Stay food safe this Christmas

Christmas is a time when a lot of food is bought and consumed, sometimes rather too much of it too. We're often faced with the prospect of cooking unfamiliar things, after all it's not everyday we cook a huge turkey or rib of beef. And then there's the issue of all the surplus - what to do with all the leftovers.

Ultimately there is pressure on us to become the ultimate domestic goddess or even god – but what food safety issues do we need to think about?

Sarah Daniels of The Red Cat Partnership has given us a few simple tips to follow to ensure your Christmas is a merry one.

Buying and storing food
Firstly do not buy or prepare food too far in advance.
When buying food you must consider the use by date – this is the date the manufacturer/ producer can guarantee that if we have stored it correctly
(in the fridge) that it is safe to eat.

Do not buy food that you cannot eat before the end of this use by period.
You will also need to be mindful of the ‘once open consume within’ guidance given – this will over ride the shelf life and may only be 2 days.
So do not buy your perishable foods too far in advance. If you need to buy early then freeze as soon as you can after purchasing – more on defrosting later.

Best before dates are just that. The food tastes best before that date – it won’t harm you afterwards, though it may not taste as good as it should.

Keep perishable foods in the fridge and do not overload the fridge.
I know we want a chilled beer or glass of wine, but the foodstuffs that support nasty bacteria growing need to be kept refrigerated to ensure the food is safe to eat.

Also we should not overload our fridges – if air cannot circulate this can cause a rise in temperature which can cause a dangerous growth of bacteria.

Also we need to keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart.
Keep raw meats/ fish/ eggs and veg, particularly soily veg at the bottom of the fridge.

Preparing food
When preparing foods, this too, must not be done too far in advance.
If you're still eating the turkey on New Year’s day it is pushing it from a food safety perspective – prepare what you can eat within 2 –3 days.

If you are not going to eat it, portion it up and freeze as soon after cooking as you can.
Do cool foods quickly by portioning them, or taking them out of their cooking container as this will prevent nasty poisons / toxins developing.

Preparing the festive bird
There is no need to wash the bird – this can cause bacteria to be splashed and therefore spread around the kitchen. Those stomach upsetting bugs will be killed if the bird is cooked thoroughly.

Cooking and defrosting
If you need to defrost foods, do it in the fridge. This will take longer but it is safer. If there is no room in the fridge do it overnight whilst the central heating is off.
Ensure that all foods are thoroughly defrosted before cooking, otherwise the oven temperature will just defrost the meat and not cook it thoroughly.

Allow enough time for the cooking process.
Be mindful of how much food you need to cook at once and the order it needs to be cooked in. Most shops and magazines have countdown guides.
I would rather have a delayed festive meal than food poisoning, or a hard potato rather than an undercooked pink turkey!

Always check that poultry is cooked thoroughly – you do not need a probe – but pierce the bird/dish at the thickest point and ensure that juices are clear and the food is piping hot.

And lastly enjoy without the fear of a festive food poisoning!

Sarah Daniels is director of  The Red Cat Partnership a health and safety consultancy based in Norwich.
Courses are available covering food safety with a team of chartered environmental health practitioners.
www.redcat.gb.com

10 tips for a healthier Christmas

With all the edible temptations on offer it’s all too easy to over indulge during the festive season. We asked Priya Tew of Dietitian UK what she would suggest to avoid some of the ‘bad’ things but also not miss out on a delicious Christmas and importantly to feel good.



On average people eat 6,000 kcals a day on Christmas day, that’s three times the recommended daily intake for a woman and over twice that for a man! It’s no wonder people gain an average of 2kgs over the festive season.

