The Kosher and Halal Food Laws

Knowledge of the kosher and halal dietary laws is important to the Jewish and Muslim populations who observe these laws and to food companies that wish to market to these populations and to interested consumers who do not observe these laws. The kosher dietary laws determine which foods are “fit or proper” for Jews and deal predominantly with 3 issues: allowed animals, the prohibition of blood, and the prohibition of mixing milk and meat. These laws are derived from the Torah and the oral law received by Moses on Mount Sinai (Talmud). Additional laws cover other areas such as grape products, cheese, baking, cooking, tithing, and foods that may not be eaten during the Jewish festival of Passover. Halal laws are derived from the Quran and the Hadith, the traditions of the prophet Muhammad. As with Kosher laws, there are specific allowed animals and a prohibition of the consumption of blood. Additionally, alcohol is prohibited.     

Consumer perceptions of foods processed by innovative and emerging technologies: A conjoint analytic study

Conjoint analytic surveys were administered to 225 potential consumers of foods processed by innovative and emerging food technologies in order to assess the factors contributing to their interest in using such products. Respondents included 1) a consumer panel of civilian lab employees, 2) shoppers in a mall in the northeastern U.S., and 3) U.S. military troops on training exercises. Respondents rated their interest in 49 different food product concepts that varied in food type, processing or production technology, costs, benefits, risks, endorsing agencies, and product information. Results showed that the relative importance of factors did not vary greatly among the consumer groups. Perceived risks associated with the technologies were the most important factors influencing interest in use. Among the emerging technologies assessed, irradiation and genetic modification resulted in the greatest negative effect on likely use, while high pressure processing produced the most positive effect. The term “cold preservation” had positive associations for all groups, but “minimally processed” had negative associations. Implications of the data for the marketing of foods processed by innovative and emerging technologies are discussed.Industrial relevanceThe food industry is currently interested in a variety of novel production and processing technologies that may result in economical and improved quality products. However, consumer attitudes toward and conceptions of these new technologies can greatly influence their success in the marketplace. The results of this study show that “perceived risks” of the technologies are the most important determinant of interest in their use by consumers. This and other data uncovered in this study suggest that industry must be vigilant in their knowledge of consumer attitudes toward these processes in order to avoid unexpected failure of these products upon market introduction.     

Novel natural food preservatives and applications in seafood preservation: a review

Food preservative additives are natural or synthetic substances which delay degradation in foods caused by microbial growth, enzyme activity, and oxidation. Until recently, the use of synthetic additives in food was more common. However, synthetic additives have not been widely accepted by consumers in recent years due to their assumed adverse effects on their health. Therefore, the tendency of consumers to natural additives is increasing day-by-day. Seafood is an easily perishable food due to its chemical composition. Immediately after harvest, changes in odor, taste, and texture in fishery products can be noticed. For this reason, measures to protect the product must be taken immediately after harvest or catching. Various preservation methods have been developed. In addition to various technological methods, preservative additives are used in fresh or processed seafood as well as in other foods. This review focuses on novel natural preservatives from different sources such as plants, bacteria, fungi, animals and algae, and their use in seafood to protect quality and prolong shelf life. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Preserving quality of fresh-cut products using safe technologies

Food preservation is critical for keeping the global food supply safe and available for consumers. Food scientists study production and processing to develop new technologies that improve the quality and quantity of healthy food products, with the main objective of increasing food production without affecting food quality and environment, while fulfilling consumer expectations. Nowadays consumers want their food to be fresh, nutritious, safe, and attractive, low priced, and ready-to-eat. That is the case of fresh-cut products; however, maintaining the quality of these products is not an easy task, since minimally processed products experience increased ethylene production and respiration rates, with the consequent lost of quality. New effective and inexpensive technologies to safely preserve the quality of fresh-cut products are needed. In the last two decades, food scientists have attempted to solve problems in fresh-cut processing and quality preservation, and rapid advances in scientific knowledge on fresh-cut product preservation have been developed. The present review describes the use of emerging technologies such as ultraviolet irradiation (UV-C), edible coatings, active packaging and natural additives, to preserve the quality of fresh-cut fruits; highlighting the areas in which information is still lacking, and commenting on future trends.     

Preserving quality of fresh-cut products using safe technologies

Food preservation is critical for keeping the global food supply safe and available for consumers. Food scientists study production and processing to develop new technologies that improve the quality and quantity of healthy food products, with the main objective of increasing food production without affecting food quality and environment, while fulfilling consumer expectations. Nowadays consumers want their food to be fresh, nutritious, safe, and attractive, low priced, and ready-to-eat. That is the case of fresh-cut products; however, maintaining the quality of these products is not an easy task, since minimally processed products experience increased ethylene production and respiration rates, with the consequent lost of quality. New effective and inexpensive technologies to safely preserve the quality of fresh-cut products are needed. In the last two decades, food scientists have attempted to solve problems in fresh-cut processing and quality preservation, and rapid advances in scientific knowledge on fresh-cut product preservation have been developed. The present review describes the use of emerging technologies such as ultraviolet irradiation (UV-C), edible coatings, active packaging and natural additives, to preserve the quality of fresh-cut fruits; highlighting the areas in which information is still lacking, and commenting on future trends.     

