, 23 May 2012 07:12:00 +0000

If you really want to commemorate the man your father is, then treat him to something that celebrates adventure and helps him discover his inner viking: craft beer from Einstok Olgerd, brewed in Iceland just 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

AKUREYRI, ICELAND, May 23, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Forget the ties, the tools and the lawn equipment. If you really want to commemorate the real man your father is, then treat him to something that celebrates adventure and helps him discover his inner viking: craft beer from Einstok Olgerd, brewed in Iceland just 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

Einstok - which means "unique" or "distinctive" in Icelandic - starts its process with the perfect foundation for brewing craft ales: the purest water on earth. The water starts as rain or ancient glacial water from atop the Hlioarfjall Mountain, from where it flows through and is naturally purified by ancient lava fields. From there, brewmaster Baldur Karrason unites it with ingredients sourced both locally from Iceland and from all over the world to deliver craft beer that is distinct and flavorful, yet deliciously refreshing and drinkable.

The current product line consists of three styles that offer a variety of color and flavor:

Icelandic White Ale (ABV 5.2%): brewed in the centuries-old Belgian tradition, this ale features the complex flavors of the classic wit bier, including coriander and orange peel, all brewed with pure Icelandic water that delivers a cool smoothness that is flavorful and refreshingly drinkable.

Pale Ale (ABV 5.6%): American and Bavarian craft come together to create the Viking version of the Pale Ale. Mild, slight toffee flavors and generous hop aroma flood this ale with taste, brewed harmoniously with nature's finest Icelandic water.

Toasted Porter (ABV 6.0%): With clear notes of espresso and dark chocolate, this Porter is dark and rich, offering a medium body that is robust - yet smooth and seriously easy to drink. Be afraid of the dark no more.

Einstok is distributed throughout California by Wine Warehouse and is currently available in select stores, restaurants and bars throughout the state. To find out more, join us on Facebook or visit www.einstokbeer.com.

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Tranzbyte Corporation Taps New Managing Director for its Altitude Organic Division

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Tranzbyte Corporation Taps New Managing Director for its Altitude Organic Division

PR Newswire

PHOENIX, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Altitude Organic Corporation, (PINKSHEETS: ERBB) a subsidiary of Tranzbyte Corporation, announced today that it has replaced the division's president with a new managing director. Mr. Eric Boone has been named Managing Director and will assume Mr. Cook's duties. Mr. Boone has fifteen years of business management experience spanning several countries and holds and Executive MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Mr. Boone's track record contains a list of successful turn-arounds in US and Russia. He was selected based on his agility in unpredictable business environments and his ability to conceive and implement bold initiatives. According to Mr. Boone, "I have watched the medical cannabis industry grow a great deal in sophistication and proven medical efficacy over the past several years. I am developing a business model to support this growth by focusing on building our relationships with new and existing dispensaries and bringing new levels of value to the industry. We have laid the groundwork and nurtured a healthy, holistic culture. I believe the company is poised to monetize our expertise and build on its current shareholder value."

Tranzbyte president, David Gwyther concurs, "Altitude Organic needs to focus now on the development of its relationships with dispensaries nationwide. As our relationships with dispensary owners mature, Eric and I believe that Altitude Organic's future lies in involving the company in the creation of value throughout the industry's entire supply chain. Tranzbyte's outside director, Colleen Manley, should also be of great help to us. The contacts she has accumulated from her years as a past (and current) board member of Trans-High Corporation, the publishers of High Times magazine), should help to supercharge Altitude Organix's journey into the brave new world of legal medical cannabis.

ABOUT ALTITUDE ORGANIC CORPORATION

Altitude Organic Corporation (www.altitudeorganix.com) provides business support services to independently-owned retail dispensaries in states that have approved the use of medical cannabis. AOC continues to drive innovation in the industry through its sales and marketing support services, point-of-sale and inventory management technologies, Zazzz™ unique retail product lines, and an ever-growing family of brands designed to meet the every-growing demand of the burgeoning medical cannabis industry. Visit http://www.altitudeorganix.com today.

