Just days after the iPad went on sale in Australia Pizza Capers were talking about how they planned to use the iPad as part of their ordering and service system!

“The new iPads can be used as a Point-of-Sale terminal but staff can also bring them out from behind the counter to take orders from customers in the queue or in the dining area, making them super convenient,” Geizler said.

“We have always been early adopters of new technology – and these iPads are shaping up as a real bonus for us because of their portability, reliability, and because they are a real talking piece among our customers.”

Geiszler said the use of the iPad would save time when taking dine-in orders as they would go directly to the pizza chefs in the kitchen without needing to be re-entered into the order system.

The company is also developing an application for iPad and iPhone that will let them “jump the queue” by placing orders directly instead of lining up.

In a world where poor people go hungry, Old Stone Creamery in California has “won the prize” for the most unhealthy drink in the USA. The fat content of the milkshake is the equivalent of 68 rashers of bacon and it weighs in at 2010 calories higher than the recommended daily allowance for women.

Taken with other foods like the Kentucky Fried Chicken where the bread is replaced with chicken, these creates an unhealthy view where the rich are eating to excess and the poor are malnourished.

The direct stem injection method of heating has several advantages such as efficiency, easy control, no fouling on heat transfer surfaces and compactness. It does, however, mean that whatever carry over there maybe in your steam system will get into whatever you are heating.

The figure below is prepared by the National Farmers Union using 2010 data from USDA & NAAS.

On average NFU found that the farmer received 20% of the price paid by the consumer and are of course promoting the needs of farmers and not really considering the other parts of the chain.

What’s interesting is the difference in the share between highly processed and unprocessed products – eg carots, milk and beer where the farmers receive 41%, 28% and 1.6% respectively.

Very interesting reading, more information on the full chain especially retail and transport would be interesting! Especially if it could be compared to financial performance.

Another of CTA’s series of pamphlets on processing.

These pamphlets are broad but short (normally 6 to 8 pages) and give a background about the topic, identifies the things to ask, describes processes, gives trouble shooting information and gives contacts from where further information can be sourced.
In this particular case it describes the production of deep fried banana chips and banana flour..

Another of CTA’s series of pamphlets on processing.

These pamphlets are broad but short (normally 6 to 8 pages) and give a background about the topic, identifies the things to ask, describes processes, gives trouble shooting information and gives contacts from where further information can be sourced.
In this particular case it describes cooling in the double pot evaporative cooler and sun drying.

Here’s a rather serious article about the whole wellbeing food issue looking at the implications on the manufacturers and retailers side.

(click the image to read article)

The article argues that supermarkets are responding to consumer needs and manufacturers are moving towards new products to increase income.

An interesting issue raised is that much of the new manufacturing is being linked to bioscience and nanotechnology, both of which are not natural.