South African Food Review - Volume 38, Issue 4, April 2011

The packaging industry has lost an innovator, entrepreneur and gentleman with the passing on February 12^th of Alan Mason, MD of Buckle Packaging.

Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) bestowed a Scientific Achievement Award on Danisco for its range of scientifically proven probiotics. Every year, NBJ acknowledges key industry players for their contribution to the development of the nutrition industry in the categories of sustainability, education, science, organic excellence and philanthropy.

Fordcorp Pie Division, which produces Pieman's Pies, has received ISO 22000 certification for food safety management.

Danisco opened its South African Innovation Centre in Cape Town on 28 March.

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The premises is home to the first UHT pilot plant being made available in Sub Saharan, to the food industry. It is also in possession of the only Matcon blending system being used in the food industry in Africa.

Professor Marena Manley, winner of the CST-SA Excellence in Cereal Science and Technology Research and Development Prize, presented a paper to SAAFoST members and students at the University of Pretoria in February.

Roxanne Rolando spoke to two students studying food sciences to find out a little bit more about what they think of their degrees and the in-service training programmes they participate in and whether they feel they will be prepared for the food industry.

The roots of the Costa family are still deeply embedded in the SA olive industry that was started over 100 years ago in Cape Town.

Our fascination with food is unending. It is amazing to contemplate that after all these many years there are still chefs out there chasing down those unique flavour combinations that will delight their patrons and make a name for themselves. One would think every conceivable combination had been tried but hopefully the recipe featured in this article will convince you otherwise!

Today there are so many different kinds of olive oils and olive oil blends on the market that it can be very confusing to consumers.

The basic steps in making olive oil are always the same, no matter what kind of equipment is used, from hydraulic oil presses to very large commercial mills.

Buffet Olives has introduced two new flavoured pitted olives: garlic stuffed Manzanilla olives and lemon stuffed Manzanilla olives.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) hold the key to South Africa's future. It is through them that the country will create wealth and jobs, drive innovation and ultimately become prosperous. Yet levels of entrepreneurial activity and success are dismally low in the country. South Africa scores the third lowest out of 17 countries analysed in the peer group in terms of entrepreneurial activity. Perhaps even more worryingly, the success rates of South African entrepreneurs are extremely low.

Rosie Maguire, from In Essence, asked those that attended the SAAFoST Sensory Forum's fun day whether 'natural' still had a place in the South African food industry and introduced the latest trend: SIMPLICITY.

Due to a combination of drought and smaller rooibos harvests, production volumes have been lower this year and there will be less rooibos to go around, reports The South African Rooibos Council.

Investigations in Germany last year, showed that 25 different manufacturers of animal feed had received dioxin-contaminated fat since 12 November and that the feed was widely distributed.

The consumer is now receiving a level of protection that was previously reserved for the white rhino and other entities that we felt were an endangered species. The Consumer Protection Act changes all that - the consumer is now a much protected species. The Act does not require negligence to be a prerequisite for liability - there just needs to be a causal link between the defective product and the harm it causes. Product recalls, you could now say, are in season.

The new labelling legislation (R.146) is not news, but the more it is spoken of the more we realise that there is still a lot to learn and a lot to be done before 1 March, 2012. And for a small food business, particularly, the stress involved in preparing for this gigantic transition is phenomenal. It's also not news that the primary function of packaging is protection. There's no doubt, however, that it has also become an important medium for advertising. So, what will the implications of the new labelling legislation be to this aspect of the food industry?

It may be a fact that low-GI claims are made on products that are high in saturated fats and sodium but that does not necessarily make it ethical, reports Jan Delport, business manager at the GI Foundation of South Africa (GIFSA).

Can too much knowledge be a dangerous thing when it comes to consumers learning about the science of winemaking? I found myself mulling over this question while attending a three-day 'garagiste' winemaking course at Stellenbosch University, a course on winemaking is emerging as a popular hobby and career change for South African professionals.

SurePure's UV sterilisation has gone from milk to beer. The photo-purification method uses light instead of heat to purify raw ingredients.