There would likely be few Australian homes that do not have a small bottle of Eucalytus oil in their bathrooms. It has long been know that this, and other essential oils, has antibacterial properties and is great for applying to cuts and other simple skin abrasions.

A recent study, Chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of essential Oils of Eucalyptus globulus, Myrtus communis and Satureja hortensis against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus in minced beef, has shown that essential oils also seem to have great antimicrobial properties in food as well.

The oils were extracted from leaf parts to ensure they were pure and analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to determine the main components. They were added into fresh minced beef at a level between 0.1 and 0.44% using the agar diffusion technique.

The meat was then inoculated with both Staphylococcus aureus CECT 4459 and Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 4267 at a level of 5 × 105 colony forming units (cfu)/g and stored at 5 ± 2 °C.

The results show that the Eucalyptus and Satureja oils had excellent antimicrobial properties against both the E.coli and S.aureus with up to a 70.74% reduction after seven days.

A taste panel was also done to test whether there were any organoleptic issues with the essential oils at those levels. It was found that the aroma levels were acceptable.

At this stage these essential oils are not permitted to be added to foods in Australia, but this study and others in the future may open up this as an alternative method of preserving food, and particularly meats.

The study was by D. Djenane ,T. Amrouche, S. Boubrit, N. Boussad (Faculté des Sciences Biologiques et des Sciences Agronomiques. Dept. Biochimie et Microbiologie) and J. Yangüela , P. Roncalés (Departamento Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad de Zaragoza).

It was first published online at Food Science and Technology International on 02/11/11.

Foodbank is a significant part of most relief agencies in this country, without the food from this invaluable source there would be many in a community doing it even tougher than they already are.

Foodbank can only function if it is also then supported by the food industry. Many food businesses use Foodbank as a way of sending food that cannot be sold to a good use, and therefore significantly reducing their waste. Some product is also made for Foodbank at reduced prices, or even no cost, by manufacturers.

At the recent Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) Annual Industry Leaders’ Gala Dinner, Foodbank presented four awards to recognise the contribution that food business have made to it’s operations throughout 2011.

The Foodbank Leadership Award went to the Australian Dairy Industry for the initiative to provide one million litres of milk to Foodbank for the year. This is the first time that an award has gone to a whole segment of the food industry.

The Collaboration Award was presented to SPC Ardmona for it’s contribution of fruit and vegetables and being a “pivotal partner’. It is recognition of the product provided being part of the staple food being used to provide balanced meals.

The Innovation Award was given to Patties Foods for producing 138 000 pies for Foodbank.

The Partnership Award was given to Lotterywest for the incredible donation of $4 275 000 for the new central warehouse facility in Western Australian, as well as the $700 000 support for the warehouse in the Kalgoorlie – Boulder area.

“It’s always a difficult decision to single out winners but this year it was even tougher when all of our industry partners have risen to the challenge of escalating demand from welfare agencies in the face of economic woes and a series of natural disasters.” Said Enzo Allara, the National Chairman of Foodbank Australia.

The Australian Government body responsible for developing biosecurity policy for the country, Biosecurity Australia, has issued a draft report proposing that, subject to specific quarantine conditions, decrowned pineapples be permitted to be imported in Australia.

The report is now open for consultation for 60 days, with comments and submissions to be made at http://www.daff.gov.au/

There are four pests that have been identified in the Report, that must be managed and prevented, including mealybugs.

A combination of measures are required by the report, including; pre-shipment or on-arrival methyl bromide fumigation or an alternative post harvest treatment as approved by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

The phytosanitary status of the fruit must also be controlled and the report suggests an operational system for it’s maintenance and verification.

Comments and submissions must be to DAFF by 19 December 2011.

After the recent permission to import apples from New Zealand, this report is likely to receive a lot of submissions.

A study done by Dr Christopher Ferguson and colleagues at Texas A&M International University, in the US, has shown that food advertisements on television can have a bigger impact on the choices that children make about food than advice from their parents or care givers.

The new study has been published in The Journal of Pediatrics and involved 75 children aged between three and five years.

All the children were given two cartoons to watch with advertisements in between. Half of them were shown a commercial for French Fries, and the remainder one for slices of apple with a healthy dipping sauce.

They were then allowed to choose either a coupon for French Fries or the apple slices in the presence of their parents or caregivers. Half of the parents / caregivers were asked to encourage their children to pick the apple coupon and the remainder were not to make any comment. The study found that if the parents / care givers remained neutral about 71 percent of those children watching the French fries advertisement chose them in preference to the apple slices. That number dropped by only 16 percent when the parents / caregivers pushed the apple slice choice.

