Teacher wins nutrition award

A school teacher from Auckland has won the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation and Kellogg New Zealand 2011 Nutritionist Development Award for the research she is doing on food literacy education.

Wendy Slatter is Head of Food Technology at Epsom Girls and becomes the first teacher to win the award in its 15 year history. She is currently undertaking a PhD at University of Auckland and is a former recipient of a Royal Society of New Zealand Teacher Fellowship.

Wendy’s research aims to establish what makes us ‘food literate’ – that is, having a better knowledge of food and how to apply that knowledge.  Food education is compulsory in New Zealand, but recognising the most effective and relevant form of that education is less clear cut.  Wendy argues that clarifying ‘food literacy’ is crucial. “We have to know what it is about food we actually need to teach,” she says. “Focused teaching practices to increase food literacy will help to improve the nutritional status of New Zealanders by making them more aware of the food choices in their everyday lives.”

Sue Pollard, CEO of the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation, says the Foundation is excited to award such an innovative teacher.  “Wendy’s concept of food literacy will re-focus the future of nutrition education in New Zealand schools,” Pollard commented.

Julian Ng, Marketing Manager, Kellogg New Zealand says. “As a teacher, Wendy moves this award into an exciting new area of nutrition. Kellogg’s is delighted to be supporting her research and passion for improved nutrition education in New Zealand.”

The Nutritionist Development Award, was first established in 1995 to promote professional development for those working in New Zealand in the field of nutrition.  Past winners have gone on to work in areas such as public health, the food industry and academic research.

About New Zealand Nutrition Foundation

Established in the 1980s, the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation is a professional, non‐profit organisation that believes all New Zealanders should have access to accurate information enabling them to make informed choices about food and the effect it has on their health.

The Foundation works pro‐actively on nutrition issues with Government and its agencies, the food industry, health promotion groups, schools, the public and media. It supports nutrition campaigns promoting well‐researched nutrition messages and education programmes in identified areas of need. An independent Scientific Advisory Group ensures the Foundation’s academic excellence.

For more information visit the Foundation’s website at: www.nutritionfoundation.org.nz

New Survey on consumers' confusion with information on food labels

A recent study commissioned by ImpactPR has added to the knowledge already available about consumers response to information in food product labels. Full article here

Information on legislated requirements for inclusion in food labels here

IUFoST seeks nominations for Lifetime Achievement, Young Scientist Excellence Awards

The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Lifetime Achievement and Young Scientist Excellence Awards. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual for pre-eminence in and contributions to the field of food science and technology over his/her career. The individual will have made significant contributions to scientific knowledge with impact in areas such as the following: food safety; food quality; human nutrition; product, process, package innovation; food security (availability, accessibility, affordability); consumer acceptability; communication of food science and technology, regulations, and combinations of the above. The Young Scientist Award recognizes an individual in the initial phases of her/his career for the potential to make outstanding scientific contributions to the field of food science and technology and the potential for future scientific leadership. IUFoST presented the 2010 Lifetime Achievement and Young Scientist awards to J. Ralph Blanchfield (UK) and Peng Zhou (China), respectively, at the ceremony in Madrid last year. This year’s awards ceremony will take place during FiE in Paris, France, on Nov. 29, 2011. The deadline for receipt of nominations is Sept. 30, 2011. Criteria and nomination form

From IFT Newsletter Aug 31)

Vegetable drying innovation for a Japanese pot noodle

A portion of Wattie's 2011 harvest of 11,000 tonnes of carrots is destined for Japanese pot noodles, as dried flakes.

While the orange vegetable is used widely by Wattie’s in frozen vegetables and soup ranges, none may be as innovative as the carrot supplied to a Japanese customer for its pot noddle product.

Export Manager Donald Park explains that to win this customer’s business Wattie’s had to be sure its carrot flakes would float to the top of the pot noodle in three minutes or less, while still maintaining the colour and texture of carrot.

“We use two technologies to achieve this without compromising the quality, taste or goodness of the carrot.  This customer’s  carrots are part of the 20% of the crop which is dehydrated for export as ingredients in other food product.

“We take the carrot destined for pot noddle product through a special drying process that ensures the carrot floats, and through this innovation we have won a very valued customer.”

“This crop is harvested within an average of 45kms of the Hornby plant, and unlike peas and beans, the growers themselves are responsible for harvest. The carrots are “crowned” and lifted in the paddock so that the Hornby  plant receives only the bright orange root vegetable.  The fluffy green leaves and crown of the carrot stay in the paddock as valuable sheep feed or are cultivated back as nutrient replacement.“

The variety of carrot most commonly used by Wattie’s is called “Carsen”, a processing carrot with a strong orange colour.  Approximately 80% of the crop is washed, diced – mainly Julienne style - blanched and frozen, and the balance is now dehydrated.