Enzymes in bakery products 
Research at CCFRA into the use of enzymes in bakery processes has demonstrated several applications that can result in significant improvements in final product quality. A number of systems have been investigated in bread production. Xylanase improves loaf volume and crumb texture by hydrolysing insoluble arabinoxylans and improving gluten performance. Loaf volume and crumb texture can also be improved with the use of fungal amylase, which hydrolyses starch during gelatinisation to reduce dough viscocity during its expansion in the oven. Another amylase, a maltogenic exo-alpha-amylase, hydrolyses gelatinising starch in a different way, and reduces its ability to recrystallise and cause firming of the breadcrumb during its shelf-life. Other bakery products can also benefit from enzyme systems. Protease can be used to hydrolyse gluten in biscuit dough; this reduces elastic recoil in the dough and helps in the control of biscuit shape and thickness. Transglutaminase improves lift in puff pastry by crosslinking glutenins and increasing gluten strength, while lipase-initiated hydrolysis of lipids in dough and cake batter results in more surface-active materials, thus increasing the volume of bread and high-ratio cakes. Contact: Robin Guy Publishing for best practice 
CCFRA publications are used worldwide as key documents that help the food industry to produce safe, high quality innovative products. We have a long, well-established history of working with industry to produce guidelines on manufacturing and laboratory best-practice, with frequent endorsement and recommendations throughout the food chain. In addition we publish technical reviews, short books and bulletins in response to current needs and issues. Subject matter ranges from the hygienic design of food production factories and equipment, through GMP for various products and processes, to manuals of validated analytical methods, all written with industrial practical application in mind, as Leighton Jones, CCFRA Publications Manager, explains: "Industrial relevance is one of the key features of our publications. Most of the guidelines and good practice documents are compiled with input from experts from industry – the aim being to ensure that they reflect what can and should be done in the commercial setting. Increasingly, we co-publish with other organisations. Two of our recent Key Topic short books are a good example of this: one covering industrial aspects of food composition was published in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry, while one on agriculture in the food supply chain was published with the Royal Agricultural Society of England. In other cases, we can customise our documents for companies to use with their suppliers. Companies and enforcement authorities increasingly use our documents as part of their training programmes. Also several publications are now being adopted to support food science and technology in schools and colleges, as their strong industrial slant makes them stand out from the more academic material." Anyone interested in keeping up with the regular flow of publications can register for our New Publications E-mail Alert: ask to be added to our mailing list, or visit our website, www campden.co.uk, which is regularly updated. Contact: Leighton Jones Salt and sodium analysis 
Following the recent publication of ‘Salt and Health‘ by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which advises the Food Standards Agency and the UK health departments, CCFRA has issued a fact sheet on points to note when determining salt and/or sodium and chloride content in food. Salt is not the only source of added sodium or chloride in a food: sodium may also be derived, for example, from sodium bicarbonate (a raising agent), sodium nitrite (a preservative), or sodium phosphate (a stabiliser), and chloride may be derived from potassium chloride. Therefore, companies should be clear about what data they need and what the data they have actually means. Although chloride analysis may be the best means of estimating added salt in the presence of other sodium compounds, chloride analysis is less precise than sodium analysis. Copies of the fact sheet are available to members on the CCFRA website. Contact: Brian McLean EFSA now in membership We are delighted to announce that the European Food Safety Authority has become an associate member of CCFRA. John Hammond, Head of CCFRA’s Food and Environment Legislation Department, commented: “The new Authority is set to play a prominent role in risk assessment within the wider European Union. It is encouraging that it wishes to access our expertise, products and services to help it fulfil this important responsibility”. EFSA joins many other organisations responsible for food legislation and enforcement who have become members of CCFRA – others include the Food Standards Agency and around 100 Trading Standards and Environmental Health Departments. Fresh produce washing forum 
As the sources of supply of raw materials become increasingly international, the potential for contamination with pathogens and infectious agents increases. Although chlorine in one form or another is widely used throughout the food industry, both its effectiveness and its long-term future are uncertain. Following a successful first year, the ‘Washing and Decontamination of Fresh Produce‘ Forum is set to continue for a further 12 months. The aims of the Forum are to keep members up to date with the extensive volume of literature being published in this area; to stimulate an exchange of ideas between academics and industrialists regarding novel and alternative methods of fruit and vegetable washing; and to identify priorities for future research and development. As in the first year, members of the Forum will receive two bulletin newsletters and be entitled to attend two seminars, the first of which will take place on 22 September. For details on renewing membership or becoming a new member from September 2003: Contact: Linda Everis Health and safety at work 
This major conference is to be held at CCFRA on 30th October, supported by the Health and Safety Executive, the TUC, the Food and Drink Federation and Johnson Diversey. We are expecting a high demand for places at this subsidised conference. The programme will address:
Contact: Daphne Llewellyn Davies (Tel: +44 (0) 1386 842040; e-mail d.davies@campden.co.uk). Vegetable washing - replacement for hypochlorite? A novel acidified nitrite system for the decontamination of fresh produce is to be evaluated in a new project funded by DEFRA LINK and a consortium of CCFRA members. Preliminary trials have indicated that the system is effective against a wide range of micro-organisms and, used in conjunction with jacuzzi washing, may have better penetration powers than traditional hypochlorite. The new system could be particularly applicable in countries and situations where the use of hypochlorite is not permitted. Contact: Gail Betts New members Campden & Chorleywood is delighted to welcome the following new members who joined in June 2003:
Contact: Bertrand Emond or Sally Easton Please notify the Membership Department of any name or address changes with respect to our mailing list. Publications - order on-line at www.campden.co.uk Food law notes Technical managers often need quick access to information on UK food law as it affects the production of food and drink along the supply chain. Written in layman's terms, UK Food Law Notes provides this. It describes the major pieces of food law which cut across all sectors, as well as product-specific regulations. Its loose-leaf format accommodates updates which are published 2-3 times per year. The price of £125 per copy (CCFRA members) and £225 (non-members) includes a copy of the current manual plus updates to be issued up until September 2004. Subsequent updates are then available on an annual subscription basis (currently £55 pa for members and £95 pa for non-members). Technical contact: David Leeks, CCFRA, Tel +44(0)1386 842156 e-mail d.leeks@campden.co.uk Publications sales: Carol Newman CCFRA Tel. +44(0)1386 842048 Fax +44(0)1386 842100 New technologies bulletin CCFRA monitors developments with new processing and preservation technologies as part of a project within the member subscription funded research programme. This includes publication of the New Technologies Bulletin, each of which contains a feature on a particular technology of interest, short news items on other developments and a digest of recent relevant patent applications. Recent feature topics include:
Issue 26, to be published later this year, will cover microwave and radio-frequency processing. New Technologies Bulletin is available free to CCFRA members (please request to be added to the mailing list if you would like to receive copies) and is not available to non-members. The Bulletin and quarterly Technologies Updates can also be accessed on the research section of our website (www.campden.co.uk/research). Technical contact: Craig Leadley, CCFRA, Tel +44(0)1386 842059 e-mail c.leadley@campden.co.uk
Contact: Mrs. Carol Newman, Publications Officer, CCFRA, |