With the Hepatitis A outbreak continuing to grow and tuna from overseas being involved in a Scombroid food poisoning, there are many calls for a review to food labelling.

There are two issues here, however, the first is about the safety of food coming from overseas and the second is about the labelling of food from other countries.

The Agriculture Minister, Barnaby Joyce, amongst other ministers has requested that Food Standards Australia New Zealand start an immediate review of what is known as “Country of Origin Labelling” (CoOL).

Australians are known for being very patriotic and wanting to buy food from this country. However, for most of us Aussies, when shopping it is always the price that determines the vast majority of purchases and this means manufacturers need to keep prices down to improve the likelihood of the sale.

To keep prices down, it is essential to purchase ingredients that cost less. Australian ingredients are generally high quality and safe, however they usually cost more than equivalent overseas material – primarily due to our wages.

This is why many manufacturers purchase and use overseas ingredients. They know that these materials must meet the same food safety standards as Australian ingredients and will put controls in place to ensure this. However, sometimes the supplier in the other country ends up doing the wrong thing or the growing is done incorrectly and the material comes into the country not meeting the Food Safety Standards. This is what happened in the case of the recent berries and the Hepatitis A outbreak.

This is a very different issue to the labelling of the food, and must be handled completely separately. There has been a call to label food from overseas as something that could potentially cause injury and that is a purely emotional reaction to a single case.

There are thousands of tonnes of ingredients coming into this country ever year and very few of them will not meet the requirements of the Code and therefore potentially cause harm. This is a real issue but it needs to be addressed in a scientific manner without emotions and the public needs to understand that there may be an increase in prices to allow for this to be done.

So the labelling review.

CoOL was included in the huge Food Labelling Review a few years ago and the issues raised by the public, industry and interest groups during it, were addressed at the time.

So we now need to go back and look at the whole issue again. The food industry is aware that the public would prefer to buy Australian by preference and obviously do not want to highlight that ingredients come from overseas, however the industry is not the bogeyman that it is being made out to be during this whole situation.

If the Code is reviewed and there is an agreement to alter the current CoOL labelling, the food industry will comply, but as with the food safety issue, there may well be an increase in price on products for this to happen.

As a proud supporter of the Australian food industry, it annoys me, and many others, when I hear journalists and politicians opening their mouths about labelling as if it was the whole problem with these two food poisoning outbreaks.

Many industry specialists are out there trying to pour cold water onto the emotions and get people to realise that the problems need to be dealt with scientifically and that there will most likely be a cost involved.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

In a world where there is an increasing demand for flavoursome food but with minimal, or no, additives, the pressure is really on the development teams of food manufacturers.

What is an additive?

To most members of the public, it means some “bad” chemicals added to make food taste better, look better, do more things or generally sell more food.

Additives are actually anything that can be added to food to improve; taste, texture, appearance, colour, mouthfeel, nutrition and any other of the things we look for in our favourite foods. The most important thing about any additive is that it cannot be added to any food or in any quantity unless it is allowed by the food law in that country, in Australia that is found in Chapters One  and Two of the Food Standards Code.

Some additives are simply not permitted to be added to food, regardless of the quantities and the food myths. A good example is anti-freeze which cannot be added to icecream or any other food in Australia, regardless of the food myth which is out there.

Some additives are essential to make foods as we know them; salt, sugar, herbs and spices are ingredients in foods but can also be seen as additives. Without these ingredients and others we would not have the foods we love. So people have to remember that not all additives are bad or evil and some are actually essential.

So talking about spices and herbs, what are the big trends for spices in 2015?

Every year for the last 15, McCormick has given us all their Flavour Forecast for the next year, so these are the probably trends for this year;

• Sour + Salt
• Liquid Revolution
• Global Blends on the Move
• Umami Veggies
• Cookies Reimagined
• Smoked Spices
• Middle Eastern Mezze
• Flavour Worth the Wait
• Slow cooked dishes including stews, soups, osso buco and tagines.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

So there is yet another word being thrown around ending in “..ability’ – what now?

Cleanability means how easily a piece of equipment can be cleaned.

Cleaning is a key part of food safety, many food poisonings have occurred (and will continue to do so) because cleaning was not done properly.

Remembering that to ensure food safety, a piece of equipment has to be both cleaned and sanitised. Cleaning removes all visible material and is therefore essential to remove bacteria and as a key allergen control. Sanitation is then done to kill any remaining bacteria. No cleaning is complete or done properly if both steps are not done effectively.

