So you walk through a food court in any shopping centre in the country and you will see staff in some food businesses wearing hair covering and not in others. If people working in a food business are not wearing hair covering, we all know that there will likely be hair found in the product at some point, right? Is a food business not wearing hair covering doing everything reasonable to prevent contamination? The answer is obvious – No it is not. If food factories are expected to wear hair nets or other suitable covering and get nabbed in audits if it is not happening, why isn’t the local takeaway? It seems a rule for one and not for the other. Why is it that Local Councils are not jumping on these businesses about this during the required annual inspections or Five Star type audits? But that is not the worst of this situation, in some of those food court businesses you see the staff doing the right thing and wearing some sort of hair covering, but the owner / manager isn’t. What is that all about? Does it mean that once you get to be a Manager or business owner, your hair doesn’t fall out?????? It is hard enough to get staff to come along on the food safety journey, it becomes even harder if they see that they are required to do something but their boss isn’t. It is about lack of respect by the Manager / Owner for both the staff and food safety itself. Staff will follow where they are led, if it is done the right way. An essential part of this is, that a rule applies to everyone regardless or what position they hold in a business. It cannot be “do as I say not what I do”. It is about setting the example for the staff to follow. Besides to the public, it just looks odd if there are some wearing the full uniform and others not, so as well as being a vital part of managing a business and it’s staff, it is also about the image of that business itself.

So the fish you picked at lunch for your fish n’ chips is really Nile Perch right?

A recent study by Oceana shows that seafood fraud is happening in all continents – except Antarctica.

So is that Barramundi actually Barramundi or something else?

The study showed that worldwide,as an average one piece in five pieces of seafood is mislabelled.

So is that Nile Perch or Shark or Barramundi or something else entirely?

Oceana is a conservation group based in the USA and tested 25000 pieces of seafood across the worldwide from all continents. It was found that seafood fraud is a “serious global problem that undermines honest business and fisherman that play by the rules.”

The study not only looked at mislabelling but also; hiding the country of origin of a product and adding breading, water or glazing to seafood just to increase its weight.

The study found;

•Studies reviewed found seafood mislabelling at every sector of the seafood supply chain; retail, wholesale, distribution, import/export, packaging and processing

•Asian catfish, hake and escolar were the three types of fish most commonly substituted

•Farmed Asian catfish was found being sold as 18 different types of higher-value fish

•More than half of the samples substituted for other seafood posed a species-specific health risk to consumers

•98 per cent of the 69 bluefin tuna dishes tested in Brussels restaurants were mislabelled

•In Brazil, 55 per cent of shark samples turned out to be largetooth sawfish

So is the Mud Crab actually Mud Crab? There is a very good chance that it is, and that the retailer is honest, but there is a serious problem out there.

In my family Tea is preferred over Coffee. It might be our English heritage, who knows?

It seems, however that we are not alone.

New data from Roy Morgan Research shows that in an average week, half of the Australian population over 14 years old, drink at least one cuppa a week.

The research was done over a year, ending on 30 June 2016 and showed that 9.8 million of us over that age are tea drinkers. This number is  increasing with 49 percent doing the tea thing weekly in the previous year.

The average number of cups of tea in a week is 9.5. Women are bigger tea drinkers than men, with 55 percent of the females polled having at least one cuppa a week, compared to 45 percent of blokes.

As you would expect tea is definitely a favourite with older Aussies, with 65 percent of those over 65 enjoying at least one cup of tea a week. In fact, it was found that this age group are having around 11 cups a week.

But coffee is still King, with Australians more likely to drink it than tea.

Norman Morris, Industry Communications Director at Roy Morgan Research, said; “As we have shown, incidence and volume of both tea- and coffee-drinking increases with age. Coffee is slightly more popular than tea with most age groups, with the notable exception being young Australians aged 14-17, who are more likely to drink tea. Could this be an opportunity for a savvy tea brand to get in on the ground floor, so to speak, and win over this young demographic so as to build a life-long relationship?”

I recently heard someone say that chocolate is one of the food groups so that is a reason why everyone loves it.

Well even though chocolate is wonderful and dark has been found to be good for heart health in small quantities, it is not a taste on it’s own.

There have traditionally been four tastes – sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Interestingly in our dark distant past we used the bitter and sour tastes to work out if a material was safe to eat, whereas we look for salty and especially sweet things.

In 2009 it was recognised that there is another taste. Umami is a combination of sweet and savoury and is very common in Asian foods.

Scientists never stop researching and have now identified the sixth taste and how it is described is entirely dependent upon where you grew up.

Starchy is the taste we get when eating complex carbohydrates. It is not as obvious as the traditional four as it is often masked by them.

The finding was made after giving volunteers different carbohydrate solutions after having a compound which temporarily masked sweet tastes.

If from Asia the taste is described as being like rice, whereas Caucasians think the taste is like bread / pasta / flour.

