WASHINGTON -- Fresh Express announced a May 25 recall of ready-to-eat salads after the Food & Drug Administration found Salmonella in a random test. Salmonella was confirmed in a single package of Fresh Express "Hearts of Romaine Salad" during routine sampling, according to the Salinas, CA-based firm. The company is recalling 27 different products, even though the ready- to-eat salads are labeled with expired use-by dates of May 13-16. "Because it is still possible that products bearing the use-by dates of May 13-16 and an 'S' in the Product Code could be on store shelves, this recall extends

Pandol Bros. Inc., a grower-shipper of premium table grapes based in Delano, CA, hired Scott Reade to the newly created position of vice president of sales and marketing. In his new position, Mr. Reade is responsible for all aspects of the sales and marketing functions, including growing the company's client base through distribution channel diversification as well as customer segment diversification. "Scott brings years of experience and a proven track record of success in the sales and marketing area within the produce industry," David Dever, president and chief executive officer of Pandol

PHILADELPHIA -- The time is almost here for the opening of the new Philadelphia produce market. Philadelphia's fresh fruit and vegetable distributors will soon occupy one of the larger, more modern produce terminals in the world. The market measures 667,000 square feet in size. As of mid-May, a move-in date was uncertain. Jimmy Storey, president of the Philadelphia Fresh Food Terminal Corp., said, "We will be in by this September or October. Maybe earlier or later." Once the construction is generally completed, two months will be needed to test the refrigeration and other systems before the

Summerwhites, the California Tree Fruit Agreement's trademarked name for white-flesh peaches and nectarines, are projected to see modest increases in volume for the 2010 season after a sharp decline in 2009. With the early harvest underway, starting dates by variety are projected to be about two days later than last year, and growers said the quality looks exceptional, as it does for California stone fruit in general. The California Tree Fruit Agreement, at its April 29 Spring Committee/Board Meetings, estimated slightly larger crops for Summerwhite peaches and nectarines than last year. The

After a winter of produce shortages due to brutal weather, consumers and retailers are eagerly anticipating this year's South Carolina peach crop, according to Amy London of the South Carolina Peach Council. With consumer demand and retail interest on the increase, "we all still have our fingers crossed and we're holding our breath -- but the outlook for the season so far looks better than it has in quite some time," Ms. London told The Produce News May 13. "With weather and people buying local and having local purchasing power it looks like it's going to be a good season for us -- we're

PHILADELPHIA -- A marketing committee is working to attract new business for tenants when Philadelphia's produce industry moves into its new market. The market will be named the Regional Produce Cooperative Corp. The chairman of the marketing committee is John Vena III, owner of John Vena Inc. He said that other members of the committee are Sonny DiCrecchio, general manager of the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market, who will become the chief executive officer of the RPCC; and Dan Kane, the market's assistant manager. Also on the committee are Chris DiPiazza, a partner in the market's