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R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 7 5 Tu e s d a y, M a y 1 9 , 2 0 1 5 ALTO-SHAAM RELEASES XCELERATE HI-SPEED OVEN Alto-Shaam has released the Xcelerate ® Hi-Speed oven, expanding the company into the high-speed oven category. Xcelerate combines powerful microwave and air impingement technologies to cook up to 10 times faster than a conven- tional oven while maintaining a freshly baked taste, texture and appearance. Similar to Alto-Shaam's vast line of commercial foodservice equipment, the energy-efficient Xcelerate has the versatil- ity to fit a variety of applications with the ability to defrost, reheat, cook, bake and brown. Service times are made faster with the uniform, rapid cooking technology. Xcelerate allows for true one-touch cooking. The easy-to-use programmable touchscreen control produces consistent results in seconds with downloadable recipes. Operation of the touchscreen oven is made simple with picture-based icons and audible and visual alarms, ensuring quality cooking outcomes no matter who is working in the kitchen. "Alto-Shaam has a strong tradition of searching for the new technologies that help the modern kitchen produce bet- ter food with more efficiencies and high- er profits," said Corporate Chef Andy Mayeshiba. "The Xcelerate oven pro- vides our customers with yet another tool to deliver their creations quickly to the consumer. With speeds up to 10 times faster than conventional ovens, the Xcelerate has the potential to revolution- ize the way some operations do business. Paired with Alto-Shaam's legendary sup- port system and broad catalog of produc- tion and holding equipment, this newest addition to our arsenal is sure to make waves in the industry." The built-in catalytic converter allows for placement outside of an expen- sive hood, making it perfect for small spaces in restaurants, hotels, bakeries, coffee shops, bars, convenience stores and quick-service restaurants. From heat- ing up frozen muffins and scones to cook- ing panini sandwiches or whole pizzas, this oven can introduce or expand menu offerings. Additionally, cleaning the Xcelerate Hi-Speed oven is easy with the rounded interior corners and no movable parts in the baking chamber. Available in two sizes with the abili- ty to be stacked or placed under counters, the Xcelerate includes the option for sev- eral accessories including a wire shelf, stainless steel peel, baking mats, panini griddle, food trays, and baking stones to further expand menu capabilities. Xcelerate is available for purchase in North and South America only. For more information, specification sheets, and manuals, visit www.alto-shaam.com. FDA: BPA SAFE AT CURRENT LEVELS OF EXPOSURE FROM FOOD CONTACT USES The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a new assessment of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), reaffirm- ing its position that BPA is safe at cur- rent levels of exposure from food con- tact uses. FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition released its 2014 hazard assessment of BPA via the agency's website following completion of a formal internal agency review of the most current research on BPA. According to the FDA, the 2014 review reconfirms that the basis for the agency's previous assessment of the safety threshold for BPA was appropri- ate. In addition, the agency concluded that due to metabolism difference, rodent studies should not be the basis for consideration of BPA effects in human infants. Instead, a safety assess- ment must rely on primate data, which suggest that all ages, including infants, can quickly and effectively metabolize BPA. The FDA also stated that the potential for contamination in BPA research activities is much greater than previously realized. FDA believes this potential for contamination may explain inconsistent results seen in previously low-dose studies showing adverse effects. "The 2014 assessment of BPA by FDA is welcome news, said John M. Rost, Chair of The North American Metal Packaging Alliance. "The com- prehensive review by FDA scientists should dispel any concerns regarding the safe use of BPA epoxy resins in canned foods. Agency researchers could not have been more clear or definitive in their conclusion that an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA." ONLINE GROCERY SALES PREDICTED TO REACH $100 BILLION BY END OF DECADE Online grocery shopping is currently one of the smallest segments for food and beverage sales, but this rapidly changing business is poised for tremendous growth over the next several years. Market research publisher Packaged Facts fore- casts that online grocery shopping sales will grow from about $23 billion in 2014 (accounting for 3.5 percent of total online and offline grocery spending) to $100 billion by 2019 (capturing 12 percent of total grocery spending). "Meeting at the crossroads of tech- nology and service, online grocery shop- ping