So what can make it difficult to clean properly? Not having the right chemicals or tools can certainly prevent good cleaning from happening, as can staff not knowing what they are doing.

A major factor contributing to the difficulty in cleaning a piece of equipment is the equipment itself.

A factor that many business therefore do not consider when buying a piece of equipment is it’s cleanability. In other words, how easy is it to clean the equipment properly.

What we are talking about is a thing called hygienic design. This means that when the equipment is designed, how it is cleaned easily is a key factor in that design. Safety is essential in the design of equipment, but the ease of cleaning must also be included.

Before buying a piece of equipment, food businesses have to consider a variety of factors, including the price obviously, but how easy the design makes it to clean is not always high on the list.

All food businesses should have some sort of Equipment Checklist which should be filled in to show that issues such as safety, cleanability, staff training, required tools etc are checked and recorded. A checklist such as this, would form part of the risk assessment for a piece of potentially new equipment.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

After trying for 10 years a butcher in Naracoorte in South Australia has finally claimed the title of “Sausage King” as the winner of the best traditional Australian sausage for 2015.

Shaun Watson, The 2015 Sausage King, said “To go from the very beginning all the way through, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. If it’s the best in Australia, you’ve got something pretty good to work with there. The Facebook itself had just over 10,000 views this morning; for us that is massive. One of the comments was asking us to open another shop in Adelaide. The event is organised by the Australian Meat Industry Council and I believe it was designed to raise the profile of the sausage. [The sausage has gone] from being what you’d describe as something made of all the leftovers, to something that can be turned into a reasonably classy meal.”

There were around 3200 entries across the country, with 200 in the state finals and going down to the best 32 in the national finals.

The following are the winners of the various categories in the 2015 Sausage King competition;

The Best Butcher Burger for 2015 was also recently awarded for a Peri Peri Chicken Burger, made by Shane Mundy of West Hobart Gourmet Meats in Tasmania

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

Following is the latest media release from the NSW Food Authority;

15 February 2015

NSW Food Authority advises:

Patties Foods Ltd has recalled its Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries, sold nationally in Coles, Woolworths & IGA supermarkets and independent stores.

This is a precautionary extension of the recall of Nanna’s Mixed Berries, due to potential contamination with Hepatitis A.

Product details are:

• Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries, 300g, frozen in plastic bag, all batches up to and including ‘Best Before’ 10 12 17
• Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries, 500g, frozen in plastic bag, all batches to and including ‘Best Before’ 06 10 17
   Consumers should not consume this product.

Hepatitis A virus can cause inflammation or swelling of the liver. Symptoms include feeling unwell, aches & pains, fever, nausea, lack of appetite, abdominal discomfort, followed by dark urine, pale stools and jaundice (yellowing of the eyeballs & skin). Symptoms usually appear 4 weeks after infection, but onset can range from 2 to 7 weeks.

Anyone concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

Consumers can return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For further information, telephone Patties Foods on 1800 650 069.

The following is the Hepatitis A Fact Sheet from the NSW Food Authority website;

What is hepatitis A?

‘Hepatitis’ means inflammation or swelling of the liver. It can be caused by chemicals or drugs, or by different kinds of viral infections. One common cause of infectious hepatitis is hepatitis A virus. Infection with one type of hepatitis virus does NOT give protection against infection with other hepatitis viruses.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms include feeling unwell, aches and pains, fever, nausea, lack of appetite, abdominal discomfort, followed by dark urine, pale stools and jaundice (yellowing of the eyeballs and skin). Illness usually lasts one to three weeks (although some symptoms can last longer) and is almost always followed by complete recovery. Small children who become infected usually have no symptoms. Hepatitis A does NOT cause long-term liver disease and deaths caused by hepatitis A are rare. The period between contact with the virus to the development of symptoms is usually four weeks, but can range from two to seven weeks.

How is it spread?

Infected people can pass on the virus to others from two weeks before the development of symptoms until one week after the appearance of jaundice (about three weeks in total). Large amounts of the virus are found in faeces (stools) of an infectious person during the infectious period. The virus can survive in the environment for several weeks in the right conditions (for example, in sewage). Hepatitis A is usually transmitted when virus from an infected person is swallowed by another person through:

• eating contaminated food
• drinking contaminated water
• handling nappies, linen and towels soiled with the faeces of an infectious person
• direct contact (including sexual) with an infectious person.

Reported outbreaks of hepatitis A have been traced to:

• person-to-person spread, including among men who have sex with men
• drinking water contaminated with sewage
• eating food that has been contaminated with sewage such as shellfish
• eating food contaminated by an infectious food handler.

