- Email: [email protected]
Modified Atmosphere Packaging Service
amount lost being related to the extent of drip loss. Losses of pyridoxine are not increased by microwave application as compared to other heating/cooking methods.
Other components It is well known that heat can affect the nutritional quality of dietary protein. Nitrogen loss to the drip and free amino acid content seem to be less for microwave cooked meat than for conventionally cooked products. Sodium concentration has been reported to be up to 10% greater in conventionally cooked samples, whereas potassium retention was found to be significantly higher in meat cooked by microwaves. Although there is little information in the scientific literature on other minerals, theoretically, the mineral composition of foods should not be affected in any way through exposure to microwave energy.
Other quality attributes The use of low-power, in comparison with high-power, microwave cooking, has been found to increase sensory qualities. Preparation of a less tender cut of beef by low power in a microwave can yield a product comparable with that obtained in conventional cooking. It has been found that in cooking started from the frozen state, "simmered" roasts were comparable with conventionally cooked roasts in sensory quality. The advantage of pulsing energy to the roast, which is possible with newer microwave ovens, is that
NEWS FROM OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
AOAC President for 1989 is Odette L. Shotwell, Research Leader at USDA's Northern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service in Peoria, IL. Elected to the AOAC Board of Directors in 1984, Dr. Shotwell has also served on the Editorial Board, Methods Committee on Foods I, and as an Associate Referee for Mycotoxins in Grains for sixteen years. She was winner of the AOAC Wiley Award in 1982 and named AOAC Fellow in 1978. She is active in various professional organizations, including Can. Insl. Food Se;. Teehnol. J. Vol. 22. No. 1, 1989
the off-cycle permits equilibration of the heat throughout the food by means of conduction. Automatically pulsed heating required less preparation time and was more energy-efficient than the manual on-off method. Shear value scores were smaller for the pulsed microwave method than for the conventional method. Beef rib eye roasts cooked by either the manual or automatic pulsed microwave method were comparable in juiciness and flavour to conventionally cooked roasts. Reheating of precooked meat by microwave is an attractive possibility in the institutional field. When this has been tested, roast beef slices, reheated after 2 days refrigerated storage, compared favourably with conventionally reheated samples. Microwave reheated samples had significantly less intense "warmed-over" aroma, although "warmed-over" flavour and lipid oxidation were not noticibly different between the two methods of reheating (Johnston and Baldwin, 1980). These same results were obtained when pre-roasted pork was reheated in either a domestic or an institutional microwave oven. Both the "warmedover" aroma and flavour were significantly more intense in all reheated samples than in the freshly roasted meat (Albrecht and Baldwin, 1982). Conclusion The scientific literature suggests that microwave cooking/reheating can yield high quality meat products. Improvements and innovations in microwave ovens have made this appliance a viable alternative to conventional cooking methods. While there are some differ-
the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACCl, where she has served as chairman of the AACC Committee on Mycotoxins Committees in Cereals and Grains since 1978, and on the AACC Editorial Board since 1984. She is a member of the Mycotoxin Committees of the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) and of the Joint AOAC/AOCS/AASCC/IUPAC Committee, and a member of the AOCS Smalley Committee on Check Samples.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Linde has launched a dedicated serv-
ences in nutrient and other sensory quality attributes of meat products prepared in microwaves as compared to conventional methods, these are minor. The advantage comes from the convenience and the saving in energy. It seems that microwave ovens, at least domestically and perhaps institutionally, are part of our way of life. References Albrecht, R.P. and Baldwin, R.E. 1982. J. Microwave Power 17(1 ):57. Anon. 1986. Canadian Consumer 16(7):14. Cross, G.A. and Fung. D.Y.C. 1982. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. April, p.355. Decareau, R. V. 1985. Microwaves in the Food Processing Industry. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, FL. Decareau, R. V. 1986. Food Technol. 40(6):99. Driezak, J.D. 1987. Food Technol. 41(6):51. Gellman, C.E. 1986. M.Sc. Thesis, Univ. of B.C., Vancouver, British Columbia. Gerling, J.E. 1986. Food Technol. 40(6):82. Hoffman, C.J. and Zabik, M.E. 1985. J. Am. Diet Assoc. 85:923. Johnston, M.B. and Baldwin, R.E. 1980. J. Food Sci. 45:1460 Lorenz, K. 1976. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. June, p. 339 John Vanderstoep, Ph.D Associate Professor Department of Food Science Faculty of Agricultural Sciences University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia Source: Meat Probe, Vo!. 5, No. 4, 1988.