Obviously this is just one set of research, so more will be required to confirm that we do in fact have six tastes.

The following is a current recall and is included here with permission from Food Standards Australia new Zealand.

Please find below information on a recent Australian consumer level food recall. This information is also available on our website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/foodrecalls/recalls/Pages/default.aspx

Additional Content

Page Content

CocoLuscious has recalled:

• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Coconut Milk Ice Dream PEPPERMINT CHOC CHIP 500mL,
• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Coconut Milk Ice Dream VANILLA CHOC CHIP 500mL,
• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Dessert Sauce Chocolate Fudge Sauce 150g, and
• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Coconut Milk Chocolate 50g

from IGAs, independent stores, restaurants and Chocoholics in NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC, SA, WA due to the presence of an undeclared allergen (milk). Any consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and may have a reaction if the product is consumed. The products can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Date notified to FSANZ – 2/09/2016 

Food type  – Coconut milk ice cream, chocolate dessert sauce and chocolate block

Product names

• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Coconut Milk Ice Dream PEPPERMINT CHOC CHIP 500mL
• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Coconut Milk Ice Dream VANILLA CHOC CHIP 500mL
• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Dessert Sauce Chocolate Fudge Sauce 150g
• CocoLuscious Certified Organic Coconut Milk Chocolate 50g

Package description and size

• Cardboard ice cream tub 500ml PEPPERMINT CHOC CHIP
• Cardboard ice cream tub 500ml VANILLA CHOC CHIP
• Cardboard tub 150g chocolate fudge sauce
• 50g chocolate bar in paper wrapping

Date marking – All best before dates currently in the marketplace

Country of origin – Australia

Reason for recall – The presence of an undeclared allergen (milk)

Distribution – IGAs, independent stores, restaurants and Chocoholics in NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC, SA, WA.

Consumer advice

Any consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and may have a reaction if the product is consumed. The products can be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Contact

CocoLuscious

07 5593 7298

www.cocoluscious.com.au

 I remember standing in the local video shop trying to decide which movie to rent. There are a lot of older people who would share that memory.

Younger folk would not have had to make that deciosion standing in a physical shop, they are doing them same thing on their phones, computers and tablets – and the choice of movies, TV program and other entertainment is even more than in my day.

 There are now very few video shops, when only 20 years ago they were just everywhere. There is now at least one generation who would not even know what a video shop even is!!!!

There was a great song in the 80s called “Video killed the radio star” – now it is the Internet killed the video shop.

Is that institution in all of our lives, which we visit weekly (if not more often) also about to go the same way as the video shop?

What institution? The supermarket.

Is the internet also taking on and beating the supermarket?

The supermarket is the modern day equivalent of our ancestors hunting / gathering. We go in, select what we want from the vast array of  choices, pay for it and take it home. It is something we have all grown up with, in one form or another; the corner shop, the huge chain or even the convenience store.

We can already go onto the website of a supermarket chain at any time of the day and order and pay for food, which will be delivered to your home at a specific time – all at your convenience.

I have to admit that being a Foodie, I enjoy wandering around the supermarket and checking out what is new. I am not sure if I will get the same enjoyment from looking at a screen at those products.

In many ways it is like the paper book vs the Kindle / tablet or ebook reader, some like one format and others prefer the other. I love the feel of a book in my hand and the smell of a new book when you first open it – these are sensations which an ebook reader cannot provide. The shopping experience is much the same. To get the convenience of shopping via the internet, you lose some other real life experiences.

However most people find shopping annoying and inconvenient, so there is a fertile ground for people to be regularly placing their order using their smart phones or tablets and not ever going into the actual building. They can place their order whilst at work or before they go out in the morning and the  food arrives when they get home. It is very convenient.

So keep an eye on what is happening with your supermarkets and fast food businesses, as technology increases and improves, so will there be changes in our experiences. You can already see the no staff check outs, so what else is coming?

I don’t know if supermarkets  / corner shop / convenience store will go the way of the video shop, as it is still an experience that cannot really be fully replaced.

In a poll done by NatCen Social Research in Britain, only 35 percent of people trusted the government at least a lot to ensure food is safe. This means that nearly two thirds of Britons do not really trust the government when it comes to food safety.

Interestingly it is not the actual food inspectors that are not trusted but the government itself, as nearly 70 percent of people said that they trusted food inspectors to ensure food safety. Farmers are also trusted at 60 percent.

Britons  feel pretty confident about local product quality with 58 percent of the 4,328 British adults between July 4 and November 2 last year believing that the food is made to high standard. They do not feel the same way about imported foods, with only 23 percent trusting their quality.

The poll also found that people do care about the farmers, with 58 percent wanting them to be paid a fair price for their produce.

NatCen research director Caireen Roberts said: “Healthiness of food is clearly an important issue when buying food, more so than considerations around the origin and cost. While confidence in the quality of food produced in Britain was just over 50%, it was higher than levels of confidence in imported food and we also saw low levels of trust in the government, supermarkets and food manufacturers.This may be because these organisations are viewed as being motivated by profit either directly or indirectly or it may be the result of previous food scares.”

