Rice Helps Fortify Diets With Folic Acid

(NAPSI)-Research shows that people who eat rice--brown or white--tend to have healthier diets.

For optimal health, a diet should include hearty helpings of both. Brown rice is a nutritious whole grain, and enriched white rice also has a lot to offer. U.S.-grown white rice contains niacin, thiamin and iron and is fortified with folic acid, which can help everyone--from babies to boomers--protect their health.

Folic acid helps prevent birth defects and may reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and Alzheimer's disease.

Since most people don't consume enough of this important B vitamin, adding a few servings of rice can help. Just 1 cup of cooked enriched rice delivers over 80 of the daily recommended 400 micrograms.

Low in calories and fat-free, enriched white rice is also economical. It costs only 10 cents per half-cup cooked serving, with a pound of uncooked rice making more than 2 pounds of cooked rice.

To stretch the food dollar and make hamburgers, meat loaf or meatballs more nutritious and affordable, replace a quarter of the meat with cooked white rice.

Here's a tasty recipe for Rice Tabbouleh. For more rice recipes and information, visit www.usarice.com. For information on folic acid, visit www.folicacidinfo.org.

Rice Tabbouleh

Yield: Makes 6 servings

3 cups cooked enriched white rice

1 cup chopped, Italian flat-leaf parsley

¾ cup chopped cucumber

¾ cup chopped tomato

¼ cup minced mint leaves

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine rice, parsley, cucumber, tomato, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss well.

Nutrition Facts: 190 Calories, 10g total fat, 400mg sodium, 24g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 3g protein

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Baking Cookies: A Budget-Stretching Gift Idea

CC Note: Ho, ho, ho. Our staff just loves to bake cookies during the holiday season. Ho, ho, ho. Which cookie is your favorite? Send us an email with your recipe!

(NAPSI)-Saving money on holiday gifts can be delicious-especially if you cut costs by baking tasty homemade cookies.

It's easier and less expensive than you might imagine. Baking cookies literally costs pennies, and it's the kind of mouthwatering gift people remember.

For example, a dozen pecan chocolate chip cookies can be made for around one dollar, while refrigerated cookie dough cookies cost almost 50 cents more and a package of bakery chocolate chip cookies can cost around $5.00 per dozen, depending on where you live.

Peanut butter cookies can be baked at home for about 50 cents a dozen and cost as much as chocolate chip ones at the bakery.

Once you have gathered all the ingredients, it probably takes less time to bake up several batches of cookies than you might spend wandering around the mall.

It's a great way to get yourself in the holiday spirit. Just turn on the holiday music, make yourself a cup of cocoa and get in the holiday mood.

Making cookies is a great seasonal activity for the whole family. Even the smallest children can press a cookie cutter or help stir cookie dough.

When the cookies are done, find a clever way to wrap them up.

• Wrap them in colorful tissue paper.

• Give them in holiday tins. You can find new tins in stores or vintage ones at tag sales.

• Arrange them in a basket.

• Decorate a gift box with a collage of images or cutout letters of the person's name.

• Fill a Mason jar and attach a ribbon.

A sweet way to get together with friends and family, create great, inexpensive gifts and have a warmly delightful time at the holidays or throughout the year is by staging a cookie swap.

At a cookie swap, you and each of your guests bake one kind of cookie in quantities sufficient to share. Each guest leaves the party with a dozen of each cookie, ready to give away, share right away or enjoy later.

For cookie recipes, visit www.Dominosugar.com or www.chsugar.com.

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A Makeover for Your Kitchen: Keep Your Ingredients Fresh

CC Note: The holiday season is upon us. While you're baking and singing all your favorite holiday favorites, be sure to follow these tips for keeping your pantry supplies fresh.

As you start to prepare for the holidays, are you afraid to open your cupboard and look for those baking ingredients? Do you wonder if they are OK or should be thrown out? Do these items ever get too old?