Here are my top tips on a healthier Christmas:

On the day

• Keep breakfasts healthy and start the day right. Choose special but lower fat treats like currant buns, fruit bread, your favourite fruit and greek yoghurt, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on a wholegrain bagel or wholemeal toast and chocolate spread. This will help keep you full and mean you are less likely to snack throughout the morning. Steer away from the pastries and save yourself for treats later in the day.
• Choose smoked salmon, a soup or melon as a starter.
• Turkey is low in fat and high in protein, so a great food to be eating. However watch those portion sizes! Have plenty of vegetables and don’t eat the skin.
• Those roasties may be delicious but stick to just a few. Cut them into large chunks so they absorb less fat. Use a vegetable oil instead of goose fat, if you want to support local producers look for a UK rapeseed oil.
• Christmas pudding is quite low in fat, but cream and brandy butter aren’t! Watch those portions and have a low fat custard or low fat creme fraiche as an option.

Through the festive season:

• It’s often the extras that cause the weight gain. Plan your treats in and don’t over buy. The supermarket bargains are tempting, but if you always know you have too many sweet treats around buy less this year.
• Snacks are tempting! Get some yummy olives, dried fruit and chestnuts instead of crisps, chocolate coated nuts and too much cheese. Try rice cakes, breadsticks, carrot sticks and homemade vegetable crisps with salsa instead of crisps and dips.
• Make your own open top mince pies, less pastry = lower fat. Have a fruit salad to hand as an option too.
• Alcohol contains calories! Get in some tasty no alcohol drinks in, make non alcoholic cocktails and use these to alternate drinks.
• Stay active. It’s so easy to stay indoors especially when it’s cold, but make a plan to stay active. Walks, bike rides, trips to the park with the children – it all counts.

Priya Tew is a registered dietitian who runs her own nutrition consultancy business, Dietitian UK.

As a mum and food lover she is passionate about helping people to discover good quality food and to show them how healthy eating is not just tasty but vitally important.

www.dietitianuk.co.uk

Stay food safe this Christmas

Christmas is a time when a lot of food is bought and consumed, sometimes rather too much of it too. We're often faced with the prospect of cooking unfamiliar things, after all it's not everyday we cook a huge turkey or rib of beef. And then there's the issue of all the surplus - what to do with all the leftovers.

Ultimately there is pressure on us to become the ultimate domestic goddess or even god – but what food safety issues do we need to think about?

Sarah Daniels of The Red Cat Partnership has given us a few simple tips to follow to ensure your Christmas is a merry one.

Buying and storing food
Firstly do not buy or prepare food too far in advance.
When buying food you must consider the use by date – this is the date the manufacturer/ producer can guarantee that if we have stored it correctly
(in the fridge) that it is safe to eat.

Do not buy food that you cannot eat before the end of this use by period.
You will also need to be mindful of the ‘once open consume within’ guidance given – this will over ride the shelf life and may only be 2 days.
So do not buy your perishable foods too far in advance. If you need to buy early then freeze as soon as you can after purchasing – more on defrosting later.

Best before dates are just that. The food tastes best before that date – it won’t harm you afterwards, though it may not taste as good as it should.

Keep perishable foods in the fridge and do not overload the fridge.
I know we want a chilled beer or glass of wine, but the foodstuffs that support nasty bacteria growing need to be kept refrigerated to ensure the food is safe to eat.

Also we should not overload our fridges – if air cannot circulate this can cause a rise in temperature which can cause a dangerous growth of bacteria.

Also we need to keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart.
Keep raw meats/ fish/ eggs and veg, particularly soily veg at the bottom of the fridge.

Preparing food
When preparing foods, this too, must not be done too far in advance.
If you're still eating the turkey on New Year’s day it is pushing it from a food safety perspective – prepare what you can eat within 2 –3 days.

If you are not going to eat it, portion it up and freeze as soon after cooking as you can.
Do cool foods quickly by portioning them, or taking them out of their cooking container as this will prevent nasty poisons / toxins developing.

Preparing the festive bird
There is no need to wash the bird – this can cause bacteria to be splashed and therefore spread around the kitchen. Those stomach upsetting bugs will be killed if the bird is cooked thoroughly.

