www.foodtechnology.co.nz 7 NEWS SNIPS Heritage Auckland’s annual celebration of World Vegetarian Day and World Vegan Day is being presented in the form of an eight-course degustation dinner on October 27 Plant & Food Research scientist Dr Jim Walker has been awarded the New Zealand Apple and Pear industry’s Outstanding Contribution Award Westland Milk Products shareholders have voted on shrinking the board and improving selection processes after criticism that followed the cooperative’s $14.5 million loss last year Kevin and Sara Joyce and family have purchased the remaining shares in Marlborough Wine, making them 100% owners of the company that owns the Toi Toi wine brand Tauranga’s Frankie McGuire has been named 2017 New Zealand Draught Master after beating 15 other finalists. INNOVATION SUCCESS HEALTHY ORDER IN MISSING OMEGA-3 New Zealand’s first ever study on the intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnant women has found only 30% are getting the recommended daily amount. A Massey University study of 596 pregnant women in their last trimester of pregnancy and from across the country has revealed that while 77% meet the local lower target of intake, just over a quarter are ingesting the international recommendations for DHA of 200mg per day. Dr Kathryn Beck from the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition says omega-3 fatty acids are important during pregnancy for a number of reasons. “They help form important building blocks for our cells, and are essential for the development of baby’s brain and growth. These fatty acids help support mothers to have a healthy pregnancy.” Fish and seafood are the richest sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and also provide several nutrients, including protein and iodine, all of which are important for foetal development. “Two serves of fish 150g per serve per week can substantially contribute to meeting omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids recommendations. Despite guidelines encouraging fish and seafood as safe to eat during pregnancy, women may decrease or limit these foods due to concerns regarding food safety and the potential for mercury poisoning,” Dr Beck says. Women who are currently pregnant or planning to be should aim to eat a variety of healthy foods every day from each of the four food groups. Sealord’s newly released Hoki fries have taken top honours in The Marine Stewardship Council Oceania product of the year awards for 2017. The council says Hoki Fries are a great example of how Sealord is leveraging global food trends to bring innovation to the market. “The company’s innovation team could see flavoured and loaded fries becoming more and more popular and, along with growth in sharing food, developed a product range that tapped into both these trends.” Sealord marketing manager Melissa Butler says the awards are a global gold standard for sustainable seafood. Hoki Fries, strips of coated hoki fillet, were introduced in New Zealand supermarkets this month and in the Australian market earlier this year. Kiwi takeaway consumers are starting to spurn pizza, hamburgers and fried chicken for healthier options such as salads, vegetarian dishes and grilled fish when ordering in, says the company that is increasingly delivering their food to them. Menulog, the country’s largest online food delivery service, says to keep up with customer demand it is adding more healthy optioned restaurants to its website and App. Commercial director Paul Dodds says it’s not surprising to see Kiwis embracing healthier takeaways like its neighbour Australia. “New Zealand is following a trend that is well established in other countries where healthier options and upmarket food delivery is growing and becoming commonplace,” he says. “New Zealand‘s uptake of home delivery is growing as people juggle work commitments with having enough time to enjoy family time and time to themselves. But even though people are time-poor, they don’t want to sacrifice their healthy lifestyle and a good diet.” Dodds says it is a reflection of how peoples’ eating habits and lifestyles are changing and the online home delivery industry is moving to meet consumers’ needs. NEWS hectares in each of the coffee growing areas. However, it wasn’t until 2008 that Terry heard about Fairtrade and its assistance for sustainable coffee farming communities, spurring him to form a co-operative that attracts training workshops, support and connection with other co-operatives in the country, as well as communication links for industry discussion. When Unen Choit became Fairtrade-certified last year, it was a proud moment. “We see Fairtrade as our Government, because nothing from the PNG government supports us like Fairtrade does,” Terry says. “Fairtrade is our partner - we are given the information and training we need to sell our coffee and we are also given advice around how much our coffee is worth.” www. fairtrade.org.nz
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