It’s happened again this week. An American study (details below) has decided that eating red meat is bad for you, and vegetarian diets are the secret to a longer life. Just a few weeks ago, the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration in the United Kingdom announced that low fat diets are bad for us, and we should stop counting calories and eat more fat. Last year, the British Medical Journal outlined a study that found most people who eat butter, milk, cream and full-fat yoghurts have better heart health, less risk of Type 2 diabetes and are skinnier. We’re now told that the benefits of drinking wine have been overstated. And I’m sure many of you remember when we were warned to limit the amount of eggs we ate each week because of cholesterol. Phew! The messages out there are at best garbled and at worst completely impossible to understand. Just think of what we are now being told. Butter, once considered ‘yellow death’, can be good for you in small amounts. Full-fat milk is fine to drink. Eggs can be consumed three times a week. Olive oil is not necessarily good for frying, as it has a low smoke point. Carbohydrates should be starchy, not white. Processed meat like bacon is linked to heart attacks, bowel cancer and strokes. A small glass of red wine a day is probably okay five days a week. Full-fat yoghurt is better for you. Fruit juice is bad for you. Red meat is good for you, as is bread. Caffeine and tea are okay up to four cups per day. Dark chocolate is good for the heart. What is clear is that every warning or encouragement must be not only taken with a pinch of salt (yes, apparently salt isn’t the baddie it once was) but with a generous helping of common sense. So why does it seem that food and beverage manufacturers aren’t thinking with their heads and producing products specifically for the ‘middle-aged bulge’ in our population? Middle-agers have money, time, inclination, knowledge and ethics, says a new report from Europe, but are being forgotten by manufacturers, developers and marketers. Check out our cover story on what’s happening here. Are vegans nuts? Some might say yes, but it’s a growing phenomenon. How are we as an industry viewing growing opportunities, and what exactly is a Jainist? You might be shocked at the image. If you’re a history buff, take a look at our new feature ‘Looking Back’ at what the industry was saying in our January 1969 issue. And check to see if you’ve won this month’s reviewed books. Kathryn Calvert Editor NZ FOODTechnology A PINCH OF COMMON SENSE EDITOR'S NOTE 2016 EVENTS Marlborough Silver Secateurs Competition Blenheim – August 14 Wine-marlborough.co.nz Winter Wine, Shellfish and Seafood Festival Auckland – August 20 Winterwineshellfishandseafoodfestival. co.nz The Chocolate and Coffee Show Auckland – September 3 chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz Pinot Polooza Auckland – September 3 Pinotpolooza.com.au Whitianga Scallop Festival 2016 Whitianga – September 10 www.scallopfestival.co.nz “it!’ Bay of Plenty Food and Wine Festival Paihia – October 1 Paihianz.co.nz 2016 NZ Beverage Council annual meeting Wairakei – October 4 to 6 - annual meeting of New Zealand beverage industry. www.nzbc.nz Waiheke Island of Wine Expo 2016 Auckland – October 11 Waihekewine.co.nz Foodtech Packtech 2016 Auckland – October 11 to 13 – New Zealand’s most important trade tech event for New Zealand food, technology and packaging Foodtechpacktech.co.nz Lipids, Neutraceuticals and Healthy Diets through the Life Cycle Nelson – November 8 to 10 www.oilsfats.org.nz Got an event you want your industry to know about? Contact the editor: kcalvert@hayleymedia.com BREAKING NEWS A just-released American study says animal products such as burgers, steaks and hotdogs are associated with a “variety of bad outcomes” and a vegetarian diet is the key to a longer life. Scientist Mingyang Song at Massachusetts General Hospital analysed data from two major studies involving more than 150,000 participants to see whether red and processed meats made people die earlier than those who get their protein from plants. A 10 per cent increase in proteins from animals resulted in a two per cent increase in mortality and an eight per cent rise in death risk from heart disease. But those who increased plant protein by three per cent dropped their mortality rate by 10 per cent and their risk of death from cardiovascular-related mortality by 12 per cent. Song, a research fellow at the hospital’s clinical and translational epidemiology unit, says the findings are clear…plant-based proteins from sources such as beans, nuts, quinoa and seeds are a healthier choice than steaks or beef products such as hotdogs. That said, “I wouldn’t suggest that everyone switch to vegan. That’s because certain meats - chicken and fish, for example - also carry a much lower mortality risk overall and from heart disease.” The research, which started in the 1980s and totalled “3.5 million person-years”, saw 36,000 deaths among the participants - 13,000 from cancer, 9000 from cardiovascular disease and 14,000 from a mix of other causes. SIGN UP FOR YOUR FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION foodtechnology.co.nz FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!
FT AUG 16
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