ice to provide gases for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to the food industry. The new service, known as Extendapak, has been designed to help food packagers choose the right gas combinations for modified atmosphere packaging applications. It has been estimated that modified atmosphere packaging will substantially reduce the heavy losses to spoilage experienced by food producers each year. The new service has brought together a team of specialists to work directly with packagers. To help potential users become more familiar with MAP, Linde has developed an applications guide which covers red meats, poultry, processed meats, fresh fruit, dairy products, dry and dehydrated products, fish and seafood, prepared foods, bakery products and vegetables. In addition to discussing the type of gas
lA / 9
combination one can use, it also includes information on the length of time a product's shelf life can be extended. For further information contact: Mary McLean, Marketing Manager, Medical Products and Specialty Gases, Linde, 123 Eglinton Ave. E., Toronto, Onto M4P 1J3 (or call 416-488-1440).
A new market report, International Healthy Food and Drinks Market, has been produced by the Market Information Section of the Leatherhead Food R.A., Surrey, England. Concern over diet and health has become an international phenomenon and "health food" markets have become firmly established throughout the developed world. This report covers the "healthy" food and drinks markets in the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Australia, the United States and Japan. The U.S. is the leading international consumer of health foods; annual percapita consumption is estimated at $85. The health-food trend does not appear, however, to have adversely affected the "indulgence" food markets; the U.S. diet is increasingly becoming a dichotomy of "healthy" and indulgence eating and this trend is being mirrored to varying degrees in European countries. The West-German health-food market is the largest and most structured in Europe; in 1987, annual per-capita consumption was estimated at $77. The UK health-food market has also shown rapid development, to $40 percapita in 1987; multiple outlets have played an important role in expanding the market. Conversely, the French market has been slower to develop than its European counterparts and French per-capita consumption was estimated at only $24 in 1987. Japan has readily accepted US healthy eating ideals and has one of the fastest growing international health-food markets. Currently estimated at $25 per-capita, consumption is expected to show considerable future growth. The report presents individual reviews for the above countries and where possible includes market data on the following sectors: high-fibre products, low-fat dairy products, artificial sweeteners, dietary supplements, mineral water, sports drinks, lowcalorie soft drinks, decaffeinated
10 / lA
coffee and herbal tea. This report is available from Leatherhead Food R.A., Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, England KT227Ry.
The latest edition of the Nutrient Data Bank Directory was published in June, 1988, listing 112 software products. The Monograph is a project of the Data Base Committee of the National Nutrient Data Bank Conference. The information listed about each system includes the name and address of the system, the number of foods and number of nutrients included, the type of computer and program languages used, the source and characteristics of the data base, the characteristics ofthe software, and the availability of the system. The Directory also lists the specific proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals available on each system. The information included in the Directory reflects the responses of data base developers to a standardized questionnaire. The Nutrient Data Bank Directory (7th edition, 1988) is available for $15.00 U.S. from: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Food Systems Management, College of Home Economics, 217 Gwynn Hall. University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211.
