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Biotechnology Used to Test Freshness of Meat and Fish
reviewing its services in this important area. Agri-food safety is a high priority within the Food Production and Inspection Branch and there is a commitment to successfully meet current challenges and maintain an effective service for the industry and the consuming public. In this regard, the Food Inspection Directorate is creating a new Division to provide scientific and technical support for an expanded mandate to all agri-food inspection programs in areas of risk assessment, residue testing, epidemiology and bacteriology. This new support division will be called the "Agri-Food Safety Division" and will be located with the food commodity inspection Divisions at Halldon House, 2255 Carling Avenue, Ottawa. Also the existing Divisions of Meat Hygiene, Livestock and Poultry Products and Dairy, Fruit & Vegetable will be streamlining their respective structures to interface more effectively with the new Division. Included in the planned reorganization is the joining of the Livestock & Poultry Products and Meat Hygiene into one Division. The new Director of the Agri-Food Safety Division will be Mr. Wayne Morris. Mr. Morris has more than twenty years of experience with Agriculture Canada, most of which was in food inspection activities. For further information contact: Dr. M.G. Morissette, Director General, Food Inspection Directorate at (613) 992-2114 - Ext. 4187.
NEW PRODUCTSI PROCESSES
National Research Council scientists at the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) have developed a biosensor that can measure the freshness of meat and fish with great speed and accuracy. The new technique takes just five minutes to pinpoint the degree of foodproduct freshness, compared to more conventional methods involving complicated procedures that take several hours. Fish- and meat-processing companies can benefit from this technology, using it to provide an unequivocal guarantee that their product is fresh. Or. John luong and his research team at BRI developed the enzymebased biosensor in less than one year. Can. Inst. Food Sci. Technol. J. Vo!. 21, No. 4, 1988
Like any biosensor, the BRI invention is a detecting device that uses specific bio-catalysts to monitor chemical changes in a test sample. As fish and meat age, a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) breaks down into different substances, including uric acid. This change is detected with great precision by the newly developed biosensor. An extract from the fish or meat sample is placed in a tiny reaction chamber equipped with an electrode. One enzyme is attached to the electrode, while two others are added to solution in the reactor. The resulting catalysis triggers a digital readout indicating the degree of product freshness. Alternative methods for monitoring the freshness of raw fish and other related products are being used in Japan and the United States. However, the technique developed by NRC scientists costs less and is easier to use,
A new family of cold water swelling (CWS) food starches is announced by Nacan Products Limited. Five "ULTRA" products provide the convenience of instant viscosity with the texture, appearance and processing tolerance of premium cook-up starches. The new CWS food starches develop viscosity in cold water to provide texture to products such as instant soups, sauces, gravies, and fruit fillings. The new starches disperse uniformly and develop a smooth, short viscous paste. The new natural starches, derived from cereal bases, exhibit many of the features of modified pregelatinized starches and offer a wide range of new opportunities to the food technologist. For further information contact: Nacan Products Limited, 60 West Drive, Brampton, Ontario l6T 4W7.
TECRA ™ Salmonella visual immunoassay test kit that detects the presence of Salmonella in food and food ingredients will be marketed and distributed in the United States and Canada exclusively by 3M Microbiology Products, Life Sciences Sector. Tecra Salmonella visual immunoassay is a smooth method for getting
highly specific, accurate Salmonella test results. It was tested collaboratively at a number of large food companies in the United States and the method is approved by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Performing the test requires no specially skilled personnel. It is compatible with existing procedures and the presence of Salmonella is demonstrated by a simple color change from clear to dark blue-green. Petrifilm plates use 3M film-coating technology to incorporate the basic elements of a pour plate onto film with adhesive, eliminating the need for a Petri dish. The result is a convenient, ready-to-use, disposable product for bacterial enumeration in dairy and food processing industries. For further information contact: 3M Microbiology Products, Dept. ME88-01, P.O. Box 33600, St. Paul, MN 55133-3600 (or in Canada, call 1-800-268-9696).
3M's TECRA ™ test kit.
JENWAY ltd., United Kingdom, have just released their Application Advice on the pH measurement of meat. This JENWA Y Application Advice will be useful for meat-packing operations and meat inspection facilities in determining the proper meat for sausage making as well as the overall condition of the meat. Using the pH value, the aging process of the meat can be monitored to avoid problems associated with undesirable micro-organisms. This
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NEW PRODUCTSI PROCESSES
National Research Council scientists at the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) have developed a biosensor that can measure the freshness of meat and fish with great speed and accuracy. The new technique takes just five minutes to pinpoint the degree of foodproduct freshness, compared to more conventional methods involving complicated procedures that take several hours. Fish- and meat-processing companies can benefit from this technology, using it to provide an unequivocal guarantee that their product is fresh. Or. John luong and his research team at BRI developed the enzymebased biosensor in less than one year. Can. Inst. Food Sci. Technol. J. Vo!. 21, No. 4, 1988
Like any biosensor, the BRI invention is a detecting device that uses specific bio-catalysts to monitor chemical changes in a test sample. As fish and meat age, a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) breaks down into different substances, including uric acid. This change is detected with great precision by the newly developed biosensor. An extract from the fish or meat sample is placed in a tiny reaction chamber equipped with an electrode. One enzyme is attached to the electrode, while two others are added to solution in the reactor. The resulting catalysis triggers a digital readout indicating the degree of product freshness. Alternative methods for monitoring the freshness of raw fish and other related products are being used in Japan and the United States. However, the technique developed by NRC scientists costs less and is easier to use,
A new family of cold water swelling (CWS) food starches is announced by Nacan Products Limited. Five "ULTRA" products provide the convenience of instant viscosity with the texture, appearance and processing tolerance of premium cook-up starches. The new CWS food starches develop viscosity in cold water to provide texture to products such as instant soups, sauces, gravies, and fruit fillings. The new starches disperse uniformly and develop a smooth, short viscous paste. The new natural starches, derived from cereal bases, exhibit many of the features of modified pregelatinized starches and offer a wide range of new opportunities to the food technologist. For further information contact: Nacan Products Limited, 60 West Drive, Brampton, Ontario l6T 4W7.
TECRA ™ Salmonella visual immunoassay test kit that detects the presence of Salmonella in food and food ingredients will be marketed and distributed in the United States and Canada exclusively by 3M Microbiology Products, Life Sciences Sector. Tecra Salmonella visual immunoassay is a smooth method for getting
highly specific, accurate Salmonella test results. It was tested collaboratively at a number of large food companies in the United States and the method is approved by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Performing the test requires no specially skilled personnel. It is compatible with existing procedures and the presence of Salmonella is demonstrated by a simple color change from clear to dark blue-green. Petrifilm plates use 3M film-coating technology to incorporate the basic elements of a pour plate onto film with adhesive, eliminating the need for a Petri dish. The result is a convenient, ready-to-use, disposable product for bacterial enumeration in dairy and food processing industries. For further information contact: 3M Microbiology Products, Dept. ME88-01, P.O. Box 33600, St. Paul, MN 55133-3600 (or in Canada, call 1-800-268-9696).
3M's TECRA ™ test kit.
JENWAY ltd., United Kingdom, have just released their Application Advice on the pH measurement of meat. This JENWA Y Application Advice will be useful for meat-packing operations and meat inspection facilities in determining the proper meat for sausage making as well as the overall condition of the meat. Using the pH value, the aging process of the meat can be monitored to avoid problems associated with undesirable micro-organisms. This
lA / 349