Microbial safety and consumer acceptability of high-pressure processed hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria)

Littleneck hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) harvested from New Jersey coastal waters in the United States were high-pressure processed (HPP) in their shells using a 10 L high-pressure processing unit. A response surface (RS) methodology approach was used to optimize the pressure and time parameters for microbial inactivation caused by the high-pressure application. The total surviving microbial load in the hard clams was enumerated after processing at each experimental condition. The results indicated that log reduction in total plate count (TPC) due to high-pressure processing of hard clams was primarily a function of pressure. Pressure of at least 480 MPa was needed to achieve 1-log reduction in TPC in hard clams harvested from special restricted waters. In a parallel study, a panel of 60 regular raw clams consumers tasted both raw and processed hard clams that were harvested from approved waters and HPP at 310 MPa for 3 min. The consumers showed equal preference for processed and raw hard clams. Two subgroups of hard clam consumers were revealed; 1 group preferred the plumpness of the HPP clam and the other group preferred aroma of the unprocessed clam. Thus, plumpness and aroma may influence consumer acceptance of HPP hard clams. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: High-pressure processing has gained momentum as a processing technique that aids in retention of fresh appearance in foods. It holds promise as a method to process premium value food products while retaining quality attributes. Quantification of its impact on safety and consumer acceptance is critical for its acceptance and use in the food industry.     

Consumer attitude towards information on non conventional technology

The increasing demand for healthy and nutritious products as a consequence of consumers being better educated and more demanding, contributes to a continuous need for new products, and a more differentiated food product assortment. Many consumers are choosing foods closer to those ‘in natura’. This scenario contributes to the development of emerging technologies which may lead to the availability of products with better sensory and nutritional quality. However, the concern about the acceptance of such products becomes an important factor during their developments. This study aimed at evaluating the consumer attitude towards the information presented on the label about the technology used for the fruit juice processing — high pressure — by Brazilian consumers. Focus group sessions were conducted with students and housewives to obtain information about consumers’ awareness, attitudes, opinions, behaviours, and concerns toward processed foods and beverages, and to provide strategies that could aid in marketing products. A protocol delineating the sequence of question to be asked in each focus group was designed beforehand and applied to each group. Discussions were conducted with two groups each of students and of housewives. Pineapple juice labels were created by varying the nutritional, sensory, and technological information about the product were used to motivate the discussion. Although the participants in this study were very different in terms of age and level of education, most of their perceptions about the pineapple juices were similar. The students and the housewives considered the information about the technology an important factor during the product evaluation, however, the employed ladies who worked at the administrative side of a food research institution asked for more explanation about the technology in order to show the benefits it could provide to consumers.     

Progress and challenges associated with halal authentication of consumer packaged goods

Abusive business practices are increasingly evident in consumer packaged goods. Although consumers have the right to protect themselves against such practices, rapid urbanization and industrialization result in greater distances between producers and consumers, raising serious concerns on the supply chain. The operational complexities surrounding halal authentication pose serious challenges on the integrity of consumer packaged goods. This article attempts to address the progress and challenges associated with halal authentication. Advancement and concerns on the application of new, rapid analytical methods for halal authentication are discussed. The significance of zero tolerance policy in consumer packaged foods and its impact on analytical testing are presented. The role of halal assurance systems and their challenges are also considered. In conclusion, consensus on the establishment of one standard approach coupled with a sound traceability system and constant monitoring would certainly improve and ensure halalness of consumer packaged goods. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Eleven shades of food integrity: A halal supply chain perspective

BackgroundFood integrity is not only related to the good quality of the food product, nonetheless, it distresses closely more on the health, safety, religious and cultural matters. Weaknesses in handling, monitoring, processing and other factors along the food’s supply chain outbreaks the recent food integrity scandal. These outbreak food integrity scandals could be prevented if clear aspects that affect the food integrity were embraced along the food supply chain. This article is aiming to highlight the factors affecting food integrity in the context of the halal food supply chain and their potential for future research.Scope and approachThis review attempts to provide a wider view of supply chain management in the halal food industry. Attention is drawn to the literature on other food industries and the results there are put in the context of the halal food setting. In this review, it emphasizes the factors could be monitor or control that contributes to the problem of food integrity.Key findings and conclusionsEleven ‘shades’ of food integrity in the halal supply chain are offered, which can be categorized into four supply chain dimensions, related to raw materials, production, service, and the consumer. Each shade is defined and aligned with the results in the literature, and areas for future research are suggested. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided. The ‘shades’ highlighted can be used and considered by managers as fundamental insights to ponder in safeguarding the integrity of halal products.     

