The Steritech Group Inc., provides food safety and environmental hygiene services in North America and upgraded its online food safety management system, PracticeFoodSafety.com. Web-based training offers modules on topics like HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), allergens, food codes and germs. Available in English and Spanish.

Kansas City-based Cereal Ingredients, Inc., received double quality certification. The National Food Processors Award was a challenge for Cereal Ingredients - it was also proud to receive a superior rating from AIB for the fourth consecutive year.

Phoenix Oven Technology announced the completed purchase of assets and product lines of Pulver Genau Inc., Tracy, Calif. The company offers baking systems and ancillary equipment for bread, rolls, specialty bread, pizza, bagels, yeast raised and other sweet goods markets. Equipment includes indirect fired tunnel ovens with integrated catalytic oxidizer systems, direct fired tunnel ovens, pans and product loaders and un-loaders, overhead tray proofers, spiral proofers and spiral cooling systems.

Lesaffre Yeast Corporation has announced a price increase of compressed yeast, effective August 1. Citing rising fuel and distribution costs, the company will implement the increase for U.S. and Canadian distributors and customers of fresh block yeast.

MGP Ingredients, Inc. and Cargill announced a business alliance to last for an initial 5-yr. term in the production and marketing of a new resistant starch, Fibersym HA. The new product is derived from high amylose corn and is ideal for use in a variety of lower net carbohydrate food products. Both companies will share profits from sales of the new product.

Stewart Systems, Inc., Plano, Texas, has appointed Leonard R. Kilby as president and as a member of the board of directors. Flemming M. Frederiksen has been named vice president of sales and marketing at Ashworth Bros., Inc., Winchester, Va. Comax Flavors, Melville, N.Y., appointed Ms. Agneta Weisz as vice president of flavors and technology, Ms. Gladys Slovis, to senior food scientist and Mr. Ari Gastman, to junior flavor chemist.

Turano Baking Co. is going against the grain in this era of low-carb dieting with a new advertising and public relations effort from Chicago-based DiMeo & Co. that celebrates bread and its place in a healthy diet.

Turano’s “Bread For Life” campaign involves out-of-home advertising (including bus shelters and mallScapes throughout the Chicagoland area), sponsorships of community and health and fitness events, product sampling and media outreach.

A cornerstone of the campaign is distribution of “The Book on Bread or A Little No Carb Reality Check,” a booklet that emphasizes the positive benefits of carbohydrates and debunks common misconceptions about bread, at area events throughout the city and suburbs.

“We want to spread the word that there’s a place for bread in a healthy diet. Bread is not the bad guy,” says Giancarlo Turano, executive vice president of the Berwyn, Ill.-based baking company.

An institution in Chicagoland, Turano Baking has produced high quality breads and pastries for more than 40 years. Today, the company is a major supplier in both the foodservice and retail channels and produces more than 120 different bread items for retail and commercial sale across Chicago and the United States. The family-run business is led by brothers Renato, Tony and Giancarlo Turano.