Quest International, the new flavour and food ingredients arm of Unilever Ltd., held a special symposium in October, 1988, entitled "Biotechnology, Challenges for the Flavour and Food Industry". The small group of attendees, mostly scientists and technical directors from major companies from around the world, were there to be informed about the advances and applications of biotechnology to the food industry. The relative importance of the symposium was measurable by the fact that the attendees included Mr. R. Rauwenhoff, Group Vice President, Quest Flavour Division; Dr. S. Lechini, Group Vice President, Food Ingredients and Flavour Technology; and Dr. B. Willis, Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Representatives from Canada included:
E. Chiz, J.R. Ouimet Ltd.; T. Kahn FoodPro National; B. Mills, Kraft Ltd.; J. Haffenden, Quest Canada; and A. Peterson, Seagram's Ltd. Participants from other countries, such as Holland England, Mexico, Japan, West Ger~ many, Norway and the United States were also present. The three day meeting was chaired by Dr. Robert Lindsay of the Department of Food Science at Madison, Wisconsin. Ten speakers addressed a variety of subjects associated with the basic and applied aspects of Biotechnology. Dr. Thomas Montville, co-author of the 1FT Scientific Status Summary on Biotechnology, provided a broad overview of the general aspects of the subject to set the tone for the meeting. Donald P. Boudreaux of Microlife Technics discussed the advances made in basic research as related to strain development, fermentation optimization and engineering design. Dr. Alexander Klibanov discussed advances in enzyme technology, specifically in relation to their action in non-aqueous systems and the concept of using "unnatural substances" to obtain unique products. Dr. Roger Wescott of Unilever Research House reviewed plant cell culture biotechnology, while Dr. Malcolm Lilly developed the biochemical engineering aspects of fermentation design and scale up. Stephen McNamara, a former FDA lawyer, now in private practice, provided a most enlightening perspective on the views of FDA in relation to new biotechnologically produced compounds flavours and ingredients. Dr. Nico Overbeeke, of the Unilever Technology and Fermentation Laboratory discussed the route to successful cloning of genes for chymosin production and, more recently, the cloning of an enzyme to produce specialty guar gum. One of the most interesting and wide ranging talks came from Dr. Roel Keuning of the Netherlands Biotechnology Association, as he reviewed in some detail, the work ongoing in Europe in Food Biotechnology, comparing the efforts of Europe, Japan and North America. Mr. Shizume Takemoto of Kamebo Ltd., reviewed in detail the biotechnology efforts in Japan, emphasizing the harmony and common goal both industry and government had in being successful in the biotechnology field. Raymond T. Moshy of ESC Agenetics, wrapped up the conference by bringing in the perspective of a smaller biotechnology firm in its efforts to bring flavour biotechnology to fruition. He underscored the lack of basic knowledge of plant biochemical pathways leading to J. Inst. Can. Sci. Technol. Aliment. VD\. 22. No. I, 1989
Other components It is well known that heat can affect the nutritional quality of dietary protein. Nitrogen loss to the drip and free amino acid content seem to be less for microwave cooked meat than for conventionally cooked products. Sodium concentration has been reported to be up to 10% greater in conventionally cooked samples, whereas potassium retention was found to be significantly higher in meat cooked by microwaves. Although there is little information in the scientific literature on other minerals, theoretically, the mineral composition of foods should not be affected in any way through exposure to microwave energy.
Other quality attributes The use of low-power, in comparison with high-power, microwave cooking, has been found to increase sensory qualities. Preparation of a less tender cut of beef by low power in a microwave can yield a product comparable with that obtained in conventional cooking. It has been found that in cooking started from the frozen state, "simmered" roasts were comparable with conventionally cooked roasts in sensory quality. The advantage of pulsing energy to the roast, which is possible with newer microwave ovens, is that
NEWS FROM OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
AOAC President for 1989 is Odette L. Shotwell, Research Leader at USDA's Northern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service in Peoria, IL. Elected to the AOAC Board of Directors in 1984, Dr. Shotwell has also served on the Editorial Board, Methods Committee on Foods I, and as an Associate Referee for Mycotoxins in Grains for sixteen years. She was winner of the AOAC Wiley Award in 1982 and named AOAC Fellow in 1978. She is active in various professional organizations, including Can. Insl. Food Se;. Teehnol. J. Vol. 22. No. 1, 1989