Cooking and defrosting
If you need to defrost foods, do it in the fridge. This will take longer but it is safer. If there is no room in the fridge do it overnight whilst the central heating is off.
Ensure that all foods are thoroughly defrosted before cooking, otherwise the oven temperature will just defrost the meat and not cook it thoroughly.

Allow enough time for the cooking process.
Be mindful of how much food you need to cook at once and the order it needs to be cooked in. Most shops and magazines have countdown guides.
I would rather have a delayed festive meal than food poisoning, or a hard potato rather than an undercooked pink turkey!

Always check that poultry is cooked thoroughly – you do not need a probe – but pierce the bird/dish at the thickest point and ensure that juices are clear and the food is piping hot.

And lastly enjoy without the fear of a festive food poisoning!

Sarah Daniels is director of The Red Cat Partnership a health and safety consultancy based in Norwich.
Courses are available covering food safety with a team of chartered environmental health practitioners.
www.redcat.gb.com

The Spice of Life: The Health benefits of Chillies

Illustration: ©The Artisan Food Trail / Lisa Childs

We’ve been enjoying a fantastic chilli harvest in the AFT kitchen garden and with the tips that Jo from Edible Ornamentals has given us, the plants are still producing masses of flowers even though the weather has turned down the heat at night.

We eat a fair few chillies so were wondering whether they were doing us any good – well they are part of your five a day, but what else are they good for? There are numerous articles in the press attributing various health benefits associated with the eating of chillies, but just how much of it is based on actual scientific fact?

Well, who better to ask than Priya Tew of Dietitian UK.

AFT: So what are the ‘magic’ ingredients that make chillies good for us?
PT: Chillies contain a range of wonderful micronutrients including vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and Vitamin A. However it is a lesser known nutrient called Capsaicin which gives chillies some special health benefits. The more pungent the chilli, the more capsaicin it contains. So a Scotch bonnet contains more than a Spanish Pimento.

AFT: We all know having a good curry can clear out the nasal passages and can help if you feel like you have a cold coming. But what else can chillies help with?
PT: Chillies have been shown to aid blood sugar control so could be helpful in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. A study showed eating chilli as part of a meal helped lower the amount of insulin needed to bring down blood sugar levels after a meal (1).

AFT: We’ve read that the natural chemicals in chillies can act as a pain reliever and help inflammation, is this true?
PT: Capsaicin can be helpful in inflammation. It works by preventing a neuropeptide known as Substance P from working. Its has been suggested as being useful in arthritis, psoriases and diabetic neuropathy but may have far more uses in other inflammatory diseases too. Applying creams containing capsaicin have been shown to reduce pain although you may experience a slight burning sensation after application! (2).

AFT: There are lots of ‘super-foods’ that can apparently help fight heart disease, so do chillies have any ‘super’ properties?
PT: Capsaicin looks like it has benefits in cardiovascular disease as well. Eating meals containing chopped chillies can decrease the levels of dangerous cholesterol (3).

AFT: Is there any truth in articles we’ve read that chillies could help you shed a few pounds?
PT: There is also evidence to show that eating chilli raises your metabolism after a meal, hence you feel warmer – so you burn more calories, which could help with weight loss.

It certainly sounds like chillies are indeed beneficial to us all and even if you do find some chillies a little too hot at least you know they’re doing you good!

1. Ahuja KD, Robertson IK, Geraghty DP, Ball MJ. Effects of chili consumption on postprandial glucose, insulin, and energy metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 84(1):63-9 (2006).
2. Ellis CN, Berberian B, et al. A double-blind evaluation of topical capsaicin in pruritic psoriasis. J Amer Acad Dermatol 29:438-42 (1993).
3. Ahuja KD, Ball MJ. Effects of daily ingestion of chilli on serum lipoprotein oxidation in adult men and women. Br J Nutr. 2006 Aug;96(2):239-42. (2006).

Priya Tew is a registered dietitian who runs her own nutrition consultancy business, Dietitian UK.

