 
Confirming the authenticity of olive oil
DNA techniques currently being developed will enable industry and the enforcement agencies to detect and quantify the adulteration of olive oil with hazelnut oil, thus helping to maintain product quality, and ensure fair trade. Olive oil is increasingly popular in the UK. At present, the adulteration of olive oil with less expensive hazelnut oil is a potential problem. Due to the similarity of the chemical composition of the two oils, the detection of adulteration is not readily achieved by applying the usual analytical methods for vegetable oils. With funding from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) we are investigating the feasibility of employing DNA methods to detect adulteration. Suitable DNA assays are being developed to detect unrefined hazelnut oil in virgin olive oil and refined hazelnut oil in refined olive oil. An easy-to-use system based on capillary electrophoresis is being used for qualitative detection. Assays are also being developed for quantitative measurement which can determine the amount of hazelnut DNA and potentially the quantity of hazelnut oil present in an olive oil sample. Work is currently focussing on improving DNA yields obtained from a method previously developed for DNA extraction from oil and on samples of authenticated oil. Contact: John Dooley (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842203) e-mail j.dooley@campden.co.uk Market research 
To successfully develop and re-develop products it is essential to understand your consumers' expectations, needs and preferences.
As experts in product testing and data analysis we have in-depth technical expertise and wide ranging product knowledge. We offer a variety of research techniques, which can be tailored to address your research objectives. Market research services cover both qualitative and quantitative approaches, and include:
Margaret Everitt, of the Consumer and Sensory Sciences Department, comments: "From simple product screening to complex product optimisation studies, our services can be used alone or in combination to provide a flexible research approach. Exceptional project management ensures that fieldwork is well co-ordinated and provides complete reassurance that your products are prepared and presented for assessment in optimum conditions. Research findings are thoroughly reviewed to ensure that key facts are identified and understood in relation to the research objectives and a written report or presentation is provided for you and your team." To obtain further information or discuss any of the above areas in more detail please contact... Margaret Everitt +44 (0)1386 842122; e-mail: m.everitt@campden.co.uk 
Estimation of uncertainty in microbiological analysis
Microbiology laboratories are being faced with the need toestimate the measurement uncertainty associated with their results. Although there is substantial general guidance available, and some guidance specific to other areas, such as chemistry, there is little guidance available for microbiologists and it is not clear how the general guidance should be applied to microbiology. At CCFRA a team of microbiologists and statisticians has developed internal procedures, which have recently been accepted by UKAS. Although the uncertainty estimation procedure is specific to our laboratory, for which it was developed, our staff are very willing to share their experience and knowledge. Taking advantage of this resource will ensure that you are better able to complete the task faster and more cost effectively. You can take advantage of a fixed price consultancy package which is likely to be adequate for most laboratories to finish the job and let you plan your activities and costs. This advice will help you to develop a general procedure for your laboratory, which could be used to estimate the measurement uncertainty of a range of similar methods.
Contact: Keith Jewell Register for Campden Day on-line CCFRA's members' Open Day and AGM will be held on 12 June 2002. If you would like to receive a registration form via the post please...
Contact: Lynette Lewis CCFRA hosts the food and drink sector skills council consultation meeting Su Leaper, Head of Training at CCFRA, welcomed representative companies from the region to the Food and Drink Sector Skills Council (SSC) Consultation meeting. The overall mission of the Food and Drink SSC is to help the industry boost business performance throughout the UK by enhancing both individual and organisational capability. Tom Evans CEO, National Training Organisation, delivered the key-note presentation, outlining the Government's proposals and key goals for the SSC for the food and drink industry. These included reducing skills gaps and shortages and increasing the speed of development and transition by specific sectors; the development of specific actions that lead to improved productivity and business performance; the need to 'take action' which will lead to the development of the whole sector's workforce; and influencing actions that lead to an improvement in the learning supply. Contact: Sara Bailey, Promotion and Best Practice Manager; Food & Drink NTO Tel: 020 7836 2460 e-mail: sara.bailey@fdf.org.uk Another award for CCFRA employee Juan Alava of the Cereals and Milling Department has won the 1st prize of the Premios Laboratorios Girona. The prize is given for innovative research and technology by Spanish scientists in the field of cereal science and closely related areas such as cereal milling and processing. Juan submitted a paper detailing some of the work that he has been carrying out at CCFRA in relation to the bubble structure in bread and dough in collaboration with Martin Whitworth. This work also forms part of his PhD with the University of Reading. The title of the paper was "Creation and modification of the bubble structure of bread". The prize, of around £1300, will be given to Juan at an award ceremony in Pamplona, Spain on 7th June. Beating jargon Most food scientists and technologists at some time have to fight through jargon. From molecular biology through mainstream food science and technology to specialist culinary terms, Benders' Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Science provides clear definitions of over 5,000 terms. It also includes nutrient composition data for nearly 300 different foods. Published by Woodhead Publishing, this indispensable book is available from CCFRA as a service to members at the price of £45.00 plus postage and packing.
Contact: Carol Newman CCFRA New publications catalogue - on CD-ROM CCFRA has produced a new catalogue of its publications, in CD-ROM format. Available free on request, the disk mirrors the CCFRA website which now has an improved 'shopping basket' type ordering system. It includes publications, software and videos, organised by themes such as food safety, agriculture, milling and baking, thermal processing and laboratory methods. A new but simple search facility means that key words (e.g. HACCP, chill) can be used to pull-out lists of related publications from across different categories. Help on searching the disk and using the shopping basket are provided on the disk itself and on an accompanying card. Completed order forms can be submitted on-line or on paper. The disk will be easy to network for companies wishing to make the information available over an intranet.
Copies of the catalogue can be obtained from: Mrs. Carol Newman, CCFRA, Tel: +44(0)1386 842048 Fax:+44(0)1386 842100 Cleaning dry environments - industry survey How do companies clean dry-ingredient environments? And how do they cope with the special problems these environments pose? How do they tackle moisture absorption by ingredients leading to microbiological problems? Or prevent the formation of dust clouds? These and many other questions were addressed as part of a CCFRA survey into industry's approach to cleaning of dry environments as a start to defining and formulating best practice in this area. The findings of the survey are presented and discussed in "Review of current cleaning practices and contamination controls in the dry goods industries" published by CCFRA. Relevant to issues as diverse as the threat of foodborne pathogens and preventing mixing of GM and non-GM or organic and non-organic ingredients, the review will interest anyone involved in the use of dry ingredients in food production. It is priced at £30.00 per copy for CCFRA members and £50.00 for non-members.
Technical contact: Karen Middleton, CCFRA Tel:+44(0)1386 842224 |