ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. introduces Antimicrobial Fruit and Vegetable Treatment (AFVT)—a product to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks related to ineffective produce washing in foodservice operations. AFVT is the industry’s first no-rinse produce wash to earn both Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for pathogen reduction in the water for whole produce and on the surface of cut fruits and vegetables.“Our customers count on us to provide products that help deliver clean, safe and healthy environments everywhere it matters—and the food safety arena is particularly important,” said Kris Kielsa, vice...

NEW YORK—Xeros, the innovator of an ultra low water cleaning system, announced the company has been awarded the Editors’ Choice Award, Best New Product for Hotel Operations. The award was presented November 10, during the Opening Ceremonies of the 98th annual International Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Show  (IHMRS) at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.The annual Editors’ Choice Awards recognize best new products within seven categories of the hotel industry, including operations. This year, the panel of judges, which included editors from leading hospitality trade publications, reviewed more than 100 submissions of the latest hotel products. Winners...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association opened attendee registration for its NRA Show 2014 and the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event. Attendees may register online at Restaurant.org/Show and/or WineSpiritsBeer.org. Members of the National Restaurant Association receive free registration for the NRA Show and a member-exclusive rate of $50 on IWSB registration at any time. NRA Show 2014 will be held May 17 to 20 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, along with IWSB 2014, May 18 to 19. Because of the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event’s increasing popularity, it has expanded into the spacious Lakeside Ballroom. “Registering now provides an outstanding...

SAINT PAUL, MINN.—Planglow USA, a leading provider of branded labels and compostable packaging to the “grab and go” foodservice industry, will be showcasing its products at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) for the very first time (November 9 to 12 in New York City at the Javits Center). The company will feature two branded collections of compostable grab and go packaging, as well as the company’s labeling software—LabelLogic.Planglow USA offers two branded collections of matching packaging and labeling: six piece premium-look Rosso range; and 15 piece Natural Collection. These include: sandwich wedges; tortilla wrap packs; windowed...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Assn. (NRA) recently previewed its revamped Zero Waste Zones program in Atlanta, saying it is excited to help the city’s restaurateurs, foodservice businesses and retailers become more sustainable.The NRA, which acquired the initiative late last year, reintroduced an expanded version of the program October 23 at an official reception at Ted’s Montana Grill in downtown Atlanta. The revamped program will follow the rules of the NRA’s Conserve Sustainability Education Program.“Our members have a strong and growing interest in energy efficiency, recycling and sustainability in general,” said Scott DeFife, the NRA’s executive vice president of policy and...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association has partnered with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star division to collect data on restaurants’ energy and water usage that could lead to eventual Energy Star certification for the industry. The survey runs through November 1, 2013.“We really need to capture this data industry-wide to generate enough information for a potential Energy Star certification,” said Jeff Clark, director for the NRA’s Conserve Sustainability Education Program. “If EPA can develop a certification program, restaurateurs will then be able to hang a sticker or sign on their doors or in their restaurants indicating they are Energy...

PORDENONE, ITALY—Electrolux Professional announced that the range of high spin washers that have earned the Energy Star has now increased to include washers with a capacity larger than 105 litres (up to 45 pounds).Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Established in 1992 to help save money and protect the environment, it provides customers with guidelines on energy efficient products and practices. The strict conditions that a product must fulfil before qualifying for the government-backed label are reliable insurance that the product contributes significant measurable energy...

RIPON, WIS.—UniMac, a leading provider of on-premises laundry equipment, has redesigned its website, UniMac.com, to better relay the brand’s key messaging. The site showcases UniMac as an industry leader offering the lowest cost of ownership across all on-premises environments.“For more than 60 years, UniMac has produced industrial-quality laundry equipment with unmatched technology features that improve throughput and lower costs; it is important for our web presence to better reflect this leadership,” said Bill Brooks, National Sales Manager for UniMac. “As our customers’ first point of contact, the website needs to be easily navigable and put information about the benefits...

NATIONAL REPORT—Getting guests to forego linen laundering is one way to reduce linen-related costs and their associated environmental footprint. Another way is to choose linen that is inherently environmentally advantageous—in other words, its reduced footprint is built into its very fibers. Still another way is to choose a supplier that not only is concerned about the product itself but also the supply chain behind it, how it is made, and what happens to it at the end of its life.When considering environmental impact, there is no perfect sheet or pillow case. Cotton, unless it is certified organic, requires a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first WaterSense specification for a commercial kitchen product. EPA estimates that approximately 51 billion gallons of water is used every year to rinse dishes by close to 1 million food service establishments in the country. Pre-rinse spray valves—which remove excess food waste from dishes prior to dishwashing—are now eligible to earn the WaterSense label and help food service establishments save water, energy, and money.If every U.S. commercial food service establishment installed and used a WaterSense labeled pre-rinse spray valve, the country could save more than 10 billion gallons of...