Novazone, a leading provider of clean technology solutions for food and water including advanced ozone-based applications, has launched PurFresh, a solution for reducing decay, controlling over-ripening and enhancing food safety for fresh produce during transit. PurFresh uses ambient oxygen and converts it to ozone, a natural form of electrified oxygen. Ozone is delivered continually by Novazone's PurFresh product into shipping containers, trucks and trains, and its concentrations are carefully maintained. When properly controlled, ozone is extremely effective in killing microorganisms like

VALENCIA, SPAIN -- The fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the province of Valencia were presented to the world by the Instituto Valenciano de la Exportaci?n in a produce and food fair held here April 18-21. IVEX is a society created by the Conselleria of Company, University & Science and the chambers of commerce of Valencian industry to develop the region's exports. The organization has four trade offices in the United States plus offices in Bogota, Colombia; Havana, Cuba; as well as throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia. A fruit fair, EuroAgro, was also part of this Valencian food

With a plethora of packaging options and distributors in the produce industry, Sev-Rend Corp., a St. Louis-based manufacturer of tags, labels and flexible packaging applications, is counting on its reputation for providing quality, high-performance products to help it stand out in the crowd. Rob Williams, president of Sev-Rend, said that "high-performance packaging" has become something of a motto for his company, and it is to the benefit of his customers. "We use higher-gauge materials that perform better [than cheaper alternatives], and it really helps with production because of the

COLLEGE PARK, MD -- With the Food & Drug Administration just beginning to consider a more stringent federal produce safety program, a new group of state food officials is drafting a model regulation that could be adopted by all 50 states. Retailers, restaurants and produce industry groups have been drafting food- safety protocols in response to recent outbreaks, and now there is one more group in the mix. Without a federal presence, states could begin adopting a patchwork set of regulations, Marion Aller, president of the Association of Food & Drug Officials, warned attendees of an April 13

The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, CA, has announced that its Valley of the World Hall of Fame honored George Boutonnet, Joe Nucci, and Art, Dick and Gene Sbrana posthumously. The new inductees will receive permanent recognition in a visual display to be installed in the fall in the museum. The National Steinbeck Center established the Valley of the World Hall of Fame in 2005 to recognize key pioneers of the Salinas Valley Agricultural Industry. The Hall of Fame will grow each year as new members are recognized. A dinner was held Wednesday, April 18, at Corral de Tierra Country Club in

The status of intermodal rail transportation from the port of Quincy in the state of Washington is unclear at this time, but governmental officials are hard at work to bring the project to fruition. On March 28, Washington state Rep. Judy Warnick (Dist. 13) and 13 of her legislative colleagues sent a letter to Patrick Kinne of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's Intermodal Division urging that efforts be stepped up to formalize the service. Port of Quincy Commissioner Brian Kuest said, "As a port, we've been aggressive in pursuing the service. It has been operational since April 2005, and