  Functional foods - consumer views Manufacturers and retailers of functional foods will be able to improve the targetting of their products following recent work at CCFRA into consumer understanding of and attitudes towards this growing food market. Discussion groups found that major consumer health concerns included high cholesterol, heart problems and cancer, and that the importance of diet in the promotion of a healthy lifestyle was generally well understood. However, the term 'functional food' was unfamiliar to everybody. Older consumers were more aware of foods with specific health benefits than were younger consumers. Whereas fruit and vegetables were most widely recognised to provide specific health benefits, these benefits were not always fully understood. Most of the knowledge of the availability of foods with specific health benefits was derived from television advertising. The biggest barrier to the purchase of certain functional foods was unfamiliarity and lack of understanding of the product or the functional ingredient within the product. Claims relating to foods perceived as 'healthy', such as cereals, bread and yogurt, were far more readily accepted than those relating to products such as cheese and eggs. Endorsement of a product by an independent, familiar and trusted body increased consumer trust and belief in claims being made. The full findings of the study have been published as CCFRA R&D Report 162.
Contact: Hayley Newsholme (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842238) Library service at CCFRA 
The library at CCFRA is open to members throughout the working week. As well as providing pleasant surroundings in which to browse over 300 current and archive journals, some dating back to the 1920's, and several thousand textbooks, the library has plenty of other facilities to offer, as librarian Ann Wood explains: "The library houses a variety of useful and difficult-to-obtain publications, such as many thousands of government reports, codes of practice, British andinternational standards, and UK and EC legislation. We also maintain an up-to-date collection of annual reports and related information from food companies all over the world,and have a wide variety of videos that can be viewed in the library itself. The library also has access to the internet and many technical databases, including our own Flour Milling and Baking Abstracts. For those members who are too far away to visit the library in person, we offer a range of services, from lending books, through conducting literature searches, to sourcing specific pieces of information, such as identifying market and statistical reports. We also have a network of contacts with other organisations, so that if you have an enquiry which is peripheral to the food industry, we can usually identify the people you need to contact." Members are welcome to visit the library during working hours throughout the week. If you wish to look at any particular books or reports, or research a specific subject, then let us know in advance and we will endeavour to have as many relevant titles as possible available for when you arrive. Ann Wood +44 (0)1386 842045; e-mail: info@campden.co.uk Predicting microbial growth in acidified products 
The aim of this Club-funded research project was to produce a series of mathematical models to predict the likelihood of growth of selected spoilage organisms and pathogens in acetic acid-based sauces, pickles, mayonnaises and other acidified ambient stable products. The results from Phase 1 of this project are now publicly available, and predictions are available as part of the Forecast Bureau Service. The models cover the effects of water activity (or salt content), pH and preservative (sorbate and benzoate) levels on hot- and cold-fill spoilage organisms and cold-fill pathogens. These models have been expanded in Phase 2 of the project to include Total Soluble Solids (salt and sugar) and titratable acidity. These results are confidential to Club members until 2005, and discussions are already under way regarding Phase 3 of the project. For further information about the work, or to join this Research Club please...
Contact: Linda Everis (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842063) New nitrogen data for turkey meat The publishing of new official nitrogen factors for turkey meat content will enable CCFRA to further improve its service to clients in matters relating to meat content calculation. Brian McLean, Head of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, commented: "The data from the 1960's were almost 40 years old and were calculated from turkey of poorly defined origin, some of it completely unknown. We will all need to amend our meat content calculation to allow for these new factors". A summary of the data is as follows: nitrogen factors of 3.90, 3.45 and 3.65, respectively, for the lean of breast,dark meat and carcass overall are recommended for meat to be used in further processing. Factors of 3.90, 3.50 and 3.65, respectively, are recommended for the lean combined with skin. These recommendations acknowledge that the major source of meat for further processing is from large male birds. Specific data are available for different types of turkey or specific cuts.
Contact: Paul Drake (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842197) CCFRA in new South Korean agreement  From left to right: Dr. Su-ki Kang, President of KFRI and Martin Hall, Director of Food Science CCFRA. CCFRA has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI), with the aim of exploiting opportunities for joint research and service activities in the two countries, and exchanging technical information for the benefit of members and clients of both organisations. This agreement follows on from a programme of consultancy and training that CCFRA has been undertaking in South Korea with KFRI and the Rural Development Administration. This relates to HACCP and safety issues in the agricultural industry, which has been funded by the UK/Korea Science and Technology Collaboration Fund. Martin Hall, Director of Food Science, commented: 'This agreement is a testament to our ability to act as facilitators in training and consultancy in the region, and will further enhance the opportunities open to us'.
Contact: Martin Hall (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842014) Microbiology Methods Forum Newly developed methods for the detection or enumeration of microorganisms offer food companies many advantages overstandard protocols, giving faster, automated, more sensitive or more specific results pertaining to the microbiological quality of ingredients, products and processing areas. However, keeping up with the developments can be a problem for many companies. To address this, CCFRA initiated the Microbiological Methods Innovation Forum in April 1996. The Forum uses both meetings and newsletters to keep subscribing companies up to date with the latest advances in method development. The Forum is a subscription-based service, running from April to March. For details on any aspect of the Forum, including joining/renewal costs, and also for information on a new special arrangement for overseas subscribers who might be unable to attend meetings, please...
Contact: Charmaine Mitchell (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842239) Food crime - seminar notes The food industry is increasingly aware of the potential effects that crime, and in particular serious crime such as extortion, can have on their products, brands and businesses. Senior managers need to know how to deal with incidents and how best to collaborate with police, solicitors and specialist advisers in managing crises. Notes from a recent CCFRA seminar, addressing the problems of food crime and potential solutions, provide useful background on this. Designed to help food industry personnel plan for and manage food crime crises, the seminar brought together a panel of experts to review issues spanning food and related law, product recall systems, complaint and incident tracking, and laboratory support systems. The notes contain a short summary and/or copies of the visual aids used in each presentation.
Technical contact: Mike Edwards, CCFRA Fermented meats - seminar notes Fermented meats are popular and offer good opportunities for market development both as ingredients in added-value products and as products in their own right. However, instances have arisen where poor control of the production process has led to the growth of pathogens in fermented meats and outbreaks of serious food poisoning. Understanding fermented meats, and the parameters that assure a safe product, is essential in avoiding such incidences, and so CCFRA recently organised a seminar to help companies achieve this. Notes from the seminar are now available and contain a short summary of each presentation and/or copies of the visual aids used on the day. They start with an overview of fermented meats technology and move on to cover micro-organisms of concern, 'hurdle preservation', the application of HACCP and case studies associated with fermented meat problems. They will help companies assure product safety and learn, from case studies, how problems can be avoided.
Technical contact: Liz Mulvey, CCFRA |