IFT newsletter 9 april 2008 « fansaviola page

IFT newsletter 9 april 2008

By fansaviola

Research Briefs

Plant metabolites and nutritional quality of vegetables

This review article covers the major plant metabolites that characterize the nutritional quality of vegetables, and methods of their analysis.

Vegetables are an important part of the human diet and a major source of biologically active substances such as vitamins, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and cholesterol-lowering compounds. Despite a large amount of information on this topic, the nutritional quality of vegetables has not been defined.

Approximately 50,000 metabolites have been elucidated in plants, and it is predicted that the final number will exceed 200,000. Most of them have unknown function. Metabolites such as carbohydrates, organic and amino acids, vitamins, hormones, flavonoids, phenolics, and glucosinolates are essential for plant growth, development, stress adaptation, and defense. Besides the importance for the plant itself, such metabolites determine the nutritional quality of food, color, taste, smell, antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, antihypertension, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunostimulating, and cholesterol-lowering properties.

The content is free and open to all.

For more, see Journal of Food Science

Improved flavonoid extraction methods

While determining the best method to recover flavonoids from spinach, a group of researchers from the Univ. of Arkansas learned new information about the plant extractives. For example, ethanol and water (70/30%) extracted more of the flavonoids effectively, using a higher temperature band, than plain water. Pressurized liquid extraction was used, and the researchers found that the large molecular weight fractions browned more quickly as the temperatures of processing increased.

Because spinach is an easily-grown, deep green leafy vegetable that contains plentiful phenolic compounds, more effective extraction methods could add their biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anticarcinogenic, and antimutagenic properties to food products. The normal method of extracting polyphenols uses large amounts of hydro-organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, and acetone), which are, at the least, expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Pressurized fluid extraction (PLE) offers an alternative method that combines elevated temperature and pressures with liquid solvents. The final color and oxygen radical-absorbing capacity were found to be as good as those in products extracted using more expensive methods.

For more, see Journal of Food Science

Tagatose provides tasty treats

Tagatose, a reducing sugar with probiotic qualities, is now available in bulk for general food uses. Because it is a reducing sugar, it develops a brown color at fairly low baking temperatures and its sweetness has a characteristic flavor that is different than that of sucrose.

Tagatose is a monosaccharide that has a hydroxyl group on the 4th carbon, making it relatively slow to digest, and it does not elicit a glycemic index. According to the literature, it may improve immune function and serum lipid levels. It forms a different set of short chain fatty acids that favor the production of microflora in the lower gut. Because of the nutraceutical qualities, industry has been interested in possible uses for tagatose. A research team that included scientists from Wacker Fine Chemicals and Auburn Univ. formulated cookies with all tagatose, part tagatose and part sucrose, and all fructose.

Finding good formulations for conventional foods while using tagatose for its healthful characteristics can be a little difficult. It provides similar bulk to foods as sucrose, but provides a different crumb structure than sucrose. The resulting cookies are harder when formulated with all-tagatose, as well as darker brown in color. The color didn’t prove to be a problem for cookie tasters, but the sweetness effect did. When cookies were made with sucrose and tagatose, the texture and flavor was more similar to that of all sucrose, while reducing the amount of metabolizable sugars in the products. Currently, tagatose is limited by FDA to use in specific applications at specified concentrations. Some of the currently allowed applications of tagatose include diet beverages at concentrations of up to 1%, light ice creams at levels up to 3%, and energy bars at levels up to 10%. However, its possibilities as a calories reducer, glycemic index controller, and prebiotic suggests that this may change. In this test, the baked product had a lower spread and darker color, which in some uses may be positive. The hardness of cookies made by blending sucrose and tagatose was similar to the control. The cookies containing tagatose required a shorter baking time

For more, see Journal of Food Science

Prion diseases transmitted in milk

Scrapie can be transmitted to lambs through milk, according to new research published in the online open access journal BMC Veterinary Research. The study provides important information on the transmission of this prion-associated disease and the control of scrapie in affected flocks.

For more, see BMC Veterinary Research

New profiling method for phenolics

Phenolic compounds are prevalent in most foods, and their powerful antioxidant capabilities may provide significant health benefits. USDA Agricultural Research Service chemists James Harnly and Long-Ze Lin have developed a new standardized profiling method for distinguishing even slight variations in the types and amounts of these compounds in foods. Discerning potentially beneficial food components is important for conducting clinical nutrition studies and for developing dietary guidance.

