High fat diets can cause Type 2 diabetes
Eating a high fat diet has now been found by Australian scientists as being linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes.
The research has been done at the Garven Institute in Sydney by Dr Laybutt and PhD scholar Mia Akerfeldt. They have found that a “master regulator” gene known as Id1 sets the path for other genes in a specific cell type and is effectively switched on when a high fat diet is consumed by people. The same institute has scientists working on Id1inhibitors for stopping cancer development.
Dr Laybutt said, “We’re saying that Id1 is the molecular link between environmental factors, such as high fat diet, and beta cell dysfunction. We’ve demonstrated our finding in animal models and cell culture, and we’ve also shown that pancreatic tissue from diabetic people expresses Id1. If Id1 inhibitors are shown to be safe in clinical trials for cancer, I see no reason why they should not also be trialled for diabetes.”
Further work is underway in using this blocking technique for cancer, on doing the same thing with blocking or stopping diabetes in mice, before eventually moving to human trials.
Type 2 diabetes is typically associated with diets high in sugar and fat and with poor exercise. It is the result of the body becoming less able to produce and use insulin.
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Australian wins the World Sandwichship
Matt Wilkinson was recently named as the winner of the first World Sandwichship with his creative toasted ham sandwich and quesadilla wrap.
The Championship was held as part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival.
Matt is from the Pope Joan café in Melbourne, and was up against sandwich creators from around the world.
The competitors were given an hour to create sandwiches in three categories, and Matt won with his ham and three pickles toasted sandwich with Welsh Rarebit fondue and his creative Cuban- style Quesadilla wrap.
The judges based their decision on the following criteria; taste, presentation, innovation, explanation and, of course, the “wow” factor.
The competition was run by the Australasian Sandwich Association, which is a group dedicated to representing sandwich bars and cafes across this region. To join or find out more information – www.sandwich.org.au
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Live export changes
All Australians would be at least aware of the recent controversy about exporting live cattle to Indonesia.
After the television broadcast of very serious animal cruelty in some abattoirs in that country, there was a massive public outcry throughout Australia and the immediate banning of the trade by the Commonwealth Government.
This quick decision has cost farmers, particularly in Northern Australia, millions of dollars in loss of sales.
The ban has since been lifted as a result of the report produced by the Farmer review, which was set up by the government to review the situation of live exports and particularly the treatment in Indonesia.
The Government has accepted all the recommendations of the review for both domestic and export slaughter to ensure that livestock are treated at least internationally accepted welfare standards.
Live animal exporters will now be required to;
- ensure animals will be handled and processed at or better than the internationally accepted standards follow requirements for animal welfare established by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE);
- have control of the movement of animals within their supply chain;
- trace or account for animals through the supply chain;
- conduct independent verification and performance audits of their supply chains
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig said “the new framework will be phased in and will be implemented in stages with 75 per cent of trade covered by February and for all trade by the end of 2012.”
Although the changes are major and will meet most of the demands of all those involved in the submissions and discussions, there is one significant standard that has not been included in the Report.
The Review has not required that exported livestock be stunned before slaughter, and this has some groups seriously concerned.
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2011 Fine Food Awards
In late September, the 2011 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards were announced and cover nine food production categories; chocolate, branded beef, coffee, ice cream / gelato / sorbet, Delicatessen, Dairy / Sheep / Goat / Buffalo, olive oil/ olives, preserves / honey and packaging
The entries for this year were up 25% from 201 and from the record number of exhibits, 15 trophies were awarded. The best Victorian product was recognised as the Rich Glen Lemon and Lime Agrumato from Rich Glen Olives, by being awarded the Victorian Government trophy.
Trophies were not only given to businesses from Victoria, nine were also awarded to producers in Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales.
