 
Bacteria on food processing surfaces
Manufacturers will be better able to assess whether current hygiene practices are achieving their aim in controlling the spread of contamination and whether effective cleaning is being undertaken, by improved knowledge of the types and sources of the bacteria that occur on food processing surfaces. Little is known about whether microorganisms on food processing surfaces are resident or whether they are transient, being removed by cleaning and subsequently recolonising. It is also unclear whether these organisms vary from one part of the plant to another, and whether they are the same as the organisms found in food products. Over 3000 samples from products and the environment have been analysed and isolates confirmed by traditional methods and genetic fingerprinting. Some isolates were found only in the environment, others in only the products and others in both.The 173 isolates of Listeria monocytogenes were represented by 18 ribogroups, one of which was collected from five different food factories. Another strain was found to have survived in the processing environment for at least thirty months after it was first isolated. These findings will help industry evaluate the relative risks of different pathogenic strains and ensure that sanitation practices are targetted effectively. Contact: Karen Hall (Tel: +44 (0)1386 842204) e-mail k.hall@campden.co.uk New Bakery Training Facilities 
As part of a major expansion in the area of training of personnel involved in the production of bakery products, new purpose-built facilities have now been fully commissioned at CCFRA. The new facilities have enabled us to significantly extend the scope of training we can offer. Terry Sharp, Head of the Bakery and Cereal Processing Department, explains the trends in the bakery industry which make these new facilities so important: "With the current trend for people to move between jobs more quickly, they are increasingly having to cover a lot of ground in a short space of time. Ironically, the number of people who can provide the quality training and information required in the right way is limited. We have a long history of supplying such services and are being called upon to supply ever-increasing amounts of specialised training. Our events are organised to explain the technical and practical principles of manufacture of a wide range of products, from bread to biscuits, cakes and pastries to doughnuts, and crackers and wafers to croissants. The new training area includes a range of state-of-the-art processing equipment and excellent viewing facilities that make teaching and learning that much easier. Bakery ingredient suppliers are one of the major requesters for training - they in turn are being increasingly relied upon by their customers to supply information which requires in-depth knowledge of ingredient functionality." The training programme is supported by a full enquiry and consultancy service, and the trainers themselves are involved in research and development of direct practical relevance to bakery industry personnel. A number of software packages and related publications are also available which look at product fault identification and resolution, ingredient functionality, and many general aspects of bakery production.
Contacts: Terry Sharp: +44 (0)1386 842137 e-mail
t.sharp@campden.co.uk
  Colloid technology application seminar As part of the IMPACT programme to develop colloid technology in the food and drinks industry, CCFRA is holding an introductory workshop on 26th April. IMPACT is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of the Faraday partnership initiative. The objectives of this workshop are to:
Contact: Dr. Mike Stringer NIR check scheme A high standard of equipment performance is an essential prerequisite for obtaining reliable and consistent results in all analytical situations. Near Infrared Spectroscopy is used regularly to assess the protein contents of ground wheat and flour, and CCFRA is now offering a scheme for companies to check the performance of their machines. This involves participants being sent 6 samples of wheat and/or flour (as specified by the client) every month (or every 2 months outside the UK) covering a range of protein levels. Participants analyse the samples using their normal NIR procedures and return results to CCFRA, where they are collated and compared with those from laboratories performing standard Dumas measurements. Participants are then able to confidentially assess the performance of their equipment and methods and, if necessary, consult CCFRA for advice on how to improve performance.
Contact: Emily Hart Identification of insect foreign bodies  Insects are quite often reported as foreign bodies in food products, and their identification to species level can help in determining when and where they gained access to the food. At CCFRA we have the specialised identification keys and skills necessary to do this. Characteristics that can be used include the geographical distribution of the species, and its preferred habitat and food source. Knowledge of the source of the contamination can then allow processors to take action to prevent a recurrence.
Contact: Lee Miles Foot-and-mouth expert at CCFRA seminar Professor Roy Anderson, FRS, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College School of Medicine, presented a key-note paper entitled 'Foot and Mouth Disease - A Scientific Overview' at the most recent Meat & Poultry seminar, which covered "Animal welfare, traceability and accreditation schemes". Professor Anderson was a Senior Advisor to the Government on the analysis and control of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. His talk gave an overview of the disease and its epidemiology, covering virus type, its spread throughout the UK in 2001, the approach taken to control it and cull statistics. He also discussed the implications of vaccination, and a lively question and answer session ensued. The seminar was the third in a series held in 2001. The first seminar in the 2002 series is entitled 'Understanding fermented meats' and will take place on 18 April 2002.
Contact: Liz Mulvey 25 years at CCFRA Lynette Lewis, personal secretary to the Director-General, has become the latest member of staff to complete 25 years service at CCFRA. Lynette started her career doing general office secretarial work, but quickly progressed, becoming personal secretary to Colin Dennis when he joined the RA in 1981 as Head of the Food Technology Division. At a staff meeting in December, Colin thanked Lynette for her many years of support and her highly professional approach to her work. Publications Training Sensory Panels - new guidance To get the best from a sensory panel, considerable care has to be taken in selecting panel members, ensuring that they are trained appropriately, and monitoring the performance of the panel as a whole. Guidelines for the selection and training of assessors for descriptive sensory analysis (Guideline No. 37) was written with a group of expert sensory scientists to help with the practicalities of these tasks. It provides an easy-to-follow step-by-step approach to panel recruitment, training and monitoring, working through each in turn. With regards to recruitment, for example, it covers planning, advertising, application procedures, interviews, screening tests, and recruitment criteria. It looks at the importance and likely content of training, both of individuals and the panel as a whole, and describes how graphical and statistical tools can be used in monitoring. The guide is priced at £50 per copy for members.
Technical contact: Mr. David Lyon, CCFRA Tel:
+44(0)1386 842099 e-mail:
d.lyon@campden.co.uk CCFRA Research and Development Reports During 2001 CCFRA published 31 Research and Development Reports, summarising the findings of the member funded research programme and other projects. Topics covered included cleaning raw vegetables and fruits, modified atmosphere packaging, cereal product quality, sensory and consumer studies, molecular methods in food chemistry and microbiology, mathematical modelling of microbial spoilage and of microbial death kinetics, time temperature integrators, pesticide residue levels and risks of airborne contamination of food products. Single copies of each report are available free on request to members. Most are restricted to CCFRA members only - a significant benefit of membership. A full list of reports published in 2001 can be found in the Research section of the CCFRA website at www.campden.co.uk, and is available in paper copy on request. Contact: Mrs. Carol Newman, Publications Officer, Tel: +44(0)1386 842048 Fax:+44(0)1386 842100 e-mail: pubs@campden.co.uk |