There is another Microbe of the Month article on my website, this time it is about the important Campylobacter jejuni.
Last 8 following:
Microbe of the Month – Campy
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
Chickens are given hormones right????
Monday, June 28th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
Steggles has just done a study and found that 3/4 of the people surveyed still believe that hormones and steroids are used when producing meat chickens.
Having worked in the poultry industry for five years doing product development, I can confirm that hormones and steroids are absolutely not given to these chickens at all. This has not been done for around 50 years now.
It is another food myth.
To get the chickens to grow to the level required, the producers use a very carefully balanced and controlled diet with just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients.
Over the years, the companies have had time to get the diet balanced to get the maximum growth and best health. They do not need to add hormones or steroids to achieve this, so these are not used at all.
The companies do use antibiotics however, to keep the birds healthy and free of infections. This is important to reduce the number of deaths in the shed and produce the maximum number of birds.
There is evidence that this practice is creating problems, with some bacteria developing immunity to the antibiotics used. The companies are, therefore, very busy working out alternative methods which will not harm the birds, to control bacteria and potential infections.
Foodie Friday – Biggest Pizza?
Friday, June 18th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
Is the biggest pizza in the world the one made in the carpark of the Alden High School in Iowa Falls in the USA?
More than 200 people in 26 teams raised money for the school district as part of the fun community project. $42 000 worth of ingredients were donated to make the 50 000 slice pizza.
The 129 by 92ft pizza was made using 4,000 pounds of cheese, 700 pounds of sauce and 9,500 sections of crust.
Although not the traditional round shape, it may well be the largest pizza in the world – well, until someone makes a bigger one!!!!!!
Friday’s Green Tip
Make sure the seals on your fridges and coolrooms are clean and in good condition. This is not only an essential requyirement for food safety but will reduce cold air leaking out. This means reduced running costs and less electricity – good for the environment too!!!!
Foodie Friday – World’s Biggest Hotdog
Friday, June 11th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
A 77.23m (250ft) hot dog made in Monterray in Mexico is recognised as the biggest in the world. It beat one made in Japan by more than 15m.
Just imagine how much cheese and sauce went into that, let alone the meat and bread. It adds a whole new dimension to having one with the lot huh?
Fridays Green Tip – where possible use natural lighting with windows and skylights. Just make sure they are kept clean and fit for use to ensure food safety. This can really reduce lighting costs and reduce your carbon footprint by not using as much electricity.
Cricketers Club team wins best Qld Club Chefs
Thursday, June 10th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
The chefs from the Cricketers Club have won the right to represent Queensland in the National Finals of the chefs Table competition.
The competition is designed to show that clubs have outstanding food at reasonable prices. Last year’s National Winner was the East League’s Club in Brisbane.
The Cricketers Club team’s award-winning menu included an entrée of pan fried quail breast with caramelised pumpkin, cavolo nero and Shimeji mushrooms with roasted garlic cream; a main course of daube of beef with buttered pea crush, cauliflower gratin and Rosemary-salted Yorkshire pudding with soused baby onions and baby beetroot; and a dessert of Corella pear tarte tatin with dark chocolate and rum ice cream.
Optimising your food safety seminar
Thursday, June 10th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
Yesterday I attended another brilliant seminar by the Food Industries Association of Queensland.
This is a long standing group of foodies from around South East Queensland who work togther to improve their knowledge and skills.
The Annual Queensland Food Safety Conference is run by the group and is well worth local food businesses attending.
The seminar run yesterday in Brisbane is yet another in a fine series of ongoing educational and professional development opportunities for both food safety people and food businesses.
For more information about this terrific association go to www.foodindustries.com.au
Foodie Friday – biggest hamburger
Friday, June 4th, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
It may be that The 8th Wonder at the Clinton Diner is the world’s biggest consumable hamburger.
It measures around 47kg, has a thickness of about 0.29m and width of 0.71m.
For the mindblowing pictures and full story go to http://www.supersizedmeals.com/food/article.php/20061029-Worlds_Largest_Hamburger
Fridays Green Tip
Always use chemicals at the amount stated by the supplier. More chemicals will not generally do a better job and will only cost you money. It will also be more chemicals going down the drain to be a larger impact on the environment.
Hair nets or not
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
I am often in food businesses where hair covering of some type is worn. This is an expected contaminaton control and if a business does not use hair covering, it is not doing everything possible to prevent contamination.
The problem is that when people wear the hair covering, and particularly hair nets they don’t wear them properly.
They are not fashion statements in any way but if you are working in a food business and a hair net is required, it must be worn properly.
A hair net is supposed to cover all hair and the bottom of the ears. They are designed to stop hair from contaminating food and are not about looking good.
Staff need to be trained in the correct use of hair coverings and then the practice must be closely monitored.
Wild birds may not prefer organic grain
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 by Green Food Safety Coach
A recent study in Newcastle, UK, has shown that the wild birds tested prefer conventional grain to the organic grain provided. Many factors such as nutrional value etc were not considered, simply the amount eaten.
The organic food industry and those that advocate organic foods will no doubt find this study interesting.