The aim of the recognised and prestigious awards is to recognise excellence and best practice whilst also promoting gourmet and regional producers
The winners for each of the trophies and categories were as follows:
The Victorian Government Trophy for the Best Victorian Product: Rich Glen Lemon and Lime Agrumato, Rich Glen Olives (Vic)
ICE CREAM: Wendy’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Innovation Ice Cream (Vic)
GELATO: Baci Kisses Gelato, Fritz Gelato (Vic)
SORBET: Gelati Sky Passionfruit Sorbet, Gelati Sky Pty Ltd (Vic)
DELICATESSEN: Paradise Beach Purveyors Tzatziki, Paradise Beach Purveyors Pty Ltd (NSW)
SMALLGOODS: Prosciutto, San Jose Smallgoods (SA)
UNCOOKED SAUSAGE: Casalingo Sausage, P. Princi Butchers Fremantle (WA)
BOUTIQUE OIL: Cradle Coast Olives Essence of the Cradle, Cradle Coast Olives (Tas)
COMMERCIAL OIL: Lighthouse Olive Oil, Picual Lighthouse Olive Oil (Vic)
SINGLE ESTATE GROWN: Kyneton Olive Oil Family Selection, Kyneton Olive Oil (Vic)
FLAVOURED OIL: Rich Glen Lemon and Lime Agrumato, Rich Glen Olives (Vic)
TABLE OLIVE: Manzanillo Grove Kalamata, Manzanillo Grove (Vic)
BEST PRESERVE: Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Wine Vinegar Cuttaway Creek Raspberry Farm (NSW)
ESPRESSO: Coffee PNG Single Origin Bellissimo Coffee (Qld)
FILTER COFFEE: Indonesian Single Origin, Bellissimo Coffee (Qld)
BUTTER: Duck River Premium, Fonterra Australia – Spreyton (Tas)
FRESH CHEESE: The Riverina Dairy Premium Ricotta, The Riverina Dairy (NSW)
MOULD SURFACE RIPENED CHEESE: Jindi Reserve Brie, Jindi Cheese Pty Ltd (Vic)
BLUE CHEESE: Black Label Blue Triple Cream, King Island Dairy (Tas)
SEMI HARD AND EYE: Heide Farm Raclette, Lion Dairy & Drinks (Tas)
CHEDDAR STYLE: Waxed Vintage Cheddar, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory Vic)
HARD CHEESE: Pecorino Pepato, The Provedore Group Puglia Cheese (Vic)
YOGHURT: Yalla Prune and Vanilla Yoghurt, Yalla (NSW)
CREAM: Coles Double Cream Coles Supermarkets (Vic)
MILK: Pura New Milk, National Foods – Chelsea (Vic)
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Listeria processing aid application
Processing aids are materials that can be added to foods during manufacture to achieve specific targets. A great example is material added to wine to clarify it (remove cloudiness), it is then removed prior to the bottling step. Only processing aids that are approved for use by the Food Standards Code may be used.
The following is from the latest Emerging Issues newsletter from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ);
FSANZ has invited submissions on an application for a processing aid to reduce the risk of the food poisoning bacteria Listeria.
FSANZ Chief Executive Officer, Steve McCutcheon, said EBI Food Safety Ltd had applied for permission to use a bacteriophage preparation called P100 as a processing aid for ready-to-eat foods to reduce levels of Listeria monocytogenes.
“Processing aids can’t legally be used in food production without a rigorous safety assessment by FSANZ,” Mr McCutcheon said.
Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entities on earth. They infect bacteria and multiply inside them until the bacteria breaks down. They are naturally present in high numbers in the environment , in saltwater, freshwater, soil, plants and animals (including people) and food .
Bacteriophages infect very specific strains of bacteria so the P100 bacteriophage would not infect any other bacteria except Listeria.They are harmless to plants, animals or humans and do not alter the properties of food, disintegrating into natural compounds such as amino acids.
Listeria bacteria can cause disease called listeriosis. They are common in the environment and may contaminate many different types of foods from the farm right through to the retail market.
While Listeria has little impact on healthy people, it can cause severe illness in people with reduced immune systems such as pregnant women and their babies, young children, cancer patients, people with HIV/AIDS, and the elderly.
Currently, the Food Standards Code permits no tolerance of Listeria monocytogenesin several foods.
The use of bacteriophage preparations to treat food has been approved by the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.
Mr McCutcheon said that there would be a second round of public comment later in the application process before a recommendation on the application to the FSANZ Board.
