Expiration dates can be useful—they inform consumers of the last date by which a food product’s flavour or quality is best. However, they can also sometimes be misleading. Experts with food safety training know there are a wide range of products that can be safely eaten well past their best before dates, and some that consumers should avoid. Foods to be avoided include ground beef, deli meats, poultry, fresh berries, and soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. If you are planning to pursue a food safety diploma, read on to learn more about best before labelling, and which goods can.. READ MORE »
April 7, 2015
Studies performed by the Public Health Agency of Canada show that approximately one in every eight Canadians gets sick as a result of domestically acquired food-borne diseases. While Canada does have very strict food safety procedures, it is important to understand that there are many precautions that should still be taken to prevent the spread of food-borne illness. This includes ensuring that hands are clean and thoroughly washed before and after handling food, refrigerating prepared food, ensuring that food items are fully cooked before consumption, and much more. If you plan to pursue a food safety diploma, you will learn.. READ MORE »
March 31, 2015
Products such as protein powders, creatine, amino acids, mega-dose vitamins/minerals, weight loss aids, and energy boosters flood the shelves of nutritional supplement stores, all claiming to provide rapid, almost magical results. While athletes work hard to reach their goals, many people wonder if supplements actually give them a competitive edge. They can, and in many cases do, but there are several factors one needs to be aware of when taking supplements. Nutrition courses or a sports nutrition diploma can inform students about which types of supplements enhance different levels of performance. For example, a weightlifter focused on body composition would.. READ MORE »
March 24, 2015
Although nutrition labeling has been around for quite some time in the US and other parts of the world, did you know that it was only made mandatory for packaged foods in Canada in 2007? The history of nutrition labeling is full of food legislations and all kinds of administrations passing acts and amendments – very interesting stuff, especially if you’re pursuing food quality training. Nutrition labeling has certainly come a long way. Here’s a few examples of some of the biggest moments that affect the way we decide what we want to eat – and how the industry goes.. READ MORE »
March 17, 2015
While many people are aware of the two most significant risks of developing breast cancer—being a woman and ageing—people tend to disregard the idea of developing this disease at a young age. Although it is slightly rarer, young women can (and do) get breast cancer. In fact, a total of 18 per cent of all breast cancer cases in Canada occur in females under the age of 50. And while there are several treatments for breast cancer, chemotherapy is among the most common. Chemotherapy refers to a series of drug treatments that destroy cancer cells by stopping their ability to.. READ MORE »
March 10, 2015
Move over Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, there’s a new apple in town and apparently this one has something that no other apple does—it’s got non-browning properties. When a typical apple is bruised, bitten or even sliced, its polyphenol oxidase (PPO) mixes with its polyphenolics to create a brown coloured melanin—which is where that unappealing brownish colour comes from. With Arctic apples, however, the combination of these two proteins never actually occurs, therefore bypassing the colour change. If you plan on pursuing food quality training, or enrolling in any quality control courses, this is one innovative item you may want.. READ MORE »
March 3, 2015
North Americans have recently acquired a taste for healthier food options that contain natural ingredients. Simple ingredients with little-to-no chemical additives have grown in demand and major food companies are either getting on board with this trend on their own, or being forced on board by food bloggers and health activists who publicly expose their products as potentially harmful. While many food chains have removed harmful chemicals from their products in European countries, Canada and the US seem to lag behind. If you plan on enrolling in a food safety college in North America, you might be interested in learning.. READ MORE »
February 24, 2015
A recent report by the Conference Board of Canada, in collaboration with the University of Guelph’s Food Institute, found that Canada’s food safety system was ranked the best in the world, as the country tied for first place with Ireland in comparison with 15 other countries. Individuals who have had food safety training know that this particular standing emphasizes Canada’s victory in various areas regarding food safety. These include Canada’s ability to effectively respond to emergencies, and its capability to communicate such emergencies with the public. The results featured in this report were determined by examining three particular areas of.. READ MORE »
February 17, 2015
Food thermometers are used to determine the internal temperatures of food items such as eggs, beef, poultry and much more. Anyone who has had food safety training understands that using a thermometer to take the temperature of food is the only way to accurately measure whether or not the product has been thoroughly cooked. Because bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria can live and grow in uncooked food, ensuring that these items have reached their proper cooking temperatures will also guarantee that any lingering bacteria is killed in the process. This means that using a food thermometer can actually.. READ MORE »
February 10, 2015
Professionals who have taken pharmaceutical courses know that although drugs and pharmaceuticals are created with the intention of treating one ailment, extensive testing can sometimes uncover results that prove it more effective for treating something else. A recent study rendered results showing that memory loss in women living with Alzheimer’s disease remained stable for one year while they were taking a drug that is commonly used to treat advanced prostate cancer. Experts who have had clinical research training know very well that it is extremely rare to find a drug or therapy that is able to stabilize memory loss for.. READ MORE »
February 3, 2015