As a mum and food lover she is passionate about helping people to discover good quality food and to show them how healthy eating is not just tasty but vitally important.

www.dietitianuk.co.uk

Life without gluten

© The Artisan Food Trail/Lisa Childs

*** 
Many things are easy to take for granted, foodstuffs especially so. Most of us don’t have to think an awful lot before we put something into our mouths and many certainly don’t need to consider whether it may be harmful to their wellbeing.
Living gluten free is not always as straightforward as it should be as so many foods contain gluten from various sources, wheat being the most known.
There is much confusion concerning the subject, so we found out more from AFT’s Industry Expert, Priya Tew of Dietitian UK, to get the facts straight.

AFT: What is gluten and how does it affect some people?
PT: Gluten is a protein that naturally occurs in wheat, barley, rye and spelt. It acts like a glue binding flours together and providing elasticity in bread. Eating gluten can cause an immune reaction in some people, where the small intestine becomes inflamed and damaged. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fatigue, headaches, wind and bloating.

AFT: Some people say they have a wheat intolerance which could be related to problems with gluten. Do they have a disease or are they just ‘sensitive’?
PT: There are two types of gluten reactions in the body – coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity. The difference between the two conditions is that coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease where eating gluten causes the body to produce antibodies that attack the bodies own tissues. It causes an allergic response in the body that can be tested for via a blood test. Gluten sensitivity is a non allergic response which cannot be tested for other than cutting gluten out of the diet and seeing a response.

In sensitive people eating gluten can not only cause pain and discomfort but also affect the absorption of other nutrients. The small intestine is lined with mucosa which have finger like projections called villi that stick out into the intestine to catch and absorb nutrients as they pass through. When these become damaged the intestinal wall is no longer able to absorb properly.

AFT: Obviously there are people who need to eliminate gluten in their diet for health reasons, but some choose to avoid it because they believe it is better for them. Do we need gluten in our diets?
PT: Eating a gluten free diet has become a lot more popular and a lot easier over the past few years. I wouldn’t advocate going gluten free just for the fun of it though, or as a way to lose weight. A gluten free diet can be a very healthy way to eat, but it is important to ensure you replace gluten containing foods with suitable alternatives or your diet will be lacking vital nutrients.

AFT: What kinds of foods contain gluten?
PT: Gluten containing foods include bread and bread products, pizza bases, pasta, noodles, couscous, cakes, biscuits, breakfast cereals, pastry and wheat flour. Less obvious sources are soups, sauces, stock cubes, cereal bars, soy sauce, sausages and most processed food.

AFT: That's a fair amount of every day foods that we all take for granted ruled out. Which foods are completely gluten free and are there any alternatives?
PT: There is a lot that is still gluten free, natural foods include meat, fish, fruit and vegetables rice, beans, quinoa, yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils. Numerous gluten free foods alternatives include rice products (rice cakes, rice noodles, rice), quinoa, buckwheat, corn, polenta, potatoes, yams and tapioca. There are a wealth of gluten free products now available to buy. Historically these have been dry, crumbly and tasteless, but that’s all changing.

AFT: For those unable to eat gluten often feel they miss out on treats such as cakes that contain wheat flour, is it possible to make cakes that taste good using gluten free ingredients?
PT: Gluten free baking is a whole new area but one that is a lot of fun. There are so many flours to try: polenta, corn meal, corn flour, buck wheat, potato flour, rice flour tapioca starch. Combine with arrowroot, xanthan gum or guar gums and you can create a whole wealth of yumminess.

AFT: When eating a gluten free diet, how do we keep it healthy?
PT: To ensure your diet is still well balanced keep gluten free starchy foods at each meal, alongside fruit and vegetables and protein (meat, fish or vegetarian alternatives).

AFT: What should you do if you think you have a problem with gluten?
PT: If you have a suspicion of coeliac disease it is important to continue eating gluten until you have been tested. The first step is to visit your GP, they will arrange a blood test that test your antibodies and possibly later an intestinal biopsy, where a small tissue fragment is collected and the villi are looked at to see if they are flattened or damaged.