Using the new method, Harnly and Lin have identified nearly 60 phenolic components in Ginkgo biloba leaves, including many that had never before been detected in the popular herb. They also used the unique profiling method to differentiate phenolics in more than 360 other foods, such as Mexican oregano, Fuji apple peel, soybean seed, broccoli, dry beans, tea and coffee.

For more, see USDA press release.

IFST updates statements on Cryptosporidium and Foodborne Viral Infections

The Institute of Food Science and Technology has issued updated Information Statements on Cryptosporidium and Foodborne Viral Infections

Company News

NutraCea expanding rice bran oil production

NutraCea, a producer of stabilized rice bran, nutrient research and technology, announced on April 8 that they have accelerated their plans to expand the recently acquired Irgovel plant located in Pelotas, Brazil to meet the demand for rice bran oil and deoiled bran.

When purchased earlier this year the plant was operating at less than one third of its total capacity of 70,000 tons of rice bran annually. NutraCea anticipates that by the end of this quarter, the facility will be operating at over 70% of capacity, and close to full capacity by the middle of the fourth quarter of this year, a timeline that is ahead of the original schedule. The facility is centrally located within the primary rice growing region of South America.

NutraCea reports that engineering work is currently underway to significantly increase the capacity of the facility by 60% to approximately 115,000 tons of annual capacity by the end of the first quarter of 2009 and by the end of 2009 anticipates a further expansion that could more than triple NutraCea’s capacity to over 210,000 tons of rice bran annually. Additionally, NutraCea is preparing the plant for the installation of its proprietary technology to produce value-added products at the facility and expects to have the first phase of this completed by the first quarter of next year, at which time the sales of these new products should be accretive to both the top and bottom line.

USDA promotes exports at Food Ingredients Asia

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced it will host a USA Pavilion Sept. 24-26, 2008, at Food Ingredients Asia in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand serves as an important regional hub and platform for suppliers who are looking to expand their market to cover the Southeast Asia region.

Held annually, Food Ingredients Asia is the region’s most important food ingredient industry exhibition. Last year’s show had more than 200 exhibitors and attracted 7,271 international visitors. The Southeast Asia region includes Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, East Timor, Thailand and Vietnam.

Southeast Asia is the United States’ fifth largest export market region for agricultural, fish and forestry products, with U.S. exports totaling $4.7 billion in 2007.

Exhibiting in the USA Pavilion at Food Ingredients Asia 2008 will provide U.S. exporters and distributors with an easy, cost-effective way to promote products. Exhibitors also will have an opportunity to learn first-hand about regional market trends.

Products with the best market prospects include ingredients for specialty foods, bakery items and snacks.

For more information on exhibiting in the USA Pavilion at this event, please contact Sharon Cook at (202) 720-3425 or by e-mail at Sharon.Cook@usda.gov.

Symrise and Theranostics partner on nutraceuticals

Symrise AG and Cambridge Theranostics Ltd have entered into a strategic partnership as of Dec. 2007. Under the agreement, Symrise will contribute up to 8 million euro in milestone-related payments towards the development and clinical evaluation of new health and medical food products.

The partners will share the profits on products resulting from the collaboration. For Symrise, this step means expanding its activity into the health market. The company says that this is a logical extension of its investment in the nutraceuticals sector with the successful acquisition of Kaden Biochemicals GmbH early 2006. In addition, Symrise has invested 2 million euro in capital into the English company which specializes in the diagnostics and prophylaxis of cardiovascular diseases.

Cambridge Theranostics, which was founded in 2002 as a spin-off from Cambridge University, will use its proprietary screen to select natural products from Symrise’s extensive libraries of extracts and compounds to identify high value compounds that can best protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidative damage and afford effective protection against cardiovascular diseases. Cambridge Theranostics will then perform pharmacokinetic and clinical studies with the aim of launching two products by the year 2010.

Gerold Linzbach, CEO of Symrise, said, “This alliance will enable us to enter our active ingredients into the high value healthcare sector. It is the next logical step in implementing our growth strategy by offering intelligent products which have an added value for consumers.”

Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavorings and raw materials and active ingredients for the perfume, cosmetics and food industry. Its sales of €1.27 bn in 2007 place the company among the top four in the international flavors and fragrances market. Headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, Symrise is represented in more than 30 sites in Europe, Asia, the United States and South America.

Louisiana Sugar to break ground on new refinery

Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC (LSR) will break ground for its new million-ton-per-year sugar refinery at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, at the facility site adjacent to Cargill’s 200-acre riverfront complex in Reserve, La.

LSR is a joint venture between Cargill and Sugar Growers And Refiners, Inc. (SUGAR), an agricultural cooperative of about 700 growers and seven member cane mills. LSR marries Cargill’s 140 years of food industry expertise with the Louisiana farmer’s 200 years of collective wisdom in growing and milling sugar cane.

