Enabling members to respond to chemistry issues

Research, development and validation of chemical and analytical methods is vital for ensuring that the food industry has the tools to assure the high quality of food production and to comply with legislation. The industry also needs to be able to deal with any problems that may arise during the production, distribution and storage of its products. Member subscription-funded research at CCFRA has underpinned this analytical requirement for many years.

Helen Brown, project manager comments: "Research has enabled members to react quickly and confidently to problems posed by contamination issues such as with benzene, phthalates, and 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD).

Proven methods must be used to produce data to meet the ever-increasing demands placed on method performance, such as the Dumas method for protein determination and immunoassay kits for peanut detection."

Information and data have been provided as a result of research in this area to help ensure compliance with legislation and trading specifications, eg. meat content calculation (CCFRA Guideline 22). New means of dealing with technical issues have also been developed, for example, methods for taint investigation and a review on the effects of processing on foreign bodies (CCFRA Review 13).

Contact: Helen Brown DD+44 (0)1386 842016

services

Upgraded microbiology proficiency scheme

Extended scope: more frequent testing

Part of the accreditation process for external accreditation quality standards such as UKAS(NAMAS) and/ CLAS requires measurement of how well tests are performed by the laboratory staff. A microbiological proficiency scheme has been run by CCFRA for a number of years to meet this need in an independent and practical way.

In response to feedback from existing clients, a new scheme has been launched consisting of six samples per year (to be distributed bi-monthly). This new scheme will commence from August 1999.

In addition to expanding the number of samples received per year, we will also be introducing some further changes.

• The 'advanced' sample will be expanded to cover Campylobacter spp., as well as a mesophilic aerobic spore count and Vibrio spp. which were included recently.
• The reports and histograms will be presented in a more user-friendly way.
• The acceptability of test results will be determined by comparison against collective means.
• The freeze-dried glass ampoule sample will eventually be phased out and replaced by a more 'user-friendly' container. There will be NO charge for a re-test ampoule (currently £95.00).

The present scheme of two ampoules per year will still be available if required.

Contact: Fiona Cawkell (DD +44 (0)1386 842142) or Julia Martyn (DD +44 (0)1386 842074)

Link from CCFRA website

All CCFRA member companies are listed on the CCFRA website. If you would like us to generate a link from your listing on our site directly to your own website will be happy to arrange this for you free of charge.

Contact: Victoria Tarrant (DD +44 (0)1386 842046) or email: v.tarrant@campden.co.uk

project update

Tomorrow's consumers interacting with the food industry

CCFRA is planning to work with the British Nutrition Foundation in their Millenium CD-ROM project for schools.

This exciting project involves the development of a food and nutrition CD-ROM for use in secondary schools throughout the UK. Phase One, nearing completion, contains a food and nutrition encyclopaedia linked to printed, photographic and video resources. Phase Two will utilise the true interactive potential of the CD-ROM medium and will draw on the expertise and resource materials existing in the food industry.

One such resource material is the CCFRA Cake Expert System, BALANCE module. Working with BNF and educational experts we will develop a simpler interactive investigative program to allow children to understand the important nutritional and technological criteria involved in making cakes. The program will contain many images of cakes, showing children the consequences of their actions when ingredients are combined in different proportions. Other investigative programs include primary processing, cook-chill foods and food laboratory topics.

Funding is required for Phase Two. To date several companies have signed up, donating sums between £500 and £10,000. Any company donating to the project will be credited on the CD-ROM - one of which will be provided for every secondary school in the country!

If you would like to donate to this prestigious project or would like further information, then please

For further details: Contact: Linda Young, CCFRA (DD +44 (0)1386 842134) or
Stephanie Valentine, Education Director, BNF (Tel: 020 7404 6504)

publication update

Drained weight guide

Standardise your approach to determination of drained weights and ensure that it complies with the relevant European legislation

For many solid foods sold in a liquid medium within rigid containers, there is a legal requirement to indicate the net drained weight. Guidelines for the verification of drained net weight and drained washed net weight in rigid food containers provides guidance on the determination of drained net weights in order to comply with EU legislation, in the absence of any EU harmonised procedure. It sets out requirements, testing plans and procedures for the verification of drained net weights and drained washed net weights, which can be used by those involved in their monitoring and regulation.

The guide was prepared by the UK Drained Weights Working Group, with representatives of trade associations, retailers, importers, manufacturers and CCFRA, and with input from government and enforcement authorities.

The guide is priced at £25.00 per copy.

Contact: Carol Newman, Publications Officer (DD +44 (0)1386 842048, fax: +44 (0)1386 842100 or

feature

Product Development

At a time when the need to develop new products is an ever-increasing demand on food manufacturers, many companies may feel that they do not have sufficient time or expertise to devote to this vital function. However, in order to expand market share or to enter new market sectors, it is important to make product development a priority.

CCFRA is able to offer a dedicated product development team which can enable members and clients to respond quickly and positively to the latest trends in the marketplace. Our technologists have experience of a wide range of ingredients, recipes and processes. Working in our formulation kitchens for initial development, and in our pilot plant for scale-up or production of larger quantities, we are able to handle many types of processing and packaging. Our staff can work entirely on your behalf or alongside your own team and, of course, all work is undertaken on a confidential basis.

A particular strength of CCFRA is our ability to draw on expertise from a wide range of scientific disciplines. For example, our product development team includes people with consumer knowledge and sensory sciences expertise. In addition we provide up-to-the-minute marketplace intelligence at the outset of the development brief and the production of a product profile followed by comparative and preference testing during the development stage. David Lyon, Head of Consumer and Sensory Sciences, comments: "Identifying the factors influencing consumer choice is the key to successful product development and improvement programmes. We can effectively describe and quantify product characteristics which combine with consumer data to provide powerful tools for understanding and identifying consumer preferences."

Contact: Sarah Chapman (DD +44 (0)1386 842212) or Liz Mulvey (DD +44 (0)1386 842178) Terry Sharp (DD +44 (0)1386 842137) Baking & Cereal Processing

news

Annual Campden Day lecture published

The Annual Campden Day lecture which was presented on 6 June 1999 by Sir Richard Greenbury, Chairman of Marks and Spencer plc is now available as a published document.

The address entitled "Partnership and Innovation in Food Supply - Key Ingredients for Success" stressed the importance of partnerships at all levels within the food industry to the long term success of the industry.

For a copy please Contact: Carol Newman, Publications Officer (DD +44 (0)1386 842048, fax: +44 (0)1386 842100 or

Tailored new organic food and beverage product listings

Complete lists of new organic products, taken from the 'NewFoods' database from all sectors during 1998 and to June 1999 are currently available. The lists cost £75 each and contain the product description, classification, storage method and manufacturer of each product. If you would like to take advantage of this special offer, please ...

Contact: Daphne Llewellyn Davies (DD +44 (0)1386 842040)

Biotechnology bulletin - bound edition

CCFRA's Biotechnology Bulletin is now established as industry's primary reliable source of information on genetic modification in food production. It covers product approvals, field trials, articles on topical issues, details of new applications of the technology and sources of useful information. To keep this information accessible, back issues are available as bound editions which also contain abstracts from CCFRA's biotechnology club seminars. The latest bound edition contains copies of Issues 6-10 and follows on from the previous bound edition which contains Issues 1-5. For members, the bound editions are priced at £60 per copy (Issues 6-10) and £25 per copy (Issues 1-5).

Contact: Carol Newman, Publications Officer (DD +44 (0)1386 842048, fax: +44 (0)1386 842100 or