Archive for the ‘Labelling’ Category

3D packaging???

Thursday, December 16th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

With nearly all movies now coming out in 3D, and TVs now available so you can see this feature in your own home, it is definitely the big trend.

It is awesome to see things coming out of the screen at you and the titles sort of hanging there in space. The special glasses are a pain when you already wear glasses, but the effect is worth the inconvenience.

A new printing process called Helioflex is now available and, with 14 colours and a special varnish, is able to give food packaging a distinct 3D effect – without the glasses!!!

Keep an eye out for it.

Food Additives – are they good or bad?

Saturday, November 27th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

As a Food Technologist and having working in the area of Product Development, I understand that food additives are essential to provide us with the food we all love and eat.  As an example; without certain additives we would not have nuggets, which are now probably an item in most freezers – particularly those homes with children!!!!

Most of the additives permitted by the Food Standards Code are considered across the world to be safe for consumption. However, there are some that are being considered as causing potential and significant health issues.

The new article on my website talks about this and has a table showing the prime suspects. www.howsafeisyourfood.com.au/articles.html

So why is food poisoning more now than then?

Thursday, November 25th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

I was running  food safety training for a client yesterday and was once again asked the question of “why didn’t we get sick from food poisoning way back when?”

The answer is not simple, as it is a combination of many factors including; more food being eaten away from home, more people, better knowledge and of course the types and nature of foods we now have and eat.

With the increasing demand and expectation for quicker and easier foods, there is an increasing likelihood of food poisoning.

We now have foods that allow some particular types of pathogens to grow that were not as able to grow as easily in the past. The increasing number of vacuum packed foods , for example, allow bacteria like the Listerias to grow, which were not the issue in the past that they are now.

With the pressure to reduce salt in foods, we are now faced with increasing bacteria growth as the preservative impact is also reduced.

There are four factors that contribute to how safe a food is in Australia – the food, the market, the law and the process. For more information sign up to my free regular newsletter and receive a free copy of my eBook “So how safeis the food in Australia?” Go to www.howsafeisyourfood.com.au.

What does sustainability mean?

Sunday, November 21st, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

A recent study in the US has shown that consumers have a different idea about sustainability than food businesses.

This is already having an impact and will create future opportunities for all food businesses but only if they meet the law in terms of labelling and advertising.

For more info go to my article on www.howsafeisyourfood.com.au/articles.html

National approach to reducing fast food issues

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

Queensland champions the cause of a uniform National Plan for reducing intakes of energy, saturated fat, sugar and salt from fast food.

At the recent Health Ministerial Council, the Queensland Health Minister tabled an agenda paper for all states and territories to work together to develop a national approach to this significant health issue.

This will be a big step forward as some states have already started implementing health and food requirements that are specific to their jurisdiction; eg NSW has recently implemented a requirement that all the businesses inquick serve chains in that state must ensure that kilojoule content and other nutrtional information be displayed on the menu boards.

A franchisee in NSW is now required to display this infomation but one just over the border in Queensland is not and this makes it diifcult for both business and the public.

A national appproach will make life easier for all and ensure that information is available for decisions to be made across the country.

Product of the Year 2011

Sunday, September 19th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

The 2011 awards are underway. For more info go to the article on my website – www.howsafeisyourfood.com.au/articles.html

Use by Dates and using food after that.

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

use by dates are set by manufacturers based on microbiological testing results. The Food Standards Code has maximum bacterial levels for different foods and the use by date set for foods is based on ensuring that the food is less than these levels.

A question I was asked today in an interview for a possible A Current Affair story was  –  is it Ok to use foods after the use by date has past?

 The answer is yes, as long as the material has been properly tested and shows that the bacterial levels are less then that allowed in the code. The whole process must be done according to a standard method and be well documented.

Keep an eye out for the interview in the next week or so.

AFGC release new PIF

Thursday, August 5th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

Version 3.0 of the Product Information Form from the Australian Food and Grocery Council has just been released.

For more information go to the article on my website.

www.howsafeisyourfood.com.au/articles.html

Food Labelling Review

Thursday, February 25th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach

The next round of the Food Labelling Review is about to open with the Issues Consultation Paper being released on 5 March 2010. To make a submission about the paper or, even, the review go to www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au.

The Review Committee will be holding public forums to discuss the Review or Paper around Australia and New Zealand from 17 March to 7 May 2010.

Go to www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au. for details and to register to attend.