LSR expects construction to take about 24 months, with commercial production beginning in the first half of 2010.

Extra credit links

Some additional news and other items, extra credit is available at the end of the class.

A few articles on donating rice, an automated fast food establishment, and food made out of felt:

Donate Rice and improve your vocabulary
Fast food, German-style (We are not too sure about the chef’s food handling practices.)
Felt replicas of food

Regulatory News

USDA releases world ag supply and demand

The USDA has released its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates today. For more, see http://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/#2008-4-9

Their estimates for corn and wheat are for higher exports. Rice appears to be being hoarded by major exporters.

FDA posts new guide on food labeling

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for assuring that foods sold in the United States are safe, wholesome and properly labeled. This applies to foods produced domestically, as well as foods from foreign countries. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act are the Federal laws governing food products under FDA’s jurisdiction.

This guidance is a summary of the required statements that must appear on food labels under these laws and their regulations. To help minimize legal action and delays, it is recommended that manufacturers and importers become fully informed about the applicable laws and regulations before offering foods for distribution in the United States.

For the new guidance, see U.S. FDA Food Labeling Guide

Child Nutrition Labeling Program

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service is soliciting comments on a revision of a currently approved collection in this voluntary program that helps determine the contribution a commercial product makes toward the food-based meal pattern requirements.

The Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Program is a voluntary technical assistance program to aid schools and institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and other feeding programs in determining the contribution a commercial product makes toward the food-based meal pattern requirements of these programs. There is no Federal requirement that commercial products must have a CN label statement.

To participate in the Child Nutrition Labeling Program, a manufacturer submits product labels and formulations to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) that are in conformance with the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) label approval program for meat and poultry, or United States Department of Commerce (USDC) label approval program for seafood products. FNS reviews a manufacturer’s product formulation to determine the contribution a serving of the product makes toward the food-based meal pattern requirements.

The application form submitted to FNS is the same application form that companies submit to FSIS or USDC to receive label approval. A CN label application is also reviewed by FNS for accuracy. Participation in the CN Labeling Program is voluntary: only manufacturers who wish to place CN labels on their products must comply with CN Labeling Program requirements.

For more, see the Federal Register: April 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 68)

Malt-O-Meal recalls RTE cereals

Minneapolis, Minn. Based Malt-O-Meal announced that it is voluntarily recalling its unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced with “Best If Used By” codes between April 8, 2008 (coded as “APR0808″) and March 18, 2009 (coded as “MAR1809″) because they may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled product was distributed nationally, marketed under the Malt-O-Meal brand and as some private label brands including Acme, America’s Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. A comprehensive listing of impacted products can be found at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this situation. All other Malt-O-Meal products are unaffected by this action and are safe for continued sale and consumption. The products affected by this recall represent less than one-half of one percent of the company’s annual production of ready-to-eat cereal.

The recall was initiated after the company’s internal routine food safety testing detected the presence of Salmonella in a product produced on March 24, 2008. The company immediately commenced an investigation to determine the root cause of this one positive finding as well as the extent of any possible exposure. Initial results from this follow-up investigation indicate that additional product may have been exposed to this contaminant. Thus, out of an abundance of caution to protect consumers, the company has chosen to voluntarily remove all unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat products with “Best If Used By” codes between April 8, 2008 (coded as “APR0808″) and March 18, 2009 (coded as “MAR1809″). Investigation into the source of the Salmonella has determined a root cause of this situation and corrective measures have been taken to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of this issue.

For more, see www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo.

Agents seize nearly $1.3 million of illegal dietary supplements

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on Wednesday U.S. Marshals seized more than $1,301,712 of dietary supplements from LG Sciences, LLC, of Brighton, Mich., because the products contain unapproved food additives and/or new dietary ingredients that cause the products to violate the law. Labeled as dietary supplements, the products are marketed for use by body builders.
The dietary supplements seized were marketed and distributed on-line and in retail stores under the names “Methyl 1-D,” “Methyl 1-D XL,” and “Formadrol Extreme XL.”
The seized products previously were tested and found to contain one or more unapproved food additives and/or new dietary ingredients for which there is inadequate information to provide reasonable assurance that the ingredients do not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury.
For more, see the FDA Press Release

USDA Mypyramid menu planner hailed as best in class

The USDA’s MyPyramid Menu Planner is the best meal and menu planner on the Web today says the American Dietetic Association (ADA). ADA President, Connie Diekman said, “There are a variety of on-line nutrition-related tools, but the MyPyramid Menu Planner is one of best over-all. Other planners may focus on calorie counting or other nutrients in the diet, but the Menu Planner places its focus on the food groups, helping consumers learn to develop a well-rounded eating plan. Additionally, the site provides the user with immediate feedback as each food entry is made.