I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian and have been for more than 20 years. This means I do not eat any meat but do eat dairy foods and eggs – I personally cannot imagine a world without vintage cheese!!

When I tell people that I have actually chosen not to eat any meat, I often get a strange look and am regularly asked the question (or something similar) “ how can you go without eating meat?’

I made this dietary and lifestyle choice because having worked with meat products for five years I reached a point where the texture of meat became something I did not enjoy. In fact, I cannot eat some meat analogues (vegetarian food which is designed to closely ressemble meat) because the texture is so similar to meat.

I remember the first time I heard of vegetarians when a couple came to stay with us when I was at school. My mother did what many do (even now) when finding out that the person coming does not eat meat. She ran around the supermarket and found some canned vegetarian foods she could serve them. The amount of vegetarian food readily available in supermarkets now would only have been a dream back then.

So I was really interested to see the results of a recent report from Roy Morgan Research.

The research shows that there has been an increase of over 400,000 vegetarians (or eating a vegetarian diet) from 2011 to 2016. This now brings the percentage of vegetarians in our community to 11.2 percent.

It is New South Wales which has had the biggest increase from 2011 to 2016, with a 30 percent growth in people calling themselves vegetarian.

The report says that the switch to meat free is mainly to help their weight and health.

This is a diet and lifestyle choice which seems to be gaining momentum, so it would make a lot of sense for food buisnesses, and especially those in hospitality, to ensure they have good vegetarian choices in their range.

Industry Communications Director at Roy Morgan Research, Norman Morris, said; “If they have not already, supermarkets and eateries would be wise to revisit their vegetarian-friendly options to ensure they are catering adequately for this growing – and potentially lucrative — consumer segment.”

Every year the Reader’s Digest does a survey to work out what are the most trusted brands in the country. It was voted on by approximately 2 400 members and includes quite a few categories.

The most trusted iconic brand for 2016 is Arnotts, and Coles is thought to be the most trusted supermarket.

Interestingly the most trusted breakfat creal brand has been the same for the last four yeaes – Weet-Bix.

So here are the most trusted food related brands in Australia for 2016;

Australian Iconic Winner: Arnott’s

Australian Wine Winner: Jacob’s Creek

Highly Commended: Penfolds and Wolf Bass

Baby Formula Winner: S-26 Gold

Highly Commended: Nestle Nan and Karicare

Beer Winner: Corona

Highly Commended: Heineken and Carlton Draught

Biscuits Winner: Arnott’s

Highly Commended: Cadbury and White Wings

Bottled Water Winner: Mount Franklin

Highly Commended: Pump and Cool Ridge

Bread Winner: Baker’s Delight

Highly Commended: Helga’s and Abbott’s Bakery

Breakfast Foods Winner: Weet-Bix

Highly Commended: Uncle Toby’s and Kellogg’s

Canned Fish Winner: John West

Highly Commended: Greens Seas and Sirena

Confectionery Winner: Cadbury

Highly Commended: Lindt and Darell Lea

Cooking Oil Winner: Bertolli

Highly Commended: Gold’n and Canola

Frozen Foods Winner: Birds Eye

Highly Commended: McCain and Ingham

Honey  Winner: Capilano

Highly Commended: Manuka Health and Beechworth

Ice Cream Winner: Peters

Highly Commended: Streets and Cadbury

Milk Winner: Dairy Farmers

Highly Commended: Devondale and Pauls

PiesWinner: Four’ N Twenty

Highly Commended: Mrs Macs and Herbert Adams

Sugar Substitutes Winner: Equal

Highly Commended: Splenda and Natvia

Supermarkets Winner: Coles

Highly Commended: Woolworths and Aldi

Tea Winner: Lipton

Highly Commended: Twinings and Dilmah

Vitamins and Supplements Winner: Blackmores

Highly Commended: Swisse and Nature’s Own

Yoghurt Winner: Dairy Farmers

Highly Commended: Yoplait and Jalna

Some time ago, I was fortunate to be involved in the development of the Egg and Egg Products Standard in Chapter 4 of the Food Standards Code.

Developing a mandatory standard like that is time consuming and involves many meetings and discussions.

There are currently six standards in the Primary Production Standards; Meat, Seafood, Poultry meat, Dairy products,Seed sprouts, and, of course, Eggs and egg products.

The notable standard absence is Horticultural products.

There has been much discussion and debate about the development of a Horticultural products standard in the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code and it has been going on for many years.

The recent Salmonella and Rockmelon event and recall has once again raised the issue. As did the Hepatitis scare a few years ago.

One of the problems in the development of such a standard has been imported produce.

In time, we will see if  such a mandatory standard will be developed, although there are currently voluntary industry based self regulation requirements in place.