Advances in the industrial production of halal and kosher red meat

The worldwide volume and value of trade in halal and kosher meat and co-products are huge. Muslim countries alone consumed meat estimated to be worth USD 57.2 billion in 2008. The halal and kosher principles that govern the production of red meat have many similarities, as well as some fundamental differences. Perhaps the most significant difference is that at the time of slaughter, the animal needs only to be alive to meet the minimum halal requirement, but must be both alive and conscious for kosher. It is for this reason that reversible pre-slaughter stunning is acceptable only for halal meat, although a compromise form of post-slaughter stunning is now considered kosher in some countries. Extensive research on animal physiology and welfare has characterised and optimised the methods for stunning livestock, and enabled advancement in associated technologies. This forms the basis for harmonising the religious and secular requirements for the protection of animal welfare at slaughter. These technologies and the associated processing practices for the industrial production of halal and kosher meat are reviewed in this paper.     

Cured meat products without direct addition of nitrate or nitrite: what are the issues?

The growing popularity of food products marketed in the United States as "natural" and "organic" has resulted in a proliferation of marketing efforts to meet consumer demands for these foods. Because natural and organic foods are not permitted to use chemical preservatives, the traditional curing agents used for cured meats, nitrate and/or nitrite, cannot be added to natural and organic processed meat products. However, alternative processes that utilize ingredients with high nitrate content, such as vegetable-based ingredients, and a nitrate-reducing starter culture can produce processed meats with very typical cured meat properties. Because it is not possible to analytically measure the amount of nitrite produced by this process, several potential issues deserve consideration. Regulations, for example, should permit labeling that accurately reflects the process and products, manufacturing procedures must be standardized to achieve product consistency, marketing efforts should clearly communicate the nature of these products to consumers, product quality must be maintained, and microbiological safety must be assured.     

Consumer awareness of salt and sodium reduction and sodium labeling

Reduction of dietary sodium by reduction of sodium in foods is a current industry target. Quantitative information on consumer knowledge of sodium and reduction of dietary sodium is limited. The objectives of this study were to characterize consumer knowledge and awareness of sodium and salt reduction in foods. Consumers (n= 489) participated in a quantitative internet survey designed to gather knowledge and attitudes towards dietary sodium, sodium in foods, and health. Eating habits and food consumption characteristics, knowledge of salt and sodium, and interest in health and wellness were probed. Saltiness believe and sodium knowledge indices were calculated based on correct responses to salt levels in food products. Kano analysis was conducted to determine the role of nutrition labels and satisfaction/dissatisfaction of foods. Consumers were aware of the presence of sodium in "salty" foods, and that sodium was part of salt. People who had a family history of certain diseases associated with a higher intake of dietary sodium did not necessarily have more knowledge of the relationship between sodium intake and a specific disease compared to consumers with no family history. Sodium content on the food label panel did not influence consumer dissatisfaction; however, sodium content did not necessarily increase consumer product satisfaction either. The addition of a healthy nutrient (that is, whole grain, fiber) into a current food product was appealing to consumers. For nutrient labeling, a "reduced" claim was more appealing to consumers than a "free" claim for "unhealthy" nutrients such as fat, sodium, and sugar. Practical Application: This study demonstrated the current state of consumer knowledge on sodium and salt reduction, and consumer perception of the relationship between diets high in sodium and many chronic diseases. Information that may contribute to consumer satisfaction on nutrition panel labeling was also determined.     

The development of fruit‐based functional foods targeting the health and wellness market: a review

Functional foods and their health benefits beyond individual nutrients present challenges to the traditional ‘nutrition’ approach to foods. Epidemiological studies suggest that regular or increased consumption of fruits may promote general health and well‐being as well as reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Therefore, a broad range of research amongst academic, industry and government institutes has been stimulated in attempts to add the goodness of fruits into popular consumer foods. This article provides a brief overview of the research opportunities in the emerging functional foods area, with an emphasis on fruit‐derived products. Based on recent research in the fruit‐based functional food area, a structured approach for designing and developing functional finished products is presented. Included are the technical challenges and their associated solutions during food design, formulation, processing and storage. A consumer‐oriented food product development process is highlighted. Controlling the interactions among the targeted bioactives and other food components during food processing, handling and storage is the key to ensure that a stable and appealing functional food is produced. Manipulating the beneficial synergies among food ingredients, and among food formulation and processing methods, has the potential to lead to substantial food innovations.     