Brian Wansink, Executive Director of the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion said, “We are extraordinarily proud of the Menu Planner after almost two and a half years of development and testing, and we appreciate the endorsement of ADA.”
“The problem is this,” Wansink continued. “We all believe we know what constitutes a healthy diet. But do we really? For instance, we know that an apple provides more nutrition than a doughnut. So, making a single comparison between foods is easy. The difficulty comes when we try to conceive of an overall healthy diet day after day. That’s where the MyPyramid Menu Planner can be so helpful. Traditionally, those who were truly interested in monitoring their food intake kept a food diary writing down every thing that ate. The Menu Planner makes this type of journaling much easier, more accurate, and does the calculation automatically. We encourage everyone who is interested in achieving a healthful, balanced diet for themselves or their families to log on to the Menu Planner.”

For more, see http://www.mypyramid.gov/
and click on the new MyPyramid Menu Planner in the upper right corner

IFT & Meeting News

Chicago IFT Section to hold Student Night

The Chicago Section of IFT will hold its annual Student Night on April 14 at Dominican University – Parmer Hall (main Floor), 7900 W. Division Road, River Forest.

For more, see http://www.chicagoift.org/

Penn State to hold food micro short course

Penn State’s Dept. of Food Science will hold their Food Microbiology Short Course on May 20-22, 2008 at University Park, PA.

The Food Microbiology Short Course provides insight into the most recent developments of food borne pathogens, toxins, and contaminants that may occur in a food plant environment. Instruction is delivered in classroom and laboratory environments and includes a mixture of theory, demonstrations, and practical sessions.

Individuals involved in food microbiology, as well as those in quality control and assurance, sanitation, and food production, will expand their knowledge and skills in basic and applied food microbiology and food safety.

For more information and to register visit http://conferences.cas.psu.edu/ or call 814-865-8301.

Conference on foods contaminated by biological threat agents

What should be done to dispose of large quantities of food contaminated with hazardous agents? Examples of hazardous agents that might find their way into foods via intentional contamination or corrupt practices include viruses, bacteria, biological toxins, chemicals, and radioactive compounds. While recall and traceability is required for one step forward and one step backward, little attention has been focused on disposal of this material, except by those who have struggled to deal with it.

The Second Annual Conference on Treatment and Disposal of Food Products Contaminated by Biological Threat Agents will be held April 30 to May 1, 2008 at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

For more and for registration, see http://biothreat.engr.wisc.edu/

Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses help you gain insight

Pre-Annual Meeting Short Courses provide you with focused education on a particular topic. Taught by experts in their fields, they’re a great way for busy professionals to get in-depth, practical education with only a modest investment of time. Short courses are interactive. You’ll find group exercises, case studies, best practices, practical applications, and much more, all within an environment that encourages networking and information sharing. Each course uses a variety of teaching methods, and is designed to meet the needs of adult learners.

Don’t miss these courses or the May 30 early bird deadline for $100 savings!

Food Science for the Non-Food Scientist
Food Safety for the Non-Food Scientist
Microencapsulation in Food Applications
Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S.
Ingredient Applications for Product Innovation and Consumer Health
Concept to Commercialization – Blending Culinary Arts & Food Science
Managing and Communicating Food-Related Crisis Situations
Sensory and Consumer Research in Food Product Development

For more information, and to register, visit ift.org/IFT08. When registering, please enter this code: 0408EM1181

Did You Miss the Food Technology Presents Conference?

If you did, but still want to tap into the rich content that was delivered there, now you can! Conference attendees have already learned how to effectively develop and market healthful products. In fact, 67% reported that they have identified new business and marketplace opportunities as a result of attending the conference. Now you can tap into these same insights. IFT’s on-demand library includes all 23 sessions from the conference, so you can listen to the sessions when it’s convenient for you. For IFT education on-the-go, download both audio and PowerPoint presentations for playback on your MP3 player. And don’t miss other IFT on-demand webcasts, offering rich content on key industry topics.

Visit ift.org/ftpc for more information.

Tags: 9 April 2008, IFT Newselter

This entry was posted on April 10, 2008 at 12:18 am and is filed under ift newsletter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “IFT newsletter 9 april 2008”

driver74 Says:
October 22, 2009 at 5:50 pm
This is good advice I plan to take to heart. ,

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