Infection with hepatitis A continues to be a problem for people travelling overseas, especially people visiting developing countries where hepatitis A is common.

Who is at risk?

Those who have not had hepatitis A and who have not been vaccinated against it are at risk of catching the disease.

How is it prevented?

People infected with hepatitis A should not attend work, school or childcare until they are no longer infectious which is at least seven days after the onset of jaundice.

Vaccination
A safe and effective vaccine is available against hepatitis A. The vaccine may take up to two weeks to provide protection. Vaccination is recommended for the following higher risk groups of people:

• travellers to countries where hepatitis A is common (most developing countries)
• frequent visitors to rural and remote indigenous communities
• men who have sex with men
• child day-care and pre-school workers
• the intellectually disabled and their carers
• some health care workers who work in or with indigenous communities
• sewerage workers
• plumbers
• injecting drug users
• patients with chronic liver disease
• people with haemophilia who may receive pooled plasma concentrates.

What else can be done to avoid hepatitis A?
Everyone should always wash their hands thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 10 seconds and dry them with a clean towel:

• after going to the toilet
• before eating
• before preparing food or drink
• after handling objects such as nappies and condoms.

What can be done to avoid infecting others?
If you have hepatitis A, as well as washing your hands thoroughly, you should avoid the following activities while infectious (that is, until at least one week after onset of jaundice):

• do NOT prepare food or drink for other people
• do NOT share eating or drinking utensils with other people
• do NOT share linen and towels with other people
• abstain from sex
• wash eating utensils in soapy water, and machine wash linen and towels.

How is it diagnosed?

Diagnosis is based on the patient’s symptoms and confirmed by a blood test showing IgM antibodies to hepatitis A.

How is it treated?

There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A. Household contacts and sexual partners of an infectious person usually need an injection of hepatitis A vaccine or immunoglobulin. These injections may prevent or reduce illness if given within two weeks of contact with the infectious person.

What is the public health response?

• Doctors, hospitals and laboratories must confidentially notify cases of hepatitis A infection to the local Public Health Unit.
• Public Health Unit staff will work with the doctor, the patient or the patient’s family to identify close contacts at risk of infection and arrange for those at risk to receive information about the disease. Public Health Unit staff follow special guidelines for managing cases of hepatitis A in people who attend or work at a child care centre, and in people who handle food for sale.
• Public Health Unit staff also investigate outbreaks of hepatitis A to identify the cause of the outbreak, control its spread and prevent further infections.

These berries were grown in both China and Chile and then packed in China and imported into Australia.

The main food related cause of Hepatitis A is faecal matter on the food, entering a person’s digestive tract. Therefore it can be assumed that either the berries from Chile or from China or both contained faecal matter and  as this product is not heated the virus is not killed and people can get Hepatitis A when they consume the product.

This obviously raises a few big questions;

1. How did the faecal matter get into the berries?
2. How did the contaminated berries get into the product anyway?
3. How was this contaminated product even allowed to get into Australia?
4. AND THE BIG ONE – what can be done to ensure that all imported food is safe for consumption – including these berries?

The answer to the big question is not easy nor is it cheap. Testing of all imported food will mean that product such as these berries will not make it into our food chain. However, testing of every batch of imported food is not logical  as it would be cost prohibitive and involve intense labour by government staff. So that is not going to happen.

What can be done instead?

All importers are required to ensure that the food being imported into this country meet the requirements of the Food Standards Code, including the absence of Hepatitis A. there has obviously been a problem during the growth, harvesting or packing of these berries which has resulted in contamination of them.

It is the responsibility of all manufacturers, whether they be in Australia or elsewhere, to ensure that the food they are making is safe for consumption and this includes making sure that the raw materials are safe also.

This recall is going to have long term implications as the public realise the implications of it – food has been grown and packed overseas and then imported into this country and Australians have become sick.  It is the nightmare that many have been talking about when companies move sourcing, manufacturing or packing overseas.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of this in the immediate and long term.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

