Several articles in Ghanian newspapers refer to the 25th June launch of a composite cassava/maize flour. It is Manufactured by Women in Agriculture Development of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

The articles tend to imply that the maize/cassava composite can be used to make bread on its own. However, any baker knows that wheat flour is necessary to make any raised bread and that only a few percent of other starch materials can be substituted for flour if the bread is not to taste different.

What I find more interesting is that this is a government initiative – do you think that such an approach has a real chance of success?

This research came to the conclusion that serving the right biscuit in the boardroom contributes to clinching business deals!

Some of the pearls in the report are:

.. 58 per cent said biscuits can “positively influence a company’s first impressions”.

.. biscuits were deemed the second most important aspect when hobnobbing in the boardroom, coming behind only the type of tables and chairs provided. Biscuits were prioritised over the lighting, technology and artwork in the room.

The classic chocolate digestives proved to be the professionals’ preferred biscuit. However, its top status meant it was also considered the biscuit of choice to soften the blow when delivering bad news for 18 per cent respondents.

Shortbread came in second for the boardroom’s top biscuits, followed by oat biscuits such as Hobnobs, jam rings and then Bourbons.

.. 28 per cent saying they would refuse a biscuit if it looked too crumbly.

– 48 per cent said they would dunk, while 52 per cent frowned on the act. However, men (55 per cent) are rather more likely to dunk than women (45 per cent).

.. half of professionals would not take more than two biscuits during the meeting, with only 18 per cent saying they would stretch to three.

I have posted a few stories about different sources for pectin and the possibility of pectins with different functional properties. I have worried about the potential of these as the basis for sustainable businesses by still felt that the potential should be investigated. Recently there have also been stories highlighting health benefits and advantages of pectins.

A recent series of articles from Food Navigator seems to confirm this opportunity.

The articles cover:
Pectin: Health ingredient of the future?
Pectin: Health claims and labelling
Pectin: Providing solutions for healthy foods
Pectin: Dairy replacer and micro-encapsulator
Pectin: Sourcing issues and ideas

I feel that there is an opportunity worth investigating for Africa, not by competing directly in the existing market (35 000 tons per year mainly from citrus and apples) but rather by focussing on speciality markets based on tropical fruits, producing for local markets currently dependent on expensive imports and using waste streams.

The last of the articles clearly shows that the financial viability is critical to any pectin business and is the normal failing of many of the ideas that have been developed scientifically. SAFPP would therefore like to offer feasibility study assistance to anyone with product information already determined.

This post is a periodic one, that simply lists interesting Food Processing stories that I feel are relevant to Africa. The link will take you to an original article which will acknowledge my source of the story.

Organic chocolate fans unlikely to switch to cheaper options – In recent years organic confectionery products have become increasingly popular but, are consumers going to stick by their principals in the face of rising food prices or will they turn towards a cheaper alternative?.

Sodium benzoate removed from Diet Coke – Coca-Cola is phasing out the use of the controversial additive sodium benzoate in Diet Coke on the back of consumer demand for more natural products..

Heinz to use potato peels to help cut energy costs – US-based food producer Heinz has unveiled ambitious plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2015 by using energy generated from potato peel.

Introduction of a new natural sweetener – the sweetener extracted from Stevia was introduced by Cargill and Coke and reflects the pressure consumers are putting on coke for more natural ingredients (see previous post)

Renovating for energy efficiency – in the USA food processing companies are starting to feel the pressure to be greener through retailer demands, but also see cost savings opportunities in running more sustainable processes when the modify their plant.

Most French wine features a logo (this one on the bottom right of the label, that seems to show a person with a large waist line drinking – maybe warning that drinking makes one put on weight.

However, a less frivolous and closer look shows, as one would have guessed, that it is a warning the seemingly advises women not to drink while pregnant.

This is interesting in that I am more used to a South African approach which recommends very moderate consumption rather than total abstinence. However, I do see more and more information that says there is no way to defining a safe alcohol consumption level that guarantees safety.

On the first reports I have seen it seems like the conference did not make tangible progress, although I guess this kind of conference never is.

Seems like

• it was agreed that Food Production would have to solve the problem in the long term

• a short term increase in funds for food aid would be necessary and
• it was agreed biofuels gave rise to “challenges and opportunities” which need further investigation

Yahoo! what did that conference cost, what was the environmental impact and why was the issue not addressed at the GIAF held a few months before.

As you can see I’m not very impressed but will follow up and report back over the next few months.

The are many birds in Salornay, which prompted us to put up a feeder and offer bread and fruit. Unlike in Pretoria that didn’t work. According to the locals because Salornay is in a rural area and food is abundant.

Besides the pigeons and doves Salornay has a big flock of what we finally identified as Jackdaws.

In the evenings these congregate in their hundreds in trees behind the retirement home, near the church. During the day they move around the village in smaller groups, often feeding on the grass area in front of the house.

A few days ago while traveling from Toulon to Nice we stopped at a filling station “take away” for food. This was a simple fast food place selling vienas and chips, hot dogs, pizza, quiche, rolls etc and not a Jucy Lucy type establishment!

Alongside the menus and options was the advert pictured below:

This was for the “Sandwich of the Month” which is stated to be enriched with omega three. There is also a note at the bottom on eating five fruit and vegetables a day. Interesting that a “run of the mill” outlet, although linked to one of the bigger chains, offers this kind of product to its consumers in a land where eating and drinking tends to focus on the specialities eg pate de fois gras, confit au canard, saucicon, pastis and red wine wich show little concern for nutrition and healthiness.