If seasonal baking is all you do, those leftover baking ingredients may be less than fresh. Even if you bake throughout the year, staple ingredients should be refreshed periodically.

It’s a good time of year to take stock of your baking stock. Make sure those homemade holiday cookies and cakes look and taste the best they can.

Dry ingredients like flours and spices are safe to use no matter how old they are. But they might not taste or perform as expected forever.

Be sure to always read labels, follow storage information and look at recommended use-by dates for all ingredients.

Remember that:

White flour keeps six to 12 months when stored in an airtight container or freezer bag in a cool, dry place to keep moisture low. Moisture content can affect your recipe.

For storage longer than a year, keep it in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container. All-purpose and bread flour will keep up to two years at 40 F in your refrigerator, according to the Wheat Foods Council. It can be stored indefinitely in the freezer.

Allow the flour to come to room temperature before using it.

Whole wheat flour keeps one to three months at room temperature. It becomes rancid if kept at room temperature for too long. For longer storage, put it in an airtight container or freezer bag in the refrigerator or freezer. It will maintain quality six months in the refrigerator and up to 12 months in the freezer.

White granulated sugar keeps indefinitely if properly stored. However, rotate the supply every two years for ease of use and quality. Store it in an airtight container or a heavy moisture-proof plastic bag. To soften hardened sugar, put it in a sturdy food-quality bag and pound it with a hammer. Smash smaller pieces with a mortar and pestle or break in a spice grinder.

Brown sugar keeps maximum freshness for four to six months. It’s important to store it in an airtight container to retain moisture and prevent hardening. Keep it in its original plastic bag, tightly closed, or transfer it to an airtight container or a moisture-proof plastic bag.

To soften brown sugar, heat it in a 250-degree oven for a few minutes. Or, place it in a microwave-safe container and cover loosely with a white, damp paper towel. Microwave on high and check it every 30 seconds.

Baking powder keeps 12 to 18 months and should be stored tightly covered in a dry place. Discard baking powder after its expiration date.

Make sure to use dry utensils to dip baking powder or soda. To test baking powder for freshness, mix one teaspoon baking powder with one-third cup of hot water. If it foams vigorously, it still has rising power.

Baking soda keeps 12 to 18 months and should be stored tightly covered in a dry place. Discard baking soda after its expiration date. To test its freshness, place one and a half teaspoons in a small bowl with one tablespoon of vinegar. If it fizzes, it will still leaven food. If it doesn't, use it in the fridge to catch odors.

Herbs and ground spices keep up to one year. Whole spices keep up to two years. Store them in a tightly covered container in a dark place. Air, light, moisture and heat speed their flavor and color loss. If you use a spice rack, place it away from light, heat and moisture.

Avoid storing above or near the stove, dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, sink or heating vent. Use a dry spoon to handle spices or herbs. Don’t sprinkle them directly from the container into a steaming pot.

To check the potency of a ground spice, smell it. If its aroma is immediate, strong and spicy, it should still add flavor to your foods.

To test herbs, crush a small amount in your hand and smell it. If the aroma is still fresh and pleasant, it can still flavor foods. If there's no smell or an off smell, toss it.

Following these tips should help your holiday baked goods taste as fresh as possible. If you don’t check your supplies before the holidays, make a resolution to do it early next year.

By Elizabeth Andress
University of Georgia

Elizabeth L. Andress is a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension food safety specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

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Louisiana Fish Fry Products Issues Nationwide Allergy Alert on Undeclared Buttermilk in "Chicken & Fish Bake Seasoned Coating Mix"

Louisiana Fish Fry Products of Baton Rouge, LA, is recalling its 6 ounce packages of "Chicken & Fish Bake Seasoned Coating Mix" because they may contain undeclared buttermilk. People who have allergies to milk products run the risk of an allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled "Chicken & Fish Bake" was distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders.
The product comes in a 6 ounce bag marked with a "Best By" date from Jan 1, 2008 thru Sept. 25, 2011.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the buttermilk-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of buttermilk. Production of new product, with buttermilk included in the ingredient statement, has been initiated.