Submissions on the consultation document are invited from consumers, the food industry and jurisdictions on the recommended approach contained in the proposal and its impacts. The period for submissions closes on 1 November 2011
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Current Australian Food Product Recalls
The following is the Food Standards Australia new Zealand latest recall notice and is included here with permission.
Please find below information on recent Australian consumer level food recalls. This information is also available on our website at www.foodstandards.gov.au
Date Notified To FSANZ: 16 September 2011
Food Type: Juice
Product Name:
- Apple Time Apple
- Apple Time Apple Mango
- Apple Time Triple Berries
- Homebrand Orange
- Homebrand Orange Mango
Package Description & Size:
- Apple Time Apple 2L plastic bottle
- Apple Time Apple Mango 2L plastic bottle
- Apple Time Triple Berries 2L plastic bottle
- Homebrand Orange 3L plastic bottle
- Homebrand Orange Mango 3L plastic bottle
Country of Origin: Australia
Date Marking:
- Apple Time Apple 28/05/2012
- Apple Time Apple Mango 28/05/2012
- Apple Time Triple Berries 28/05/2012
- Homebrand Orange 27/05/2012 and 29/05/2012
- Homebrand Orange Mango 27/05/2012 and 29/05/2012
Australian Distribution:
Apple Time products: small retail and independent food stores in QLD only.
Homebrand products: Woolworths and Food for Less Stores in QLD and Woolworths stores in Northern NSW*.
* Ballina, Ballina Fair, Byron Bay, Casino, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Kingscliff, Lismore, Lismore Square, Macksville, Mullumbimby, Nambucca Heads, Park Beach Plaza, Toormina, Tweed City, Tweed Heads.
Overseas Distribution: Asahi Beverages Australia Pty Ltd has not exported this product.
Reason for Recall: Possible presence of foreign matter – (metal shavings)
Comments:
Problem: The recall of the above products is due to the possible presence of foreign matter – (metal shavings)
Food Safety Hazard: Beverages containing metal may cause injury if consumed.
What to do: Consumers should not consume these products and they should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Contact Details: Please call Asahi Beverages Consumer Relation Centre – 1800 244 054
Date Notified To FSANZ: 19 September 2011
Food Type: Cheese
Product Name: Mainland Extra Tasty Cheddar Cheese
Package Description & Size: 200g and 400g vacuum sealed pack
Country of Origin: This product is made in New Zealand for distribution in Australia
Date Marking: Best Before 28 February 2012
Australian Distribution: The recalled product has been available for sale in retail outlets such as Coles and Woolworths (and associated retail outlets), IGA/Food Land and Franklins Australia wide
Overseas Distribution: Fonterra Brands Australia has not exported this product.
Reason for Recall: Presence of metal fragments
Comments:
Problem: The recall of the above products is due to the detection of a metal fragment found in one product.
Food Safety Hazard: Food products containing metal fragments may cause injury if consumed.
What to do: Consumers should not eat this product.
Customers should return the products to the place of purchase for a full cash refund.
There have been no reports of anyone becoming injured. The recall is a precautionary measure as there can be no compromise when it comes to product quality or the health and safety of our consumers.
The recall applies only to the above-mentioned product with the nominated sizes, best before date and batch numbers and no other Mainland products are affected.
Contact details: For further information, please call the Fonterra consumer information line:1800 633 275
Fonterra Brands (Australia) Pty Ltd
327 Ferntree Gully Road
Mount Waverley, Victoria, 3149
Reg No. 550
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Handwashing an issue on Name and Shame List
With Global Handwashing Day rapidly approaching, it is scary that in the last 12 months there have been 170 handwashing related offences listed on the New South Wales Food Authority’s Name and Shame List, with two of those added in just the last two weeks.
The offences primarily related to the failure to maintain adequate hand washing facilities according to the Food Standards Code.
The Code requires that there must be a clean separate handwashing sink with suitable facilities.
Ms.Katrina Hodgkinson, the Federal Minister for Primary Industries, said; “Hand-washing is at the very foundation of correct and safe food handling. In New South Wales, each penalty notice carries a fine of $880 for a corporation and $440 for an individual as well as the unenviable honour of being placed on the Name and Shame list where consumers can easily see the breaches of their local food outlets.”