the off-cycle permits equilibration of the heat throughout the food by means of conduction. Automatically pulsed heating required less preparation time and was more energy-efficient than the manual on-off method. Shear value scores were smaller for the pulsed microwave method than for the conventional method. Beef rib eye roasts cooked by either the manual or automatic pulsed microwave method were comparable in juiciness and flavour to conventionally cooked roasts. Reheating of precooked meat by microwave is an attractive possibility in the institutional field. When this has been tested, roast beef slices, reheated after 2 days refrigerated storage, compared favourably with conventionally reheated samples. Microwave reheated samples had significantly less intense "warmed-over" aroma, although "warmed-over" flavour and lipid oxidation were not noticibly different between the two methods of reheating (Johnston and Baldwin, 1980). These same results were obtained when pre-roasted pork was reheated in either a domestic or an institutional microwave oven. Both the "warmedover" aroma and flavour were significantly more intense in all reheated samples than in the freshly roasted meat (Albrecht and Baldwin, 1982). Conclusion The scientific literature suggests that microwave cooking/reheating can yield high quality meat products. Improvements and innovations in microwave ovens have made this appliance a viable alternative to conventional cooking methods. While there are some differ-
the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACCl, where she has served as chairman of the AACC Committee on Mycotoxins Committees in Cereals and Grains since 1978, and on the AACC Editorial Board since 1984. She is a member of the Mycotoxin Committees of the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) and of the Joint AOAC/AOCS/AASCC/IUPAC Committee, and a member of the AOCS Smalley Committee on Check Samples.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Linde has launched a dedicated serv-
ences in nutrient and other sensory quality attributes of meat products prepared in microwaves as compared to conventional methods, these are minor. The advantage comes from the convenience and the saving in energy. It seems that microwave ovens, at least domestically and perhaps institutionally, are part of our way of life. References Albrecht, R.P. and Baldwin, R.E. 1982. J. Microwave Power 17(1 ):57. Anon. 1986. Canadian Consumer 16(7):14. Cross, G.A. and Fung. D.Y.C. 1982. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. April, p.355. Decareau, R. V. 1985. Microwaves in the Food Processing Industry. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, FL. Decareau, R. V. 1986. Food Technol. 40(6):99. Driezak, J.D. 1987. Food Technol. 41(6):51. Gellman, C.E. 1986. M.Sc. Thesis, Univ. of B.C., Vancouver, British Columbia. Gerling, J.E. 1986. Food Technol. 40(6):82. Hoffman, C.J. and Zabik, M.E. 1985. J. Am. Diet Assoc. 85:923. Johnston, M.B. and Baldwin, R.E. 1980. J. Food Sci. 45:1460 Lorenz, K. 1976. CRC Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. June, p. 339 John Vanderstoep, Ph.D Associate Professor Department of Food Science Faculty of Agricultural Sciences University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia Source: Meat Probe, Vo!. 5, No. 4, 1988.
ice to provide gases for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to the food industry. The new service, known as Extendapak, has been designed to help food packagers choose the right gas combinations for modified atmosphere packaging applications. It has been estimated that modified atmosphere packaging will substantially reduce the heavy losses to spoilage experienced by food producers each year. The new service has brought together a team of specialists to work directly with packagers. To help potential users become more familiar with MAP, Linde has developed an applications guide which covers red meats, poultry, processed meats, fresh fruit, dairy products, dry and dehydrated products, fish and seafood, prepared foods, bakery products and vegetables. In addition to discussing the type of gas
lA / 9
combination one can use, it also includes information on the length of time a product's shelf life can be extended. For further information contact: Mary McLean, Marketing Manager, Medical Products and Specialty Gases, Linde, 123 Eglinton Ave. E., Toronto, Onto M4P 1J3 (or call 416-488-1440).
A new market report, International Healthy Food and Drinks Market, has been produced by the Market Information Section of the Leatherhead Food R.A., Surrey, England. Concern over diet and health has become an international phenomenon and "health food" markets have become firmly established throughout the developed world. This report covers the "healthy" food and drinks markets in the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Australia, the United States and Japan. The U.S. is the leading international consumer of health foods; annual percapita consumption is estimated at $85. The health-food trend does not appear, however, to have adversely affected the "indulgence" food markets; the U.S. diet is increasingly becoming a dichotomy of "healthy" and indulgence eating and this trend is being mirrored to varying degrees in European countries. The West-German health-food market is the largest and most structured in Europe; in 1987, annual per-capita consumption was estimated at $77. The UK health-food market has also shown rapid development, to $40 percapita in 1987; multiple outlets have played an important role in expanding the market. Conversely, the French market has been slower to develop than its European counterparts and French per-capita consumption was estimated at only $24 in 1987. Japan has readily accepted US healthy eating ideals and has one of the fastest growing international health-food markets. Currently estimated at $25 per-capita, consumption is expected to show considerable future growth. The report presents individual reviews for the above countries and where possible includes market data on the following sectors: high-fibre products, low-fat dairy products, artificial sweeteners, dietary supplements, mineral water, sports drinks, lowcalorie soft drinks, decaffeinated
10 / lA
coffee and herbal tea. This report is available from Leatherhead Food R.A., Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, England KT227Ry.