Consumers who have purchased 6 ounce packages of "Chicken & Fish Bake" are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-356-2905 Monday thru Friday between 8:00-5:00 CST.

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Recipes Make It Easy To Get Recommended Amount Of Whole Grains And Fiber

(NAPSI)-When it comes to eating healthier, whole grain breads provide a good start. Breads made with a variety of whole grains can help you get the daily recommended three servings of fiber your body needs.

A high-fiber diet can provide fewer calories and it tends to help you eat less. In addition, the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing intake of whole grains due to their role in cutting the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain cancers, diabetes and obesity.

It's getting easier to eat high-fiber breads that all will enjoy by making them yourself coupled with choosing convenient recipes. One choice of convenient whole grain bread requires no kneading, namely Irish Wheaten Bread. Just combine the ingredients, form the dough and let it rise. Another great time-saver is to use Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast, as the dough needs to rise only once.

RapidRise Yeast can also be used in bread machines, another convenient way to make tasty high-fiber breads such as Multigrain Bread. The machine can make a loaf from start to finish or, once the dough has been mixed, you can remove it to shape into virtually anything from pizza crust to dinner rolls and more.

Find other recipes and bread-making tips by visiting www.breadworld.com. Under the goodfibes seal there are about 100 recipes with a minimum of 0.8 grams of dietary fiber per ounce, enough to be designated as high fiber.

Irish Wheaten Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 envelope Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup water

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, cut up

2 to 21/2 cups whole wheat flour

In large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, salt and baking soda. Heat buttermilk, water and butter until very warm (120° to 130° F); mixture will curdle. Stir liquids into dry ingredients. Stir in enough whole wheat flour to make stiff dough.

Remove dough to lightly floured surface; form into smooth 5-inch ball, adding additional whole wheat flour if needed. Place in greased 9-inch pie pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.

With sharp knife, make an "X" (1/2 inch deep) on top of the dough. Bake at 375° F for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

Multigrain Bread

Makes one 11/2-pound loaf

11/3 cups water

2 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 tsp. salt

2 cups bread flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup rolled oats, toasted*

3 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk powder

3 Tbsp. cornmeal

3 Tbsp. toasted wheat germ

1 envelope Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order suggested by the manufacturer. Recommended cycle: whole wheat/whole grain or basic/ white bread cycle; medium/ normal color setting. (If basic/white bread cycle is used, add 1 tablespoon gluten to recipe.) Timed-bake feature can be used.

*To toast oats, spread thin layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350° F for 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring often.

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New-Fashioned Sausage Cassoulet

(NAPSI)-If you're one of those people who order cassoulet whenever you see it on the menu, you have lots of company. Most people love cassoulet and order it because it's a dish they think is hard to make at home. Well, here's a recipe that shows this French dish is really simple to make yet complex in flavor:

New-Fashioned Sausage Cassoulet

Yield: 4

1 teaspoon olive oil

¼ pound fully cooked smoked sausage, cut in 2‑inch lengths

½ pound fresh Italian sausage links, cut in 2‑inch lengths

2 cups chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes including liquid

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

2 whole bay leaves

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 (14- to 15-ounce) can white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add sausages and sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausages to drain in a paper towel-lined bowl.

2. Discard all but 1 teaspoon pan drippings. Add onion to hot pan drippings and cook until tender. Add garlic and sauté only until fragrant, about 30-40 seconds.

3. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, cloves and beans.

4. Bring mixture to a gentle boil. Return sausage to pan. Cover and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

5. Remove bay leaves. Serve cassoulet in individual shallow soup bowls.

For more recipes from the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, go to www.hot-dog.org. To receive a free recipe booklet, "Sausage Recipes From Around the World," send a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to Sausage Recipes, 1150 Connecticut Ave, NW, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20036.