Priya Tew is a registered dietitian who runs her own nutrition consultancy business, Dietitian UK.

As a mum and food lover she is passionate about helping people to discover good quality food and to show them how healthy eating is not just tasty but vitally important.

www.dietitianuk.co.uk

For information about coeliac disease, Coeliac UK have lots of helpful information www.coeliac.org.uk

Gluten free on The Artisan Food Trail
Although The Artisan Food Trail does not solely concentrate on specialist food for people with specific dietary requirements, many of the producers listed make gluten free products.
For those looking for gluten free products, The Artisan Food Trail has an area here where you can find goods which you can be absolutely sure are safe to eat.

If you're unsure whether a product is gluten free, you are welcome to contact any of the producers. www.artisanfoodtrail.co.uk

Oil's Well – why rapeseed oil is good for you

You may have heard about the endless health benefits of olive oil and the Mediterranean Diet, but did you know that Britain produces an oil that equals, and may even rival it?
Intrigued by this information we spoke to our Industry Expert, Priya Tew of Dietitian UK, to find out more about Britain’s golden elixir, that is rapeseed oil.

AFT: Rapeseed oil has been around for a very long time but not as a gourmet culinary ingredient, we’ve even heard that it was quite unpalatable.
PT: It was used in Asia and Europe as a lamp fuel and in WWII as a lubricant for steam engines. Now all these years later we have a version that has been bred to taste better and is actually good for us.

AFT: It is amazing to think that rapeseed oil was not considered a food, so now with it becoming part of our diet, what makes it so special for our health?
PT: Like olive oil, rapeseed oil is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fats, in fact it is made of about 60% Oleic acid (MUFA). This specific fat has been shown to have some significant health benefits.

AFT: Olive oil has become an ubiquitous store cupboard essential and we’d like to see more British people using rapeseed oil as it tastes good and is good for you. You say that rapeseed oil has much in common with olive oil, so how is it better for us?
PT: Back in the 1980’s some landmark research was conducted that looked at the diet and death rate of over 11,000 middle aged men in 7 Countries. They found that the Mediterranean men had a lower death rate from cancer and heart disease which was related to their diet. Eating less saturated fat and more monounsaturated fats (MUFA) was the key and Oleic acid was the main source of the monounsaturated fat that these men were eating (1). This is the main fat in rapeseed oil.

AFT: Obviously in addition to using rapeseed oil we would need to follow a balanced diet to enjoy all the health benefits. What is the Mediterranean diet?
PT: The Mediterranean diet contains plenty of fresh and unprocessed foods. With an emphasis on eating fruit and vegetables, beans and pulses, wholegrains, olive oil and nuts. Dairy foods, fish, poultry and red wine are eaten in moderate amounts. Only a small amount of saturated fats, salt and processed foods are eaten, most meals are cooked from scratch and flavoured with plenty of herbs and spices. Eating this type of diet can reduce death from heart disease by 10% and can also reduce cholesterol levels (2).

AFT: Rapeseed oil is still a fat, so how can it help people looking after their heart?
PT: Some small studies have suggested that using specifically more rapeseed oil could lower total cholesterol levels and more importantly lower the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) levels (3,4), once again supporting the fact that eating rapeseed oil can be good for your heart.
Rapeseed oil is a healthy fat to be choosing to include in your diet on a regular basis. Reducing your intake of saturated fats such as butter, cheese and processed foods and increasing avocados, nuts, seeds and rapeseed oil can help lower your risk of heart disease.

Priya Tew is a registered dietitian who runs her own nutrition consultancy business, Dietitian UK.

As a mum and food lover she is passionate about helping people to discover good quality food and to show them how healthy eating is not just tasty but vitally important.

www.dietitianuk.co.uk

If you haven’t yet tried rapeseed oil, we’d urge you to do so. It is great for cooking – use it for shallow frying and roasting – potatoes turn out wonderfully crisp. It is perfect for making dressings too.

