Obesity is now recognised as a major heal issue both individually and to our whole country. The simple answer is to reduce the amount going in or to use more of what is going in. This means that people should be careful with what and how much they eat, as well as do enough exercise in a day to burn up extra kilojoules.

However, the lifestyle and incredible food choice that developed countries have, makes this simple solution difficult for many.

If people could just reduce the amount they are eating, it would be a great help. However, with many of the fast food chains now offering a single meal which exceeds the total recommended daily energy intake for an adult, we have a problem.

It is also well recognised that the consumption of foods and drinks that are high in kilojoules (energy) and low in calories is making a significant contribution to the rapidly increasing obesity rate. They taste good and make us happy but are generally contributing little in terms of nutrients. A chip company in Australia has just released an extension to it’s range which has a much lower saturated fat content as a way of encouraging people to eat their product. The problem here is that the product itself is one of these high energy low nutrient products, so we should be eating only small amounts of them, regardless of the type of fat it may contain.

It is products like this that are now under the spotlight as potentially having a change in packaging.

Even though there was a lot of noise when the Australian government introduced mandatory plain packaging for cigarettes, it has now been found that the rate of smoking in our population has become less. Whether it is the packaging, difficulty in getting the cigarettes in the store or the awful pictures on the packs, is yet to be determined.

However, at a recent major food industry related conference in Brisbane, the idea of putting high energy low nutrient foods into plain packaging was raised and discussed.

At the end of the discussion, it was agreed that as information is needed about foods, this idea is likely to be ineffective and inappropriate.

The panellists involved in the discussion came up with other ideas that may be worth pursuing by the food industry to help reduce obesity, including the following;

• Increasing the nutrient quality in all manufactured foods to reduce people looking for more food
• Increase variety to increase consumer diets
• Good regulation that is keeping up with technology and demand
• Increasing and improving basic skills like being able to cook and shop
• More Food Technologists and qualified people to develop new products and processes
• Industry, government, consumer groups and others all working together to meet set goals

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.

The following is a media release from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and is included here with permission. If this is an area that is of interest to you or others you know, put in a submission and have a say about the issue.

Call for submissions on dietary fibre claims criteria

Date: 19/07/2013

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today released a consultation paper about the qualifying criteria for dietary fibre nutrition content claims.

FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said FSANZ agreed before the gazettal of the new Nutrition and Health Claims Standard to consult further on the criteria for dietary fibre claims.

“FSANZ committed to considering this issue further during the three-year transition period for the new Standard,” Mr McCutcheon said.

“We are seeking stakeholder views and evidence relating to the qualifying criteria for nutrition content claims about dietary fibre.

“FSANZ welcomes comments from government agencies, public health professionals, industry and the community.”

The closing date for submissions is 29 August 2013.

More information – Dietary fibre consultation paper (PDF 740kb) | (Word 131kb) at www.foodstandards.gov.au

Media contact: 0401 714 265 (Australia) or +61 401 714 265 (from New Zealand).

You would think that it was just obvious that if a business makes a claim or says something about the product or business on the packaging then it must be true. This “true” means that it is really happening and is how all others would actually see it. It does not mean that it is something open to interpretation. It must be what is. So, as an example, if a package were to say that the product is gluten free, then it must contain absolutely no gluten at all.

To ensure this, The Trade Practices Act, and other legislation in Australia (and similar in other countries), make this law.

So not only do businesses have a moral obligation to always ensure they tell the truth on their packaging and elsewhere, but they have a legal requirement as well.

So, if it is so obvious, why do we still have cases going to courts over this issue of food businesses being involved in false, misleading and deceptive conduct with what is stated or shown on their packaging and elsewhere?

Only this week, large poultry producers in Australia were found, by the Australian Federal Court, to have practised such conduct. It is not only food businesses that have had such findings against them. In a related case this week, the peak body for that industry has also been found to have engaged in such conduct as well.

In these cases, it was all about what is actually meant by the terms “free roam” and “roam freely”.

Another case related to such conduct was heard in January 2012 and the result was similar.

The truth is what the average person would consider it to be. It is not open to interpretation. If an average person, as an example, would consider that a bird having only a metre at the most to walk around in is not free roaming, then it simply isn’t something that a business can claim.

Sarah Court, ACCC Commissioner, said “Consumers must be able to make informed purchasing decisions. Promotional activities that convey an impression of farming practices are powerful representations that influence food choices. Misleading credence claims can also undermine the level playing field and disadvantage other suppliers. The Court’s decision makes it clear to producers and suppliers that any claims made in relation to farming practices must be accurate.”

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

For people wanting the start a food business, it can be daunting as to what to do, when to do it, what controls are needed and how to do everything all on a very tight budget.

Although a business coach is probably one of the first things a new business owner should get to help put everything together, there are multiple places to get information if they want to start going alone.

One of the biggest things that food business owners must have an understanding of, is what laws they need to meet and this is particularly important when it comes to food safety.

The New South Wales Food Authority has just set up a brand new page on it’s website to provide food businesses with a clear path to follow to ensure that their food safety obligations are met.

