摘要：Institutional food buyers in the U.S. are increasingly demanding food products that are safe, traceable, healthier, local/regional, or sustainably produced and supplied. These markets consist of schools, universities, hospitals, charities, correction facilities, clubs and other similar organizations that buy goods and services to meet demands of their end-customers (students, patients, prisoners, etc.). These institutions comprise a large portion of the U.S. population. In 2008, the total number of children and adults enrolled in schools throughout the country - from nursery school to college - was estimated at 75.5 million (i.e., 18.7 million in colleges and 56.8 million in schools). This amounts to more than one-fourth of the U.S. population age three and older (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009). About 29 million children are participating each month in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)....
