featured in this issue - NZIFST - The New Zealand Institute of Food ...

OILS & FATS
Canadian invention of all time. Fifty years ago, it did not exist. Back
then, there was only a member of the brassica family (think mustard,
cabbage, turnip, etc.) known as rapeseed, whose oil tasted bitter and
contained a type of fat (erucic acid) that is considered toxic. Then, in
the 1970s, Canadian agricultural scientists bred and cross-bred rape
until it tasted sweet and the toxins were all but gone. Note that was not
genetic engineering but standard crop breeding.
The second is that this revolutionary vegetable oil – high in omega-3s,
low in saturated fat – is possibly considered as heart-healthy as refined
olive oil. The leftover seed meal even boosts milk production in dairy
cows. In 1978, the Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers’ Association
christened this new and improved plant, joining “Canada” with the
Latin word for oil. (Some maintain the name joined “Canada” with
“oil” and “low acid.” The controversy rages.)
This year Canada will grow more than 13 million tonnes of the stuff –
accounting for 20% of global production – and export almost $3-billion
of oil. They could go out and have a world class rugby team.
Food labelling (ad nauseam)
The Food and Drug Administration wants to revise the nutrition facts
label(ho-hum) – that breakdown of fats, salts, sugars and nutrients on
packaging – to give consumers more useful information and help fight
the national obesity epidemic.
A proposal is in the works to change several parts of the label, including
more accurate serving sizes, a greater emphasis on energy and a
diminished role in the daily percent values for substances like fat, sodium
and carbohydrates.
It’s the latest attempt to improve the way Americans view food and
make choices about what they eat, and comes in the wake of major
advances in nutrition regulations by the Obama administration.
Calorie counts are popping up on menus of chain restaurants across
the country and the long standing food pyramid was toppled this year
by the U.S. government in favour of a plate that gives a picture of what
a healthy daily diet looks like.
For two decades, the black and white label has offered at-a-glance
nutritional information about what’s inside each package, including
calories and grams of fats, cholesterol, protein and carbohydrates. Critics
have complained it’s confusing and doesn’t offer a simpler way to
make a choice about whether it’s good for them – a judgment the
industry wants to leave to consumers. There is an easier way – stop
eating so much.
Krill oil
Whilst the topic of saving the orang-utans continues to plague the
palm oil industry, consider also the fate of the Antarctic penguin. There
has been a suggestion that wholesale harvesting of krill may endanger
the penguin population. This may be another hot topic to occupy those
who are bored with the Rugby World Cup.
Proceedings of the National Academy of sciences (doi: 10.1073/
pnas.1016560108)
RWC lipid trivia
Everything revolves around lipids. The reason that our esteemed
friends in the Wallabies (Australian rugby team) went down to the Irish
was possibly because they are full of trans fats. This is a serious scientific
reference to the work of Hartman and Shorland who quoted the
following: “The highest percentages of trans-acids were found in the
fats of the quokka (21-30%) and the wallaby (18.1-19.2 %).
Annual Reviews: (1956) Shorland, F.B., et. al. Pp 101-122
Carol Barnao,
Chair of MAF’s
Food &
Biosecurity
Management
Group.
Knowledge is a powerful food
safety tool
The world looked on in shock as the German food poisoning crisis
unfolded earlier this year, leaving more than 50 people dead and
hundreds of people with serious and potentially lifelong health
complications. After intensive investigations the German authorities
determined that a particularly virulent strain of E. coli, STEC O104,
in bean sprouts was the cause of the outbreak there.
Because food can – and occasionally does – cause grave harm to
people who eat it, we as the food safety regulators, have to continually
seek out the most up-to-date science and information to ensure
we are well equipped to deal with a potential foodborne illness outbreak
here in New Zealand.
At MAF we are privileged to have an involved science fraternity that
we can draw on to ensure the best advice and help is available
when specific issues arise, or in emergency situations. Our Food
Safety Science Academy in particular, provides us with access to a
wealth of external technical expertise and knowledge, and these
are people who are familiar with our core business.
To ensure we in New Zealand are well equipped to detect and deal
with a major incident involving an existing E. coli STEC or the emergence
and spread of a new variant, MAF – with the help of Massey
University – recently brought together Academy members and researchers
from around the country with an active interest in STEC’s.
It proved to be a very useful round-table discussion. We were able
to consider areas where New Zealand-specific research is needed
or new laboratory methods have to be developed for specific types
of STEC’s.
General consensus was that New Zealand is already taking a proactive
approach to gaining a deeper understanding of STEC’s.
Epidemiological investigations to date do not indicate that food is a
primary source. Other possibilities include occupational exposure
and water. The risk factors for human illness in New Zealand are
currently being sought in a year long human case control study and
the results will be used to review controls currently in place.
MAF has worked closely with the Meat Industry Association over
many years, evaluating the presence of and means to control STEC’s
when they do occur on red meat, and is currently co-funding a PhD
study to further that work. This research is examining the presence
of STEC’s on-farm and what happens when animals leave the farm
and are transported and processed at the slaughterhouse.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the members of the
Academy – as well as the other scientists who make themselves
available on a case-by-case basis. Their help enables us to respond
to issues using the best science available at the time.
Presentation papers from the STEC roundtable will be made available
on MAF’s food safety website shortly at www.foodsafety.govt.
nz/about/academy/.
www.foodsafety.govt.nz
October/November 2011 31