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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Graduates of food safety training programs will often move on to pursue careers in quality assurance, regulatory affairs, or perhaps even plant sanitation. Professionals working in plant sanitation recognize that cleaning and disinfecting are some of the most important activities that can be performed in a food production plant. Many of us have been exposed to the consequences of an unsanitary food plant – whether it was by personally consuming bacteria-ridden food or hearing about someone else’s unfortunate experience. Failure to produce food items in a hygienic environment can result in the spread of food-borne illnesses as well as food.. READ MORE »
Passing by the produce section of the grocery store, you might switch it up and decide to get the organic Red Delicious apples, which cost twice as much as the non-organic. In the cracker, cereal, bread and yogurt aisles, you’re again given the option of alluring organic brands. Many people spend more on organic because they associate the term with a healthier and more wholesome product – but is this really true? What is “Organic”? Organic products rarely make the claim that they are “healthier” – this is instead a result of effective food marketing. Anyone in food quality training can.. READ MORE »
Holiday entertaining can be stressful because there is so much to think about – how many guests will there be? What should you serve? Does anyone have allergies? But while you’re cooking up a variety of delicious options, a very important detail might slip your mind: do you have enough space in your fridge to store everything? If you haven’t had any food quality training, you might think you can get away with storing food outside, or in a colder area of your house – however if you’re not religiously monitoring the temperature of those items, they could get contaminated!.. READ MORE »
It is common for food safety tips to be passed down through generations and word of mouth. However, we know through new scientific discoveries that what was deemed safe in 1920, is not necessarily safe today. While you may have never fallen deathly ill from bad food, there may very well be potential food safety hazards looming in your own kitchen right at this moment. Most of the time food borne illnesses go unreported, and people will ignore the reality that the food they cooked at home made them sick. Truthfully, no amount of pharmaceutical training can substitute for careful.. READ MORE »
‘Tis the season to be jolly – so why spoil it with a case of food poisoning from the holiday party buffet? This time of year, your schedule will fill up pretty quickly with family gatherings and office parties, and at some point you’ll probably get an invitation to a potluck, for which you’ll be expected to supply a dish. Instead of making one of the many common cooking errors and bringing something that will make everyone sick, why not follow this handy guide – and stay happy and healthy throughout the whole holiday season? Handling the Food Though it.. READ MORE »
