Better organic bread

A multi-faceted project will enable bakers to produce good quality bread using the maximum amount of sustainably produced UK organic wheat. More than 50% of the wheat required for the UK organic bread market is imported, because the domestic crop does not consistently provide flour that meets the needs of the organic baking sector.

Field trials with different spring wheat varieties at three sites are assessing the effects on grain quality of appropriate approaches to soil fertility management. Milling and baking trials are being used to assess the extent to which these effects are carried through to end product quality, and to optimise milling extraction rate, dough formulation and dough preparation procedures.

Initial trials have identified agronomic practices, consistent with organic production protocols, that increase yield and protein content, as well as the varieties of spring wheat that respond most favourably. They have also demonstrated that loaf volume and crumb brightness can be improved through changes to milling extraction rate and work input during dough mixing.

The project is sponsored by Defra through the Sustainable Arable LINK Programme and by HGCA, with 14 'grain chain' partners and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Understanding consumers

New techniques and technologies offer exciting opportunities for capturing consumer input for product development - and can enrich both qualitative and quantitative consumer studies. Peter Burgess, Head of Consumer and Sensory Science, explains:

“In effect we can present products to consumers as though they were in a supermarket, to work out whether their choice is driven mainly by brand, price, packaging, presentation or other factors. We do this using conjoint analysis to untangle how particular attributes of a product affect how consumers respond to it.

At the same time, more sophisticated on-line approaches to consumer panel recruitment and management for quantitative research mean that panels can be constructed very precisely - simulating the target market.

For qualitative studies we are exploring the use of mobile communication devices to elicit feedback from consumers looking at products in the right environment - the home, in-store or in a restaurant. Our Qualitative Consumer Research Studio and associated test kitchen, both fitted with video and audio links to a dedicated observation room, already provide clients with invaluable feedback from focus groups. But using new technologies adds even more power to this approach.”

Tesco bakery masterclass

Tesco Stores has embarked on a radical training programme across its 720 bakeries. Structured to meet the needs of new starters through to experienced managers, it will underpin craft skills and drive quality. The four-tiered programme starts at Bronze level and culminates in a 'Bakery Masterclass'. CCFRA is proud to have been chosen as the provider for the Bakery Masterclass series, designed for the managers of Tesco's 470 scratch bakeries.

The 3-day Bakery Masterclass was developed by working closely with Tesco's head-office team to ensure that delegates and ultimately consumer requirements are met. It is specifically designed to improve both the technical knowledge and practical skills of the participants. Following the first Masterclass at CCFRA in November 2007 (delegates pictured), a further twenty-seven courses are planned for 2008-09.

CCFRA's Paul Catterall commented “Our well equipped training bakery, our experience of training at all levels in the baking industry, and our ability to tailor training to meet client needs made us the ideal partner for Tesco”.

Carbon footprints

Understanding 'carbon footprints' is an essential part of adopting more sustainable practices. CCFRA is participating in the development and testing of a new standard for measuring embodied greenhouse gases in products and services. A Publicly Available Standard (PAS) is being produced by the British Standards Institution (BSI) working with the Carbon Trust and Defra. CCFRA will assess a draft of the standard through four manufacturing case studies - a chilled ready meal, a bread product, a cheese product and a fresh juice - whilst project partners ADAS will focus on pre-farm gate activities.

The project will provide information to refine and finalise BSI PAS 2050 - Specification for the measurement of the embodied greenhouse gas emissions in products and services - and provide Defra with interim indicators of the relative merits of different potential food supply systems.

Research overview published

Research Programme 2008 provides a concise overview of CCFRA research projects. It includes projects funded by member subscriptions, government departments and agencies such as Defra, the Food Standards Agency and the European Union, as well as studentships and Club projects (funded by consortia of CCFRA members). The emphasis on industrial relevance is reinforced by the active involvement of our members in debating and selecting research proposals.

Helping Dyson win award

As part of an assessment of its new Airblade hand dryer, Dyson commissioned CCFRA's Food Hygiene Department to compare the generation and spread of microbial aerosols by different hand drying techniques. The work concluded that the small numbers of airborne microbes generated by each technique investigated would form an insignificant contribution to the background microbial loading of the air in a food production environment.