Recent trends in the use of food additives in the United Kingdom

The E number system for food additives was introduced in the 1960s and the E was intended to reassure consumers that permitted additives were safe. In the 1980s full ingredient declarations had to be provided on food products for the first time and manufacturers were permitted to use either the name or the number of the additive on the ingredient list. This paper outlines some of the trends in the sourcing, use and labelling of additives since the introduction of full ingredient listing. Generally, sourcing has become more global with a large number of suppliers being based in China. From an initial use of E numbers in ingredient lists, manufacturers are increasingly using the names of additives. This trend is being extended to avoid the use of anything the consumer might consider an additive, particularly in connection with colours and preservatives. Specifically, the colours used in the Southampton study on the impact of food colours on hyperactivity in children have largely been replaced by colouring foodstuffs, and the preservative used in the study, sodium benzoate, has been replaced by potassium sorbate in the majority of soft drinks. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Halal and kosher slaughter methods and meat quality: A review

There are many slaughter procedures that religions and cultures use around the world. The two that are commercially relevant are the halal and kosher methods practiced by Muslims and Jews respectively. The global trade in red meat and poultry produced using these two methods is substantial, thus the importance of the quality of the meat produced using the methods. Halal and kosher slaughter per se should not affect meat quality more than their industrial equivalents, however, some of their associated pre- and post-slaughter processes do. For instance, the slow decline in blood pressure following a halal pre-slaughter head-only stun and neck cut causes blood splash (ecchymosis) in a range of muscles and organs of slaughtered livestock. Other quality concerns include bruising, hemorrhages, skin discoloration and broken bones particularly in poultry. In addition to these conventional quality issues, the “spiritual quality” of the meat can also be affected when the halal and kosher religious requirements are not fully met during the slaughter process. The nature, causes, importance and mitigations of these and other quality issues related to halal and kosher slaughtering and meat production using these methods are the subjects of this review.     

Effect of Thermal and Nonthermal Processing on Textural Quality of Plant Tissues

In the current fast revolving world, the consumption of processed food is increasing drastically. The population who depend on these processed foods are also cautious about the quality and safety of what they consume. This being the case, in order to satisfy the consumer it is the responsibility of the researcher and the manufacturer to check what happens to food on processing. Plant-derived foods such as fruits and vegetables are sensitive producers which are to be handled cautiously through each steps involved in processing, starting from harvest to storage, processing to package, transportation to distribution, till it reaches the consumer. During processing, the plant materials, which are made up of complex structural components such as lignin, cellulose, pectin, etc. undergo changes which has its effect on the quality attributes of the final product. Texture is an important quality parameter of all the sensory properties. The relation between the structure of the plant tissue and the texture of the final product is reviewed in this paper comprehensively.     

Consumer acceptance of reformulated food products: A systematic review and meta-analysis of salt-reduced foods

Food product reformulation is promoted as an effective strategy to reduce population salt intake and address the associated burden of chronic disease. Salt has a number of functions in food processing, including impacting upon physical and sensory properties. Manufacturers must ensure that reformulation of foods to reduce salt does not compromise consumer acceptability.

The aim of this systematic review is to determine to what extent foods can be reduced in salt without detrimental effect on consumer acceptability.

Fifty studies reported on salt reduction, replacement or compensation in processed meats, breads, cheeses, soups, and miscellaneous products. For each product category, levels of salt reduction were collapsed into four groups: <40%, 40–59%, 60–79% and ≥80%. Random effects meta-analyses conducted on salt-reduced products showed that salt could be reduced by approximately 40% in breads [mean change in acceptability for reduction <40% (?0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) ?0.62, 0.08; p = 0.13)] and approximately 70% in processed meats [mean change in acceptability for reductions 60–69% (?0.18, 95% CI ?0.44, 0.07; p = 0.15)] without significantly impacting consumer acceptability. Results varied for other products.

These results will support manufacturers to make greater reductions in salt when reformulating food products, which in turn will contribute to a healthier food supply.     

食品中使用的几种无机钙盐的分析比较

随着科学技术的发展进步,人们对食品添加剂以及加工助剂的研究也越来越多,各种食品添加剂及加工助剂的用途也逐渐被人们所掌握。在使用时人们不仅专注于食品添加剂及加工助剂的一般功能,同时还关注它们的营养功能。缺钙是中国人的普遍现象,所以作为食品添加剂及加工助剂使用的钙盐越来越受到人们的青睐。但是不同的钙盐有着不同的作用以及应用范围,有必要对GB2760-2011中规定的几种作为食品添加剂或加工助剂的无机钙盐进行一番分析比较。