“Although advertising impact on children’s food choices is moderate in size, it appears resilient to parental efforts to intervene. Rather than focusing on banning advertisements to children, politicians, advocates, and food producers should concentrate on ways to promote the advertisement of healthy food options. Advertisement effects can work both for and against healthy eating.” said Dr Ferguson.

Egg white has traditionally been one of the ingredients used to clarify, or clear, wine prior to final bottling. It has been thought for some time that the amount of this processing aid left in the wine after the clarification is so small that it is not a significant, or even minor, allergen issue.

Now the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded, after much review, that there is a potential for wine that has been clarified using egg white or related products can be a potential cause of allergic reactions.

The ingredient, ovalbumin and related products, is used mainly on high tannin wines, especially the reds. In tests done by, and for, the EFSA, few red wines sampled showed significant amounts of ovalbumin.

However, there were enough found, in sufficient quantities to give the EFSA the basis for it’s recent decision.

For more information, go to http://www.foodnavigator.com/Product-Categories/Food-safety-and-labelling/Egg-white-clarified-wine-still-poses-allergy-risk-EFSA-concludes

The following Recall Notice is provided with permission from Food Standards Australia New Zealand and more information can be found at their website www.foodstandards.gov.au

Date Notified To FSANZ: 11 October 2011

Food Type: Confectionery

Product Name:

• Crazy Koala Macadamia Nuts Cairns (130g)
• Crazy Koala Macadamia Nuts Sydney (130g)
• Crazy Koala Macadamia Nuts Gold Coast (130g)
• Melbourne – World’s finest macadamia nut (130g)
• Australia – World’s finest macadamia nut (130g)

Package Description & Size: 130 g Cardboard Box

Country of Origin: Australia

Date Marking: Produced on: PD 2011/09/15 and PD 2011/09/22

Best Before: BB 2012/10/15 and BB 2012/10/22

Australian Distribution: The recalled product has been sold in tourist souvenir gift shops in QLD, VIC and NSW.

Overseas Distribution: Paton’s has exported the following products to Thailand and Guam:

• Pacific Islands Club (110g)
• Paton’s Guam (110g)
• Paton’s Saipan (110g)
• Taste of Paradise – Shell & Sand (130g)
• Crazy Koala Macadamia Nuts (Australian Flag) (130g)
• Crazy Koala Macadamia Nuts (Koala) – (130g)

Reason for Recall: Presence of microbial contamination (Salmonella)

Problem: The recall of the above products is due to the presence of Salmonella bacteria.

Food Safety Hazard: Although no illnesses or adverse effects have been reported, food products contaminated with Salmonella may cause illness if consumed.

What to do: Consumers should not eat these products. Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

Customers should return these products to the place of purchase for a full cash refund.

Contact details: For further information contact Paton’s Macadamia Plantations Pty Ltd on our toll free customer service number 1800 337 495

Eating a high fat diet has now been found by Australian scientists as being linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes.

The research has been done at the Garven Institute in Sydney by Dr Laybutt and PhD scholar Mia Akerfeldt. They have found that a “master regulator” gene known as Id1 sets the path for other genes in a specific cell type and is effectively switched on when a high fat diet is consumed by people. The same institute has scientists working on Id1inhibitors for stopping cancer development.

Dr Laybutt said, “We’re saying that Id1 is the molecular link between environmental factors, such as high fat diet, and beta cell dysfunction. We’ve demonstrated our finding in animal models and cell culture, and we’ve also shown that pancreatic tissue from diabetic people expresses Id1. If Id1 inhibitors are shown to be safe in clinical trials for cancer, I see no reason why they should not also be trialled for diabetes.”

Further work is underway in using this blocking technique for cancer, on doing the same thing with blocking or stopping diabetes in mice, before eventually moving to human trials.

Type 2 diabetes is typically associated with diets high in sugar and fat and with poor exercise. It is the result of the body becoming less able to produce and use insulin.

Matt Wilkinson was recently named as the winner of the first World Sandwichship with his creative toasted ham sandwich and quesadilla wrap.

The Championship was held as part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival.

Matt is from the Pope Joan café in Melbourne, and was up against sandwich creators from around the world.

The competitors were given an hour to create sandwiches in three categories, and Matt won with his ham and three pickles toasted sandwich with Welsh Rarebit fondue and his creative Cuban- style Quesadilla wrap.

The judges based their decision on the following criteria; taste, presentation, innovation, explanation and, of course, the “wow” factor.

