Over the years, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing “Best Before” dates stamped on almost all packaged food products in Canadian supermarkets. These dates hint to consumers when a product retains its optimal taste and nutritional value. But what if this long-standing practice was on the verge of a monumental shift? Recent discussions surrounding food waste, sustainability, and consumer safety have sparked debates about the relevance and accuracy of “Best Before” dates. Could Canada be moving towards eliminating these dates? Understanding this evolving landscape is crucial for those eyeing a career in food safety. The Problem With Best Before Dates Many.. READ MORE »
The world of food technology takes you on a fascinating journey that blends science, ingenuity, and innovation, ultimately delivering exceptional culinary creations from concept to plate. At the core of this captivating field lies the product development process, where professionals navigate the intricate stages that transform ideas into delectable, market-ready food products. Acquiring specialized knowledge and skills through training helps empower budding industry professionals to traverse this dynamic process successfully, crafting exceptional food products that tantalize taste buds and adhere to safety standards. The Food and Edible Technology, Safety and Quality Post-Graduate Diploma Program at AAPS offers students a comprehensive.. READ MORE »
Product testing is a systematic approach used to evaluate and assess the safety, quality, and performance of various consumer goods available in the market. This scientific process involves subjecting products to comprehensive examination, experimentation, and analysis to determine their compliance with regulatory standards, safety protocols, and consumer expectations. Testing procedures encompass various factors, including chemical composition, physical properties, durability, toxicity levels, and potential health risks associated with product use. The significance of product testing extends to the identification, analysis, and quantification of food allergens. Given that food allergies affect over 2.6 million Canadians, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,.. READ MORE »
Ensuring food safety is a top priority for any business. In any food production environment, manufacturers must follow strict practices to ensure that the food meets a safe standard for public consumption. With guidelines on proper handling, cooking and storage, food safety controls work as a defense against foodborne illnesses and, in many provinces, are required by law. While many factors affect the growth of pathogens in food, time and temperature are two of the most important variables to control along the production chain. Time and temperature controls should be applied to foods including dairy products, eggs, meat, tofu, and.. READ MORE »
Food safety is a top priority for manufacturers. They must implement policies and follow rigorous guidelines in production and processing environments to ensure that all items released to market are safe for public consumption. A failure to comply with such measures can lead to foodborne illnesses, which may in the worst of circumstances lead to loss of life. Further consequences of such incidents can include a reduction in public confidence, serving to damage the brand’s reputation for a long time. To understand some of the top causes of compromised food safety, and what best practices can be employed in food.. READ MORE »
Processed food has a wide-reaching definition. The USDA defines a food as processed if it has undergone any changes to its natural state. This can include foods that have been washed, cut, heated, pasteurized, cooked, canned, frozen, dehydrated, and more. Nearly all food is processed in some way. As humans, we have been processing food nearly since the inception of our species. As a professional in food quality control, it’s important to know what food processing means, its implications, and its history. Here’s a brief overview of the history of food processing. Early History of Processed Foods Humans have been.. READ MORE »
Are best before dates and expiry dates the same thing? Here’s a look at what the two terms mean, and how they affect food safety and food waste in Canada.
There’s been no shortage of fun food trends over the last few years. Unicorn frappes, mermaid food, and other beautiful and tasty options have taken over social media platforms. Now people from all over the world swear by the rumoured sleep-inducing properties of Moon Milk, a simple drink that combines milk and herbal supplements and spices. Everyone has their own unique recipe, which many like to showcase on social media platforms such as Pinterest. Are you an ambitious student with a desire to carve out a career for yourself in the food industry? Here is a comprehensive guide on this.. READ MORE »
The phrase “vegan cheese” is often met with skepticism by vegans and omnivores alike. For many eco-conscious eaters, the prospect of giving up cheese is the final barrier that prevents them from making the leap from vegetarianism to veganism. This is because, up until quite recently, vegan cheese options were fairly limited and dissimilar from the original dairy product. However, through developments in food science, safety, and quality, vegan cheese has become a much more palatable option for anyone who needs to remove dairy from their diets. These innovations could also have important implications for food quality control and assurance.. READ MORE »
The process of canning as we know it can be traced as far back as the early 1800s and the efforts of Parisian Chef Nicolas Appert. When first beginning to look for ways to preserve his culinary creations, Appert thought that oxygen was what caused spoilage and that food could be preserved by minimizing air flow. He soon discovered that he was partially right. After further investigation, he also realized that heating an item could help preserve it. With this in mind, he began to preserve food by applying heat and putting it into a glass jar, corking it like.. READ MORE »