It has a really helpful flowchart that will help all new food businesses work out what they need to do about food safety, particularly those in NSW. It also has links to places that can help with other business issues.

The NSW Minister for Primary Industries and Small Busines, Katrina Hodgkinson said; “Starting a food business is an exciting venture, but it brings with it the responsibilities of food safety requirements and obligations. This new webpage is a helpful tool that provides information about what to consider, what to know and what to do in terms of food safety, legal, licensing and notification requirements. Whether you are looking to diversify an existing food business, or are just starting out, the ‘Starting a food business’ webpage will have the answers. This is about giving people access to the skills and knowledge they need to establish a safe and compliant food business.”

The new webpage can be found at http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/starting-a-food-business/#.UeX1INI3Bsk

At the same time a really interesting little food safety related phone application has come out of Ireland.

The new app offers the following in your hand:

• Guidelines for dealing with food poisoning outbreaks
• Tips for pest control identification and elimination
• Information about the latest food alerts
• Advice for setting up a food business
• Tips for managing food allergies
• Information business owners can leverage when setting up a new business
• Guidelines for managing E. coli 0157
• HACCP templates business owners can refer to in order to ensure they comply with food safety laws
• Information about who to contact for food safety products and services

Although it is based on Irish law, the basic information is applicable throughout the world and it is well worth having a look at and can be found on the iTunes store for free, and it is compatible with both iPhones and iPads.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

It is not just Salmonella or E.coli that can cause food poisoning and it is not always poultry or seafood that is the food involved.

These are common food poisoning bacteria and foods but they are not the baddies that much really.

Recently 140 people in the USA contracted Heptatitis A from eating pomegranate seeds from Turkey.

Seeds are dry, right? So how can people get sick from this type of dry food, that most would not consider potentially harmful?

Also how do they get a virus from this type of food? It is important to remember that a virus can easily be on dry food dormant and then grow once it gets into a person.

This particular strain of the virus is rarely seen in the USA as it is most commonly seen in the Middle East and Africa, so this outbreak is very unusual.

61 people have been hospitalised but, to date, no deaths.

The virus is spread through contact with faeces from someone who already has it. So good cleanliness and handwashing are absolutely essential to prevent spread.

This virus affects the liver and there is a vaccine available and those that work in the food industry, in areas where it is common, should ideally be vaccinated to prevent contraction and spread.

Typical symptoms include; aches and pains, fever, nausea, lack of appetite, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, pale stools and jaundice (yellowing of the eyeballs and skin). The symptoms generally last for up to three weeks, and in most people there is complete recovery. Onset (the time between exposure and symptoms) is from two to four weeks.

So it is not always Salmonella and poultry.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

A recent study by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has confirmed that not only does the brain talk to the gut but the signals go both ways.

This was done by studying women eating probiotic yoghurt and those that weren’t. A total group size of 36, between the ages of 18 and 55.Those that were eating probotics regularly were found to have increased brain function..

It has long been known that stress can contribute to pain and other issues in the gut. This study, although only a proof of concept at this stage, has shown that if the gut is healthy, the brain will function better, therefore confirming that the signals do go both ways.

Dr Kirsten Tillisch, an Associate Professor of Medicine at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and lead author of the study said; “Time and time again we hear from patients that they never felt depressed or anxious until they started experiencing problems with their gut. Our study shows that the gut-brain connection is a two-way street. Our findings indicate that some of the contents of yoghurt may actually change the way our brain responds to the environment. When we consider the implications of this work, the old sayings ‘you are what you eat’ and ‘gut feelings’ take on new meaning.”

These findings have significant potential health implications and it will not be long before further studies are done to measure the degree that this gut brain communication has on our overall health.

The study was published in the June online edition of the journal Gastroenterology.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

Recently the European Commission has set a goal of halving food waste by 2020, and Europe’s food supply chain has committed to this.

The industry has launched a new publication “Every Crumb Counts”, which is a Joint Declaration on the 50% food waste reduction.

This Declaration adopts the “life cycle approach”, which means that manufacturers in Europe will now have to consider, and take responsible for, not only the development and manufacturing phases of a product lifecycle, but also what happens after the consumer has finished with the product.

These businesses will now be required to develop products and use packaging that reduces food and general waste, and therefore minimising the Carbon Footprint.

At the same time, research done by RMIT University’s Centre for Design has clearly identified exactly where food waste occurs in our product lifecycle in Australia;

•  households – 2,700,000 tonnes
•  food services – 661,000 tonnes
•  food manufacturing – 312,000 tonnes
•  retailing – 179,000 tonnes
•  wholesale distribution – 83,000 tonnes

There is good news from the study, apparently at this point nearly 90 percent of the food waste from manufacturing is recovered or repurposed.

Dr Karli Verghese, RMIT Senior Research Fellow, said; “Food security is an emerging challenge for both policy makers and companies in the fresh and manufactured food supply chains, however no significant research had previously been conducted into the role that packaging plays in minimising food waste in Australia. Packaging actually plays a critical role in protecting fresh produce and processed food in transit, in storage, at point of sale and prior to consumption. In doing so it helps deliver a wide range of functions while reducing food waste.”