The competition was run by the Australasian Sandwich Association, which is a group dedicated to representing sandwich bars and cafes across this region. To join or find out more information – www.sandwich.org.au

In late September, the 2011 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards were announced and cover nine food production categories; chocolate, branded beef, coffee, ice cream / gelato / sorbet, Delicatessen, Dairy / Sheep / Goat / Buffalo, olive oil/ olives, preserves / honey and packaging

The entries for this year were up 25% from 201 and from the record number of exhibits, 15 trophies were awarded. The best Victorian product was recognised as the Rich Glen Lemon and Lime Agrumato from Rich Glen Olives, by being awarded the Victorian Government trophy.

Trophies were not only given to businesses from Victoria, nine were also awarded to producers in Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales.

The aim of the recognised and prestigious awards is to recognise excellence and best practice whilst also promoting gourmet and regional producers

The winners for each of the trophies and categories were as follows:

The Victorian Government Trophy for the Best Victorian Product: Rich Glen Lemon and Lime Agrumato, Rich Glen Olives (Vic)

ICE CREAM: Wendy’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Innovation Ice Cream (Vic)

GELATO: Baci Kisses Gelato, Fritz Gelato (Vic)

SORBET: Gelati Sky Passionfruit Sorbet, Gelati Sky Pty Ltd (Vic)

DELICATESSEN: Paradise Beach Purveyors Tzatziki, Paradise Beach Purveyors Pty Ltd (NSW)

SMALLGOODS: Prosciutto, San Jose Smallgoods (SA)

UNCOOKED SAUSAGE: Casalingo Sausage, P. Princi Butchers Fremantle (WA)

BOUTIQUE OIL: Cradle Coast Olives Essence of the Cradle, Cradle Coast Olives (Tas)

COMMERCIAL OIL: Lighthouse Olive Oil, Picual Lighthouse Olive Oil (Vic)

SINGLE ESTATE GROWN: Kyneton Olive Oil Family Selection, Kyneton Olive Oil (Vic)

FLAVOURED OIL: Rich Glen Lemon and Lime Agrumato, Rich Glen Olives (Vic)

TABLE OLIVE: Manzanillo Grove Kalamata, Manzanillo Grove (Vic)

BEST PRESERVE: Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Wine Vinegar Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Farm (NSW)

ESPRESSO: Coffee PNG Single Origin Bellissimo Coffee (Qld)

FILTER COFFEE: Indonesian Single Origin, Bellissimo Coffee (Qld)

BUTTER: Duck River Premium, Fonterra Australia – Spreyton (Tas)

FRESH CHEESE: The Riverina Dairy Premium Ricotta, The Riverina Dairy (NSW)

MOULD SURFACE RIPENED CHEESE: Jindi Reserve Brie, Jindi Cheese Pty Ltd (Vic)

BLUE CHEESE: Black Label Blue Triple Cream, King Island Dairy (Tas)

SEMI HARD AND EYE: Heide Farm Raclette, Lion Dairy & Drinks (Tas)

CHEDDAR STYLE: Waxed Vintage Cheddar, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory Vic)

HARD CHEESE: Pecorino Pepato, The Provedore Group Puglia Cheese (Vic)

YOGHURT: Yalla Prune and Vanilla Yoghurt, Yalla (NSW)

CREAM: Coles Double Cream Coles Supermarkets (Vic)

MILK: Pura New Milk, National Foods – Chelsea (Vic)

All Australians would be at least aware of the recent controversy about exporting live cattle to Indonesia.

After the television broadcast of very serious animal cruelty in some abattoirs in that country, there was a massive public outcry throughout Australia and the immediate banning of the trade by the Commonwealth Government.

This quick decision has cost farmers, particularly in Northern Australia, millions of dollars in loss of sales.

The ban has since been lifted as a result of the report produced by the Farmer review, which was set up by the government to review the situation of live exports and particularly the treatment in Indonesia.

The Government has accepted all the recommendations of the review for both domestic and export slaughter to ensure that livestock are treated at least internationally accepted welfare standards.

Live animal exporters will now be required to;

• ensure animals will be handled and processed at or better than the internationally accepted standards follow requirements for animal welfare established by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE);
• have control of the movement of animals within their supply chain;
• trace or account for animals through the supply chain;
• conduct independent verification and performance audits of their supply chains

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig said “the new framework will be phased in and will be implemented in stages with 75 per cent of trade covered by February and for all trade by the end of 2012.”

Although the changes are major and will meet most of the demands of all those involved in the submissions and discussions, there is one significant standard that has not been included in the Report.

The Review has not required that exported livestock be stunned before slaughter, and this has some groups seriously concerned.