I remember when I was living in Singapore and hunting everywhere to find a jar of Vegemite. The locals looked at me as if I were very strange to be spreading this black stuff on my toast.
To those born in Australia, Vegemite is probably the most Australian of Australian foods. It is also one of those foods that are either loved or hated. In my family, I am a fan and my sister cannot stand it (she’s into honey instead).
It has long been assumed that this black yeast extract is really only popular in Australia, or chased by those Aussies living overseas for it’s reminder of home.
Recent research has confirmed this, but with a twist – New Zealanders like our favourite spread as well.
Of course, yeast extract spreads in Australia are not limited to just Vegemite, there are now several alternatives with slightly varying flavour profiles. Some are more salty and others are sweeter, and a person’s preference is probably set by what they were given as children.
The research done by Roy Morgan Research shows that 85 percent of those who eat one of the yeast extract spreads in a seven day period, were born in this country and that is 45 percent of the Australian population. It is a popular part of the diets of nearly half the Australian population, but this is decreasing.
According to the research only 12 percent of those born in Asia eat our national spread in a seven day period. With our population continuing to evolve and become less and less of those born here, there is an interesting future for yeast extract spreads.
Angela Smith, Group Account Director, Roy Morgan Research said; “Vegemite is as Australian as koalas, and as polarising as our Prime Minister. With its unique taste and unappealing appearance, it inspires either love or hate in people. It’s featured in songs by quintessentially Aussie acts like Men at Work and John Williamson, as well as its own famous ‘Happy little Vegemites’ jingle, and is renowned for its nutritional value. Our data shows that this group (those from Asian countries) is far less likely than people from other non-Australian backgrounds to eat yeast-based spreads in an average seven days — which could have serious implications for the continued success of these products.”
So why is this research of particular significance? It highlights that foods that are intrinsic to a country will have difficulty in being popular away from those countries, and that manufacturers and retailers need to manage this if they want to maintain sales. An example of how one of the yeats extract manufacturers has addressed this is the development and implementation of a version including cheese – to try and increase market share.
Vegemite and it’s plain alternatives are not high risk foods and are of little concern in terms of food safety, however the introduction of products to expand the range and increase market share creates potential food safety issues.
Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

Although it is not widely known or acknowledged in the western world, Umami (pronounced “oo mommy”) is the fifth taste. It has a pleasant savoury flavour and is distinct from the other tastes of; sweet, salty, sour and bitter.

It is obviously a Japanese word, and is commonly recognised in Asia, but is not well known by the public in the West.

Latest research into umami has found that it may have significant health benefits.

The studies have been published recently in the January 2015 edition of the journal “Flavour” and show that Umami could improve the flavour of low fat foods, making them more appealing.

Ole Mouritsen, Guest Editor for the Flavour journal’s special series on umami and Professor of biophysics at the University of Denmark, said; “In general, our understanding of taste is inferior to our knowledge of the other human senses. An understanding and description of our sensory perception of food requires input from many different scientific disciplines.”

Umami is the taste that is triggered by the body when Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is consumed.

So MSG is bad right?

No – according to these studies, naturally occurring MSG is actually good for you, and especially with elderly people.

Receptors for this taste are not only in the mouth but the gut as well, and the study has shown that there is likely a loss of this taste sensation as a person ages. This results in loss of appetite, weight loss and poor overall health

Researchers suggest that it may be the diseases that elderly folk suffer and the resultant medications which may cause taste disorders and also saliva loss. Increasing saliva production may improve general taste as well increasing the sensitivity to umami. Increasing consumption of umami containing foods may also be a benefit.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

Many do not realise that food law in this country has to go through a very rigorous process before it becomes something that must be obeyed.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) co-ordinates the process, and it starts with either a review of a current part of the Food Standards Code through a Proposal, or an Application to make a change to the Code.
A Proposal is either generated internally at FSANZ according to a schedule or is requested by the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation.
Applications are put in to FSANZ by businesses, individuals, community groups and interest groups, including industry organisations.
Both reviews and applications go through very strict scientific based processes to determine the impact on Australians (and New Zealanders), and the food industry. The process includes; research of journals, physical testing, taste panels, review of international standards, discussion with state / territory health departments, and discussions with all interested parties.
Once the research is completed, a draft of the potential change to the Code is prepared by FSANZ staff, and put out for consultation by the public after it has been approved to go to that stage.
FSANZ then reviews the comments and feedback from this consultation stage and makes adjustments as required to the changed section of the Code. A second public consultation may even occur and further research, depending upon the situation.
After a set time and at the end of the whole process, this change is presented to the next meeting of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation for approval or a decision on direction.
The Forum meets at regular times throughout the year and is the body approving of all changes to the Code.
At the recent meeting of the Forum, it was decided that the new version of the Food Standards Code is approved for adoption and operation effective early 2016.
The Healthy Star Rating was also discussed and an update of it’s progress given to the Ministers.
Mandatory trans fatty acid labelling was not approved as research by FSANZ shows that it is low and does not warrant going to that requirement at this stage, although voluntary labelling is still encouraged.
The Ministers said that they are “extremely concerned” about people consuming unpasteurised cow’s milk (so called “bath milk”) and that further action is required with a national focus and approach.
Interestingly, the Forum approved Proposal P1022, which will allow the manufacture of cheese from raw milk, under specific conditions.
The next meeting of the Ministerial Forum will be in Hobart in July 2015.
Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