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FDA Announces Participants of Pilot Program for Third-Party Certification of Imported Aquacultured Shrimp

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the participants in Phase II of its pilot program for voluntary third-party certification programs for imported aquacultured shrimp.

Phase II, which will run through June 2009, will help the FDA develop the process for evaluating third-party certification programs. The pilot will allow the FDA to identify and address technical and operational issues in assessing certification programs and processing certifications. This information will assist the agency in moving towards broader recognition of voluntary third-party certification programs.

The participants in Phase II of the program are:

* Bureau Veritas Group Company
* Global Aquaculture Alliance / Aquaculture Certification Council Inc.
* Inspectorate America Corporation
* SGS United States Testing Company
* Seafood Inspection Service, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
* Thailand Department of Fisheries

The pilot program responds to a recommendation in the President’s Action Plan for Import Safety, issued in November 2007, which called for the development of voluntary third-party certification programs for foreign producers who export to the United States. The FDA’s Food Protection Plan, also issued last November, emphasizes qualified and legitimate third party certification as a way to help verify the safety of products from both foreign and domestic food companies.

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Rice Recipes Rich In Nutritious Flavor

(NAPSI)-Preparing meals that are budget and family friendly, healthy, fast and delicious is much easier when you start with a nutritious ingredient, such as rice, that can be used in a variety of recipes.

Rice absorbs the flavor of other ingredients and certain types of rice are easy to make and cook quickly. To save time, rice can be prepared in advance and later used in quick recipes like the ones below.

Take Minute Rice, for example. Minute Brown Rice was recently named one of the best packaged foods by Women's Health magazine because it takes only 10 minutes to cook yet it has the same nutritional value as long-cooking brown rice.

Brown and white rice are both complex carbohydrates that are trans fat-free, sodium-free and gluten-free, which makes rice healthy for the whole family. Additionally, brown rice is a 100 percent whole grain product, and research has shown that a diet rich in whole grains reduces the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. Here are a variety of quick, easy, healthy and delicious tips the whole family will love:

Breakfast Tips

• Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over hot cooked rice. You can also add dried fruit, milk and nuts to make breakfast even better.

• Fold cooked white or brown rice into your favorite fruit yogurt. Add granola and fresh fruit. Top with honey.

• Enhance the nuttiness of brown rice by adding cashews, peanuts or sunflower seeds. Stir in dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries for a nutritious snack.

Quick Meals

• For a delicious farmer's scramble, add scrambled eggs, cooked sausage, cheese and green onions to hot cooked rice. Salsa makes a great topping.

• For an easy Waldorf salad, add chopped apples, celery, raisins, pecans and vanilla yogurt to cooked and cooled brown rice.

• For an easy pilaf, add sautéed onions, mushrooms and green peppers to rice cooked with chicken broth. Top with toasted pine nuts.

Sweet Treats

• Make a quick raspberry rice pudding by mixing cooled rice, fresh raspberries, honey and vanilla yogurt. Top with lemon zest.

• For an easy apple cobbler, add sliced apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped nuts and vanilla yogurt to hot cooked white or brown rice.

To reheat leftover rice, add two tablespoons of water for each cup of cooked rice and microwave on HIGH about 1 minute per cup or cover and heat in a pan about 5 minutes. Leftover cooked Minute Rice may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator up to three days.

For more information, including nutritional tips, recipes and recipe videos, visit www.MinuteRice.com.

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Moms Find Fun, Healthy Snacks That Help Fight Childhood Obesity

/PRNewswire/ -- A number of recent public research studies substantiate the rise in childhood obesity, the health risks in overweight children, and the questionable nutritional value of cereals and other foods kids consume. Yet one manufacturer -- Funky Monkey(TM) Snacks -- offers all natural, freeze-dried real fruit products that are not only fun and convenient for kids, but also provide most, if not all, of the daily fruit servings recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for kids.