The research finally confirms that packaging contributes significantly to waste and therefore the Life Cycle Approach is essential in Australia as well.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

Eggs will be safe for consumption if they are clean, cool and not cracked, even if they are raw. However, even a slight crack that cannot be seen, will allow bacteria to get in and make the raw egg unsafe for human consumption.

These eggs should never be used and consumed raw. They must always be cooked to at least 60C to ensure that all Salmonella and other bacteria have been killed.

Unfortunately there are some recipes that call for raw eggs, including raw egg mayonnaise. It was this product that was the source of the 162 people who became ill (15 were hospitalised) after eating at a restaurant in Canberra recently.

The investigation by the ACT Health has identified that it was the raw eggs in the used in the mayonnaise which were the source of the Salmonella species responsible for this food poisoning outbreak.

If a restaurant or other food business knows that the eggs they have received are cracked, they must ensure that these are cooked before serving. The problem is that a very small crack which is not obvious to the eye may be in an egg, and we would not know.

Therefore, the ACT Chief Health Officer, Dr Paul Kelly has called on all restaurants to not make and sell raw egg products, due to the high and increased risk of food poisoning.

Dr Kelly said to an ACT Legislative Assembly hearing about the recent outbreak; “Whilst most eggs are quite safe every so often there’s one that isn’t. In a busy restaurant whereby this particular mayonnaise was being made in six-litre lots using up to 30 eggs at a time, you start to increase your risk of getting a bad egg. Eventually you are going to get a bad egg and if you serve raw egg products in your restaurant then you’re dicing with death.”

This outbreak is not the only one in recent Australian history that has been due to raw egg mayonnaise with a similar outbreak in Albury – Wodonga a few years ago, so this call by Dr Kelly should echo around the country.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

I was a member of the Egg Standard Committee. Over a period of a few years we worked out what the food safety requirements were for producers and processors of eggs in Australia, this is now found in the Food Standards Code as the Primary Production and Processing (PPP) Standard for Eggs and Egg Products (Standard 4.2.5).

I remember during one of the first meetings of the Committee, that there was a lot of discussion about terminology and definitions.

There were several people, including myself, who raised the issue of “free range” and “organic” and how these should appear on the packaging of eggs. However it became clear that these issues were not related to the food safety of the egg and egg products, so were not to be specifically included in the Standard. Also it was stated at the time that there were already clear definitions available and these are the ones that the Standard would refer to, in terms of labelling of egg packaging.

For most people, when they think of Free Range, they probably imagine that the chickens are not held in cages and are allowed to run around and lay eggs wherever they want.

The problem is that there are slightly different definitions and interpretations depending upon where you are and what you do.

Therefore the South Australian government is considering setting a new industry code for what free range eggs are. The public consultation on this new code opened on 17 June 2013.

The SA government has proposed that the new code be drafted to include strict conditions such as:

• A maximum density of 1,500 layer hens per hectare on the outdoor range
• Hens to have unrestricted access to outdoor areas during daylight hours
• Outdoor areas to provide adequate shelter
• A prohibition on induced moulting

John Rau, SA Minister for Business Services and Consumers said “When South Australian shoppers buy their eggs, they should know exactly what they are getting and the environment from which it has come. I have been talking with South Australian egg producers about this issue – some have been frustrated a different standards and definitions of ‘free range’ across the states. I also know that South Australian shoppers have been confused about the way eggs are labelled, particularly the definition of ‘free range’. That confusion should be cleared up.”

Even though this new Code, if mandatory, will settle the ongoing debate about what free range means in South Australia, it could create issues nationally and in other states. The question that will obviously be asked is whether eggs from other states labelled as free range can be sold in South Australia as they will most likely not meet the new code.

It can be seen as being a step back to the times before the introduction of the Food Standards Code, when each state / territory had all their own food laws – and the confusion that existed then.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach

In the last two years there have been more than 410 people sickened in the USA from contaminated cantaloupes (rockmelons), as well as 36 deaths. In 2011, Listeria made 147 people sick and killed 33, and then in 2012, Salmonella species were responsible for three deaths and 261 illnesses.

Although the cantaloupes responsible were not from California, that state’s trade suffered significantly as a result of the outbreaks.

Therefore to improve public confidence in their produce, from this season all growers in California are going to have to meet a checklist of 156 food safety related points to pass the auditing requirements of the new voluntary National Cantaloupe Guidance program.

The auditing must be done by inspectors from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to provide consumer confidence through consistency and accountability.

Steve Patricio, a California melon producer and chairman of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board (CCAB) said; “Beginning this year, California cantaloupe farmers and shippers of all sizes will be operating under the only mandatory food safety program that requires government audits of all cantaloupe production activities.”

This is an example of how whole industries and individual businesses can change to address consumer demands. It highlights that food safety is actually a combination of; consumer demands and actions, industry developments, legislative requirements and international trends.

This article was written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.