What business would want to be known as having poor handwashing, as it is the main method we all having of reducing food poisoning? That is the strength of the List – the public knowledge of the offence.
The Name and Shame List can be found at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notice
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Changes to Victorian Food Act reinforce state differences again
With the changes to the Victorian Food Act coming into effect as of 01 July 2011, there is now a need for vending machines registered by the primary council.
This requirement is coming in as of 01 October, and will create significant issues according to the President of the Independent Vending Machine Operators Association (IVMOA), Bob Goss.
The requirement is to give the councils access to the potential food safety risks linked to the specific products in the machines, as well as their location. It is of particular importance because there are now vending machines that cook foods and therefore there are obvious food safety issues.
Mr Goss said, “There are more than 70 principal councils in Victoria, which means there are large numbers of health inspectors from different councils each looking at the new legislation and interpreting it differently. The main issue, however, is that the only people that are being sent out information on the new legislation are those in the IVMOA or involved with it – our members are the legitimate operators. Yet we believe there are thousands of illegitimate operators in Victoria who are escaping the radar. If they are caught, they are subject to a fine from the government. However, these people are not being caught which is why there is not a level playing field.”
As with the broad requirement for all food businesses to have HACCP based food safety programs several years ago, Victoria is in many ways once again taking a strong lead in food safety legislation.
It also highlights the increasing problem in Australia of each jurisdiction having different requirements and then within those, each Council have different interpretations and then the Environmental Health Officers in those councils reading the laws differently as well.
As an example an EHO in one area would not allow the business in their jurisdiction to use probe type thermometers due to potential cross contamination risk and insisting that all food temperature checks be done using an IR gun. These guns cannot take internal temperatures as required by the Food Standards Code, so probe type thermometers are essential. To eliminate the potential cross contamination risk, these can be cleaned and then sanitised with a food grade sanitiser.
Talking with some holders of Showmans Food Vans recently, it became very obvious that there is enormous disparity about food safety across the country. This is creating major problems, costs and confusion.
States need to work together to ensure that food safety laws match across the country – after all, wasn’t that one of the main reasons for the Food Standards Code, to ensure uniformity.
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Clear GM Research will make clearer understanding
The term “GM” conjures up scary images for many in our society. The image of mad scientists sitting around and fiddling with plants and animals to create new things is often not far from the perception that many have about this science.
The CSIRO’s Chief Executive, Megan Clark, said “We recognise that the modification of genes in plants causes concern in sections of the community. However, we also know that many people will be comfortable with genetic modification in food products if they can be assured they are beneficial for human health and safe for the environment. We research the genes of plants to improve human health outcomes, increase the take-up of nutrients from soil, improve yields and provide resistance to plant diseases. Our genetic modification research generally involves turning off genes, changing the timing of the expression of some genes or inserting genes from different plants.”
Genetic modification, or GM, is a highly skilled science that modifies the genes of animals and plants to give or improve specific characteristics. As an example; Golden Rice is a GM product designed to give a large proportion of the world’s population access to more Vitamin A. By adding a gene into a rice species, scientists have added Vitamin A to this vital crop and allowing for a deficiency in this essential nutrient to be addressed in an easy and effective way.
By genetically modifying plants, scientists have been able to increase production, reduce pesticide use and other positive advances.
Ms Clark said; “When it comes to our food supply, the world’s population could reach 9 billion by 2050 and the global challenge is to produce 70 per cent more food in the next 40 years. To meet that food demand we need to increase our agricultural yields and increase the efficiency of how plants take up nutrients. It means growing plants that use less water to produce the same output and improving resistance to disease and pests. Across the very extensive and prolonged use worldwide, there has been no evidence of harm to human health associated with the use of GM technology. In Australia we’ve been growing and consuming GM products for at least 15 years with GM cotton and carnations grown commercially since 1996 and GM canola since 2008.”
In Australia, GM foods are regulated by the Gene Technology Regulator. Food Standards Australia New Zealand has produced a series of terrific Fact Sheets about GM which are well worth a read and can be found at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/
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