The latest edition of the Nutrient Data Bank Directory was published in June, 1988, listing 112 software products. The Monograph is a project of the Data Base Committee of the National Nutrient Data Bank Conference. The information listed about each system includes the name and address of the system, the number of foods and number of nutrients included, the type of computer and program languages used, the source and characteristics of the data base, the characteristics ofthe software, and the availability of the system. The Directory also lists the specific proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals available on each system. The information included in the Directory reflects the responses of data base developers to a standardized questionnaire. The Nutrient Data Bank Directory (7th edition, 1988) is available for $15.00 U.S. from: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Food Systems Management, College of Home Economics, 217 Gwynn Hall. University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211.
Quest International, the new flavour and food ingredients arm of Unilever Ltd., held a special symposium in October, 1988, entitled "Biotechnology, Challenges for the Flavour and Food Industry". The small group of attendees, mostly scientists and technical directors from major companies from around the world, were there to be informed about the advances and applications of biotechnology to the food industry. The relative importance of the symposium was measurable by the fact that the attendees included Mr. R. Rauwenhoff, Group Vice President, Quest Flavour Division; Dr. S. Lechini, Group Vice President, Food Ingredients and Flavour Technology; and Dr. B. Willis, Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Representatives from Canada included:
E. Chiz, J.R. Ouimet Ltd.; T. Kahn FoodPro National; B. Mills, Kraft Ltd.; J. Haffenden, Quest Canada; and A. Peterson, Seagram's Ltd. Participants from other countries, such as Holland England, Mexico, Japan, West Ger~ many, Norway and the United States were also present. The three day meeting was chaired by Dr. Robert Lindsay of the Department of Food Science at Madison, Wisconsin. Ten speakers addressed a variety of subjects associated with the basic and applied aspects of Biotechnology. Dr. Thomas Montville, co-author of the 1FT Scientific Status Summary on Biotechnology, provided a broad overview of the general aspects of the subject to set the tone for the meeting. Donald P. Boudreaux of Microlife Technics discussed the advances made in basic research as related to strain development, fermentation optimization and engineering design. Dr. Alexander Klibanov discussed advances in enzyme technology, specifically in relation to their action in non-aqueous systems and the concept of using "unnatural substances" to obtain unique products. Dr. Roger Wescott of Unilever Research House reviewed plant cell culture biotechnology, while Dr. Malcolm Lilly developed the biochemical engineering aspects of fermentation design and scale up. Stephen McNamara, a former FDA lawyer, now in private practice, provided a most enlightening perspective on the views of FDA in relation to new biotechnologically produced compounds flavours and ingredients. Dr. Nico Overbeeke, of the Unilever Technology and Fermentation Laboratory discussed the route to successful cloning of genes for chymosin production and, more recently, the cloning of an enzyme to produce specialty guar gum. One of the most interesting and wide ranging talks came from Dr. Roel Keuning of the Netherlands Biotechnology Association, as he reviewed in some detail, the work ongoing in Europe in Food Biotechnology, comparing the efforts of Europe, Japan and North America. Mr. Shizume Takemoto of Kamebo Ltd., reviewed in detail the biotechnology efforts in Japan, emphasizing the harmony and common goal both industry and government had in being successful in the biotechnology field. Raymond T. Moshy of ESC Agenetics, wrapped up the conference by bringing in the perspective of a smaller biotechnology firm in its efforts to bring flavour biotechnology to fruition. He underscored the lack of basic knowledge of plant biochemical pathways leading to J. Inst. Can. Sci. Technol. Aliment. VD\. 22. No. I, 1989