The need for healthy snack foods that kids love to eat comes at a time of unprecedented concern over children's health. A recent report by the American Heart Association found that the arterial walls of children and teens who are obese or have high cholesterol are similar to that of an average 45-year-old. USA Today, in a June 2008 article, reported that 32% of all U.S. kids -- 23 million children -- are overweight.

Despite the warning signs, many foods commonly consumed by children are less than ideal. A 2008 study by Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity determined that children's breakfast cereals are significantly higher in calories, sugar and salt than an equal amount of adult cereal. In a recent University of Calgary study, researchers evaluated the nutritional claims of more than 350 food products marketed to children, finding that while 63% made health claims, 90% were of poor nutritional value.

Practical Fruit Alternative

By contrast, Funky Monkey Snacks contain no added sugar, preservatives, colors or flavors. The snacks are made using a proprietary freeze-drying process on whole slices and large pieces of fruit. The process, not used on any other snack available in the U.S., removes approximately 97 percent of the moisture content of the fruit, providing a crisp, crunchy texture, while retaining nearly all of the fruit's nutrients.

Funky Monkey Snacks are a healthier and more natural alternative to dried fruit or fruit snacks. Dried fruit does not preserve all the nutrients of fresh fruit, and fruit snacks often contain added sugars (including high-fructose corn syrup), colors, flavors and preservatives.

Scientists have learned that fruits and vegetables not only reduce obesity and improve a child's overall health but can also improve academic performance. Earlier this year, a study published in Canada's Journal of School Health, conducted by researchers at the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, showed that students with an increased fruit and vegetable intake and lower caloric intake of fat were significantly less likely to fail a standardized literacy assessment test.

A "Perfect Choice"

"Our goal for Funky Monkey Snacks is to finally give moms a delicious, organic, truly nutritious and go-anywhere snack that kids will actually enjoy," said Matt Herzog, President of Funky Monkey Snacks. "With the holidays fast approaching, it's more important than ever for parents to have healthy alternatives available amid the rush of activities. Funky Monkey Snacks are the perfect choice to have on hand."

Funky Monkey Snacks come in four varieties: Bananamon(R) (freeze-dried banana and cinnamon), Carnaval Mix(TM) (freeze-dried banana, pineapple, apple, papaya and raisins), Jivealime(R) (freeze-dried pineapple and lime juice), and Purple Funk(R) (freeze-dried banana and acai). Funky Monkey Snacks are available at SuperTarget, Whole Foods Market, Winn-Dixie, HyVee and other grocery stores, as well as through Amazon.com.

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FDA Reports Significant Progress in Protecting the Food Supply

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today released a report on its implementation of the Food Protection Plan that was launched a year ago to protect both domestic and imported food from accidental and intentional contamination. The Plan, which outlines strategies for prevention, intervention and response, is designed to address food safety and food defense for both domestic and imported products and covers the full lifecycle of food, by encouraging the building of safety into every step of the food supply chain.

"Science and 21st century technologies help drive the FDA's efforts to transform our food safety efforts from the Food Protection Plan into a reality," said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. "Every day, the FDA is working with foreign countries, state and local governments, regulated industry and consumer groups to ensure the safety of the food supply. We also continue to work with members of Congress to achieve new authorities requested in the Food Protection Plan."

Listed below are the highlights of the agency's accomplishments in implementing the Food Protection Plan's three core strategies: The prevention of outbreaks of food-borne disease, and intervention and response if they occur:

PREVENTION

* The FDA is establishing offices in five regions that export food and other FDA-regulated products to the United States: China, India, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The FDA has already hired staff for its offices in China and India.
* The FDA was part of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delegation to China to address food safety issues in both countries and to share ideas to address global food safety. U.S. and Chinese government officials discussed recent outbreak of foodborne illness in the United States related to fresh produce as well as the melamine contamination of dairy products in China.
* The FDA released the CARVER self-assessment tool for industry, to minimize the risk of intentional contamination of food, and conducted training seminars for industry on how to use the tool.
* The FDA held a meeting of with more than 200 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners to address the challenges of protecting the nation's food supply.
* The FDA is hiring an International Notification Coordinator to manage enhanced information exchanges between the agency and foreign counterpart regulatory authorities.
* The FDA approved the use of irradiation of iceberg lettuce and spinach for the control of pathogens, such as Escherichia. coli, in or on those foods.
* The FDA developed methods to detect melamine and cyanuric acid in feed and feed ingredients.
* The FDA is using genetic analysis to identify hundreds of Salmonella strains from seafood imports. The analysis provides information to trace outbreaks of Salmonella outbreaks and implement surveillance programs to ensure food safety.

INTERVENTION

* The FDA completed inspections of 5,930 high-risk domestic food establishments during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008.
* The FDA piloted the program for inspection and sampling of high-risk companies in Denver and Minneapolis during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
* A targeted, risk-based inspection of a canning facility in 2008 identified cans with viable Clostridium botulinum spores and a recall was initiated. The FDA initiated this inspection, along with inspections of other Low Acid Canned Food (LACF) manufacturers, following four cases of botulism in consumers in 2007. The FDA increased inspection efforts to ensure that manufacturers of all types of LACF products are adhering to applicable FDA requirements. These actions illustrate the need for companies to operate under adequate preventive control systems.
* The FDA issued "Draft Guidance for Industry on Voluntary Third-Party Certification Programs for Food and Feed." Docket FDA-2008-D-0381 is available for viewing at www.regulations.gov.
* The FDA has developed a rapid detection method that uses flow cytometry to identify E. coli and Salmonella in food, now in use in poultry-processing facilities to detect and prevent bacterial contamination during food processing.
* The FDA is expanding its database of adverse drug events to include adverse feed events, which will allow the agency to respond faster to outbreaks of feedborne disease in animals, contamination episodes, and/or product defects.
* The FDA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection jointly issued a final rule on Prior Notice of Imported Food Shipments, and an accompanying Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) on Oct. 31, 2008; the rule and CPG were published in the Federal Register on Nov. 7, 2008.

RESPONSE

* The FDA is working with industry and the public to identify best practices for tracing fresh produce throughout the supply chain.
* The FDA has enhanced the agency's ability to coordinate a comprehensive response to foodborne illness events by authoring tools used to track emergency response resources and other locations of interest.
* The FDA hired two emergency /complaint-response coordinators to improve its response to emergencies that involve animal feed, including pet food.
* Following the detection of melamine in infant formula and milk products from China, the FDA worked with its state and local counterparts to rapidly canvas over 2,100 vendors of Asian products to remove any Chinese infant formula from the market and to sample milk-derived Chinese products to check for melamine contamination. The FDA also provided regular updates on its Web site, advising consumers which products to avoid because of melamine contamination.
* The FDA held regular briefing calls for consumer organizations during the outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul in the summer of 2008, and regularly updated a Web page that provided information on the investigation into the outbreak, and advised consumers how they could protect themselves and their families.
* The FDA has signed cooperative agreements with six U.S. states to form a Rapid Response Team to develop, implement, exercise, and integrate an all-hazards response capability for food and foodborne illness responses, to react more rapidly react to potential threats to our food supply.
* After reports from China of melamine-contaminated infant formula, the FDA worked with its state and local counterparts to quickly canvas over 2,100 Asian markets to remove any infant formula from China that might be available and to sample milk-derived products to check for melamine contamination.

The entire One-Year Summary of Progress under the Food Protection Plan is posted at www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/advance/food/progressreport1108.html, and the Food Protection Plan is available at www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/advance/food/plan.html.

The Food Protection Plan complements the Action Plan on Import Safety the President's Working Group On Import Safety unveiled one year ago to improve the safety of all imported products. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt heads The Working Group. For additional information on the FDA's activities under the Action Plan for Import Safety, please visit: www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/advance/imports/activities.html.

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