For more information – http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2010/06/01/wild-birds-scorn-organic-seed.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AustralianFoodNews+%28Australian+Food+News%29
Microbe of the Month – Campy
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachChickens are given hormones right????
Monday, June 28th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachSteggles has just done a study and found that 3/4 of the people surveyed still believe that hormones and steroids are used when producing meat chickens.
Having worked in the poultry industry for five years doing product development, I can confirm that hormones and steroids are absolutely not given to these chickens at all. This has not been done for around 50 years now.
It is another food myth.
To get the chickens to grow to the level required, the producers use a very carefully balanced and controlled diet with just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients.
Over the years, the companies have had time to get the diet balanced to get the maximum growth and best health. They do not need to add hormones or steroids to achieve this, so these are not used at all.
The companies do use antibiotics however, to keep the birds healthy and free of infections. This is important to reduce the number of deaths in the shed and produce the maximum number of birds.
There is evidence that this practice is creating problems, with some bacteria developing immunity to the antibiotics used. The companies are, therefore, very busy working out alternative methods which will not harm the birds, to control bacteria and potential infections.
Foodie Friday – Biggest Pizza?
Friday, June 18th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachIs the biggest pizza in the world the one made in the carpark of the Alden High School in Iowa Falls in the USA?
More than 200 people in 26 teams raised money for the school district as part of the fun community project. $42 000 worth of ingredients were donated to make the 50 000 slice pizza.
The 129 by 92ft pizza was made using 4,000 pounds of cheese, 700 pounds of sauce and 9,500 sections of crust.
Although not the traditional round shape, it may well be the largest pizza in the world – well, until someone makes a bigger one!!!!!!
Friday’s Green Tip
Make sure the seals on your fridges and coolrooms are clean and in good condition. This is not only an essential requyirement for food safety but will reduce cold air leaking out. This means reduced running costs and less electricity – good for the environment too!!!!
Foodie Friday – World’s Biggest Hotdog
Friday, June 11th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachA 77.23m (250ft) hot dog made in Monterray in Mexico is recognised as the biggest in the world. It beat one made in Japan by more than 15m.
Just imagine how much cheese and sauce went into that, let alone the meat and bread. It adds a whole new dimension to having one with the lot huh?
Fridays Green Tip – where possible use natural lighting with windows and skylights. Just make sure they are kept clean and fit for use to ensure food safety. This can really reduce lighting costs and reduce your carbon footprint by not using as much electricity.
Cricketers Club team wins best Qld Club Chefs
Thursday, June 10th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachThe chefs from the Cricketers Club have won the right to represent Queensland in the National Finals of the chefs Table competition.
The competition is designed to show that clubs have outstanding food at reasonable prices. Last year’s National Winner was the East League’s Club in Brisbane.
The Cricketers Club team’s award-winning menu included an entrée of pan fried quail breast with caramelised pumpkin, cavolo nero and Shimeji mushrooms with roasted garlic cream; a main course of daube of beef with buttered pea crush, cauliflower gratin and Rosemary-salted Yorkshire pudding with soused baby onions and baby beetroot; and a dessert of Corella pear tarte tatin with dark chocolate and rum ice cream.
Optimising your food safety seminar
Thursday, June 10th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachYesterday I attended another brilliant seminar by the Food Industries Association of Queensland.
This is a long standing group of foodies from around South East Queensland who work togther to improve their knowledge and skills.
The Annual Queensland Food Safety Conference is run by the group and is well worth local food businesses attending.
The seminar run yesterday in Brisbane is yet another in a fine series of ongoing educational and professional development opportunities for both food safety people and food businesses.
For more information about this terrific association go to www.foodindustries.com.au
Foodie Friday – biggest hamburger
Friday, June 4th, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachIt may be that The 8th Wonder at the Clinton Diner is the world’s biggest consumable hamburger.
It measures around 47kg, has a thickness of about 0.29m and width of 0.71m.
For the mindblowing pictures and full story go to http://www.supersizedmeals.com/food/article.php/20061029-Worlds_Largest_Hamburger
Fridays Green Tip
Always use chemicals at the amount stated by the supplier. More chemicals will not generally do a better job and will only cost you money. It will also be more chemicals going down the drain to be a larger impact on the environment.
Hair nets or not
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachI am often in food businesses where hair covering of some type is worn. This is an expected contaminaton control and if a business does not use hair covering, it is not doing everything possible to prevent contamination.
The problem is that when people wear the hair covering, and particularly hair nets they don’t wear them properly.
They are not fashion statements in any way but if you are working in a food business and a hair net is required, it must be worn properly.
A hair net is supposed to cover all hair and the bottom of the ears. They are designed to stop hair from contaminating food and are not about looking good.
Staff need to be trained in the correct use of hair coverings and then the practice must be closely monitored.
Wild birds may not prefer organic grain
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 by Green Food Safety CoachA recent study in Newcastle, UK, has shown that the wild birds tested prefer conventional grain to the organic grain provided. Many factors such as nutrional value etc were not considered, simply the amount eaten.
The organic food industry and those that advocate organic foods will no doubt find this study interesting.
For more information – http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2010/06/01/wild-birds-scorn-organic-seed.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AustralianFoodNews+%28Australian+Food+News%29
