Retail chains that contain pharmacies, such as CVS, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid, have a somewhat paradoxical business model. On one hand, their pharmacies play an increasingly important role as the mediator between physicians and patients by dispensing medications, both over-the-counter and prescription, as well as public education about them. On the other hand, these chains also compete with 7-Eleven and similar...

Written by SmartSense | December 7, 2018 | Pharmacy Safety

Have you ever wondered why cheese tastes stronger when it’s soft or melted? One reason has to do with your mouth: once a piece of cheddar on your cheeseburger has been heated to 150°F, the milk proteins break down, giving the cheese a creamy texture that people find more appealing than cold cheese, and that spreads the flavor more evenly and broadly across the tongue.

Written by SmartSense | December 5, 2018 | Food Safety

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a straightforward, albeit complicated, purpose: protecting and promoting public health. In order to successfully live up to this mandate, this government agency must conduct wide-ranging investigations to better understand areas for improvement. As such, the FDA has recently released a study that analyzes the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors.

Written by SmartSense | November 29, 2018 | Food Safety, HACCP

In late October 2018, food manufacturers recalled 4 million pounds of goods shipped nationwide to grocers and food distributors due to a Canadian shipper's recall of vegetables used in the affected products. Earlier in the year, a seed snack mix produced in the United States and shipped to Canada was recalled first in Canada and later in the U.S. for fear of contamination from Listeria, a harmful bacterial...

Written by SmartSense | November 27, 2018 | Food Safety, FSMA, Supply Chain

Thanksgiving is just around the corner – do you have your turkey and all the fixings for your Thanksgiving dinner ready to go? Better yet, do you know what your turkey has been through to make it to your dinner table!? Retailers and distributors sure do. They understand the high-demands of the holiday season better than anyone else. It's becoming increasingly important to respond to these demands with technology...

Written by SmartSense | November 20, 2018 | Food Safety, HACCP, Supply Chain

Amazon GO is the latest innovation in the master plan of CEO Jeff Bezos to compete in the brick-and-mortar retail business. The new chain’s gimmick? No checkout, no lines, just shop and go! If it sounds like a 3D version of Amazon.com, that’s intentional. The concept of the new chain is touted by Bezos as ‘revolutionary” in its use of smartphone and geofencing technologies to streamline the customer experience.

Written by SmartSense | November 16, 2018 | Connected Facility