To find out where you can get rapeseed oil from, take a look at our Oils section on The Artisan Food Trail here

For more about rapeseed oil the following articles and recipes should inspire you:
Say hello to yellow or why you should buy extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil
Zingy Honey Chilli Chicken recipe
‘A Very British’ Watercress Pesto recipe
Carrot Cake recipe
Roast Potatoes recipe

1. Keys A et al (1986). The diet and 15 year death rate in the Seven Countries Study. Am J Epidemiology 124: 903-15.
2. Sofi F, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A. Accruing evidence on benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov [cited 2011 Oct 24];92(5):1189-96. Abstract available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20810976
3. Gillingham LG et al (2011). High oleic canola and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutrition 105 (3) 417-27
4. Iggman D et al (2011). Replacing dairy fat with rapeseed oil causes rapid improvement of hyperlipidaemia: a randomized controlled study. J Intern Med 270 (4): 356-64.

Food Safety Week: 11th – 17th June 2012

Food Safety Week will take place from 11 to 17 June and the theme is ‘food safety on a budget’. This annual event, held to promote the importance of good food hygiene in the home, will focus on how people can ensure that they keep their food safe when trying to save money. This year it is supported by the Love Food Hate Waste campaign.

Emma Marsh, Community Partnership Manager at Love Food Hate Waste, commented: ‘The Love Food Hate Waste initiative is delighted to be supporting this year’s Food Safety Week. Making the most of our leftovers and understanding ‘use by’ dates, are not only key food safety issues but are also vital in reducing food waste. We hope that this will provide environmental health teams with the opportunity to work collaboratively with waste officers to communicate this important advice to local residents during Food Safety Week’.

Top tips for food safety on a budget

During Food Safety Week The Food Standards Agency will be reminding people of the following food safety advice.

Understanding ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates

• ‘Use by’ dates appear on foods that go off quickly. It can be dangerous to eat food past this date, even though it might look and smell fine. But if cooked or frozen its life can be extended beyond the 'use by' date.
• Check the ‘use by’ dates on the food in your fridge on a regular basis and be sure to use (eat, cook or freeze) food before its ‘use by’ to help you avoid throwing food away unnecessarily.
• Once food with a ‘use by’ date has been opened, follow any storage instructions such as ‘eat within 3 days of opening’.
• ‘Best before’ dates appear on food with a longer shelf life. They show how long the food will be at its best quality. Using food after the ‘best before’ doesn’t mean it will be unsafe. The exception to this is eggs, providing they are cooked thoroughly, they can be eaten a day or two after their ‘best before’ date.

Use leftovers safely
Eating leftovers can be a good way of making a meal go further.

• If you are going to store leftovers in the fridge, cool them as quickly as possible (ideally within 90 minutes) cover them and eat them up within two days.
• If you are going to freeze them, cool them before putting them in your freezer. Once foods are in the freezer, they can be safely stored there forever – but the quality will deteriorate so it’s best to eat them within three months.
• Make sure you defrost leftovers properly before reheating. Defrost them in the fridge over night, or in the microwave if you intend to cook them straightaway. Eat leftovers within 24 hours of defrosting and do not refreeze. The only exception is if you are defrosting raw food, such as meat or poultry, once it’s cooked it can be refrozen.
• Cook leftovers until steaming hot throughout.
• Don’t reheat leftovers more than once.

Plan your meals

• Before you go shopping check what’s in the fridge and freezer.
• Think about what you are going to eat that week and write it down.
• Make a list of what you need to buy and stick to it! Impulse buys can be expensive and, if not part of your plans, could lead to something else being wasted.
• If you do get tempted by special offers in the shop, like ‘buy one get one free’, think about adjusting your meal planner for the week to add it in, or freeze the extra pack before the ‘use by’ date. Or you could cook larger portions and save some for another time.
• Label food before it goes in the freezer, so you know what it is and how long it’s been there.

For more information and useful downloads see the Food Safety Week page on The Food Standards Agency website www.food.gov.uk