offers the grocery industry's most exciting potential, because it is the fastest growing channel in the grocery arena," said David Sprinkle, Research Director for Packaged Facts. "It's clear that U.S. consumers have become increasingly comfortable with shopping for groceries via Internet and reliant upon home deliv- ery and easy pickup of prepicked orders." The online grocery business has become crowded with participants – some well-established, but many of which entered this business only in the past two years. To date, fewer than a dozen online grocery services with the potential to be viable on a national level or across a wide swath of the country have emerged from the fray. Although they are still at early stages of test-mar- keting, companies such as Amazon.com and Walmart have a leg up in operating nationwide online grocery services because of their large infrastructures of warehouses dotting the country, advanced logistics and delivery systems, clout with suppliers and wide assortment of products. This gives these companies the potential to cross-sell and deliver high-ticket and more profitable items in the same order, shipment or truck. In contrast, supermarkets – even the nation's largest chains – operate primari- ly under regional or local banners. And while few major players have emerged as yet, all across the United States, both in cities and suburbs, a multiplicity of local grocers and shopping/delivery services are springing up under the radar, provid- ing online ordering of groceries from their stores or farm-to-fridge services in their local trading areas. Packaged Facts estimates that these online grocery serv- ices could easily number in the hundreds. Looking ahead, online grocery busi- ness has unique challenges as it strives to reach its potential. However, Packaged Facts anticipates that over the next five years, online grocery service providers will develop models that solve the logis- tics problems while being profitable for the operators. As this happens, online services will become more widely avail- able throughout the country and con- sumers will become more confident in shopping for food and beverages online. It is expected for these developments to take place in leaps and bounds as, for example, Amazon Prime Pantry rolls out across the country and AmazonFresh spreads to more cities. For more information on online food shop- ping and grocery delivery in the United States, visit www.packagedfacts.com. GLOBAL GMO FREE COALITION SET TO HELP FUND WORLD'S LARGEST GMO SAFETY STUDY The Global GMO Free Coalition is launching the largest ever study on GMO and pesticide safety: Factor GMO. Factor GMO will include three arms: carcinogenicity, toxicity and multi-generational. These arms will give clear information on the health impacts of consuming genetically modified foods. "It is with optimism that I welcome this opportunity to find out the full truth about the possible harm caused by GMOs and pesticides to human health," said Henry Rowlands, Director of Sustainable Pulse. "This is the Ultimate Study that we have all waited 20 years for." "We welcome the announcement of this experiment and encourage everyone concerned about GMO safety to help fund it – even though, as is the case with all objective scientific research, the findings may not be what we expect," said Claire Robinson, Research Director for Earth Open Source. "If no effects are found from the GMO … we can draw some reassurance about the safety … But if toxic effects are found, regulators and the GMO industry will have some serious questions to answer. "In a day and age where we have either science through proclamation or published research that is merely an excreta of capital administered by multinational corporations with agen- das contrary to the public good, noth- ing could be more important than crowdfunding studies that produce real science on the effects of agrochemicals and biotechnology whose promised benefits are not matched by objective, special interest-free bias," said Sayer Ji, Founder and Director of GreenMedInfo.com. "The time is now for the world to say enough is enough and put their money where their mouth is, literally." Factor GMO has already raised more money than any other GMO/pes- ticide safety study in history and is close to the full $25 million needed for the full comprehensive experiment. The Global GMO Free Coalition announced at the study's launch that it will accept funds from all sources except the biotech industry. It is for this reason that the GGFC is launching a worldwide fundraising campaign start- ing today and lasting until April 2015. The Global GMO Free Coalition's fiscal sponsor in the United States, Organic Consumers Association, has enabled the organization to give tax deductions to U.S. funders. For those who wish to find out more about the study or to donate to it, visit www.gmofreeglobal.org/en/news/post/ global-gmo-free-coalition-helps-fund- worlds-largest-gmo-safety-study.