ABOUT PROXIMARF AND APPLIED RFID

Founded in 2006, Applied RFID and its operating subsidiaries (www.proximarf.com), have a versatile and leading-edge portfolio of RFID reader, sensor tag and data logging products based on the ISO 15693 standard of high frequency (13.56Mhz) RFID.

The company has plans to increase its network of global distributors and value-added resellers. With its "Proxima RF" line of RFID readers, sensor tags, sensor probes and data logging products, the Company seeks out opportunities with partners who have a unique software offering within market verticals where the implementation of secure data collection and temperature sensing bring real and immediate ROI to users. These key markets include: food safety, cold chain logistics and healthcare/pharmaceutical as well as factory and field maintenance applications.

ABOUT TRANZBYTE

The Tranzbyte Corporation (www.tranzbyte.com) is a driving force behind Altitude Organic Corporation. The company expects to continue its plan to acquire, hold, or spin out successful divisions in what has been described in previous news releases as "dividend farming," Companies that qualify and decide to become public on their own will agree to carve out shares for Tranzbyte and their ERBB shareholders.

In February 2012, Tranzbyte acquired ProximaRF – a leading-edge company that produces a line of products supporting leading-edge RFID technology.

Tranzbyte also houses the company's 8-year-old technology division which is actively engaged in the sale of its optical media enhancement products to potential customers in the US and Asia. Products in the Tranzbyte division include FLASHAlbum™ and FlixStix -- technologies that enable distributors of optical media (CDs, DVDs, etc.) to consolidate the best features of each medium onto a single content-protected USB flash drive.

NOTES ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Except for any historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission reports and filings. Certain statements contained in this release that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by that Act. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because they involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as estimates, anticipates, projects, plans, expects, intends, believes, should and similar expressions and by the context in which they are used. Such statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which they are made.

Company and Contact:

David G. Gwyther , President
Tranzbyte Corporation
14220 N. Northsight Blvd., Suite 139
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
480-443-1600
info@tranzbyte.com
www.tranzbyte.com

Tranzbyte Corporation – Hong Kong
Rm 308, 3/F, Kai Tak Commercial Building
317-319 Des Voeux Road Central,
Hong Kong (SAR)

Mr. Eric Boone, Managing Director
Altitude Organic Corporation
14220 N. Northsight Blvd., Suite 139
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
info@altitudeorganix.com
www.altitudeorganix.com

Victor J. Elias, President
ProximaRF Technology Holding Company
ProximaRF Corporate Office:
14220 N. Northsight Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480-443-1600
www.proximarf.com

SOURCE Tranzbyte Corporation

Albemarle to update Vision 2015 strategic framework at its investor conference

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Albemarle to update Vision 2015 strategic framework at its investor conference

PR Newswire

BATON ROUGE, La., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), will present an update to its Vision 2015 strategic framework at its investor conference today at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time in New York City. The event will be hosted by Luke Kissam, Chief Executive Officer, and will be webcast live at www.albemarle.com.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/MM14279LOGO)

Albemarle's Vision 2015 plan outlines the company's strategy to grow revenue to $5+ billion, with earnings potential in excess of $9 per share by 2015. The leadership team will present updates on the major investments, business adjacencies and other opportunities that will allow the company to drive double-digit revenue and earnings growth and meet targeted profitability goals.

"Vision 2015, our five-year plan to double the size of our business, is predicated upon our ability to leverage our core strengths to drive organic growth and expand into adjacent markets," said Luke Kissam, Chief Executive Officer. "Our businesses are well positioned to provide innovative solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by a multitude of long-range trends impacting the globe, including population growth, technology, consumerism and resource management. Our strategic positioning, operational discipline and financial strength give us confidence that Albemarle is poised to achieve our objectives."

SOURCE Albemarle Corporation