Many people think that peanut is the number food allergy in Australia, in reality it is actually gluten. However, peanut allergy is certainly one of the most significant food allergens, as it is usually extremely serious and few people will grow out of it, like many do with dairy and egg allergies. The vast majority of people who have an allergy to the specific peanut protein will suffer anaphylaxis if they consume any peanut at all.

This is why much work has been happening for the last few years in trying to reduce or even eliminate peanut allergy.

It seems that a probiotic may be the answer.

Probiotics are bacteria that have beneficial effects on humans and are commonly consumed in yogurt and probiotic drinks and nutritional supplements.

Researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute have found that 80 percent of the children involved in their 18 month long study have shown a tolerance to peanut after the trial.

60 children allergic to peanut were given a specified set amount of a probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, daily with an increasing dosage of the peanut protein every two weeks over the 18 months.

A maintenance dose of two grams of peanut was the final point of the study and then the treatment stopped. Two – five weeks after the end of the treatment, a peanut challenge was given to each of the children and the result was the 80 percent tolerance. Interestingly, only four percent of the placebo group had a tolerance at the peanut challenge.

Lead researcher, Associate Professor Mimi Tang said; “In the study the combined delivery of probiotic and oral immunotherapy was a safe and effective treatment for peanut allergy. However, it is important to point out that this treatment must be only be given under close medical supervision as we are giving peanut to children who are allergic to peanut, and children did have allergic reactions. It appears that we have been able to modify the allergic response to peanut such that the immune system produces protective responses rather than a harmful response to the peanut protein.”

The researchers believe that further research will be required on this children to determine if the tolerance is long term.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

A recent food poising event in Queensland was found to have been caused by the consumption of poorly handled and stored sushi. The media would have us all believe that sushi is just the worst food around in terms of food poisoning but the figures show that in Australia, eggs remain as the number one food making Australians sick.

Sushi is an issue though as it’s popularity is rapidly increasing according to recent findings from research done by Roy Morgan Research. The problem is that as this product increases in popularity there will be more and more businesses wanting to get in on the trend, and not all of them will have the right food safety standards, like the business which caused the food poisoning in Brisbane in January.

It is really interesting that in the five years since July 2009, there has been an increase to 40 percent of those surveyed in this research who liked eating sushi regularly. At the same time the ever popular spring roll has dropped to only 35 percent of people liking to eat them.

So it seems that the idea of fresh food (sushi) is starting to beat out the fried alternative (the spring roll). This is supported by findings in the research showing that other fried foods like dim sims and hot chips are also declining in popularity.

Angela Smith, Group Account Director, Roy Morgan Research, said;  “There’s no doubt that Australia is the land of the rising sushi, with new sushi outlets springing up quicker than sushi fans can get to them. And if this popularity continues to grow, we’ll no doubt see more of them.”

There is an age and gender influence on the battle  between sushi and spring rolls – women prefer sushi by 43 percent to 37percent for men, whilst 37 percent of men prefer spring rolls to 34 percent of women.

Australians under 50 years old prefer sushi with the 18-24 year olds being the big lovers of it, but interestingly, it is the under 18s being the big spring roll eaters at 50 percent of those surveyed.

Ms Smith said; “Commonly perceived as a healthy food, sushi is especially favoured by people who watch what they eat,” said. “Fried spring rolls, on the other hand, attract an above-average proportion of people who care more about taste and convenience than calories. Both food types are more popular with Australians aged under 50, and with those who agree that they ‘enjoy food from all over the world. Of course, many of us like both sushi and spring rolls, depending on what’s available and whether we’re in the mood for fresh or fried food. But the fact that more of us are developing a taste for sushi while fewer are enjoying spring rolls and other fried food suggests that our appetite for fresh is winning out.”

So with this increasing trend, how can consumers check if the sushi is safe – if the surfaces in the business are clean, the staff seem to have good hygiene and the sushi, and it’s display equipment, are very cold, there is a good chance that this delicious food will be safe for consumption. If the public finds businesses that do not meet these basic food safety requirements, then they should not purchase this potentially hazardous food from that venue and should report it to their local council.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.