The phrase “vegan cheese” is often met with skepticism by vegans and omnivores alike. For many eco-conscious eaters, the prospect of giving up cheese is the final barrier that prevents them from making the leap from vegetarianism to veganism. This is because, up until quite recently, vegan cheese options were fairly limited and dissimilar from the original dairy product. However, through developments in food science, safety, and quality, vegan cheese has become a much more palatable option for anyone who needs to remove dairy from their diets. These innovations could also have important implications for food quality control and assurance.. READ MORE »
The process of canning as we know it can be traced as far back as the early 1800s and the efforts of Parisian Chef Nicolas Appert. When first beginning to look for ways to preserve his culinary creations, Appert thought that oxygen was what caused spoilage and that food could be preserved by minimizing air flow. He soon discovered that he was partially right. After further investigation, he also realized that heating an item could help preserve it. With this in mind, he began to preserve food by applying heat and putting it into a glass jar, corking it like.. READ MORE »
When a food changes, whether while cooking, rotting, or browning, a complex chemical process is taking place. These chemical processes can make our food tastier, change texture, or even go bad and make us sick. As a result, food quality professionals around the world need to understand the chemical processes that affect food. By understanding what’s going on within our food on a microscopic level, professionals can take extra precautions to keep them delicious and safe to eat. If you’re considering enrolling in a food quality diploma program, read on to discover several important chemical processes that can affect food… READ MORE »
As an aspiring food safety professional you will play an important role in ensuring that the food in fridges and pantries across the country—and even around the world—is safe to eat. Your comprehensive education will train you to foresee potential safety mishaps and prevent them from happening. With your knowledge and training, you might even save lives as you help ensure the safety of anyone who consumes the food you handle. For students interested in food safety and quality assurance, a lot can be learned from these food safety incidents. Read on to discover how these catastrophes hold valuable lessons… READ MORE »
How do you know what food is the safest and healthiest to eat? Nowadays, there are so many options—cooking, going out, ordering over the phone, ordering online—that it can be difficult to pinpoint which is the best option for you. While each has benefits, ranging from the amount of effort required to the amount of time before eating, food safety professionals now believe that ordering food online is the best bet on the road to improving health. Read on to find out three reasons food safety professionals believe that ordering food online is beneficial. 1. Grads of Food Safety Programs.. READ MORE »
BPA is an acronym that stands for bisphenol A, and is an industrial chemical that has been used to make plastics since the 1960s. It’s often found in plastic containers that are used to store food and water, as well as the inside coating of food cans. Recently, some studies have pointed to the potential for BPA to “leech” into food products stored in these containers. On top of that, concerns have emerged over a possible link between adverse health effects and the presence of BPA in food or beverages. As a result, some companies and governments are working to.. READ MORE »
Canada takes food safety seriously. In fact, we have one of the best food safety systems in the world, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). In fact, the agency notes that “while no food system can guarantee zero risk, the CFIA’s comprehensive approach to inspection ensures that its resources are focused where the risk is highest and verifies the industry is producing safe food for consumers.” Of course, at the center of this world-class system are top professionals with food technology training. These diligent professionals work as production associates, food safety and quality assurance technicians, microbiologist technicians, product.. READ MORE »
Food colouring regulation has been one of the most controversial areas of food quality control for a long time. This is because over the years, some food dyes that were previously thought to be safe were eventually found to have harmful effects. As new studies and information have emerged, food industry professionals have quickly adapted to new regulations in order to continue to meet safety standards. That’s why some dyes that were once the norm are now strictly limited or banned altogether. And if you’re planning to pursue a food safety career, staying on top of new regulations will become.. READ MORE »
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an E. coli outbreak sourced to the popular burrito chain, Chipotle Mexican Grill—and it’s not the first run-in Chipotle’s had with foodborne disease. Chipotle is a North American chain that specializes in burritos and tacos. It calls itself a “fast-casual” restaurant as opposed to a fast food or traditional restaurant-style eatery, and its popularity comes in part due to its commitment to sustainable and ethical food production processes. These processes, as food safety professionals have discovered, aren’t always up to scratch. If you’re interested in making a career out of ensuring.. READ MORE »
Often among the most expensively priced items in restaurants, shellfish, such as oysters, lobster, and mussels, are considered some of the finest culinary delicacies. However, they are also some the trickiest foods to prepare safely, and can carry harmful bacteria, viruses and biotoxins, which cause a number of illnesses, while shellfish allergies are also common. When dealing with shellfish, there are food safety risks at every stage of the food supply chain. Whether you’re pursuing a career in quality assurance and control, or working in a food serving environment, taking care when dealing with shellfish is essential. Want to know.. READ MORE »