NEWS
SNIPS
Farmers are
well-placed
to survive
any potential
financial
uncertainty from
major setbacks
such as global
warming,
new Lincoln
University
research has
found
New Zealand
health
professionals
are applauding a
landmark report
that outlines
how to achieve
healthy and
sustainable
eating patterns
for a future
global population
of 10 billion
people
The Lancet
scientific journal
has issued
an urgent
call to global
governments to
convene what
is essentially a
Paris Climate
Agreement for
food
Global cooling
and heating
technology
company
Phononic is
partnering with
Pepsi Bottling
to deploy
merchandising
refrigerators in
retail chains and
convenience
stores
The number of
dairy cattle has
dipped by 1%
to 6.4 million for
the second year,
while beef cattle
numbers soar.
A study undertaken by University of
Texas researchers has revealed a strong
link between the food additive inorganic
phosphate that is prevalent in
the Western diet and a lack of physical
activity. The study, trying to understand
why American adults are so sedentary,
appears to have found the culprit…
the additive is present in meat, soda
and some processed foods. According
to the latest statistics from the United
States Department of Health and
Human Services, less than 5% of the
country›s adult population engages in 30
minutes of physical activity every day,
and more than 80% do not follow the
recommended guidelines for aerobic
exercise and resistance training. Only
one in three people manage to exercise
for the recommended amount every
week. Phosphate is a particle derived
from phosphorus, a mineral that the
body needs to ‘build and repair bones
and teeth, help nerves function, and
make muscles contract’. Food manufacturers
add phosphate to food in order to
keep it fresh for longer and to enhance
its flavour. The additive is most likely to
be present in processed meat, ham, sausages,
canned fish, baked goods, cola
drinks and other soft drinks, study lead
Dr Wanpen Vongpatanasin says. Normally,
kidneys control how much phosphate
there is in the blood, and they help filter
out the excess phosphate in the urine.
However, impaired kidneys may struggle
to flush out excess quantities.
TWO MUCH
PHOSPHATE
If you’re a manufacturer of Wagyu
beef, pat yourself on the back. It
appears that men who regularly eat
the meat from specially-bred and
fed cows could be protected against
heart disease…and researchers
from Liggins Institute say it may
have something to do with a fat
called conjugated linoleic acid and
several other ‘good fats’. Study lead
Professor David Cameron-Smith
says while red meat is regarded as
an excellent source of protein, vitamins
and minerals, it is also linked
with heart disease and colon cancer.
“The trouble is, it’s hard to tell
whether these associations (taken
from large epidemiological studies)
are linked to meat, or other diet and
lifestyle factors. Another issue is that
many studies do not separate out
the effects of fresh and preserved,
or processed, red meat. The link to
colon cancer is clear for processed
meat. But very few scientific studies
– this is the first in New Zealand
– have extended this research to
actually piece together whether a
modest intake of good quality, fresh
red meat has any positive or negative
impacts on health.” The study
will look at how the complex lipids
in high quality, unprocessed red
meat affects heart health, recruiting
men aged 35-55 to blind-test
Wagyu beef, soy-based meat and
grain-finished beef. Research fellow
Dr Amber Milan says the difference
in Wagyu fat is the breed of cow
and feeding practices. “Grass-fed
cows naturally have more omega-3
and other ‘good fats’ like DPA and
CLA, which have anti-inflammatory
properties. CLA is unique to ruminants
because it is produced by the
bacteria in their guts.” Researchers
will look for changes in health
indicators such as blood lipids,
including cholesterol and changes
in body fat composition, and check
for gut microbiome changes, where
they expect to see clear differences
between the red meat and vegetarian
groups. Results are expected
mid-2019.
FOR THE FOOD ACT 2014?
line for registration.
“If existing food businesses are not
registered by the deadline, they will
be operating unregistered businesses,
their retail customers may refuse
to accept their goods or use their
services, and MPI and local councils
may need to take enforcement action.
So, immediate action needs to be
taken to get registered.
“We want make it easier for businesses
to make safe and suitable food
and comply with food safety requirements."
Under the Food Act, new food businesses
have to register as soon as
they start trading, and existing food
businesses (operating under the Food
Hygiene Regulations 1974 or Food
Act 1981) have until 28 February 2019
to register in stages, with a different
groups registering since 2016.
“If a business wants to find out what
rules they need to follow and how to
register, they can use the online tool
Where Do I Fit? as a starting point
– www.mpi.govt.nz/where-do-i-fit,”
Johnston says.
For questions about the
registration process and deadline,
please contact your local council,
email foodactinfo@mpi.govt.nz
or call 0800 00 83 33.
WAGYU
WONDER
www.foodtechnology.co.nz 7
/where-do-i-fit
/www.foodtechnology.co.nz
link