The Airblade was recently named 'Best New Product 2007' at the Society of Food Hygiene & Technology Awards (www.dysonairblade.co.uk), sponsored by Sainsbury's. It works by forcing unheated air - filtered to remove 99.9% of bacteria - through a 0.3mm gap at over 400 mph to create a blade of air that dries hands in 10 seconds

New chair for STC

Mr. Mark Fowler (Nestlé UK Ltd) has succeeded Mr. Alec Kyriakides (Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd) as the Chairman of CCFRA's Scientific and Technical Committee (STC). This committee oversees CCFRA's scientific and technical activities at a strategic level, including steering the work of the 14 Technical Advisory Panels and their working parties. At the recent meeting of STC, Professor Colin Dennis paid tribute to Mr. Kyriakides' contribution to CCFRA through the role, emphasising that he had not only shown superb leadership in chairing STC meetings but had also undertaken the associated duties - such as Campden Day - with great diligence and professionalism. Mr. Fowler is Interim Director and Head of Applied Science at the Nestlé Product Technology Centre and involved in research initiatives such as the BBSRC's Diet and Health Research Industry Club (DRINC) and so is ideally placed to assist the RA in developing the role of STC further.

Mr. Alec Kyriakides	Mr. Mark Fowler

China, Brazil, Argentina

Over the last three months, six international trade delegations have visited CCFRA - four from China, one from Brazil and one from Argentina. They were briefed on best practice in the agri-food chain - with topics including traceability, food safety, risk analysis, post harvest and supply chain technologies - and also viewed our extensive facilities and met with our specialist technical staff.

Reception

Visitors will notice that our Reception is being refurbished. When completed, this will provide a much better environment for visitors and staff. It will include electronic displays and access to news, as well as better displays of information on current activities at CCFRA and our history. The transition will inevitably cause some inconvenience for which we apologise and hope that visitors can bear with us through the phases of work in the coming months.

25 years service

A 25-year service award was presented to Dave Mann in December by Professor Colin Dennis, Director-General of CCFRA, who thanked him for his contribution and service to the RA. As a member of the Engineering Services Department, Dave has particular responsibility for transport coordination and also takes care of purchasing a range of specialist goods. His knowledge of plants and horticulture has also been put to good use in the development and maintenance of planted and landscaped areas on site.

Longer shelf-life for fresh produce

A new approach to prolonging fresh produce shelf-life and reducing waste is the subject of a horticultural LINK project that begins this month. Low doses of ultraviolet light stimulate natural plant defences (a process known as hormesis) that can extend the shelf-life of fresh produce. In contrast to conventional UV treatment, the effect is not restricted to the surface of the treated commodities but manifested through the plant tissues and is triggered by much lower doses of UV. This offers exciting possibilities for reducing post-harvest losses of perishable fruits and vegetables - if the phenomenon can be harnessed under commercial conditions. If successful, initial trials with strawberry, tomato and broccoli could be extended to a wider range of produce.

Funded by Defra as part of HortLINK and supported by an industrial consortium including the fresh produce and retail sectors, the project is being led by CCFRA working with Loughborough University and the University of Nottingham (Sutton Bonington).

Welcome to New members

CCFRA is delighted to welcome the following new members who joined in November 2007:

• Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust – a Welsh Central Production Unit
• Fact2006 Ltd – an ethnic food manufacturer
• Farmers Boy Ltd – a manufacturer of a range of meat products
• Forza AW Ltd – a processor and packer of cooked meats
• KHS AG – a German manufacturer of filling and packaging systems
• Lombardi Foods Pty Ltd – a South African manufacturer of a wide range of perishable foods
• Montana Vistas LLC – a Canadian firm specialising in business concept development
• Ogmore Vale Bakery Ltd – a Welsh master baker
• Public Analyst's Laboratory – an Irish public analyst
• Ragley Estate Meats Ltd – a supplier of meat and meat products

Please notify the Membership Department of any name or address changes with respect to our mailing list.